Today was reasonably productive. Pencilled in for this week is completion of the HUD which is under-way. Although I took time out to fix some outstanding game camera class issues, auto panning and zoom flypast view and hand-held camera motion. Both of which I never get tired of.
I was reminded about the IDM or Improved Data Modem this morning which is how you share targets and PFZs between aircraft. The place-holder message handler was put in (message route is HELO > AVIONICS), I just need to get it to add an alert message into the upfront display with a suitable bleep. Then it's a matter of parsing the message content.
 |
| Camera shake really kicks up the drama, but don't overuse. |
Had a lot of fun just cruising around capturing choice flypast and formation views while testing. I noticed some rotor-blur issues (write masking) that will need fixing and a rare unexplained mesh occlusion where the main body of the helo will vanish for a few frames. I've noticed the stobes do this and think it's some AABB bounding body issue in the engine, it's so rare I've not been able to pin it down yet.
Cannon reticule almost done, currently missing means to manually enter range data but the game console will do for now.
I click and click in this screen, and did not see any shake,i am doing something wrong ? O_o
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the IDM tone...
ReplyDelete@Banita Image not shaking? Grab monitor and apply rhythmic vibration. Please note the author of this blog can not be held responsible for any damage caused to equipment or persons as a result of following his dumb ass suggestions.
ReplyDelete@Bushmaster I don't have a suitable tone but I'm sure I'll get one sorted. I'm sort of kicking myself as the only Betty audio I think I missed is the "Altitude" call-out for the LO bug. I've heard it on a few HUD tapes on Google, for some reason I scripted it as "terrain" thinking this was a 737 simulator :/
Well we all have our off moments.
Note to self: Schmitt trigger for altitude alert flag.
Shakey cam + rotor cam combo with fries is a must. Vomit²?
ReplyDeleteHow about a rotor cam view that flings the camera off the blade once the RPM hits ~70%?
heh, I could do that. Rotor cam is already vomitorious. That's kind of funny as a vomitorium in ancient Rome was a passage that allowed rapid exit, usually from an amphitheatre (and not a place where Romans would puke).
ReplyDeleteMy math problem for this morning is working out how far back I need to position the camera from two objects to fit them within the users screen resolution. Dambusters bomb aiming device comes to mind. Three points of a triangle.
Speaking of which, I watched Channel 4's Dambusters Building the Bouncing Bomb documentary and nearly fell off my chair when I saw Buffalo's then chief pilot Arnie Schroeder at the controls of the aircraft they were using to drop test bombs. Nice to see the Buffalo crew on TV again.
Awesome
ReplyDeleteWill there be a rocket-cam with forward view? :) You said earlier that rockets aren't crewed so that would be a world premiere! ;)
Traditionally sims have weapon cams, I think there's a good chance of this. More than a chance, there's a positive risk.
ReplyDeleteBeen following this for quite some time and just wanted to chip in and say that I am stunned by all the work you are doing :)
ReplyDelete*searches for the line to the store* (j/k take your time to finish the game)
/Lucas
This may be a bit off topic, but are you going to have a mission builder in the GUI so that we can create our own missions?
ReplyDeleteToo offtopic, but I DEFINITELY prefer your moment of Zen with Apache ;D
ReplyDeleteI dont think there will be a mission builder, I was told the game will come with one mission only called the Hills Have Eyes and that should keep everyone busy for the life of the sim.
ReplyDeleteCyclic40 if that is true I have no need for the sim. And can wait till it hits the bargen bin in a year or 2. I hate to say that but it is the truth. So I am realy hoping for a mission editor.
ReplyDeletelol, hey CAT don't listen to Cyclic (old joke), it will have a dynamic campaign and I believe a basic ME. Oh did I say dynamic, ... yep its being done. Obviously things like a detailed ME will be the last thing to be developed but I have no doubt Flex & the team will get round to it at some point.
ReplyDeleteKeith Bedford, known by the sim community for his mission editors, has expressed interest in developing a mission editor for Combat Helo. Where there's a will there's usually a way so I'm sure there'll be a full mission editor somewhere in the future.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Cat my apologies for the misleading information. i did not mean to put a downer on your day.
ReplyDeleteYou know, sims like DCS A10 and Black Shark should cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars but they don't as I understand they get paid for in part by governments through special projects.
ReplyDeleteBy all means wait till my games hits a bargain bin, it costs me *personally* 300 quid a month just to maintain development never mind required expenses. Bargain bin? You might as well pirate it as I wouldn't see a penny from such sales anyway. But don't come to my blog which I keep public but was really meant to keep contributors and other interested parties in the loop.
Chances of getting government money for this project is zero. Nobody wants to help fund these things to any serious degree. For the amount of work required it should cost around $500 a unit but that isn't going to happen. People will spend that much on a joystick but the software you use it with? Get real.
