I've just released EECH 1.8.2. This is mostly just a to fix bugs, although there are some small new features.

Important!
This version is incompatible with all previous versions in save games and multiplayer.
Also note that this version uses non-linear controls by default, so if the helicopter responds differently from what you're used to that is the reason. But the flight model has not changed. You can disable the non-linear controls in eech.ini.


Changelog:
Several changes to guided missile flight model

• Missiles might now lose guidance if target moves outside seeker's limit. Air-to-air missile will self destruct if this happens, air-to-ground missiles will continue on unguided.
• Hellfires launched in LOBL mode should now be able to hit targets at close and medium ranges again
• Hellfires launched in LOAL mode now always does the initial climb and hence won't be able to hit targets at close range (closer than 2km).
• Seeker field of view reduced for the Russian Anti-tank missiles (Ataka, Vikhr, Spiral). Used to be around 25 degrees from center, now is 10-15 degrees (if using the new gwut file).
• Anti tank missiles and other missiles with shaped charges will do less collateral damage now, as most of the blast is concentrated on the target hit directly.
• Air-to-ground missiles which lose their lock will not self destruct but continue on (until hitting the ground, getting too slow, or if a semi-active missile until it has a new target inside seeker limits).

Several Additions to the pilot log

• New option to restore log to what it was before last mission (i.e. erase last mission). Useful if e.g. the game bugs causing you do die. Only works if you do it right after the mission, if you exit EECH you won't be able to erase the mission the next time you start.
• New page with flying hours and number of missions for each helicopter type.
• More detailed statistics on which types of targets have been destroyed by the pilot.
• New statistic for number of helicopters lost. This is the number of helicopters crashed, or landed outside of a base. For converted logs this will start with the same number as KIA.
• KIA value will now be increased if you die also before the mission is completed.
• A mission in which you crash is now counted as a mission flown, even if mission was not over at the time of the crash. You will however not get any points (used for calculating promotions and medals).
• As a result of these changes this version uses a new format for the pilot log, and a new file (player2.bin). Old logs will be converted to the new format on first start of 1.8.2. But the unknown values (the ones which were not stored previously) will be 0, except for air kills which has been split into aircraft kills and helicopter kills. All old kills are assumed to be helicopters, even though that probably is not true.
• Fixed bug where some missions were logged twice (and not necessarily with the same result).

MFD changes

• When using manual startup, the helicopter will now start with HUD system and MFDs powered down (except for the co-pilot's, he has already activated his own). Use Ctrl-K to active HUD, and Ctrl-[ and ] to active the MFDs.
• ALT [ and ] will now not only activate and deactive the Comanches side MFDs, but also cycle their mode.
• Apache's TADS and radar MFD pages now has time until impact for hellfires in the high action display area. And in TADS a flashing L has been added below and to the right of the target gates when the laser is active.
• Fixed overlaid MFDs being too dark with night vision in pilot view without cockpit.
• Fixed some of the Longbow's new MFD modes which didn't work in overlaid mode.
• Fixed TSD's mouse pointer which didn't work in overlaid mode.
• Increased size of overlaid MFDs a little for Longbow and Havoc, to make them easier to read.
  Overlaid MFDs now always use big size, no matter what HUD size you're using.
• New eech option (targeting_system_auto_page) to control if changing targeting system will also automaticly switch to the targeting system's MFD page.

Other changes

• Implemented non-linear axis for cyclic, collective and pedals. Cyclic and pedals are less sensitive around centre, making fine adjustments easier. Collective can be adjusted to have bigger range around 60-100%, where most of the flight time is spent. Makes hovering easier with better control and finer adjustments.
  
  Collective default axis curve with 1.8.2
• The laser will deactivate when target moves outside of TADS's field of view (or similar targeting system). It will also lose lock on target if target or lasing helicopter makes too violent manouvers for the targeting system to follow. The laser will most likely also disengage when switching targets in manual laser mode.
• AI wingmen won't any longer need to climb to get line of sight to target when firing radar guided hellfires. They will instead use LOAL mode and fire from behind cover.
• AI will no longer waste guided air-to-surface missiles. They will not refire a guided missile at the same target until the first missile has missed (or hit but failed to destroy target). Not just fire a new missile every few seconds even if they have several missiles heading for the target already.
• Fixed crash with A-model Apache, and all other helicopters using its cockpit.
• Fixed bug which caused trying to throttle engine down before it was started to actually start the engine.
• There was a conflict of keys in last build. Both deselect PFZ and deactivate targeting system was on CTRL NUMPAD DEL. So now things have moved a little. Deactive targeting system has moved to SHIFT-DEL (normal DEL). Should hopefully be a little more logical to keep all select targeting system commands in that keygroup. And now all the PFZ commands are at NUMPAD DEL. ALT deselects current PFZ, and CTRL delets it (and SHIFT and plain cycle PFZs like it used to do).
• Changed "use master server" eech.ini option to default to off. That way you won't be broadscasting your IP (and other info) just by enabeling multiplayer.
• Fixed bug with desert camo (gotcha)

I would also like to thank Kassie for helping me testing this release, it would have been much more buggy without his help

And as I've previously mentioned this will be my last EECH release. At least for some time. So enjoy it


Update

The link has been updated to 1.8.3 to solve a problem with loading save games, and to revert gotchas camo fix as it caused more problems than it solved. No other changes.

