I'm picking up work on this again, getting it to work in the latest code version. The original thread was getting quite long, and a lot of the screenshots and links had been lost.
So I'm starting a new thread to keep track of progress on this.
Are you going to put it on the new 1.16.1? It will be fantastic
It'll be updated to use the latest code, but won't be part of that release. It'll be an add on mod.
Originally Posted by BANITA
with what you learned in ka50 and mi28 now you will do everything you want
That's what I'm hoping. The digital number displays were the last thing I was working on. So now I've done them in the ka50, I should be able to get them done in the Blackhawk.
Back in the game! Up and running in the latest 1.16.1.
Now the work begins.
If anyone wants to have a look at this just now, let me know and I'll send you a link. But be aware. It is very. VERY, unfinished. Use at your own risk
So don't post about things not work or needing fixed, or textures needing resized etc. I know!
Chaff and Flare numbers are now shown on the control panel.
Also, how cool does it look with the cockpit lights off
It's a seemingly small update for having worked on it all week. But I had to rework a lot of things. The model in the scene for some reason was tilted, so I straightened it as it'll make adding things easier later on. But it meant I had to re-position all of the objects in the scene again. I also changed all of the digital readouts to use a single texture for each display. They were using separate ones for left/right before. But there's a finite number of textures that can be used for displays, and I was running out.
I think it's possible to do that with DDS textures, and different layers, but I think the graphics engine needs to support it. I've see multi-layered DDS textures from DCS like that, but EECH seems to just use luminosity. Texturing is a bit of an unknown for me, so I need to sort that all out once everything is functional.
Finished off the digital clock. It's not the same as the real thing, but it's functional in the game. The real one has GMT (or UTC) at the top, and then Local or Mission time at the bottom.
This one just has Mission Time at the top and Local Time at the bottom.
I think it's time I started tackling some of the texture issues. On the central display unit, the textures look fine close up. But when you zoom out, they "shimmer" and become unclear. Can anyone explain why that is, and how to solve it?
I'm going to try a few things that i think might help, but I don't really know, and texturing isn't my strong point. The texture files are just BMP at the moment, so I'm going to try with TGA, and DDS to see if it helps.
sounds like mipmaps issue - for BMP and TGA, mipmaps should be genereated manually in separate files, like 1_BUTTON.TGA 1_BUTTON@1.TGA 1_BUTTON@2.TGA 1_BUTTON@3.TGA
for DDS, they are generated automatically (if checkbox checked), so it's preferable file format for any purpose
sounds like mipmaps issue - for BMP and TGA, mipmaps should be genereated manually in separate files, like 1_BUTTON.TGA 1_BUTTON@1.TGA 1_BUTTON@2.TGA 1_BUTTON@3.TGA
for DDS, they are generated automatically (if checkbox checked), so it's preferable file format for any purpose
I thought it might be something to do with mipmapping. I changed the single BMP to a TGA, and it already has improved it. Almost like it mipmaps it by itself. In the images below, the central display and countermeasures (to the left of it) use TGA. When zoomed out, they look softer. Compare that to the RPM/TRQ display that still uses a single BMP.
How do you create the different mipmap levels in the texture? Is it the texture file size, or the resolution that gets reduced? E.g. close up 512x512, then 256x256 etc. Or is it the pixels/per inch size in photoshop? I tried looking on the wiki as I think this has been mentioned before, but couldn't find anything.
I tried using the Nvidia tool to create DDS, but it won't launch in photoshop or using the standalone tool. Photoshop doesn't support DDS, but I've read that Gimp does, so I'll try that.
Actually, DDS plugin for Photoshop (can be found on nVidia website somewhere) create mipmaps without manual adjustments - usually it's 1/4 of original image, 1/4 of previous mipmap and so on.
Actually, DDS plugin for Photoshop (can be found on nVidia website somewhere) create mipmaps without manual adjustments - usually it's 1/4 of original image, 1/4 of previous mipmap and so on.
Thanks. I downloaded Nvidia Texture Tools Exporter as a plugin and standalone, but they won't launch. I'll have another look for it. I'll also try the plugin in an older photoshop version, as it just updated to the 2020 version.
However, I was able to use Gimp to export as a DDS with mipmaps, and it seems to work. I just need to play with the export settings to see what effect they have. I think the textures look a bit too soft now, even when zoomed in, and have lost some of their sharpness.
I've noticed that as well, may happen because of low anisotropic filtration level, or just because the way how current DX version render textures. you can decide to use textures without mipmaps for cockpit - sometimes it's worth it.
Originally Posted by messyhead
What are the limits on texture sizes?
it was 2048x2048 but not sure about now - after latest D3D changes, maybe it was increased. had to be tested.
