High-G Nose Vapor, Engine Exhaust Smoke and lighter HUD

[Doum76]

Greetings all,

Been a while i've been posting, or asking advice , this time i post to come back on some old post, i've been reading a while ago, people looking for High-G vapor, or the ones mentionned in the thread «Is it possible to add high-g vapor effects to the F-18? », not working, or some others with some trick to get the glass off the HUD or some alternative, well i decide to share with you my last few days fool around, i've been flying a bit less lately, and ended-up for my personal likes, getting the HUD less dark, at first a while ago, i've downloaded some modification spoken in a thread on here,, but after a while, i get to dislike it, was flat, and either too transparent or too flat white, i wanted a bit more effect of the lens in the glass, was a nice looking, but too dark greenish, making hard to see through, so i've been looking around files, folders, and found out the picture, used for the lens reflection, found out the image of the lens, and on the wbe how to modify stuff, what kind of format to save, so that was my exploration of doing stuff, modify stuff in FSX, so i used my graphic designer ability in Photoshop to tweak FA_18_Hud_Glass. If anyone would be interested to get the effect of relection on the glass, but less Darker, since i don't know how to attach file here, i made a little video i got on Youtube, feel free to take a look, it'll be a pleasure to provide the FA_18_Hud_Glass file.

After that i got a little bit more in the complicated stuff, and found out why the High-G Vapor from FS-KBT F-18E  as mentioned in the thread, weren't working, the problem was mainly inside the Gauge XML file inside the .CAB file, the problem was, to trigger, the Vapor needed to be 5g, 12 deg. celcius and at least 120 KIAS, that wasn't much of a deal, but the first required item, was, Flaps at 0%, maybe the SuperHornet mod. doesn't have automatic Flaps, but the awesome F/A-18 from Acceleration Pack, do have Automatic flaps, so the chances to get Flaps at 0% on high-g manouver is pretty much impossible, so mostly never triggers, so by deleting, inside the XML Gaugle file «wing_vapor»  (located inside the dfa18_fx.cab file that should be inside the Panel folder of the Hornet if you installed the stuff for it.) the 2 places you see (A:TRAILING EDGE FLAPS0 RIGHT PERCENT,percent) 0 == ;

and delete one &&   on the first line where you took off the first flaps line. If you would need more help i'll be glad to help, about how to decomrpess the file and how too use it not inside the .cab file.


And for last, i'Ve been also learning,, fooling inside the effect file, gotta say at first, it ain't that easy to understand each stats and does what, well, i ended up doing an Engine Exhaust Gas smoke, used with the XML gauge from the same set as the set for the High-G Vapor, so when Engine 1 and 2 N1 reaches 80%, the smoke is triggered, if you get below 80% it stops, and i made my effect 3 parts, first part is a darker small smoke trail, that gradualy fades away after a few seconds, the second part is some puffs of darker smokes that comes randmonly while the smal trails last, then it ends upw ith a light gray smoke, wider, that last for about 35-40 seconds, then the entire smokes disapear.

If you guys don't mind to give me your opinion you can take a look at the Test run video i've made, and you can also see  he high-g vapor. It's far from being perfect, but not bad at all for my first try, let's say i've made lots of tries, and reading in the SDK manual to understand. :S If anyone want's it, i don'T mind to share.

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[SpazSinbad]

Doum76, have not seen the 'effects' videos but like your 'Optimum Angle of Attack approach to runway video'. Nicely done indeed. Did you photoshop the OAoA? Only joking. Nice and steady approach a little lined up right is what the LSO would say but 'long in the groove'. No worries though - I understand issues about making a 'one take video' to demonstrate something. I look forward to your carrier approach video now.

Having used the HUD modifications noted on other threads I found the almost clear one to be best for forward vision; but people will have their own preferences. Getting rid of the 'head bob' I found to be essential. Why this is a 'feature' in FSX I'll never understand because in a military jet it is downright dangerous to have the cockpit view zooming in and out - often at the most problematic times. Having 'no head bob' I would suggest will help your flying the FSX Hornet a lot.

