Yeah updated to 4.2 last night and tested some things out. Went to NAS North Island to see how John's blackhawks would look there. They still taxiid to the runway and took off and landed from the runway. So nothing changed from what i could see. Maybe it was just fixes to the default helos in game to be used as AI.
I was assuming AI helos would just lift off correctly from their helo pad or parking spot.
Maybe the sim doesn't see John's blackhawks the same as the default AI. Don't know.
Actually the release of v4.2 will not change anything. The reason is that the helos are set up as aircraft so they will operate as aircraft in v4.2.
What needs to happen is the documentation be made available (SDK) on how to utilise helo AI and then the models have to have their fde altered.
Not only that but all the models would need to altered, i.e. have their animations removed, before you can take advantage of the new features. John may be more inclined to strip stuff out and release updates then make additions and release updates BUT it depends on what else he has planned and the inclination to go over old projects.
Reality is that only new projects may take advantage of the new release BUT they will not be compatible with any other sim release so it is something that AI helo makers with have to ponder on.
Steve _______________________________________________________
Quid Si Coelum Ruat _______________________________________________________
In truth we don't know whether its more trouble than its worth, until we know how to use it and have tried it.
Can it be used for other thrust vectoring aircraft as well, like the V-22, Harrier etc.?
In essence we need info, followed by somebody with 4.2, who knows how to manipulate fdes, and then a 4.2 compatible model with no clever anims attached that can be used as a guinea pig.
Once a test subject has been adapted/produced only then we will know if it is worth it.
Steve _______________________________________________________
Quid Si Coelum Ruat _______________________________________________________
Does anyone have any screenshots of the “New MH-60R and MH-60S” Models? I am not going to update until I know my Milviz, Simworks Studios, Aerosoft, and VRS Aircraft are going to work as well. I am curious about those two Helos though. My favorite helicopter of all time.
"AI" is relative for LM. Apparantly the helo "AI" system and waypoints doesn't apply to the Traffic Toolbox (what we are using for "AI") but to some special waypoint "AI" system that is part of their SimDirector in the more professional versions of P3D.
Greg wrote:"AI" is relative for LM. Apparantly the helo "AI" system and waypoints doesn't apply to the Traffic Toolbox (what we are using for "AI") but to some special waypoint "AI" system that is part of their SimDirector in the more professional versions of P3D.
The difference is between AI aircraft that are controlled by the default ATC (which fly BGL-based flight plans) and AI aircraft that are controlled programaticly by a 3rd party program, for example VOXATC. As best I can tell from looking at both the SDK and the release notes, only the latter type of AI was "improved" in 4.2. VOXATC does control helis but I've never watched them carefully to see how they take off and land. Now I'm curious.
The SDK also has examples of ASM files for both what it calls "legacy" and new turbine helicopters. They create different tables in the compiled AIR files but I have no idea what the significance is of this difference.
The autopilot they are referring to, has to do with the user changing positions to be a Door gunner for example. If you are firing a gun out the side of the helicopter, you might need an Ai Autopilot Flying the helicopter so it doesn’t go out of control.