I've noticed that as well, may happen because of low anisotropic filtration level, or just because the way how current DX version render textures. you can decide to use textures without mipmaps for cockpit - sometimes it's worth it.
Originally Posted by messyhead
What are the limits on texture sizes?
it was 2048x2048 but not sure about now - after latest D3D changes, maybe it was increased. had to be tested.
Does having bigger texture sizes help with the in game texture quality? I tried some different sizes and couldn't see much change, but all of my textures need optimised.
I'm going to leave the texturing again for now, and work on more functional things. I'm going to need to combine textures into less files and redo the UV maps. Also the sizes all need to be power of 2 e.g. 256x256, 512x512 etc, so that'll mean redoing to the model parts with the new textures. I'll probably use DDS due to the mipmapping, and also in future it means if the DX version is updated, more texture features can be added like different layers etc. D3D9 only supports a few mipmap filters, so I need to experiment with which gives the best results, and also the compression used.
I started work on updating the MFDs. I'm borrowing the ones from the Apache in 1.15.4 that have never been in a release. They match with what I've seen of some of the MFD screens in the MH60L, and it'd be a shame to never use them as they're pretty good. I've almost got the engine screen working.
Engine MFD page now working. Images show manual engine startup, flight, and overtorque. I need to make some tweaks to the font used, but it's all functioning. I'm going to add the MFD buttons too.
I've been out of action for a few while due to needing a new laptop, that got delivered today. I got myself an Asus Tuf A17, Ryzen 5 4600H, with a nvidia GTX 1650ti. So I can now also run Falcon BMS at a decent speed, so I might defect to fixed wing sims
I'm hoping to get everything reinstalled and get back to work on the Blackhawk asap.
I've been out of action for a few while due to needing a new laptop, that got delivered today. I got myself an Asus Tuf A17, Ryzen 5 4600H, with a nvidia GTX 1650ti. So I can now also run Falcon BMS at a decent speed, so I might defect to fixed wing sims
I'm hoping to get everything reinstalled and get back to work on the Blackhawk asap.
Finally found my backup drives, so managed to get Lightwave reinstalled. Maybe I'll do some work on it over the Christmas break, if I can remember what I was doing last.
May the force be with you, but I don't understand why all the flyable side-by-side-seating helos in EECH that don't have authentic pits of their own right now in the meantime just don't use either the Kiowa or Hokum cockpits, with like the HUDs disabled or something if they don't have that. Why do they use the original Apache cockpit by default?
Last edited by Reticuli; 01/02/2108:44 AM.
The term "necroposting" was invented by a person with no social memory beyond a year. People with a similar hangup are those o.k. with the internet being transient vapor.
May the force be with you, but I don't understand why all the flyable side-by-side-seating helos in EECH that don't have authentic pits of their own right now in the meantime just don't use either the Kiowa or Hokum cockpits, with like the HUDs disabled or something if they don't have that. Why do they use the original Apache cockpit by default?
The original Apache cockpit is the default cockpit. So when fly any helo was added, they made it use that cockpit. It's not meant to be realistic, and I don't think making a 2 seat cockpit the default for those types would be any better.
May the force be with you, but I don't understand why all the flyable side-by-side-seating helos in EECH that don't have authentic pits of their own right now in the meantime just don't use either the Kiowa or Hokum cockpits, with like the HUDs disabled or something if they don't have that. Why do they use the original Apache cockpit by default?
The original Apache cockpit is the default cockpit. So when fly any helo was added, they made it use that cockpit. It's not meant to be realistic, and I don't think making a 2 seat cockpit the default for those types would be any better.
Well, there's only one aircraft that should have the Apache A pit: the Apache A, obviously. Why couldn't all the side-by-side flyable helos get one of the already-finished cockpits of that type prior to them getting their own unique, authentic cockpits? Are there any other helos besides the Apache A that's using the Apache A cockpit currently that's a tandem helo? Maybe put the Kiowa pit on the US side-by-sides that are still needing unique pits like the Blackhawk & Osprey and the Hokum pit on the Russian ones like the Helix?
Edit: I guess the Super Cobra is the only tandem helo that has the old Apache pit. I can imagine the Zulu pit working fine with that, and maybe with the side stick removed.
The one advantage I can think of off the top of my head to NOT do any of this would be that some people might want half the helos to have a simple, low-framerate pit like the Apache A if they have too much of a framerate drop on the more advanced cockpits.
Last edited by Reticuli; 01/02/2106:50 PM.
The term "necroposting" was invented by a person with no social memory beyond a year. People with a similar hangup are those o.k. with the internet being transient vapor.
May the force be with you, but I don't understand why all the flyable side-by-side-seating helos in EECH that don't have authentic pits of their own right now in the meantime just don't use either the Kiowa or Hokum cockpits, with like the HUDs disabled or something if they don't have that. Why do they use the original Apache cockpit by default?