[Intrepid]

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Doum76:
You have done an incredible job with your effects additions,,Well done ,VERY well done
Voodoo  and myself spent a lot of time playing around in the smoke and other effects folders to create a certain look ,and I can appreciate the amount of work put forth to get the look you have achieved
Tweekers nightmare ,fooling around with all the parameters, and lots of trial and error I am sure
Thanks for showing and sharing on this forum

Randy

[Doum76]

Doum76, have not seen the 'effects' videos but like your 'Optimum Angle of Attack approach to runway video'. Nicely done indeed. Did you photoshop the OAoA? Only joking. Nice and steady approach a little lined up right is what the LSO would say but 'long in the groove'. No worries though - I understand issues about making a 'one take video' to demonstrate something. I look forward to your carrier approach video now.

Well Thanks, and yes, my biggest problem is line-up, i don't know why i always sems to get magnefide on one side, can't seem to make it centered, for the angle of attack, let,s say as i told you in other thread, i did practice a lot, but angle, so hard, specialy since i made and use my 3 point cap with FreeTracker, i'm better now, but when i got this new stuff, lol was a challenge to fly with it, a single movement made you move in the cockpit and miss alined, tricking your eyesight versus the Vector Path indicator, lots of practice with this little thing, but when it starts to lag, it makes rude movement. For the Carrier,, been about a week i haven't done a pattern as i said, i was mostly working on effects, but i can try to make a video, i made this video for the HUD only, of course, i tried my best to make a not so bad approach while at it.   And yes the groove was long, if i make it short, my line up is even worse. Maybe i don't use Rudder enough.

Having used the HUD modifications noted on other threads I found the almost clear one to be best for forward vision; but people will have their own preferences. Getting rid of the 'head bob' I found to be essential. Why this is a 'feature' in FSX I'll never understand because in a military jet it is downright dangerous to have the cockpit view zooming in and out - often at the most problematic times. Having 'no head bob' I would suggest will help your flying the FSX Hornet a lot.

So the clear HUD, is mostly the more realistic? Gotta find it, because the one i had was White, made me thing of old games HUD. As for the 'head bob' , i surely took this option off as mentioned in one post here, but still moves a bit, don't know why, but at least i can zoom out fast with my zoom ou-in programmed to my throttle handle's mouse wheel. I'll have to verify is installing Rex2 haven't change anything in the file and reset it.

[Doum76]

Doum76:
You have done an incredible job with your effects additions,,Well done ,VERY well done
Voodoo  and myself spent a lot of time playing around in the smoke and other effects folders to create a certain look ,and I can appreciate the amount of work put forth to get the look you have achieved
Tweekers nightmare ,fooling around with all the parameters, and lots of trial and error I am sure
Thanks for showing and sharing on this forum

Randy

Thanks you, and ined, hell of a nightmare, specialy when FSX SDK effect tool doesn't show the effect, well, not working, inside the game, so pretty long to understand the effects, when you gotta work in notepad, make a change, load FSX take a lok at the effect, quit FSX etc... As for errors, my brain got saturated on the numbers, and stoped the count.

I've been trying to get a Vapor effect of my own, instead of 23 static particles, but a moving one, but mostly impossible so far on the Hornet, due to the X travveling direction of the air flow travelelling and following the nose wing, and ends up on the wing, let's say this effect really comes hard. The onyl problem so far with my effect, and i don't know why, it isn't showing in the instant replay, well it does, but not where it should be, like Carrier in instant replay, but it's fine on any outside view if i fly live and look, no problem also when saving the flight then viewing afterward the replay.

