Looks like the ACOG I bought is a bust. It's not mapped, and I truly don't like that. I don't like the inability to just put together something that should already be set up, or the fact that the import process nuked the mapping somehow. There was a warning in Object Builder about a texture, and that could be the issue why it's not mapped. I did some testing of the M119A3 level arty, and it seems more accurate than before, so players using it during my Pilot missions (where it's used) should appreciate the improved accuracy. C.Eagle turned me on to the Aegis GitHub, so might find some gems in there to add and such. Right now, I think my ACOGs are okay. They could be better, but yeah, it stings when models don't come textured. It saves a headache when converting them. Maybe if it were imported into Blender, it might work, but I doubt it.
C.Eagle showed me some resources online from the Aegis mod. I didn't find the ACOG they have (must not be too excited to share that, though they do have the textures for it) for the mod, but I found this nifty little sight. The only issue is that you can't, as of this post, use the Kolimator RVMAT to highlight the reticule, which seems weird considering that the Holosights have a modeled reticule, may take from that given that it looks about the same as one, just different. Anyway, the work is probably done by Grave, so all credit is his, or whoever did the sight (Called the "ROS Sight" since I don't know the actual name of the optic from the mod) I decided to incorporate it into the Weapon Pack at least, and full credit will be given.
Well apparently all this time my optics in the Weapon Pack have been messed up, particularly the red dot sights. I found the right RVMAT and fixed all of the red dots in the mod (as well as the ones in the Helicopter Pack), so that wil happen this Sunday. Also, I enabled the 40mm grenades able to be used by the vanilla grenade launchers, as well as 3GL magazines (3 per magazine), using the Wells system now. Tomorrow or Thursday after my doctor's appointment I'll work on some IR flashlights, apparently you can set tham to IR lights if you config it right, and Aegis had the code so I'll use that for some of the flashlights in my Weapon Pack as an additional system. Also tomorrow is my bithday, I'll be turning 50 if you're curious, so I don't know what I'll do tomorrow, but maybe a lot of playing A3 or DCS, I haven't figured it out after having to do a necessary errand though.
Well I didn't do much for my birthday, and frankly that was something I needed to do: Nothing. it was kinda dull but looking back at yesterday it was quite fulfilling and needless to say got through it. Now I did code (but did not test) the IR flashlight that the Aegis mod produced, so I did test it before typing this, and it's a nifty little thing, so I'll try and incorporate the IR system into other flashlights if possible, and see how players like this. It's only downside is that it lights up the barrel due to the cone settings, but overall it does work as intended, so the lights will show up this Sunday.
So right now nothing has come to mind for mods, and I think maybe that it'll be an easy week. Since I'm not recording that much, I can take a breather with mods too. But there isn't much going on so I think I'm good, at least for today. I may create a sniper unit for the Task Force 562, been thinking about that, but it won't be much different from the stock one, maybe an MXM variant, or something like that, since SOCOM is moving toward the 6.5mm platform. I may just move a rifle from the Weapons Pack, but I don't want to turn the Helicopter Pack into a Weapons Pack, Task Force 562 was just a config, and nothing special, just "customers" (in TF160 parlance) for the operators anyway, and it would keep things easier if I did that instead of incorporating a rifle and the logistics of adding a new weapon to the pack. I may be able to incorporate the M468 into the Weapons Pack this week, and then move on to more projects as well.
Okay did a little work last night. I want to sort of buildup the Task Force 562 units slightly, just for mission support. Only two missions will support the two new units for that faction (Spotter Ghillie, and Sniper Ghillie), but again for anybody else it may be a good start or unit for another mission where you actually use my units. Good thing is that it's just a config entry, the factions (other than some items), is strictly stock stuff among the various DLCs and such that have already come out. I'm not trying to force people to use them, but if you so choose then that's on you. I have every DLC owned, so it's not much to do and worry about too much. Anyway, I also updated the Persian Islamic Front units, just added some housekeeping config stuff and such, but for Sunday:
Well, as you probably noticed, not much is going on this week. It was kinda busy for me, which is a turn for the normal, I guess, but busier than normal anyway. Anyways, I tweaked the recoil values on the suppressors for the Weapons Pack and the two Suppressors in the Helicopter Pack for TF562. They should reduce felt recoil more, and for the Weapons Pack, emphasis on recoil reduction is focused on the prone firing position (more body mass counteracting recoil, more stable, etc.), so when you're prone, you have less recoil. Some of the suppressors weren't touched, for they had decent values, and reflected a more knowledgeable approach (mainly the ones I got from Warlord554 so many years ago) to coefficients and the like. I do want to look into whether a suppressor helps with range, but that's for later, after I post.