Download here

Thank you for all the new features!

Thank you!

Thank you very much sir.
Great work!

Thank you Arneh exellent work once again!!!
No chance of a 2 marines hanging on to the side of the apache mod
before you "retire" I suppose

What, you want me to add this weapon to the Apache? :P

Hola Arneh,

I'd still like to know how to get involved in the development aspect of EECH.

Are you the only one making changes to it?

I'm a bit tired at the moment so the rest of my questions would be too esoteric.



-V-

If you subscribe to the developers mailing list you should be able to get (read) access to the CVS (eech-dev-subscribe [at] bollocks [dot] net [dot] nz), which allows you to download the source and do whatever you please with it. And ask on the list if there's anything you need help with.




Not the only one, but for the last year or so I've done most of the changes, and all of the releases.

THX and WTG

So i must backup my audio folder. Anny textures too?

Thanks for everything Arneh! I have totally enjoyed all the hard work you've put into this.

Hello Arneh,

Thank You.

I have subscribed to the mailing list as directed.

The bollocks site has been down for quite some time. Rather a very simple message has been displayed for some time. Are these statements correct?:
The source files are maintained in NZ.
EECH Devzone, which used to be on bollocks is completely gone with the exception of the mailling list and the CVS server(s).
EECH Central (eechcentral.com) has no direct relationship with either Bollocks or the primary developers/modifiers/maintainers of EECH.

I just want to make sure I understand the current 'agents' and the relationship between them.

As far as your newest release, I'm downloading it now and will check it out once it finishes.


Thanx


-V-

Thanks again for your efforts. I have run into a problem though.

After installing this version, the new textures don't load.

These are my Graphic settings:

[Graphics and textures]
minfov=20 # general field of view minimum, linked to key '7', normal fov (60) = key '8'
maxfov0=80 # general field of view maximum for Apache pits, linked to key '9'
maxfov1=80 # general field of view maximum for Havoc pits, linked to key '9'
maxfov2=80 # general field of view maximum for Comanche pits, linked to key '9'
maxfov3=80 # general field of view maximum for Hokum-B pits, linked to key '9'
high_lod_hack=1 # EXPERIMENTAL! Enables highest level-of-detail models at far distances. Nice for higher FOVs, bad for FPS (esp. near cities)
dwash=1 # visible rotor downwash (dust), def = 1 (on)
restricted_nvg_fov=1 # restrict night vision field of view by shading edge of screen, def = 1 (on)
highreshud=1 # high resolution HUD, def = 1 (on)
greenmfd=1 # targeting cameras use monochrome green (will use monochrome grey if off)(def = 1 (on))
colourmfd=1 # MFDs use colours (only Apache currently)) (def = 1 (on))
tsdrender=1 # TSD render options (0-4) def = 0 (contours only)
tsdpalette=1 # TSD palette options (0-2) def = 0
tsdenemy=1 # TSD showing enemy colours (red, blue) def = 0 (off)
tsddetail=1 # TSD in high detail, def = 0 (off)
3d_cockpit=0 # EXPERIMENTAL! Draws a 3d apache cockpit (wide_view and MFD close-up (F3 and F4) disabled)
texture_colour=1 # Use texture colours directly. WARNING: only use with correct texture packs (def=0)
texture_filtering=1 # Texture blending, reacts to Anisotropic filter setting. EXPERIMENTAL (def=0)
mipmapping=1 # Use mipmnapped textures (dds files). WARNING: only use with correct texture packs (def=0)
dynamic_water=1 # Use dynamic water textures (def=0)
night_light=0.6 # Make night light levels darker (fraction 0 (dark) to 1 default light)

Went back to my 1.8.1 backup and it works fine.

Any Ideas?

UPDATE:

This happens ONLY with Desert campaigns and skirmishes...

?????????????????

thanx very much:)

Arneh, You're a legend. Thanks for making this sim so much more enjoyable!

MArtin.

You're the man Arneh! Thanks

Are there any other games you have considered modding, or are you taking a break from coding?

Cheers,
LP

Much appreciated Arneh,

I'm a new member in the EECH community..

The advancements to this sim is the main reason i came back to it..

Thanks again for your contribution..

Almost certainly caused by gotcha's desert camo fix then... I don't know if he want's to look some more at it.
Otherwise I could revert that fix and release a new version, since it currently seems to make things worse than it was.

I don't know about the status of the various sites, and who's their owners. So somebody else should be better capable of answer this than me.

There's not many other sims where the source code is available. And helicopters are still probably the most interesting thing to simulate, at least IMO.
But we'll see.