DCS Update Patch Notes Discussion Thread

[FistofZen]

that got closed after they said they wouldn't change it).

 

I have opened the thread, thanks to my friend who noticed the problem with too dark tint. I was sarcastic when I asked now why did they change it, back then they didn't want to accept the fact that it is too dark.

 

Anyways, Aim120B is in the game for the Hornet.

[MikeMikeJuliet]

So before they had proper PN, the dcs missiles bled their energy straight off of the rail because they instantly ‘knew’ the intercept angle - instead of gradually adjusting in flight that is?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

In short, yes. They turn either with max g or not at all, when they should take the distance to the target into consideration.

 

I recommend listening to this

for the most indepth and up-to-date info and discussion on DCS missiles.

[cypc]

I really appreciate that some recent patches were out by noon, allowing to update during the afternoon and play on the evening, thank you ED :thumbup:

[QuiGon]

• SAM and AA missiles. The system of variable coefficients of proportional navigation is implemented. Only for MIM-104 Patriot so far. WIP.
  

What exactly is this?

As far as I understand this means, that missiles now don't do full course adjustments at the beginning of their flight when the target is maneuvering to avoid wasting energy. Is this correct? If so, this would be a huge improvement!

[GGTharos]

Incorrect understanding but close :)

 

This is just an educated guess, but here's the technical explanation:

 

PN (Proportional navigation algorithms) will attempt to zero out the LOS drift of a target. That's how they pull lead - they don't calculate it, they just 'pull lead' until the seeker no longer has to move to track the target.

 

They may use additional information to make PN more efficient (thus there are a bunch of PN implementations) but what they all have in common is the acceleration coefficient N.

 

Typically N~3, which means that your missile will maneuver to achieve 3x of the target's LOS drift until it brings it to zero. As you've noticed in DCS, this causes a long range missile to expend its energy on useless maneuvers.

 

So, you can reduce N until you're within a certain distance of the target. This is particularly useful for missiles which are capable of detecting this distance either via radar, datalink or in some cases (Eg ECM environment but with good initial launch data) computed time-to-go.

 

There are other coefficients to be taken into account also, such as control commands passed on to the fins ... but I suspect this is all about N.

 

What exactly is this?

As far as I understand this means, that missiles now don't do full course adjustments at the beginning of their flight when the target is maneuvering to avoid wasting energy. Is this correct? If so, this would be a huge improvement!

[Esac_mirmidon]

So in the end this make missiles have a longer "effective" range, reaching the target with more energy at shorter distance or longer at greater distance?

[GGTharos]

Exactly. Also makes snaking, barrel rolling etc less effective at a distance. Hopefully a lot less effective, but additional guidance filters may be required to help with that.

 

This sort of variable coefficient would also help with lofting - it would prevent the missile from destroying all of its speed at pitch-down.

 

To give you an idea how this system could work, and this is based on the real AIM-7, the missile will keep maneuvering locked down until within 4.5nm of the target. So, if you launch with this range, full maneuvering is enabled. If you launch beyond that range, full maneuvering is enabled when inside this range from target.

 

Also, specific to the 7, I believe that full maneuvering is enabled immediately if you launch in FLOOD.

 

There is more to these mechanisms also - the timing of fuze arming depends on initial launch distance and then distance to target in flight, for example.

 

So in the end this make missiles have a longer "effective" range, reaching the target with more energy at shorter distance or longer at greater distance?

Edited August 1, 2018 by GGTharos

[QuiGon]

Typically N~3, which means that your missile will maneuver to achieve 3x of the target's LOS drift until it brings it to zero. As you've noticed in DCS, this causes a long range missile to expend its energy on useless maneuvers.

Thanks, that's basically what I meant: The missile will make smaller lead adjustments at the beginning of its flight, to avoid wasting energy. That's great news as this is probably the biggest inaccuracy in EDs missile simulation and a reason why they often seem to underperfom. :thumbup:

[GGTharos]

To be accurate and pedantic, it will make the full adjustments ... but it will make them slower :)

 

I'll be interested to see if MIM-104 displays any of this behavior, but it'll be a few hours before I can test :)

 

Thanks, that's basically what I meant: The missile will make smaller lead adjustments at the beginning of its flight, to avoid wasting energy. That's great news as this is probably the biggest inaccuracy in EDs missile simulation and a reason why they often seem to underperfom. :thumbup:

[QuiGon]

To be accurate and pedantic, it will make the full adjustments ... but it will make them slower :)

Now I see what you meant there, thanks :)

[Esac_mirmidon]

Thanks GG, valuable info as always.