Suppressors don't increase range, so no I won't be tweaking that.
The only thing on the horizon for mods is the M468. I checked and confirmed that the mags are good, or magazine for it anyway. The modeler showed me some WIP pics, and it looks good. He's detailing it, so maybe this week (no promises), he'll get it to me. More or less, I haven't found much via gameplay (which is just how I find issues, using the stuff) or from anybody so far. Even though the current set was uploaded this morning, my time. As for what's on the horizon, I don't have many ideas for this week. Maybe look at some ACOG models from Arma and see if they're okay enough for this game, as, believe it or not, I do think of quality most of the time. I may try TurboSquid again, but I'm not sure yet.
I have to redo the texturing on the flash hider, but overall this is the "Desert" version of the M468, better seen in tan and such since the default texture is essentially black, thanks to ADuke. Overall, the weapon works, and kills as needed (usually one to two shots depending on body armor or where you aim), and has a basic non-proxy magazine, since there's only one magazine for the weapon anyway. I tried to use another hand anim, but apparently the base has to have the anim present, and while not optimal, it is okay for the weapon. I need to figure out how to do RVMATs, as apparently my tutorial was deleted (I thought since I didn't have the necessary tools, that I didn't need that file) due to some lack of support, which is coming back to me as I type this post.
As you may notice, there hasn't been much progress in the past week. I've taken in a friend down on his luck, so I'm working with him and feeling like crap today. I had the urge to add an Engineer unit to the US Army faction in the Taliban Fighters mod, but I'm not sure if it's actually needed when you can use a stock unit or whatever. Anyway, that's like the only thing I have going on. Things seem okay, unless there's a complaint. My modeler that I hired is doing the SA-2 Samson, so once that gets to a releasable point I will release it. The question is though... Standalone or part of the pack? I'm sure some people would like some Avatar stuff, and haven't been motivated to do the CARB (or whatever it was called), so looks like the Samson so far. I'm leaning towards the standalone version, since well, it would be better for units or individuals than incorporate it in the Helicopter Pack.
Okay there's a new MH-80 DAP model floating with the rc build of Arma 3. I think once this goes to stable, I'll probably just replace the 160th MH-80s with this. I'll have to redo the fuel tanks that I started with the old build, since they seem to be working with the rc build. It was from Viper1Zero, the video, so here it is. I don't know if I'll redo all the helicopters with systems, but the MH-92s could use the combo ECM/flare system, and so on, and the Battle/CheroHawks as well. I don't know how to set them up so don't ask yet as I need to know the code and so on with the wingtip pods and such. I think I'll stay off the rc build as much as I sant to try out the new birds and capabilities that the new helos offer. SO in the future I'll work on it once I understand what to do...
Just a reminder for this week no updates, so there's that. My friend and I are slowly getting into a rhythm on how we live with each other, and pretty much my work isn't affected by his presence, so there's that. Been thinking about the future with that new vanilla MH-80. As mentioned, I'll replace the MH-80 in the pack with that, or just leave it for mission designers. More or less, once I get the class name, I'll integrate the HMD into it, so you can work with that. There are two variants if you didn't see the helo: an armed version and an unarmed version. The Unarmed version is just a Ghost Hawk with open doors, FFV turrets, and four seats in the cargo area. I don't know (I just looked at it real quick) if it has sling load capability for missions, but for the Pilot missions I don't have to have sling load missions, just x them out and drive on. The armed is a bit different, and as said above, incorporate (I already have a plan in mind) for integrating that stuff when it's on the main branch, if it is.
