MPCD

[GumidekCZ]

The name of this toppic is really funny now,... should be renamed to "sooooo good only for someone".

It would be nice to have kinda chat with ED dev responsible for Hornets displays and try to solve together, why its so difficult to make all displays visible for everyone.

 

The rest of malfunctions are just ordinary bugs I hope.

[Oceandar]

Why you all are so happy, update before AMPCD was fine to read, first in DCS Hornet history. Now its back into sh..... unusable with map again. The black outlines of symbols are to thin... like micro thin, because of that symbols are blended with colors of the map.

 

I wonder why many of us like what other hate about symbols setting ED is trying to tune down and up every update. Wouldnt be smart to create special setting for Hornet symbols, so everybody can adjust symbols to his best?

 

This is why I se after last patch.... NOTHING

 

Yes, I agree with you. I thought the thread title is sarcastic lol.

Its way worse for me and my 2 little screen LCD's for MFD show very thin line. I'm not happy with it. Prefer the one before the update. I do like right and left mfd on the main screen.

[VirusAM]

Try to use the gain controls for the AMPCD.

Tune it down...

This way I am perfectly fine to read the screen also in VR

[GumidekCZ]

Try to use the gain controls for the AMPCD.

Tune it down...

This way I am perfectly fine to read the screen also in VR

 

This makes map little too dark. Bright green latters and symbols easyer to read, but not solving the problem with very thin black outlines.

Working AMPCD cockpit adjustment buttons without bugs and black outline thickness separate sliders option in Hornet special setup for MFD and AMPCD could solve our problems once for all.

[VIXEN413]

The AMPCD si still a WIP but was still better a few updates back...

 

Now, to be more relevant in those observations, look at the 2 real AMPCD pictures here below.

 

It shows what's actually missing on our screen; all lettering and symbols that are on top of the map are indeed green but outlined with some black. That gives a contrast with the background moving map and makes things readable.

We are missing this and have only green text over greenish yellowing map that makes it super hard to read!

 

So the solution is

Get that black outline and thin the lettering.

 

On the DDI, after every update, I need to go update MFD .lua to correct the stroke size and fuzziness to thin it down. this Lua covers the MFD's and the hud but not the AMPCD.

Being able to tweak the AMPCD lettering as well could be a great plus too.

 

Pics for ref (they are not mine but found on the net)

[Vanguard]

Yes, I agree with you. I thought the thread title is sarcastic lol.

Its way worse for me and my 2 little screen LCD's for MFD show very thin line. I'm not happy with it. Prefer the one before the update. I do like right and left mfd on the main screen.

 

Ya, I'm not sure what the fuss is about, mine looks the same as yours, unreadable. I can turn down the gain to dull the map, but it still looks like crap, so I'm confused where this hype train is coming from. Nowhere near A-10 TAD readability.

 

I find the F-18 almost unusable due to the MFDs. If I zoom in just a bit, the clarity of fonts is pretty good, but at the default, it's really hard to read. Compared to the F-15 where I could literally drive from the back seat so to speak and still read everything, in the F-18, I'm constantly zooming or using snap views to goto the radar display or SA to make out what the hell is going on. It's not a fluid workflow by any means and takes away the enjoyment and immersion.

 

There are more F-18 MFD mods for readability than anything else... that should speak for itself. The ED team either has 50" displays or beyond human near-sightedness.

 

Attached pics: Instant action ->F-18-Free flight.

1. Default view

2. Slightly Zoomed

3. Gain turned down

 

Am I missing something here?

 

Edit: Actually the post inspired me to play around with some settings. Just tried "Game Mode" on my monitor and this "Samsung magic upscale" and I am blown away by the difference. It's mostly tweaking the "sharpness" value from what I've seen, no amount of manually playing with the settings gives me the same vividness. Either game mode with brightness turned down a bit (was giving me a tan), or magic upscale mode 2 adds a lot of clarity to buildings, structures... like my whole world before had a blur modified applied. It's amazing because this level of detail is not captured in screenshots which get pulled from the graphics buffer, so there's no wonder why in a single pic one person can say wow this looks great, and the next guy is like, wtf are you on about, it's $h!t. Side affect is, I can see why it's a separate mode because it makes web browsing etc horrible with the extra sharpless. My old Samsung had a hot key for game mode, but it's been switched out for "Eye Saver" in the latest model, which sucks.