[Doum76]

I look forward to your carrier approach video now

There you go, i've been able to make one, i'm collecting Bolters  All my best runs, i most of the time, end up, with one power up too much and ends up making me pass to get a 5th wire. Not the best landing you might have seen, but from so far, i'Ve seen on Youtube, it ain't that bad. I let R.o.D. go a bit out of hand at the ramp though, had to go full Mil. earlier than touch down to correct it.

[SpazSinbad]

Excellent! The dramatic 'a little high in close' and 'low at ramp' (I think?) comments by LSO indicate some TOO MUCH corrections in close. One wire with full military power (if that is what you are meaning?) is a bit dangerous.   But nevertheless you got there well enough with just a hiccup at the end. Don't deck spot or over correct in close - be correcting all the way - as much as you can see that you need; so that all the corrections become smaller as you get closer. Then with small corrections because you are so close to ideal - in close - there will be no need for GIANT corrections in close (with a WAVEOFF to catch a one wire!).

Nah, it looked good from where I was sitting - so my advice is general in nature. Don't try to be smooth. Be accurate. Make smaller corrections in close. Good job on the video and catapult and circuit. Nicely done. Thanks. A good illustration video. One thing about base turn, I would suggest not going below 500 feet until you can see the ball and get lined up as early as possible. Still it is a good cat and arrest video for sure.

About the HUD: From where I was sitting I thought to myself 'Would not having a clear HUD to see the ball / lineup that much earlier and clearer been a lot better?'. Anything that allows you to see what is important - as early as possible - makes deck landing that much easier. Remember the sim is artificial, so nothing wrong with having a clear view through the HUD. Frankly if I could do away with the HUD completely - I would and just use the AoA Indexer. Anyone know how to get rid of the HUD (for deck landing only).  

[Doum76]

Good job on the video and catapult and circuit. Nicely done. Thanks. A good illustration video.

Thanks, now it's worth something making a video to get advice, but before, you would have too much advices to give. 
I even tried back the Carrier Landing IMC mission, i don't get it, it's the toughest rated mission, but my favorite and the one i'm having less problem with, my huge amont of practice, controle of the aircraft, etc.. really help in there, i'm surprise how, not bad i can fly in formation, follow the lead, a few times i loose him (specialy when i pause game and come back, unpausing makes me loose him  ) but i end up being able to regroup, relax and calm, and get to land nicely also. I could make some part of it and you tell me wht you think, for someone who never got any traning in real flying with tricks and advice, this ain'T not that bad. This mission looks different though since i've installed Rex2, the sunset is now redish instead of blue and less raining. 

About the HUD: From where I was sitting I thought to myself 'Would not having a clear HUD to see the ball / lineup that much earlier and clearer been a lot better?'.

I've installed the clear version of the 3 package, i was using the white one before, but the clear one indeed is better and the green text is more clear also, it was a bit too light with all otehr version including the Acceleration version, and we don't have a contrast/brightness on the HUD like the DDIs. I also made a search on the web, and finaly got rid of the «head bob», way much better indeed.

I would suggest not going below 500 feet until you can see the ball and get lined up as early as possible.

Thats what i usualy try, but sometimes i get a bit bellow when i turn my view at the 90 to look where i am position to the Carrier to make my adjustment to get into the groove. I usualy aim to get 500 ft. at the 90, and between 460-500 ft. when about 1 nm from the boat, since when lvling the wings when i get off my 90 turn to get in the grooze, i alway gain positive R.o.D, so being around 460 ft. makes about a 50 ft gain when redressing the plain on line up if i'm around 5-10 kias more than the speed that gives me the Optimum AoA, let's say i'm more mindful now at how the aircraft react, less nervous. I'm controlling more the aircraft in turns now, makes a huge difference. I even allowed myself to try Dino's F-14 you linked in a few days ago thread, nice bird, it used to be my favorite and i used to dislike the Hornet. But now since a while,  i'm sold to the Hornet. 

Frankly if I could do away with the HUD completely - I would and just use the AoA Indexer. Anyone know how to get rid of the HUD (for deck landing only).

