AOA Indexer unreadable

Finally finished my new computer and getting into DCS and the wonderful Heatblur F14B. However, I'm really struggling to see the AOA indexer on the left side next to the HUD. Am I doing something wrong with settings or is there a major BUG with the AOA indexer lighting?

I have the indexer dial on the right console at it's brightest setting (9) - but the Indexer is so dim that it is unreadable. The other lights like the nose wheel steering indicator light are fine (though that was crazy dim before the last update too)- it's just the indexer. Since the HUD e-bracket update is so slow that it is not advised to be used, managing on-speed on approach is almost impossible as there is no visible indication that you can actually follow. It's sort of ruining an otherwise great experience for me!

Can anyone help? Thanks!

I have same issue.

DCS lighting has been messed up for half a year now. HB have adjusted the internal lighting, but it doesn't seem enough or even close to what we had on release. Pre 2.5.6 for that matter.

Everything was readable when Supercarrier came out. Roll to Stable if you're not already.

Already posted several times here...

Already posted several times here...

They have, repeatedly, and then ED changed stuff more, because it's a BETA. Don't expect reliable function much less "Immersion" in BETA.

Uhm, this issue has been fixed in the recent beta patch. The new DCS lighting in general is now so, that if lights get illuminated by strong daylight/ sunlight directly, you will not see them, like in real life.

Grab AoA indexer on Google Play for Android devices. I'm using an old galaxy s9,an it's awesome

How do you use it in VR?

Uhm, this issue has been fixed in the recent beta patch. The new DCS lighting in general is now so, that if lights get illuminated by strong daylight/ sunlight directly, you will not see them, like in real life.

Which would typically require the sun to be IN the cockpit with the pilot since there's you know, glare shields and such.

Uhm, this issue has been fixed in the recent beta patch. The new DCS lighting in general is now so, that if lights get illuminated by strong daylight/ sunlight directly, you will not see them, like in real life.

Uhm... thanks for the sarcasm, but if that's what's considered "fixed", I'm amazed as it's still really hard to see it's even on - the indexer is incredibly dim whether it's illuminated by daylight or not. How come I can see the nearby nose wheel steering light easily in bright sunlight but the indexer right next to it seems barely illuminated by comparison? Why not give an option to make it brighter to alleviate the limitations of the game for those that want to actually see it/use it more easily?

Definitely appears fixed here. Do you have screenshots? What are you viewing it on?

Then I have to say there is still a problem, because I literally cannot see the green arrow, the yellow circle is VERY, VERY faint, and the red arrow is barely visible.

Lighting and more importantly the various anunciator lights illumination is still pretty terrible. Not even close to what it was on release. It's either overly washed out and bloomy or barely visible.

Also, as cute as it is that “lights get washed out in sunlight” until you model a hand I can cup over the light to see it clearly, it’s just another Screen Capture/back of the box image party trick.

I shouldn’t have to HELIOS out all my lights just to see them, that second screen Realestate is valuable.

As of today I cannot see it in day light. Can barely see warning lights. Even in afternoon heading into sun so should be as dark as can be cannot read it. Please fix. can see F18 perfect even when heading away from sun so is not a global issue it is this module. Play on PC screen not VR.

Ok guys, I am sorry, but how can lights suddenly not be visible since yesterday, if there was no update?

The lights also never will be like on release again, because DCS lighting has fundamentally changed. What was a more pinkish and less saturated colored cockpit before, is now more red and saturated. Some lights are in fact brighter because of that.

The only aircraft that received lighting fixes in the last patch were the Tomcat, the Viggen, the Mirage and the Harrier - I cannot speak for the latter two as in how extensive, but ours was very extensive. The entire patch's point was so that we could push our lighting fixes and every light has been fixed and touched upon. So if the hornet still shows the overly gloomy lights, then because it has not been fixed yet, as you can see from the changelog - there is none. Likely this will change in the future, but again, that is nothing I can comment on.

