Hi all,

My (nick)name is Aeyes and run a small company called cockpits.nl.
I have done a lot of cockpit mods in the past years, for MSFS/FSX, Falcon 4.0, F4:AF but also for DoD simulation suppliers.
I was recently asked about my Apache graphics that where a work in progress on the cockpits.nl website. Looking at the nice AH-64D cockpit in EECH v1.12 I saw that there was some room for improvement. That is what resulted in this high resolution graphics pack. Now this may be new for EECH, but very common for the sims I have done work for before. That is that this add-on is payware.



Version 1.0 of the AH-64D Apache cockpit textures is a high resolution pack, updating both the pilot and CPG cockpits.



Special thanks for this add-on go to Arneh, for his Apache mod and assistance, Homercide for making the installer, and Ivonq for his suggestion to look at the Apache.

See the gallery section for more images:
Apache Gallery

Or a couple of small movies:
AH-64D movie 1

Ah-64D movie 2

Enjoy,

Aeyes
www.cockpits.nl

Great work there, Aeyes, the new high res textures lift the whole Apache EECH experience to a new level...Superb!

Ummm...that is really, rather nicely done! I've already purchased Aeyes work for Falcon 4.0, FF5, so I know the quality of his work. Honestly, those videos make me want to go out look for this sim.

Soon developers will ask for payment for new features and bug fixes.

Who needs payware in a free comunity!!!!

Come on, lads...No one is forcing you to buy anything...However it adds to the experience...He put alot of time into making these textures...they're done in a professional way...

PS: please stay on topic, my remarks are my sole opinion and don't need to be discussed in detail or be debated, it's just my 2 cents!

The cockpit look great and all but honestly I have a similar oppinion as FireBird and ghostmike - While no-one is forcing to buy anything it's a bit odd to see a payware texture upgrade for sim where so much more features/textures/etc... were done ALL for FREE! It's also odd to see someone profiting from someone's work which in this case is the free and awesome cockpit from Arneh!
I think profiting from original work (razorwork in this case) may be ok but profiting from someone's FREE addon work is a bit (moraly) wrong. This of course IMHO.

For what it's worth I bought a couple of cockpits for Falcon4 from Ayes (one of them was the F/A-18C) and like I said those Apache cockpit textures looks great.

Fellows, I totally understand what you mean.

A couple of things.
I have seen the same reactions about payware for Falcon for example, which also has a lot of freeware mods. about 8-9 years ago a similar thing happened and nowadays it is pretty much accepted to buy add-ons like 'HiTiles' or various cockpits. For Falcon I did quite a few freeware mods myself so I know what it is to deliver goods that way and share it with a community.

Payware mods for MSFS/FSX are very much present everywhere, and are widely accepted, it breaths life into the sim. Without these mods MSFS would have died years ago. Ofcourse freeware mods will also breathe life into a sim or even more. Payware mods must be high quality otherwise they just aren't worth it. This means breathing quality into the sim as a whole.

I have been in contact with Arneh before and about this release and we talked about a lot of things, and I would like to keep that private. But as far as I can see we have a good developer relation. Only Arneh can judge about morally wrong or not imo.

Now the following might be nonsense to you, but I hope, like Arneh's excellent work does, to help attract more peoiple to EECH, and this means as a result, also attract more modders to EECH.

I am forcing nobody to buy the cockpit material, it is for everyone to decide for themselves if they want it or not.
If more cockpit mods will come from me for EECH does not depend on me.

Aeyes

[/quote]

Umm, didnt he say thanks to Arneh for his assistance? I thought that implied Arneh's permission to make the pay-for mod.
BTW, there is a game called FS9, you might have heard about it? Quite a bit of payware AND freeware in that sim. Would'nt you also say that the payware creators for FS9 are also profitting off of MS works?
I just dont see what is unique here. I say thank goodness someone has taken an interest in this game. It could be a dead platfrom you know.

First of all, don't worry about these textures using my previous work. Aeyes has my permission.

While I admit I'm sligtly disapointed it's not free, in this case the alternative probably would have been no textures at all. I previously had 3 texture artist contact me and said they wanted to make new textures for the Apache. None of them ever produced anything. If payware is what it takes for Aeyes to make EECH textures, then at least it's better than not having the textures at all. Now you at least have the choice.
And of course, there is nothing stopping anyone else from making new textures and releasing them as freeware.

And don't worry, I have absolutely no plans to start charging for any of my own mods.

This is a really beautiful update.

Cheers

I think the price is a little steep just for a few cockpit textures, although having done quite a bit of texturing in EE2 myself, I know how time consuming it can be to create/enhance a quality texture. So to be honest if I had the oportunity to save myself hours of work by spending a few bucks ive got no complaints.

I probably would have paid for ARNEH's Apache, as well as Tango's Hi res Sharkpit in DCS in the past.

All efforts to mod/enhance this game and others are appreciated. Now if somebody can get to work creating a multiplay server browser GUI utility that offers click to join, that would be a nice addon.

ps- regards pricing, low price = high volume sales. Would you make more money selling cloths pegs, or motorbikes?

Ok I couldnt help myself and purchased the pit. Unfortunatly it seems im not getting the high resolution that I expected from the slideshow

http://img42.imageshack.us/i/image002z.jpg/

http://img198.imageshack.us/i/image003ka.jpg/

I checked the texture folder and it seems that my install is using the bmp texture, but should be using the HiRes texture contained in the dds file. Is that correct?

**Edit**disregard post. I found the problem. I had previously backed up the AH64 textures some time back. The game was looking at these textures so I moved the folder elseware, which enabled your pit. Nice work it looks great.