I know what you mean, a few weeks ago i had a bug in FSX, didn't seem to come back, after a while, i end up with all instruments frozen to Zero, Engine List stats, RPM, so was all on the HUDs, and one day i told myself «bah what the heck, i don't feel liek restarting FSX, let's try landing with only the Ball» and while i was back then real bad at Carrier landing, it was when i first posted on here for advice, well that day, while just flying with listening to the engine, looking how high, far from the boat i was, i could figure out somehow, my AoA, and jsut by looking at the ball, making my R.o.D and dude, they were my best landings ever with full Realism, i was surprise, then when restarting FSX and try again with all Gauge working, looking at speed and so one, crap landing again.  Having to look at too many stuff at same time made me wanna be too much perfect and too muchs tuff to master at the same time, while no gauges owrking, just feel the stuff and go with the Ball. IO gotta tell you i was surprise.

[Doum76]

There you go Spaz, if curious for the IMC Mission, made it 3 parts video. 

[SpazSinbad]

Part 1 of the video does not really run in High Definition? I have high speed broadband but the video has about one second playing time every few minutes. While waiting for something to happen I'll add that I forgot to mention that without the HUD in the Hornet an altitude indication would be useful. The rest (with the AoA indexer though which is essential) can be done by visual means. By that I mean the angle of bank can be gauged visually along with the general aircraft attitude at or around Optimum Angle of Attack. However once dirty in the circuit the AoA indexer is your friend (along with altitude indicator). Nothing else matters. No need to look at anything else even if you have the HUD. All the rest is just noise, a distraction.

I would recommend that you fly always in the circuit as soon as possible with the hook down so that you see the steady AoA indexer as soon as. Fly always at Optimum AoA, nothing else will do. DO NOT anticipate rolling wings level to have more or less airspeed or power. Fly always at OAoA. Fly always at the best parameters you can see: On speed (OAoA), line up and on glideslope (centred meatball). Anticipating anything other than being as close to these perfect parameters is not good enough. That is the way to fly a carrier approach. Always striving to be at the perfect parameters - all the time. Make large corrections at the start to get to those perfect "Meatball, Lineup & Airspeed (OAoA)" so that as you get closer to arrest any required corrections are much smaller.

Still the video is unwatchable so I'll come back perhaps after the video downloads or something.... Are the other parts available (2 & 3)? After about one hour the Part 1 has downloaded and Part 2 has been found at:

 ['Head Bobbing' in Part 2 is very noticeable - what a silly feature that is for a jet - good to be rid of it.] Is Part 3 online?

Have just seen the landing at end of Part 2 :-) Getting the "heebie jeebies" at the last few seconds is not unusual. This is the nature of night carrier landings but you have to be steady. I hope you can see the need to practice in the daytime to have everything perfect so that only minimal changes are needed in close. When you are there at night the same applies but it is much more difficult for sure. If you see the red ball / wave off signal you must WAVEOFF! Continuing to land is not how to do it but I understand you have been making the video and want to continue for the sake of the video. Thanks for going to the trouble. I will watch both parts now that they are downloaded.

[SpazSinbad]

Looking at the Part 1 of the Mission video with formation practice before entering cloud I can see the difficulty of flying looking straight ahead when trying to fly formation. When in formation there is no need to look at the HUD. Your leader is flying accurately so when you fly formation on your leader you have the same parameters (when you are in formation). The only thing you need to worry about as No.2 flying in echelon right (starboard) is your own fuel and gear state (dirty parameters). Nothing else matters.

Remember I'm not familiar with your computer/screen setup so bear with me... If you can change the view to at least the 10:30 or forward quarter view that will help you to stay in close formation, rather than in a line astern, or trail formation. When you can see the leader in your forward quarter vision you have much better idea of relative position. Flying behind leader is dangerous - especially in cloud. Flying in echelon means you have better clues to fore and aft movement as well as how close laterally; and by looking at the upper and lower side of the wing you have your vertical position. I don't know the actual Hornet formation position so I'll go look it up now.

