Improved FLIR Simulation

Maybe it is announced or not, (searched forums didn't find anything) will DCSW 2.5 have proper FLIR modeling in the new maps/theatres?

To be honest FLIR views in the TGP in the A-10C are pretty much useless now.

Trees are just as hot as vehicles and troops...

This is the dream...proper FLIR.

I don't think it has been announced for 2.0, but it has been a long standing item on the wishlist. Unfortunately it is one that requires skinning of all vehicles in the game with a separate heat texture, which is a *massive* undertaking.

I don't think it has been announced for 2.0, but it has been a long standing item on the wishlist. Unfortunately it is one that requires skinning of all vehicles in the game with a separate heat texture, which is a *massive* undertaking.

Well I wouldn't call it "useless" but I agree that some better FLIR modelling would be great. I asked Wags this question during one of his Q&A livestreams and he said that it is on the to-do list but we should not expect it with the initial release of 2.0. It will probably take a considerable effort to implement it and I suppose they have their hands full nowdays wrapping up EDGE+Nevada.

Could it not be done via a transparent uv texture that isn't seen by the naked eye ingame.

I remember there are several layers of texture in another Sim game I use, one layer is a dirt layer which only shows after use. The texture is transparent to begin with.

I'd make a mod for this if I could.

I have the time right now to do the textures, but I don't know LUA well enough to setup the FLIR to look for a different texture.

I was just thinking out of the box on this one. We have multiple layer textures if we implement it right. Making a "human" transparent layer that it only visible through Flir should be possible..

That's a strange standpoint from ED. For their top products they have some sort of FLIR. Not being able to use it is strange but then commenting "guys it is on our to do list but do not expect an solution soon" is even stranger.

FLIR in DCS A10C not working

I've seen a lot of reports about problems with the FLIR. I'm not talking about FPS drop but just that you can't make out any targets with the FLIR. I'm trying to pass mission 3 in the DLC campaign the enemy within and I understand what I have to do but I can't find targets with my TGP. A truck should light up like a Christmas tree when using a FLIR.

What I understand that (i'm not sure if this true or not) that ED is working on the problem with a low priority. i find this answer a bit strange, because you making a vital piece of equipment of one of your top modules useless.

I like to hear from ED what your plans are to solve this issue.

Not that I can help answer what ED are doing but....

I've found if you adjust the contrast of the display and the gain of the FLIR you can get a very much improved image.

I've seen a lot of reports about problems with the FLIR. I'm not talking about FPS drop but just that you can't make out any targets with the FLIR. I'm trying to pass mission 3 in the DLC campaign the enemy within and I understand what I have to do but I can't find targets with my TGP. A truck should light up like a Christmas tree when using a FLIR.

 

What I understand that (i'm not sure if this true or not) that ED is working on the problem with a low priority. i find this answer a bit strange, because you making a vital piece of equipment of one of your top modules useless.

 

I like to hear from ED what your plans are to solve this issue.

As Scaley says, working with contrast and brightness can help a lot, though it won't do any miracles. I agree it worked much better under 1.2, but the targets are still quite easy to find.

I agree it's terribly difficult to spot anything in the TGP in 1.5 right now.

I really hope this is going to get addressed soon, as it does indeed break existing missions and comes at a terrible timing regarding the Enemy Within campaign. So far I haven't heard anything in this regard, but I may have missed something.

Edit:

I agree it worked much better under 1.2, but the targets are still quite easy to find.

We must have a different understanding of the term "easy" :D

But yeah, so far in the campaign I was able to spot all targets, and most of them without looking too hard. Still I'd prefer it if ED made it easier (assuming that what we have now is unrealistic, which I think it is, without knowing for sure). I just hope there won't be situations where targets sit on an open field, which seems to be the best camouflage DCS have to offer right now :music_whistling:

If you think that mission is bad, wait until you get to hammerfell 2. It's damn near impossible to see the targets under the trees. Make sure you ingress from the previous waypoint when you're searching or you will never find them.

@OP:

Having the same problems... really struggling to differentiate tanks/vehicles from surrounding objects. Attached a picture of a BTR-90 targeted. Thermal signature looks exactly the same as the trees and ground... almost as if I'm just viewing the same image but only in black and white.

I agree, ED should change the way FLIR works! Hope you guys will find all the targets after all :)

I will be able to find the targets no doubt about that. It seems to me, as said by others, that the way the FLIR works is terribly unrealistic. I've seen footage of real FLIR's and then you can make out cars an people without any problem even if they are hiding behind trees. I personally found that the FLIR was not really good modeled in 1.2 but now in 1.5 Beta it is even worse. This makes me fear for DCS 2.0.

Agreed, i mean if the ambient environment and vehicles and people all have their own temperature, i would assume it can't be that hard to achieve.

Then again i am not a programmer so ...

I have the same problem. Had to shelf the Enemy Within campaign for the time being, as searching for targets in a pixel soup is not fun - imho of course.

I think the lack of functional FLIR modeling is a key shortcoming of the DCS series. When I raised this question a few years back, I was told that this could only be addressed when the new engine would be released (2.0). And now that we have the alpha out, here's hoping something even remotely resembling FLIR will be eventually introduced.

I have the same problem. Had to shelf the Enemy Within campaign for the time being, as searching for targets in a pixel soup is not fun - imho of course.

Ouch, sorry to hear that - hope it gets fixed soon!

Personally I do not think it helps to increase the contrast. Since the contrast of the landscape will also be increased.

My recommendation would be: Set the resolution of the MFD to a higher resolution in your Preferences. If you have not already done so.

It sometimes makes it easier to see the targets. Without it having look like a big pixel soup

Be aware that this has an impact on your FPS.

Has this issue been rwported as a bug? Has anyone seen the topic somewhere in bug reporta for 1.5?

And has anyone tried in 2.0? Is it the same for Nevada?

The terrain color in Nevada makes the FLIR work much better.

This was never a bug and has been spoken about for years. FLIR is simply derived from the original textures placed under an effect. Yes it would be nice to have real FLIR, i'm not sure if it's fallen to the bottom of the wishlist because when i last contributed to a thread about it DCS World didn't even exist, it was merely A-10C as a standalone.

What I have noticed is that with the advent of new ground textures and vehicle textures and all the many other addons, the original design of using a graphics effect no longer holds as a useful effect. My folks especially moaned about visibility of ground vehicles on the Starway desert terrain which makes vehicles yellow too. I suspect the new graphics engine also changed the original design goal and thus we've drifted slighty from what's hoped for and maybe expected.

Given the A-10C or TGP pod is only used on one module which is out of beta and complete, there is even less recourse for action. I think ED is aware and generally if the products are workable there might not be changes. The best recourse would be to provide an un-ignorable volume of feedback, olr if Nevada or Hormuz break it even more.

I also had problems finding the enemy vehicles through the tgp in the the 3rd mission doing exactly as you suggested Baltic. I had to have my trusty wingman with super eyesight attack them.

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