 

After all that's said and done, new magic settings and all.. the MFDs still look like $h!t. Tried taking a pic of my screen with my phone but it just doesn't capture what I'm seeing.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Vanguard
Added my settings

[GazAce]

My little parade needs an umbrella

 

Knew I shouldn't have said anything..

:noexpression:

 

I'm not here for an argument, only to show what I was talking about when I made my initial post. In the past I've always had issues with reading the symbology on my AMPCD. Now I think it's brilliant. If you notice everything is legible & very clear. Yes there's more work to be done with this ie: brightness etc but I think it a big improvement & I'm very happy with it.

Peace out

Edited July 17, 2020 by GazAce
Add image

[Gierasimov]

Work in progress...

 

I stopped using the map some time ago.

From what I see today in my F18C, non-VR experience:

 

 

AMPCD:

GAIN works

DAY/NGT - does not do anything.

OFF/BRT knob is binary - either off or max ON.

SYM does not do anything.

CONT does not do anything.

 

I can see my symbology now but mostly due to the fact I selected NONE in F-18C SPECIAL tab (options) for MFD reflections setting.

 

Work in progress, beta software, I am enjoying it anyway.

[Drac]

The AMPCD si still a WIP but was still better a few updates back...

 

Now, to be more relevant in those observations, look at the 2 real AMPCD pictures here below.

 

It shows what's actually missing on our screen; all lettering and symbols that are on top of the map are indeed green but outlined with some black. That gives a contrast with the background moving map and makes things readable.

We are missing this and have only green text over greenish yellowing map that makes it super hard to read!

 

So the solution is

Get that black outline and thin the lettering.

 

On the DDI, after every update, I need to go update MFD .lua to correct the stroke size and fuzziness to thin it down. this Lua covers the MFD's and the hud but not the AMPCD.

Being able to tweak the AMPCD lettering as well could be a great plus too.

 

Pics for ref (they are not mine but found on the net)

 

Are you using a specific user mod for your MFD.lua or is your custom? Either way, can you provide what you use. Thanks

[VIXEN413]

Hey Drac,

 

No mods but every update, I change this .lua file explained in that post.

 

Works for DDI and Hud, not the APMPCD tough...

 

 

BR

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=218251&highlight=Stroke

[Drac]

Hey Drac,

 

No mods but every update, I change this .lua file explained in that post.

 

Works for DDI and Hud, not the APMPCD tough...

 

 

BR

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=218251&highlight=Stroke

 

Roger...Thanks

[fmedges]

I export my screens and the ampcd has been fairly easy to use. After the update the moving map even on exported screens is useless, but the DDI’s in game look better.

[AstonMartinDBS]

Why you all are so happy, update before AMPCD was fine to read, first in DCS Hornet history. Now its back into sh..... unusable with map again. The black outlines of symbols are to thin... like micro thin, because of that symbols are blended with colors of the map.

 

I wonder why many of us like what other hate about symbols setting ED is trying to tune down and up every update. Wouldnt be smart to create special setting for Hornet symbols, so everybody can adjust symbols to his best?

100 % agree! I'm just wondering why there are so many happy about the current state of the AMPCD...

 

The map in the AMPCD is totally useless again since 2.5.6.52196.

 

Under 2.5.6.50979 it was perfect IMO and the first time, that the map was really useable in the hornet without any tuning of the .LUA.

 

Pre-2.5.6.50979 it was at least possible to reduce the brightness, but that doesn't work in the current OB - as well as DAY/NIGHT mode.

GAIN works

DAY/NGT - does not do anything.

OFF/BRT knob is binary - either off or max ON.

SYM does not do anything.

CONT does not do anything.

Screenshot 1: default settings

Screenshot 2: GAIN decreased

Edited July 17, 2020 by AstonMartinDBS

[oldcrusty]

4 clicks down on MPCD gain does it for me. No need to zoom in to see the text. The map features... well, in 40nm range I have to zoom in unless flying over flat terrain. In 20nm, not too bad. That's in VR. When I play my vids on 2d screen I can't see s@#%;)

 

I made a short clip (same gain setting for night and day) To see anything in the vid the monitor brightness has to go up.