[D4n]

Tharos can you explain "LOS drift of a target" ? Maybe by using a graphical representation?

[D4n]

Anyone know what "Net phantom long teleportation" exactly stands for? What "phantom" ?

[Art-J]

I'd guess something related to warping online. In the other thread c0ff wrote the patch is supposed to have some fixes for it.

[PeaceSells]

Tharos can you explain "LOS drift of a target" ? Maybe by using a graphical representation?

 

I'm not sure, but I suspect it means line of sight drift. As if the missile is trying to keep the target's "image" still, as in trying to not let the image drift to the sides, up or down, which, as I understand means it's trying 'pure pursuit'?

[MikeMikeJuliet]

Anyone know what "Net phantom long teleportation" exactly stands for? What "phantom" ?

 

"Phantom" is synonymous to "ghost". What this means in the context of a videogame is the following: Your client in a multiplayer game doesn't simulate other players' aircraft. Instead what you see is the aircraft, its location, rotation, movement momentum, configuration etc. as it is sent to you from the other player via the server (e.g. clients are synced). This non-calculated multiplayer representation of the other player is their net phantom.

 

Long teleportation in this case is what happens when the netcode does things that, when combined with large pings and/or packet loss makes the other players (e.g. their net phantoms) sometimes warp several miles around the map.

 

 

Regards,

MikeMikeJuliet

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

In the latest news letter it says:

 

"Added Hornet radar page TDC control"

 

Can someone please tell me where is that DDI psage and what is supposed to do?

 

thanks!

[mwd2]

In the latest news letter it says:

 

"Added Hornet radar page TDC control"

 

Can someone please tell me where is that DDI psage and what is supposed to do?

 

thanks!

 

From Matt's video

 

 

you can change the range, or activate the SIL mode, the azimuth or bar scan range....

[Texac]

In the latest news letter it says:

 

"Added Hornet radar page TDC control"

 

Can someone please tell me where is that DDI psage and what is supposed to do?

 

thanks!

 

I think it was covered in one of the latest Mini Updates post/video.

 

It allows the use of the HOTAS TDC to navigate through the radar page functions without clicking the buttons.

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

Oh, ok, I thought it was an actual "page" not the use of the TCD to control the options in the perimeter of the radar's page...sorry then!, and thanks for the help to both!

 

Btw, I was interested on this because when slewing in the hud to designate ground targets for "AUTO" bombing mode, at least for me, the TDC moves EXTREMELY sensitive while not the case when slewing the cursor on the radar page which is fine once configured in the control settings but as they are the same control I cant configure the cursor for ground designation separately thats why I thought maybe there was a page where you could configure the TDC, kind of the one in the A-10C where you can choose sensitivity...

 

thanks!

[Reflected]

Hoping for a patch today that would contain the first round of fixes for the Yak.

[D4n]

Hoping for a TWS F-18 addition and F10 text uber-clutter (airfield names) fix.

[backspace340]

Hoping for a TWS F-18 addition and F10 text uber-clutter (airfield names) fix.

 

TWS definitely isn't coming today - they've said LTWS by the end of August though I believe (but not in this release, so probably the next beta patch on the 29th). Proper TWS isn't even on their priority list so won't be for at least a couple of months most likely.

[D4n]

Is there a difference LTWS -TWS ? Or just the name?

[backspace340]

Is there a difference LTWS -TWS ? Or just the name?

 

A big difference, LTWS is like RWS+, TWS is TWS.

 

For both, the main benefit is they turn the raw bricks into trackfiles - which'll tell you whether it's friend or foe, which direction it's going, what speed it's going and it's altitude. It'll give us the ability to soft lock and to IFF without STT.

 

LTWS is activated in RWS mode, and lets you generate three trackfiles at a time - one you get by putting your TDC over the top of any brick, and you can soft-lock two targets (which you can then flick back and forth between as your primary target). This is possible at any scan volume you can use RWS in (i.e. max 6 bar / 140 deg).

 

TWS only works at restricted scan volumes (I think max is 80 deg 4 bar, but not sure if that'll actually be even less and something like 2 bar 80 deg / 4 bar 40 deg / 6 bar 20 deg). It'll automatically display the top 8 targets/trackfiles it's prioritised.

 

So essentially RWS = raw bricks, LTWS = three track files but you have to manually pick which, TWS = automatically shows the top 8, but comes with a scan volume penalty.