Use the time out of the cloud to fly proper formation so that when you are in the cloud it is second nature. I'll go look at Part 2 now.

[SpazSinbad]

The image below is not mine (from: http://users.telenet.be/aviator/PSF.htm) However it is a good illustration of some of the aspects of formation flying. However probably the aircraft is too close to leader and it should be further forward so that at least No.2 can see the Leader in case the leader uses hand signals. Also being further forward (but not too far - remember you will be about at a 45 degree angle from leader) means there is a better overall view of the leader. That is one way to fly good formation is to not concentrate on one point but on the overall picture/view of leader from the correct position. However at times your vision will be on one aspect temporarily to then quickly move back to the wider view (if you follow me). Fly echelon formation so that on the screen you can see all of the leader when in correct position with perhaps a bit either side for any movement. Formation requires concentration and practice - don't think it is easy if you are new to formation flying. I'm still looking for correct parameters for Hornet formation position....

[SpazSinbad]

Go here to click on the APG-73 Radar Hornet stuff: http://home1.stofanet.dk/baskat/mainpage.swf

[Doum76]

Still the video is unwatchable so I'll come back perhaps after the video downloads or something.... Are the other parts available (2 & 3)? After about one hour the Part 1 has downloaded and Part 2 has been found at:

 ['Head Bobbing' in Part 2 is very noticeable - what a silly feature that is for a jet - good to be rid of it.] Is Part 3 online?

Humm that link ain't mine, it's someone else's, mine, weather with Rex2 Mod. makes the sunset a redish one, not the FSX base blue sunset, and i turned off Head Bob, so no head bob in my videos. For the HD, maybe took Youtube a while to finish making full HS, for my landing, it's in part 3, the part 2 landing it's the otehr guy, i'll link you all 3 videos, or simple go in my videos.

part 1- 

part 2-

part 3-

Youtube ID:

By this time, all 3 videos should be online, i do have the HD little icon on each of them when i look inside my account My Videos. I watched one and made it HS, i tried the part 1, seems ok.

[Doum76]

Looking at the Part 1 of the Mission video with formation practice before entering cloud I can see the difficulty of flying looking straight ahead when trying to fly formation. When in formation there is no need to look at the HUD.

Once you get to watch the right movies,  you'll see in some i don't even look forward i look half on my up-right side to follow lead's movement. i Had my head turned a bit in Real Life so Freetrack makes my head looking at my leads in the Sim. I was flying as much as i could according to my lead, when he drops a bit, i droped a bit, when he slwoed down, i slowed down, i always try to fly a bit lower of him, and on his rigght (starbord if i am not mistaken, i keep confusing the english term of starbord and port side) 

I've been trying to fly formation a bit like i'Ve seen in a Discovery Channel series about Canadians F/A-18 Fighther Pilots Traning documentary, but they speak not in details of it, just showed a few position, like combat formation, how they turn and spread apart with radio silence, or Flat Turns, but not easy to make in a Game when you need to move around. But still, i do have your last message to read, might have good information in it.

Remember I'm not familiar with your computer/screen setup so bear with me... If you can change the view to at least the 10:30 or forward quarter view that will help you to stay in close formation, rather than in a line astern, or trail formation.

Well i do confirm you weren't watching the right video if he was flying in Trail, the further i let my lead go was avout .2 miles, was still showing 0m on the little radar, but he was still on my port side and a bit higher. I do remember the video you are refering to, he even smetimes if i'm not mistakent reach back his lead with after burners, then breaks with the speed break.
On my videos i even keep formation while descend and turning. Well i do hope you watched the wrong videos, because i was sure it wasn't that bad, if you are mentioning all this about my little formation wanna be flying.