For me all lights are visible very clearly, unless they are directly illuminated by the sun, which again, is realistic. Yes, a DCS hand would be great, I've been saying this for 20 years now. But there is none, and it is not an issue that cannot be dealt with, because you are not flying with the sun directly low in your background all the time. If you lean in, you will still see the illumination though, even if very faint. That is how the new DCS lighting simply is. That said, as always, we will take a look, if we cannot alleviate the issue a bit, but my guess is that not by much. It was not easy to balance the new lighting and make it look realistic again, and making them brighter, so you can see them in the sunlight, will make them look wrong, when not illuminated by the sun. We'll see if we can do something, but I am afraid that overall you will have to get used to it as it is.

Also guys, if you think that something is a bug, particularly a light not being visible, then a screenshot would go a long way. Taking your word for it, as much as I like, is unfortunately not enough, when the lights show very well for all of us and our testers. Furthermore please let us know a bit more, like are you on open beta or stable? Because in stable it has not been fixed yet and it will depend on ED, when the fix from OB will be moved to stable. So folks flying on stable will have to be a bit patient here, please. Thank you.

Here is a comparison, to how lights appear for me:

normal daylight illumination, all lights clearly visible:

All lights on and directly illuminated by the strongest possible sun:

same as above, zoomed out to contrast lights in the shadow:

Only operational lights on, if you look closely you can see NWS light been faintly visible:

Same as above, close up:

Is it ideal? No. But the sun blending you or your gauges isn't ideal irl either. Never was, never will be. And maybe we can even look into providing a "DCS hand" - similar to the torch, one could maybe activate a shadow elipse or something to be dragged across the consoles. However, since flying with the new changes I've never found it to be an issue or something that cannot be easily dealt with. Lights are a feedback system which is most often redundant, as in being backed up by other feedback. Noises, second or primary gauges and your own actions provide alternative feedback that can be used in the odd situation of the sun blending out your lights. Pretty much what has been done irl as well, because a pilot surely did not fly the groove with his left hand up away from the throttle to block the sun, so he could see his AOA indexer. He'd simply look at the indicator instead, etc..

Ahh, once again this falls to ED not understanding how Light and the human eye works.

I just confirmed with our SME that in fact irl for example lights with a frosted coating could not be seen in the sunlight, but otoh ofc he says you'd shade it with your hand, too. He says the human eye does have a wider dynamic range than can be depicted on a computer screen, to quote him "It's tough to see an instrument panel looking up sun in real life, but it is slightly easier than it is in the sim."

We'll see if we can improve it a tad more, but in general I would kindly suggest to get used to the new lighting in DCS.

Eeeh.... Frankly, in the first picture, the AOA indexer looks quite dim to me.

That's not a complaint or a criticism. If it's like that irl then OK! :-).

Just... The other modules I play with have a brighter indexer. I think. I should test whether I'm able to see a change in the indication without having to look directly at the indexer, in different planes. Do real pilots do that (use only peripheral vision for the AOA indexer) ?

Keep up the good work! Your tomcat module is the one I enjoy the most in DCS!

I just confirmed with our SME that in fact irl for example lights with a frosted coating could not be seen in the sunlight, but otoh ofc he says you'd shade it with your hand, too. He says the human eye does have a wider dynamic range than can be depicted on a computer screen, to quote him "It's tough to see an instrument panel looking up sun in real life, but it is slightly easier than it is in the sim."

 

We'll see if we can improve it a tad more, but in general I would kindly suggest to get used to the new lighting in DCS.

How about an OPTION as a concession for it being, you know, a game?

So an individual player can choose to remove all the 'frosted' effects and dimness, and just have clear, bright AOA Index, Master Caution and Fire handle lights? You know, if we choose to?

Keep up the amazing work!

We'll see if we can improve it a tad more, but in general I would kindly suggest to get used to the new lighting in DCS.

Why? As soon as we do they'll change it again.

How about an OPTION as a concession for it being, you know, a game?

 

So an individual player can choose to remove all the 'frosted' effects and dimness, and just have clear, bright AOA Index, Master Caution and Fire handle lights? You know, if we choose to?

 

Keep up the amazing work!

Don't think that is possible, or at least possible without too much effort.

I can't see any screen caps of how some of us see the AOA indexer, so I'll post from my view ... the sun was high (12 o'clock) and slightly to my right, so by no means shining on the lights. This is from a mission where I start in the air and change nothing in terms of light levels.

For such a critical instrument, its pretty useless! It would be great if it could be tweaked.

PS> And yes, the middle index light is lit!