 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Gripes323

[Khegrow]

For me they're just plain unreadable. The exported ones are even more useless.

 

Here's two screens.

 

1) without toying around with gain and map enabled.

 

 

2) With gain used ..

 

 

On the right side your see the exported ones.. and no it's NOT the monitor ;)

AMPCD is useless.. (Pictures done on native resolution)

 

Anyone has a clue how to fix that? Would be really appreciated.

[Gierasimov]

For me they're just plain unreadable. The exported ones are even more useless.

(...)

Anyone has a clue how to fix that? Would be really appreciated.

You kind of saying that ED hasn't got the clue how to fix it.

If anybody it is their teams that know how to fix it, it apparently takes a lot of time, otherwise it would have been done and dusted.

 

WIP rather, but still.

[Khegrow]

After some toying around with the init.lua files and modding on thickness/fuzziness... I realised the problem having problems to read even the word "Step" only occurs on the SA Page only.

Changing to any other page results in better readability.

 

So: Bug?

 

See here: Main screen (default values)

 

 

and here the SA page (default values)

 

 

note the fonts and the letters suddenly changing the colors..

 

 

and of course.. the exported displays are next to useless as they pitch dark..

Edited July 18, 2020 by Khegrow

[Khegrow]

You kind of saying that ED hasn't got the clue how to fix it.

If anybody it is their teams that know how to fix it, it apparently takes a lot of time, otherwise it would have been done and dusted.

 

WIP rather, but still.

No... not my intention.

I was rather looking for a work-around. The init.luas of the screens for instance allow some "modification" and "tuning" and that's what I was asking for.

 

In addition.. had no problems up to now (if we ignore that exported screens always had been darker on the Viper for instance.. and I reported this a long time ago). So all that happened now is that they applied this "darkening" to the Hornet too.

 

And YES I trust they know how to fix it, since..it worked before :)

[HILOK]

100 % agree! I'm just wondering why there are so many happy about the current state of the AMPCD...

 

The map in the AMPCD is totally useless again since 2.5.6.52196.

 

Under 2.5.6.50979 it was perfect IMO and the first time, that the map was really useable in the hornet without any tuning of the .LUA.

 

Pre-2.5.6.50979 it was at least possible to reduce the brightness, but that doesn't work in the current OB - as well as DAY/NIGHT mode.

 

+1 here. happy to see, i am not the only one feeling that way! before last update, i found the AMPCD MAP more crisp and readable.

 

btw the readability of the CRT DDIs now is exaggerated in my opinion. as a matter of fact, CRTs tend to be hard to read, when the sun is low in real life...

[Precog]

I find the AMPCD has taken a turn for the post after the last update too. Gain does not help.

[Scaley]

 

and of course.. the exported displays are next to useless as they pitch dark..

 

For exported displays I use the ReShade application:

 

https://reshade.me/

 

 

You can set up a mask so the post-processing effects of reshade only affect certain areas. Using that I have MASSIVE brightness boost set to affect the monitor with the exported DDIs on (Gamma 7 from memory). That makes them readable again.

[Oceandar]

I export my screens and the ampcd has been fairly easy to use. After the update the moving map even on exported screens is useless, but the DDI’s in game look better.

Exactly this.

[FlyingFighter511]

On 7/18/2020 at 12:06 PM, Scaley said:

 

For exported displays I use the ReShade application:

 

https://reshade.me/

 

 

You can set up a mask so the post-processing effects of reshade only affect certain areas. Using that I have MASSIVE brightness boost set to affect the monitor with the exported DDIs on (Gamma 7 from memory). That makes them readable again.

Hello, I followed your advice and downloaded ReShade but can you explain how you use it ? What FX library you use, how you set the mask ?

[oldcrusty]

Hey mods,  I'm assuming this thread has been merged and... I ended up as a OP of a 'emotionally charged' title: 'AMPCD, OOOOH So GOOOD'  or something to that effect.

I don't think I'm capable of uplifting comments like that, lol.

 

... or, someone is screwing around here. 

Anyways, since my name ended up under this giggly title I changed it to more settled 'MPCD'