My apologize for my response. Was a smart response to a smart answer. I very much look forward to this sim at any cost almost. I understand the direct cost of building a game such as this. I was a part of the development of Falcon 4 as a tester, and I under stand the push not to waist time and the lack or reward on the back side. Just do it right the first time and your creation will last a long and happy life. From now on I will keep the smart remarks to myself. I look forward to reading your updates and don't wish to have them stop.
ReplyDeleteWe can beat up on Cyclic later (I need help, he's much bigger than me).
ReplyDeleteI keep trying to put $500 in the buy now button on your site and IT WONT TAKE IT!!!
ReplyDeleteYou can count on me Flexman.
ReplyDeleteBut I heard that there will be no mission, only a free flight, who is right?
what? free fight? :) :) where!
ReplyDeleteYou have nothing to apologize for CAT_101. It's entirely the customers choice whether to purchase our games or not based upon their opinion of the content and features.
ReplyDeleteIt's OUR job to prevent it entering the bargain bin by choosing publishing methods and publishers that discourage or prevent retailers from dumping our games in the bargain bin. It's also upto us to not sign with rogue publishers that continually print units without returning revenue to us.
I personally receive no royalties from games I helped create in the past. I also live in a country with lax copyright laws and see work I've produced sold at sub-bargin bin prices so I understand Ricks emotive response to your statement.
It becomes all too clear why small dev teams like Thirdwire self-publish. 100% return, 100% profit. You'll never hit the big numbers through self-publishing but you become masters of your own destiny with income being governed only by effort.
I'm not going to let publishers run away with my royalties again. I've put in far too many 5am finishes for that to happen again.
Cheers
I'm not sure I would pay that. There's a gulf between how much things cost and what I expect.
ReplyDeleteTo confuse things more, my wife introduced me to the Big Mac Index, 2011 figures are not available yet, but here are the 2010 figures in downloadable spreadsheet format....
http://www.bigmacindex.org/2010-big-mac-index.html
This is about PPP or purchasing power parity, it compares how much a Big Mac costs across the planet. If you've ever wondered about regional pricing differences then this is a good index.
As for CH, I'm my own worst critic, if it's good enough for me then I'm not going to worry about it. I get LB2 vibes when testing which is a good sign, got to nail a few more milestones.
Exactly, remember Richard that 80 euro in America is not the same as for example in Eastern Europe, where 80 euro is a very large amount .
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking the truth in my country price ~40-50 euro for game is already extremely high, and at the border to buy,because the majority of the population earns in my country average wage is about dont know shot ~ 400 euro.But I realize the price of the simulator has to be different (higher)
Because this is a program for a very narrow audience.For example, cost the black shark (box)in my country after the premiere ~40 euro.
This, of course loose attention, and i and every fan of helicopters pay any price for the simulator:)
ReplyDeleteI'd probably pay 150 euro's...who cares if it's what we've been waiting for since Lb2
ReplyDeleteI agree,) certainly Flex and the company will aim the largest sales markets, and prices will be established for those customers.Such rules are all over the world.Simulators are an expensive hobby,and there is nothing to complain;)
ReplyDeleteMy appologies for stiring up the viewers. BTW I cant see a contribute button only a report abuse one.
ReplyDeleteYou can do a very easy conversion for most of eastern Europe.
ReplyDeleteEarnings of the old Union (Germany, France, England)
are 4 times higher than in eastern Europe.
For you 80 euro is ok for me 80 euro x 4 be to ~ 300 euros for the game.
More or less like it looks.
For 80 euros in my country I can buy 3-4 new games Class AAA
For example, the witcher 2 costs ~ 20 euros.
If the price of CH will be too high, automatically shut down the majority of countries
which only joined the EU, or wish to enter.
Best price would be depending on the country, but I doubt that this will be possible.
My wife suggests a 2x Big Mac donation, but they would be soggy before they got here.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't even like them, I prefer BKs.
Hmm you have a crisis in marriage? ;)
ReplyDeleteI buy this simulator at any price.
ReplyDeleteAnd i hope that this Flexman with Dave will determine the end cost, not you.
I'm just speaking the simple fact and i think that Pavel is confirm.
For eastern europe high and acceptable price is about 50 euros.
Not saying this in my behalf.
I also depends on the best selling this simulator.And speaking as it looks in my region
because neither Dave nor Flexman do not live here.EOT
each other ;)
ReplyDeleteWe're not setting any prices or considering it atm. I'm still waiting to see how it well early versions of the game turn out before passing it to potential publishers who will determine such things. Publishers are better placed to understand these very complex mechanics. Self publishing is still an option.
ReplyDeleteUff you calmed me,because I was afraid that CH will be sold at a price greater than the new operating system rotfl;))
ReplyDelete