Right now, the only "work" I've done on the Flanker562 Helicopter Pack is integrating the new vanilla MH-80s into the TF160 faction. Given that it's CTRG and somewhat NATO, I figured, what the hell, just add them to the listing for gameplay reasons. The original iteration of the MH-80 was a modded Ghost Hawk, so I can use the newer models when they hit Main Branch. Right now, my game is the RC branch for the helos, so essentially I can hold off until the RC branch can become the new 2.22 update, whenever that releases. So I think... I can use a Fast Rope script on the new bird without issue; I'll have to look into that shortly on my own time. But they're integrated into the mod, and when the new patch releases, I'll update the Helicopter Pack unless a major fix is needed for the mod.
So far I haven't peered into the hood of the new patch, instead leaving it alone until it's released to Main Branch, then I'll look into pylon assignments and stuff like that. The plan is to modify the MH-92 DAP by adding the ECM stuff to the wings, and that's pretty much it. I'll look into the Chero/Battlehawk and implement that nose thingamabob and ECM wingtip stuff, but that's for the future, not this week. Also, I fixed the RVMATs for the XX-92s, removing the armored plate RVMAT, which I think is affecting the birds because they absorb way too much damage compared to vanilla helicopters. I know I've taken .50 cal damage, and nothing happens. I've been playing the Pilot missions and get shot up a lot, but with no appreciable damage. When I update the Helicopter Pack when the new patch comes out, we can see if it helps with damage absorption beyond my tests in various missions.
Right now I did create a new UAV Operator unit for the Better Infantry Squad mod. I needed it for a mission I worked on, and to give the BLUFOR an enhanced unit for gameplay. It's not much compared to the stock UAV Operator, but it does have better "sight", so I guess that would help in a fight or two. Other than that he's just like any other UAV Operator that comes with the game.
That's it for mods on Sunday for now. Not much, but it's kinda tapering off on other mods now that some things are quieting down. As for the Helicopter Pack, I integrated the new nose pods for the Battlehawk, not the CheroHawk, since the CheroHawk has sensors in the nose already, and I think it would confuse the game on what's used, so the model is setup, but looking at seeing what will happen if I use two sensors, and I don't think the engine can support it, at least that's what I think anyway. As for the Battlehawk, the nose is integrated, and I readjusted the config to match (to some degree) the Ghost Hawk, since I think the nose pod works in lieu of the normal FLIR system that co-pilots have. And again, I'll update the Helicopter Pack when 2.22 drops; therefore, we'll have it in sync with the mod and so on.
Okay, as in the github channel, the configs are updated. If you want to get the RC Build, in the Betas for the game, use this code: Arma3Update222RC Then you can take a look at the new helos and stuff like that. There's the MH-80s and stuff, and a UH-80 (Unarmed) as well. Anyway RC203 of the Flanker562 Helicopter Pack won't be released until 2.22 comes out, so the updates are in the future once the patch comes out to Stable. Right now everything is set, even the MH-92 DAP got the new ECM pods, and that and the CheroHawk won't get the nose thingamajigs.
Okay got the fuel tanks coded and setup. It's a little different and more worked out of course, from the 2.20 version. I think that they will function as needed for the helos and such. For the AH-1Z I will have to work on the tanks for that, so that'll be another mod in the future that has to wait for 2.22 to come about and be implemented. Overall I find it weird that A3 is seeing a spike in such development close to Arma 4 being released, but I still have reservations given that it seems like Reforger, so who knows what may happen when it comes out.
Also, managed to update the AH-1Z with the drop tanks from the AH-96. I noticed that it has to be unique in order for things to work with display names and such. Kinda forgot that but fixed the issue anyway. Right now the ESSS and equivalent pylon systems can also use the drop tanks from the Ghost Hawk as well. So for 2.22 the AH-1Z and Flanker562 Helicopter Pack. I think there are targeting pods and jammer pods for the aircraft, but that's not a focus or real interest, It might as well be a development if I ever get the Grey Eagle done in the future. That's of course after the SA-2 Samson, so we'll see what happens between now and then.
Okay, right now things are cooking for RC203 with the 2.22 updates. I got the drop tanks squared away yesterday and have had little else to do other than work on what the new patch will bring. I'm staying with 2.22 until it goes live, so there's that. My server is still 2.20 since the latest patch hasn't come out yet. I'm worried about mission formatting, but I haven't seen any complaints yet about mission problems, so I guess it doesn't matter, as long as you have the right stuff for it. So I guess I'll work on more missions or something, unless a problem does crop up.
