posted 09-02- 06:17 PM               

Please read the rest of this message while downloading.

P-51D Beta 3

Just unzip to your Fighter Squadron Directory.

Be sure to read the first half of the ReadMe.txt

When you install, it will start with the version that shows bullet holes and has control surface damage. I included a test version that has CSD on one hit to the wing tip and marks it with colored smoke. Also is a version without CSD. All this is explained in the ReadMe.txt

In the versions with control surface damage, I feel that the AI is not as sharp. They fly ok, but do not seem to aim as well, and I have seen them sometimes crash into the ground for no reason.

Also when the AI detects control surface damage it is preceived that they have lost part of a wing, so the overall damage percentage goes way up. They will still fly for a while but sometimes they give up. Also the enemy planes count the plane as destroyed.

I NEED FEEDBACK.

Option 1: Leave it as is with control surface damage.

Option 2: Keep the sharpest AI and not use the control surface damage.
(My preference)

Also, should I make the plane harder to damage?

This is your plane. I want it to be the way you want it.

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Raider 33rd~GS
Raiders Site

posted 09-02- 07:08 PM               

I'll try and fool with it some more and give you any feedback I can, but so far, so good.

posted 09-02- 08:01 PM               

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"Don't move, if we scatter, he'll pick us off! Stand Together!"~~Aladar

posted 09-02- 08:11 PM               

Aladar, the scoop helps with cooling. If you press "Y" you will see the temps drop about 10 degrees and go back up when you close it. This takes a few seconds to react.

However I suggest you wait until you have a heating problem (Temp is maxed out) If you see steam coming from the radiator area, you have a coolant leak and the engine will overheat and die soon. By opening the scoop will prolong the life of the engine. But this only works the first time you open the scoop.

Actually, radiator damage increases the engSFC to 9000 and the engine will die in a couple of minutes. If you open the scoop while flying it breaks an airpoint the resets the engSFC back to the original 211. But the engine will still die in about 8 minutes instead of just a couple.

posted 09-02- 11:57 PM               

Yes, you do need to add a key command to the keyboard.inp, I was thinking there was a standard keyboard.inp in the plane packs or something, but of course there is not.

Just add the following line.

cmdWingSweepToggle = Y

We did not want to define a new command so we used an existing one that the P-51 would probably not need.

This will open the scoop, and lower the temps.

At high altitude all the planes have a condensation trail, from the hot exhaust in the cold air.

The steam is about the same color, but comes from the scoop, if you open it, it should look like it is coming out of it. Also you could look for bullet holes in the radiator area.

I have still been unsuccessful at adding a radiator that can take damage, so I tied it into the body damage of the Parent Object. This is one of the things I hope to correct before the final release.

Thanks for leting me know about the keyboard.inp, I will update the ReadMe's and upload again.

posted 09-03- 08:44 AM               

My versions does show it as

cmdWingSweepToggle = Y

and the "W" used for cmdWingFoldToggle

Of course the key doesn't really matter, as long as you have "cmdWingSweepToggle" in there.

posted 09-03- 03:04 PM               

Pang will be working on the FM and we will take care of it at that time.

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Raider 33rd~GS
Raiders Site

posted 09-03- 05:20 PM               

Regards

posted 09-03- 05:49 PM               

But, as you say, the AI seems less happy. The rest of my squad crashed in a very short time. Don't know whether they were hit or not. I doubt they were.

Still, this is marvellous work. Brilliant.

posted 09-03- 07:28 PM               

To correct this just delete the following files from this dir.

FIGHTER SQUADRON\Media\effects\textures

GunHit.tif
Tracer.tif

I have repacked and uploaded a new zip without these two files.

If you have already installed the Beta 3 you will need to delete these files manually, the new zip will not delete them.

I am sorry if this has caused any trouble. Let me know if I can help.

posted 09-04- 09:36 AM               

Nice damage modeling too One thing I've noticed on my experiments with the Spitfire is that if you play with the airAreas of the pre- and post-damage airfoils a bit, the AI pilot won't necessarily bail out. He stays in the Spit until he loses both ailerons, for example (although the plane is still flyable by the player at that point).

