vAirTanker Vs vLSO

[SUBS17]

There was in DIs Superhornet ground crew that would guide you onto the CAT. The ideal setup would be something similar with AI directing jets onto the CAT, hooking up the CAT and doing the same hand signals or better etc.

[SUBS17]

It may not be necessary to create an AI Tanker mod because of Tacpac:

When the dust settles you'll be able to call for a tanker, fuel up behind an intelligent AI refueler flying dynamic racetrack patterns, then RTB to review the action (and lick your wounds) via TacView - an amazing ACMI playback system.

I think this will also work with MP.

[Sludge]

SUBS...

There was in DIs Superhornet ground crew that would guide you onto the CAT. The ideal setup would be something similar with AI directing jets onto the CAT, hooking up the CAT and doing the same hand signals or better etc.

Of course this is the dream but as we all know FSX can be a real pain to get things like that adapted. Not saying I wouldn't love it but very tough to program and make happen, especially in MP environments where everyone sees it.

It may not be necessary to create an AI Tanker mod because of Tacpac:

Well, thats really not a good reason to NOT create it. Some of us NON-VRS fanboys wont buy the SuperBug OR the TacPac but wouldn't mind a AI Tanker mod, IF it comes along. And, as I understand it, it will only work WITH the SuperBug, 'til they decide to let it out for 3rd party useage (SDK and whatnot)... and from their recent pre-order release buffoonery, I wouldn't count on that anytime soon, if at all.

Later
Sludge

[SUBS17]

What buffoonery it takes time to develop a combat sim(it was obvious from the start it would take a while to develop), its even harder to make a mp combat mod for FSX than it is to make the AI do handsignals to everyone in mp. Tacpac will be the mod everyone is going to get because it has A/G radar, ATFLIR, MP Combat and is going to get an SDK. There is no way a community freeware mod could ever match that unless you had a team dedicated to creating it working full time. The reality is combat for jets is immensely complex so to get the combat in mp for FSX ain't going to appear out of thin air. Its at this stage Tacpac as far as I can see, going off and creating a separate mod would cause more problems than solve the issue of FSX not having combat. I know from the amount of mods I've used in the past in other sims the better approach is to let a developer in this case make a really good combat mod with SDK and then work with that. Besides you already have a VRS Superhornet licence unless you chucked it away. (and Tacpac is what $35 where some sims in the past have been as high as $100US)The other thing is unlike some developers in the past they are continuing to improve the Hornet and constantly evolve the combat aspect of FSX. When that SDK is released watch out FSX because IMO everyone will start finishing their half done combat aircraft/ships/helicopters/tanks etc. It will be even better when Prepare3d gets Tacpac and the VRS Superhornet. If that happens not only will you have a combat mod in a Global map like FSX but also its a sim that is evolving as well. Big benefits to the community when that happens hopefully both VRS and the Prepare3d and other mod/addon makers will keep open lines of communication to allow development to happen smoothly. As for mods like a tanker mod for the carrier I'm still for it as we do not yet have that feature it would look quite cool too.

[Sludge]

SUBS...

What buffoonery it takes time to develop a combat sim(it was obvious from the start it would take a while to develop), its even harder to make a mp combat mod for FSX than it is to make the AI do handsignals to everyone in mp. Tacpac will be the mod everyone is going to get because it has A/G radar, ATFLIR, MP Combat and is going to get an SDK.

The buffoonery I'm talking about is doing all those pre-orders for last summer and now they are coming out with it THIS summer. No matter how good the product ends up, that's a big time blunder.

Additionally, not everyone (myself among them) is gonna buy the Tac Pack. Mostly because it ONLY works with the SuperBug at this point. No guarantees have been made about us who won't ever use the Bug.

I know from the amount of mods I've used in the past in other sims the better approach is to let a developer in this case make a really good combat mod with SDK and then work with that. Besides you already have a VRS Superhornet licence unless you chucked it away.

Yes, the amount of mods YOU'VE USED in the past. Not the ones you've developed. Big difference there. Nope, I relinquished it back when I got in that debate with them. I was proven right, and they never fixed the problem. Even the real-world 'Bug guy, LCDR Rolex, verified my claims in the simulator... yet no response from VRS. So I wont buy their products.

Anyway, since this is obviously a personal subject and you are a VRS fan-boy, can we please return to what this thread was about and keep discussing what would be good idea for Serge to develop, if he wants and gets time when he's done with the vLSO?

If you wanna keep rambling on about what the VRS TacPack or the Bug will do, that's fine I could care less, I'll just drop out of the conversation. I have NO INTEREST in either product. If others do, they can chime in all they want...

