I'm happy to announce that Combat-Helo will incorporate Frederic Naar's HTR Helicopter Total Realism technology for advanced helicopter flight dynamics. (link: Hovercontrol forum, HTR section). Developed as an external physics model that interfaces with Microsoft Flight Simulator via Pete Dawson's FSUIPC, HTR is an impressive implementation of blade theory using door-stopper text-books that designers of helicopters use as source material.
Fred invited me over for a few days for a mutual show-and-tell and I got to see first hand how detailed the model is from the author, who better? First with the Bell 206, which had a tendency to side-slip to the right as weight comes off the skids, which left unchecked could potentially result in a fatal roll-over. Then I got a lecture on stabiliser wings and how vertical stabilisers depending on angle of airflow go from "sail area" to a wing generating lift. Blade flap and pitch is calculated per physics update, the amount of detail resulted in me experiencing a full frontal happy-attack.
After the Bell 206, Fred introduced me to an early Apache flight-model. I didn't find flying with a Microsoft Sidewinder easy, also I'm now used to flying with my joypad (I have shame). Stick in hand, trying desperately to keep the nose on a tree while slipping sideways to gauge the tail drag and weight, with limited success. Apache seemed to make all the right movements with changes to collective and airspeed. Even attempting the classic Apache hammerhead turn, HTR delivers sweat inducing concentration required for advanced helicopter flight. HTR also offers stabilisation and a most impressive auto-pilot function, checking boxes required for Combat-Helo's assisted flight mode. Trim seemed to be a non-issue except when the autopilot was flying to a stable-hover when the pilot was fighting excessive trim while attempting to slow down.
Given that HTR has to work within the limitations of Microsoft Flight Simulator, the implementation for Combat-Helo allows us to use even more parameters; feeding information about local terrain conditions for calculating updraughts, downdraughts , a detailed powertrain simulation as well as the ability to monitor rotor-behaviour via the nausea inducing blade-camera.
The flight-model should also be able to handle a load carrying CH-47, applying all the right moments of inertia. Pretty elegant stuff, a masterful use of OOP.
With Fred's addition we have completed the triad of physics, systems and technical art.
Finally I'd like to thank Frederic and family for their hospitality as well as the staff of Corte Dei Tusci hotel who were always friendly and manage to create the most amazing foods daily.
Exciting stuff!
ReplyDeleteIm very happy to read, Comat Halo will implement this physics model. Great! All the time a was secretly hoping, this sim will be challenging for those, who will appreciate it. :-) Looking forward even more.
ReplyDeleteRight on. Great to see Fred aboard.
ReplyDeleteGreat News Flex, Molto Bene !!. Realistic flight modelling has always been the one thing that has frustrated me the most. Even in multi-million dollar 6 axis flight sims they can't seem to get it just right.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, the real aircraft always flies better than the sim, so the question then becomes how difficult or 'real' you want to make it. Making it too realistic without the benefit of motion (those semi-circular canals in the inner ear provide your 6th sense imho) might just be a little too much. I'm sure you'll find the right balance but be prepared for a whole bunch of testing to get to that point.
We don't intend to loose sight of keeping it easy to fly. By default all the hand-holding modes will be active, rather like the Microprose Formula 1 racing games where you could progressively turn off helpers such as auto-brake, speed limiters etc.
ReplyDeleteIn the Apache, the AFCS should make the aircraft feel more like flying a fixed wing aircraft above 60 knots. 64 pilots comment on how stable it is.
End goal is accessibility, that's not going to change. You should be able to take your hand off the cyclic and let the aircraft just hang. If the aircraft begins to get a bit unstable one option is just to let go of the cyclic and let the aircraft settle down which is what I had to do when trying out the new HTR.
Now you mention it, head tracking really messes up my awareness of how the helicopter is moving, natural head movements hide the relative motion of exterior reference points. Lack of the inner-ear motion.
I wonder how it flies without the AFCS ! I would imagine it would be fairly easy to explore the flight envelope without it. I doubt it's naturally unstable like the F-22 etc though.
ReplyDeleteOne of the remedies taught to flight students who experience PIO's (pilot induced oscillations) is to let go of the stick and let the aircrafts positive stability sort it out. The only exception to this is a PIO during the landing flare ! ..."I have control !!"
Glad to hear Fred will officially work in Combat-Helo! Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteJust came across this thanks to the QT3 forums and I have to say I am soooo excited! Longbow 2 was one of my favorite games of all time and honestly I'm just blown away with the technology you're putting into this.
ReplyDeleteBTW, did you ever resolve the NVidia driver issue? I'm trying to figure out some wonky stuff the drivers have been doing in ArmA2:OA and it sounds like the issues are parallel. Trying to get NVidia to focus some resources on it, but it's hard with smaller profile games compared to COD and BFC2.