I've been thinking about making a "chewed-up" aileron, elevator, and rudder to replace the existing models, instead of just having them fall off. I notice the P-51 flight controls just "freeze" when they're "shot out," as if the control cables were severed.

Hehe I love the way the gear "bends back" if you lower it at too high a speed

posted 09-04- 10:27 AM               

As for the scoop, I can just import the new lod into what ever model is used for final.

I am still disappointed about the AI with the control surface damage. They fly differently even without damage. At this point I will probably take it out of the final version.

Eyes, that is a great suggestion. I can make a test version as a simple stand alone plane with a couple of test missions. I will do this for the final beta with the FM improvements and jedi's additions.

For now you need to just rename or delete the P51D.sm and loadout.ppf in the P51d directory if you want to fly online.

posted 09-04- 08:06 PM               

Great idea. Raider, could maybe make it the "P51v" for variant and still allow the P51D to remain as it is?

Condor out

posted 09-04- 08:22 PM               

I do like the feel when you are flying and all of a sudden you lose the use of an aileron.

What do you guys think?

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Raider 33rd~GS
Raiders Site

posted 09-04- 09:44 PM               

VV, the flight model has to be worked on. This is the original FM. I extracted the original plane, imported new lod's then rebuilt it, even on the first build the AI has trouble taking off. This can be fixed with the FM work though.

Thanks for the input though.

posted 09-04- 10:32 PM               

Given the number of Bf-109 variants, I am not really worried about it... (Aside from the fact that we will be coming out with a P38L and "DS" but thats a different story... ) FM will be improved on the J with some DM enhancements and fixes. Radical DM changes like this will occur on the L and DS. Then the community can sort out which one they like better...

posted 09-05- 01:52 AM               

I have tried this out briefly, and cant comment yet. I think I am so used to the 5.3 version that this feels too different....but I am in agreement that it must be, has to be, done. A variant that can be used online without affecting the current one would be excellent, IMO. After all, we also have the b....why not 3 versions? Then we can decide later how it will affect the next pack, if at all.

Great job.

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nealg=FC=

posted 09-05- 11:29 AM               

WOW, how do I(we) thank you(and your crew) enough for this incredible addition to SDOE.
Yes there are a few problems remaining with the ai pilots but this type of visual damage modeling was my last great wish for SDOE. Now I don't know what more to wish for other than all planes include these effects(huge effort I know). I will think about it and get back to.

Please tell me here if I am just getting lucky when I take hits or if something is wrong.

I have installed the beta3 straight from the zip file and I have run the 51 vs 51 mission about 5 times and I have not seen any control surface damage but have seen plenty of bullet holes. What should I see when a control surface is damaged? I think I should see the aileron disappear.

Thanks,

Condor out

posted 09-05- 01:02 PM               

Problem 1. with AI is solved. By deleting a reference to the LWTip and RWTip in the aircLeftWing and aircRightWing of the Main body fixed the AI flying problem... Before they thought they had more wing to use and did not adjust enough. So far things look good.

On to Problem 2. AI counting the plane as destroyed if they lose use of ailerons is still a problem. Damaged plane still flys but enemy does not target it. I am trying some things with obDamage levels.

Thanks Condor, It takes at least 3 hits to the same wing tip to disrupt the aileron, it will still remain, but will be frozen in the position when it was hit, and you will really feel the difference. (we will add a damaged lod later)

I included a couple of versions for testing. Use Window's Explorer and look in the following dir.

\FIGHTER SQUADRON\Media\Aircraft\P51d\Test Models\Test Version

copy the file P51D.sm to the main P51d dir and replace the original P51D.sm

This test version only takes 1 hit to implement aileron failure and will display colored smoke so you know it is disabled.

posted 09-05- 02:55 PM               

I will test it out asap tonight.

When you release beta 4, could you release it as an entirely new aircraft like P51v or something just to keep it separate from our online version of the p51d?

I love dm effects. This was the last missing piece to sdoe and now you have done it. Great job! Now just do it for all the other planes and I will be very very happy.

Update: I was just reading a post from Nat on his A10 and he may have figured out how to get enemy ai to recognize even a badly damaged plane. Please check with him and see if what he found will work for you. I really hope so.

Again all these damage effects are awesome! Played the test mission for 5 hours last night!

Condor out

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