Later
Sludge

[SUBS17]

Ok then we'll wait and see but its quite clear from my perspective such a product everyone can benefit with if their ultimate goal is to make a detailed fully modeled modern combat aircraft. Its not fanboy stuff either as its clear to me that this is good not only for VRS SH users but everyone else whos into modern air combat because of the SDK.

Back on topic how difficult is it to chuck a tanker into the vLSO mod? What is the Organic refuelling BTW? I see that on the list for vLSO as well as that carrier qual stuff. BTW a refuelling reward or qualification is possible in FSX instead of a debrief if perhaps the player fully tops his tanks up an automatic refuelling reward could pop into the log book.

[GOONIE]

Organic tanking means you get fuel from another navy jet (e.g. another F/A-18 with a fuel buddy store). Serge correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like the vLSO tanker call up would be similar to how you call up Javiers carrier using AICARRIERS in FSX? Using the menu to place an F/A-18 tanker (or other navy aircraft, S-3, A-6) in a tanker orbit at various altitudes (angels), maybe fixed to the carrier center for its orbit?? Anyways, it will be a nice addition, but one thing at a time. 

-CAPT

[Paddles]

Capt,
You're almost right  A tanker would start above the carrier and then orbit it for 10 or 15 minutes. I think its path should be a racetrack oval of, perhaps, 3x15 nm... And I'm still not sure about altitude selection... 
Anyways I'm open for discussion.

[Orion]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to allow the vLSO to spawn carriers as well?  I know AICarriers2r2 does a fantastic job doing this, but I sort have an aversion to Java because it's auto-updater is so annoying.

[Paddles]

Would you be more specific on this, please?

[Orion]

I mean functionality similar to what AICarriers2r2 has.  Just a feature that allows you to add a carrier to any flight you're in, eliminating the need for having an AI route or using AICarriers2r2.  I just don't like using AICarriers2r2 because it uses Java, whose auto updater I dislike.

I actually wrote a program to do this, but I'm having issues with the carrier yielding to the user, and it would be simpler to an end user to have it all implemented into one program.

[Sludge]

Orion...

Perhaps it would be a good idea to allow the vLSO to spawn carriers as well?  I know AICarriers2r2 does a fantastic job doing this, but I sort have an aversion to Java because it's auto-updater is so annoying.

Now that is a good idea. Would be great to have it integrated INTO the vLSO for those times that you dont have a "test setup" with a carrier in free flight. Plus, just having that spontenaeous ability to set a carrier into a scenario would be great.

Serge...

You're almost right. A tanker would start above the carrier and then orbit it for 10 or 15 minutes. I think its path should be a racetrack oval of, perhaps, 3x15 nm... And I'm still not sure about altitude selection...

How would it start? User request, or when you reach a certain fuel state? What aircraft is it?

Later
Sludge

[SpazSinbad]

Gif Diagram and two PDF pages attached are from CV NATOPS MANUAL 31 JULY 2009 NAVAIR 00-80T-105

http://info.publicintelligence.net/CV-NATOPS-JUL09.pdf

[SUBS17]

Would you be more specific on this, please?

If you use the latest Java then AICARRIERS will not work, I believe that is why he does not like AICARRIERS.

[SUBS17]

Orion...

Perhaps it would be a good idea to allow the vLSO to spawn carriers as well?  I know AICarriers2r2 does a fantastic job doing this, but I sort have an aversion to Java because it's auto-updater is so annoying.

Now that is a good idea. Would be great to have it integrated INTO the vLSO for those times that you dont have a "test setup" with a carrier in free flight. Plus, just having that spontenaeous ability to set a carrier into a scenario would be great.

Serge...

You're almost right. A tanker would start above the carrier and then orbit it for 10 or 15 minutes. I think its path should be a racetrack oval of, perhaps, 3x15 nm... And I'm still not sure about altitude selection...

How would it start? User request, or when you reach a certain fuel state? What aircraft is it?

Later
Sludge

I have some ideas how about a USNavy Tanker(freeware) such as an S3 when requested spawns at either near the carrier or at a realistic location based on the actual USNavy manual etc. Or could be directly above the carrier but there again for those with slower PCs maybe somewhere away from the carrier might be better for mp/FPS etc. You would want it on the menu as a selection rather than it automatically spawing because of a fuel state. If you're going that far maybe someday an E2 or even cap could be added to something like that. Reminds me of Fleet defender having all that cool stuff. lol or you could take things way further and have it spawn inside the carrier folded up, taxi to the elevator go up and unfold itself then taxi to the cat and take off.(probably way to complicated IMO but worth mentioning someday something like that would be cool to have)