I present the first video of my Air Enhancements (AE) System script suite for ArmA II.

Air Enhancements aims to add greater detail and fidelity to the simulation and use of fixed-wing aircraft in ArmA 2 by providing an improved avionics suite, including a Targeting Pod (TGP) with HUD cues, Tactical Awareness Display (TAD) integrated with the TGP, air-to-ground radar, and other systems.

It is currently implemented as a script which can be dropped in any mission. Requires GLT Missilebox (part of SimHQ O.N.E.) and the latest beta version of ArmA II (the commands I use for terrain mask detection were added literally 2-3 days ago).

Don't mind the debug code everywhere on the screen. I have added annotations walking through the use of the system, which should be familiar to DCS: A-10C Warthog pilots.

This video showcases the TGP and TAD functionality and integration. Other systems are not yet implemented.



TGP features
- Detailed LITENING-style TGP with range, location, altitude, situational awareness cue, etc.
- Point/area track
- True terrain mask detection and limitations for tracking/lasing (currently objects are non-blocking for gameplay reasons)
- Laser designation
- Laser spot search
- FLIR
- Return to boresight
- "Check Attitude" warning (aircraft control is lost in TGP view due to engine limitation)
- Markpoint creation for comms/situational awareness and GPS/INS targeting
- Wide/Naro lens modes + zoom (range adjusted for ArmA world)
- TGP HUD cue for low-visibility situations and standoff deployment of guns/rockets

TAD features
- Remake of GLT GPS/INS dialog in Air Enhancements graphics style
- Target designation for JDAMs and other GPS-guided weapons
- TGP can be slewed to any point on the map using the TAD

Things to come
- Hellfire/Maverick interface (with force correlate locking) and TGP slaving/integration
- Small corner TAD (replaces GPS and doesn't interrupt flight controls)
- Ground radar for aircraft not equipped with TGP (very simplified radar concept)
- (maybe if I can figure out the math) CCIP reticle for unguided weapons
- (very maybe) Radar Warning Receiver
That's about all, I don't want to get crazy and remake MandoMissiles or something. My goal is to provide what's necessary for high-fidelity CAS in ArmA.





Also unlike many of my other projects (which have hit engine limitations or need a mod to be installed to work without oddity) this is the real deal and as you can see from the video, it's already fully implemented with no tricks.

Pilots of MM/TT: if you are willing to run the latest beta version of ArmA, I am looking for testers and feature requests (within reason). Post here or PM me and I will send you a single player mission with whatever state the AE System is in.

Hope you enjoyed the preview. This is also laying the groundwork for implementing similar systems in ArmA 3 using Picture-In-Picture on a real MFD in the aircraft -- hopefully that will be possible.

Tao, I am interested in testing this out.

I already run the beta.

Tao,

As someone who used to work in this industry (simulation gaming, mmos), I gotta say, you could be making money doing this stuff.

That said, I selfishly don't want to lose you to the requisite 16 hour day/6 day week hole it entails.

I do want you to help me get dinosaurs into dayz though :P

@Tanker: Sending PM in a bit, no documentation good luck have fun.

@Snail: Unluckily I'm only decent at making code-y script-y stuff, not at art. No, not at art... not good at art at all...

Fantastic!

I do fly DCS A-10, so if you need a tester.. shoot me a line.

nevermind

Finished refactoring and optimizing the TGP/TAD, which are now working well. Still have to get a good return-to-boresight going. I tried to make the TGP capable of A-A mode and INR mode and also allow control of the aircraft, but ArmA's cameras are just too wonky. It is possible -- see the LDL AC-130 for a demo of a 'free' INR camera -- but it causes horrible graphics warping on fast-movers. Chalking this one up to a scripting engine limitation -- I think it might be somehow possible with modding (by adding a turret camera to the aircraft, or something), but that's not what I want to do here.

Decided not to program the air-to-ground radar concept, since it was going to be a lot of work and not add much with the tab-lock weapons model intact (if you are using tab-lock weapons, just tab-lock. If you are using guided bombs, you need a TGP to lase, so what's the point?). Plus the fake-y 360 radar does enough. Maybe I'll make it later once I have a working version of this out.

I have just finished the first iteration of the RWR though. Unfortunately it's a bit too sophisticated right now (with LoS checking, threat prioritization, proper symbology including inner/outer ring, etc.) so it's causing a micro-stutter on update. I will optimize it then post some videos.

Then I will just have to do the Hellfire/Maverick targeting, which I've already thought through. Expecting no problems there.

Maverick interface turned out to be a lot more complicated than I wanted it to be, since I have to limit the rotation of the 'seeker head' so that it can't just spin around like the TGP currently can and track/engage anything in all directions. Future weapons ahoy.

This resulted in having to completely rewrite the whole camera tracking system to be target-independent, allowing a true simulation of INR-style tracking rather than Area/Point modes only. This was pretty confusing to me and there's a bunch left -- plus, I've been working on this way too much lately, so I expect to take a break on it until after the release of ArmA patch 1.61.

I did implement the missile tracking code though, so at least I have that.

Also the RWR is now working fully with no stuttering. It's pretty cool, within the limitations of a gameworld that doesn't feature even the pretense of radar simulation. It's definitely more sophisticated/realistic than the RWR in ACE or Mando, if I do say so myself, though those support many more units (which is about 30% of the work anyway!).

After I polish a bit more, I will provide a general beta, which will include the TGP with the old all-directions tracking, the TAD, and the RWR.

Any MM/TT pilots other than Tanker and I running the beta? Because the new commands are all client-side and do not need server support, I could make a mission or two with this sooner rather than later. Just need pilots. Suppose I could make it a mission-pref toggle. We'll see.

I'll see if I can post a video of an F-16C SEAD run tomorrow to show off the RWR.

Does the beta effect anything that would mess up an arma install? If not i'll get it installed and help test this if ya want.

No, it installs side-by-side with the regular version. A new shortcut will be created in your ArmA folder that says 'Launch ArmA Beta.'