I had no problems at all with installer. However I noticed that when I make changes in the gfx card drivers to the highest setting (using catalyst from Ati here) it is almost like the real thing...

For me personally it gives a whole new dimension to EECH and I hope more are to follow...

I think Aeyes cockpit looks fantastic.

Have to stop thinking free-lunch. I got into a phase where I was spending good money (which peaked at $300 in a single month) on Microsoft Flight Simulator add=ons. If the sim in question was MSFS and this was a payware add-on for it, I wouldn't bat an eyelid in shelling out for it.

Nothing wrong in getting paid for good work and this looks first rate.

Bought it last week, and it really looks good on my new widescreen monitor. I finally had to kick Longbow Gold and Longbow 2 to the curb. WAH!!

Aeyes will have to learn cyrillic to complete the other pits. According to the forum at cockpits.nl devoting the time to creating new pits for EECH depends on the success of the new AH64D cockpit. Hope it takes off!

I hope the AH64 pit succeeds as well, as I'd like to see some detail go into the KA52.

After putting a healthy amount of time in DCS BlackShark ive found my self drawn back to EECH. Apart from EECH's dynamic campaign engine I also like the combat systems in the EECH pits which although lacking the detail that is offered in DCS, EECH still offers a more complete, and varied set of combat systems.

eg:

DCS offers, a superior flight model, and an optical targeting system, similar I guess to EECH DTV

EECH Apache and KA52 offers, FRC, TADS, FLIR, DTV, Periscope, IHADS, RWD etc. More that enough to fill up an X52pro profile. Both sims are complex in their own way.

Of course i'll agree DCS BlackShark is the best Helicopter flight sim ever made, but not nessesarilly the best heli combat sim ever made. My opinion anyhow

AEYES pit is very nice addon for this sim.

Hi guys,

Not been on for a while. Amazing things as always from the community here. I will come out and put my hand up as one who contacted Arneh about the Apache cockpit textures. Long story short, new baby + system crash took me away.

Probably not a great deal of demand now due the the fantastic work done by Aeyes, but here is a link to the only surviving (recoverable) 'work in progress' texture I made about a year back..

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5228/avckptpilotupfrontdispl.png <-- texture was only half finished when the PC hit the fan. Let me know what you guys think. If there is enough demand for it, I could always start over... although I doubt it will be as good a quality as Aeyes'. I'm considering getting the texture pack myself hahaha.


Stoley.

I have asked this in other threads, but this thread may be relevant.
Does anyone have the dimensions for the AH64D cockpit?
I would so love to build a cockpit for this sim.
I have trawled a load of sites without success to date.

Regards

will these hi res textures work with Arneh's upcoming avionics modernizaton update?? They sure look nice...

Yes.

I see this as a milestone. A compliment for the game, to have matured so much to attract payware.


Respect. I think it's a professional approach [to ask the creator first for permission].

Though. It seems a bit out of balance. To have Arneh's tons of add-ons for free and pay for a relative small add on like textures.

I thank you for your add-on and I have no problem this game is attracting payware developers. It's a new phenomenon for me.

I could not hold myself and bought the cockpit textures. And yes, i do not regret it, although 11.50 € is not at all cheap for that update.

The textures add a lot of realism, by their very nice detail. One can see that Aeyes really cared about doing a good job, and not just offering something half-done.

Here's one screenshot for you. If you right-click and save it, you can see it in the full resolution.

I keep meaning to get around to getting this. I will once I get my butt in gear.

You can also view the original if you click the Reply button on the post containing the image.

Ah cool, did not know about that! Thanks!

Oh now that is just excellent



More than six years since the code was released - what took you so long? I am sure all previous contributions were not worthy compared to your textures

Up until this point people have busted their chops to make excellent free content for our little gem of a sim,that is of course until now.

I understand time means money for some but after all the hard work people have volunteered for this community why now?

Yes they are, not were.

Why now was back in september.
Someone pointed me to current EECH, specifically asking about Apache cockpit upgrades. I did, worked hard on it and people are free to decide if they want it or not. Now to ease you guys mind a bit, right now it does not look like there will be more EECH cockpit add-ons from me. I have too many other projects going on simultaneously and the interest for the Apache cockpit graphics was very low. Two major reasons to focus on other things.

Thanks for your efforts on the Apache pit Aeyes, it was an excellant addon to this timeless sim

Good work indeed. Appreciated and supported.

I never had a problem with this. I haven't got around to buying it yet, but I will. I procrastinate a lot.

Now, would one of those side projects be more artwork for sale? It's a great collection and I for one would like to see some more - something from the F-15E perhaps, maybe something from the Apache. I need to decorate my new man-cave.

The Strike Eagle certainly deserves some nice in-action artwork. Sofar I liked to combine it with some historical event, any suggestions ?
I also have a F-4 Phantom in mind, working on a cockpit for it now, maybe BG Robin Olds in a certain mission.

Yeah, maybe a cockpit shot of his last kill.

F-15E really came into their own during Desert Storm. I know of one mission blowing up a bridge somewhere - perhaps that could be the theme - cockpit shot of the dive and the drop. I know that the group came in one-by-one and from the sounds of things the guy telling the story nearly got caught up in the blast because their spacing was a little off so it sounds like a CCIP pass. They were dropping Mk-84s.

Sorry to hear that. At least i can say that i am one of the persons who supported you by buying the Apache cockpit.

I have just bought the cockpit textures and it will not install. I get this message 'Abort setup: Razorworks EECH not found'. I have the Razorworks folder in the default location C:\Razorworks.

Whats going on?

EDIT: sorted now thanks to Aeyes.