To: devnull@onion.rain.com (Hitech Simulation Mailing list) From: devnull@onion.rain.com (Hitech Simulation Mailing list) Reply-To: devnull@onion.rain.com (Hitech Simulation Mailing list) Sender: devnull@onion.rain.com (Hitech Simulation Mailing list) Return-Path: devnull@onion.rain.com (Hitech Simulation Mailing list) Errors-To: postmaster@onion.rain.com Precedence: bulk Bcc: hitech-sim-out Subject: Hitech Simulation Digest V2 : I5 Hitech Simulation Digest Volume 2 : Issue 5 Fri Feb 25 06:44:15 PST 1994 Compilation copyright (C) 1994 Jeff Beadles Send submissions to "hitech-sim@onion.rain.com" Send add/drop requests to "majordomo@onion.rain.com" Archives are available via ftp from onion.rain.com [147.28.0.161] Today's Topics: Re: SARH missile release parameters att!ihlpf!opus@uunet.uu.net MPS F14 Preview (Another one...) bonnet@cr2a.fr (Christophe Bonnet) Re: More Tornado problems Heinz-Bernd Eggenstein (LS2) writes: >On a technical note which probably isn't modelled in these games, wouldn't >it be better to release the missile in a slight lag pursuit (rear quarter >tracking shot assumed)? Assuming release parameters are met, of course. >This way the missile will start out as close as possible to the course of >the bogey, and will be least affected by any maneuvering he may do. >Lead pursuit would seem to be logical at first (same as for guns), but if the >bogey can out-turn the missile it will always miss him. You may be assuming that the missile will use pure pursuit, always pointing its nose directly at the target. After reading Shaw, I would guess that a SARH missile would probably use proportional navigation as a simpler substitute for a pure intercept (it heads to where the target WILL BE, not where it is now) trajectory. Actually, even with pure intercept, you still have a point about aiming behind the target when you launch. I see the advantages you point out. The disadvantages are that the missile has to travel farther and it has to turn right after launch. The more speed/energy the missile has when it gets to the target, the more maneuvering capability it will have to counter to the target's evasive turns in the last stages of intercept. I really have no idea whether the advantages or the disadvantages dominate. Probably depends on the range and the initial target aspect. BTW, Tornado is the only sim I know of that models pure intercept missile trajectories. When dodging missiles that are leading you, breaking directly into them like you do in F3 is not very effective. Shaw recommends turning in a plane perpendicular to the approach path of the missile. Since the missile will continue to try to point at where it thinks you will be based on your heading at any given moment, this will result in the missile having to turn very hard to keep up with you. Essentially, you barrel roll around the missile's velocity vector. Rob opus@ihlpf.att.com ------------------------------- From: bonnet@cr2a.fr (Christophe Bonnet) Subject: MPS F14 Preview (Another one...) I have also received the beta version of MPS F14 Fleet Defender for the French magazine Micro Simulateur, and so could add some points to the first preview (hitech-sim V2 Issue 4). I agree with most of the first preview: superb graphics, VERY accurate cockpit and avionics, good AI for wingman and bogies, ... So I will not add comments to these points. BUT I think that three points are strongly negative: 1. CAMPAIGN: I rather disagree with the author of the first preview: the campaign mode is very disappointing. The tree-like structure of each campaign gives very few freedom to the player: If you succeed during the mission A1 (I give imaginary codes for examples), you will play mission B1. Il you fail, you will play mission B2. So, after some time, the campaign mode is way too straightforward. All the missions are pre-planned. You can't have ever changing missions and situations as in F3 or Tornado. So I don't think it's a big improvement compared to others MPS sims. 2. PLANIFICATION: You can only choose your weapons and your wingman. The mission briefing doesn't even show the waypoints for the mission, or Awacs tracks, others CAP flights, ... OK the F14 is an interceptor, so you don't have to bother with stuff like exact timing, accurate navigation, ... But I think that even F14 pilots do have much planification than this... 3. OTHERS PLANES GRAPHICS (that's only a minor complaint): F14 externals graphics are by far the most detailed and accurate ever seen in a flight sim (yes I will place the (in?)famous Strike Commander only second to F14 in this aspect). The details are extraordinary: tail markings (accurate for each F14 squadron), arresting hook, complex landing gear, missiles, ... But the others planes are really simplified and even -for some- not very pretty. In fact, I have the same impression with F15III. Very low level of detail, most of the planes (Mig for example) use the same graphical description as F15III. Ok, there is some new details: Gouraud shading, and camouflaged texture on some aircraft. But IMO other planes's graphics are disapointing. Conclusion: ******* PLEASE READ THIS. ******* 1.The F14 disks I have rewieved are a BETA VERSION. So a good amount of stuff could change for the official release. Some graphics files on the disks let me think that some nice options are not yet implemented. 2. Even with the bad points above, F14 IS a great sim, perfectly enjoyable for dogfight or long-range intercepts fans. All we have to do is waiting the official release ;-). Christophe "Rafale" Bonnet. bonnet@cr2a.fr ------------------------------- From: Heinz-Bernd Eggenstein (LS2) Subject: Re: More Tornado problems Hi! Roland (the lost pilot) wrote : [after switching the computer off after the debrief of a fatal TORNADO command campaign mission] >But now i'm nailed to my screen : When i click on the command-window to start a >new command-campaign the programm aborts with the message :< Bad mission-state> Ohoh! Another example why you should use some backup procedure. For example, include a xcopy *.* backup /d: command into the batch file that starts TORNADO, so that backups are made automatically whenever you play Tornado. But I guess that doesn't help Roland now. To check the extend of the damage done, and as a precaution, you should perhaps run the DOS chkdsk command on the drive where TORNADO is installed, to check for lost clusters etc. Are you unable to begin a new campaign even if you use Mr DeFault as your pilot? What version of TORNADO are you running (it should tell you the version number when the program loads)? Try obtaining the file 0.log from a TORNADO flyer who has the same version to get a valid DeFault log file. I could offer files for version 1.0c and 1.0d (European versions). But more likely, the campaign data files are messed up, and very likely can not be repaired. If you were flying in warzone n, look into the subdirectory amp/map, the desert storm warzone is in amp/map5. list all files sorted by date of creation: dir /o:d the most recently modified files will probably include the two files commxx.mis and commxx.dta where xx stands for two digits. Save those files on a backup disk and then delete them from your hard disk. Now you should be able to begin a new campaign, but obviously, the best way to "repair" your system is to reinstall the game completely. If you want to maintain the pilots' logs, (in the subdirectory logs), save them and later copy them into the log subdir of the newly installed game. If you would really like to continue the old campaign, send me the files commxx.mis and commxx.dta in uuencoded form. I will then take a look at them and try whether I can repair them (but I'm not very optimistic). I may also be able to resurrect your MIA pilot if you send me his log-file, but that may take some time, for I haven't found the corresponding bits in the log file format yet. Hope this helps, Heinz-Bernd "Bicycle Repair Man" Eggenstein commxx.dta ------------------------------- [[ End of digest Volume 2 : Issue 5 ]]