The original Apache cockpit is the default cockpit. So when fly any helo was added, they made it use that cockpit. It's not meant to be realistic, and I don't think making a 2 seat cockpit the default for those types would be any better.
Well, there's only one aircraft that should have the Apache A pit: the Apache A, obviously. Why couldn't all the side-by-side flyable helos get one of the already-finished cockpits of that type prior to them getting their own unique, authentic cockpits? Are there any other helos besides the Apache A that's using the Apache A cockpit currently that's a tandem helo? Maybe put the Kiowa pit on the US side-by-sides that are still needing unique pits like the Blackhawk & Osprey and the Hokum pit on the Russian ones like the Helix?
Edit: I guess the Super Cobra is the only tandem helo that has the old Apache pit. I can imagine the Zulu pit working fine with that, and maybe with the side stick removed.
The one advantage I can think of off the top of my head to NOT do any of this would be that some people might want half the helos to have a simple, low-framerate pit like the Apache A if they have too much of a framerate drop on the more advanced cockpits.
I suppose the real reason it's not been done, is because no-one's bothered to do it yet. Changing the cockpit isn't a trivial task, even just replacing the default with another one takes changing in lots of code, and also renaming the 3D model. The default cockpit draw methods are all different from the 3D cockpit methods as well.
Making a bit more progress with this today. I had to redo the engine display, and get the FLIR/DTV screen working, which it now is. I also added the flight display, and I'm working on the compass. I took the compass from Arneh's apache avionics code, so now trying to get it to show the waypoint info instead of radio navigation that he had added. (side note - it would be great if all of Arneh's code made it into the sim one day. Every time I look back at what he had done, it would such a great update to the Apache -> https://SimHQ.com/forum/ubbthreads....s-modernization-program-work-in-progress)
I think in a few more days, I'll have something flyable that people could test.
Flight display and Compass showing navigation info now working. There's space on the compass for more info, so I might add some later. I'm sure this should now be flyable as is, although I need to add the co-pilot and fix a couple of known issues.
Messy is there anyway i can help you?? i'm somewhat good with 3d modeling and photoshop
Thanks. I'm good at the modelling, but not so good with textures. A lot of the textures need resized, and possibly combined to less uv files. I also need to fix the shimmering issue, which I think is down to mip mapping. Using DDS might help.
Please do not hesitate to call for help with textures, uv, dds, etc. Yes, shimmering is a mipmap issue.
I've been leaving the texturing till the end, and trying to get all the model and coding done. But If I could sort out the shimmering on the main cockpit panel and instruments, it would make it a lot more flyable just now.
The cockpit looks GREAT! Awesome work. Time permitting give us some pointers or tutorials on how to program the avionics and instruments. It would be double awesome.
The cockpit looks GREAT! Awesome work. Time permitting give us some pointers or tutorials on how to program the avionics and instruments. It would be double awesome.
I think I've fixed the keys for the MFDs now when using the cohokum-BH.exe. I've also amended the keys slightly. The reason it worked in the debug.exe, was that when making a debug build Left CTRL/ALT/SHIFT and Right CTRL/ALT/SHIFT can be mapped to different keys. But when making a non-debug build (e.g. cohokum.exe) the left and right keys are effectively the same so it doesn't matter if you press left or right CTRL/ALT/SHIFT (with one small caveat noted below).
[ - main MFD next display
] - main MFD previous display
CTRL + ] - toggle main MFD on/off
ALT + [ - top MFD next display
Left ALT+ ] - bottom MFD next display (see note below)
SHIFT + [ - top MFD on/off
SHIFT + ] - bottom MFD on/off
(Note: whether you use left or right ALT shouldn't matter. However there seems to be a bug where Right ALT is acting as CTRL. Left ALT acts as it should, so use that instead. This happens in all cockpits, not just Blackhawk)
The latest update also includes Rapota's Blackhawk model, which is a huge improvement. Just see the rotor head detail to see how much better it looks.
It also includes the rotor blades and weapons visible from the cockpit - Note however these are in the wrong position. I'm looking into working out how to reposition them. But like everything in this code, it's buried somewhere.
The same download link works, just download it again to get the update files.
I've created a new post for reporting issues, and I've moved all of the posts so far about issues into it. Please use that from now on to report or discuss any issues.
Animated wipers added for the pilot and co-pilot. Ignore the slightly wonky animation. Animating things in Lightwave isn't easy, or I don't know enough about how to do it (I wish I could use Blender instead). But if you're staring at the wipers in flight, you've got bigger problems
The pilots hand and controls are no longer visible in wideview mode.
I'm working on getting the rain to show on the windows. But as with everything in this game, it's proving to be more difficult than it should.
