Janes FA18

[Vegas]

Just wanted to report that TB works with this sim. While admittedly older, I enjoy realistic flight ops/atc. From my understanding, this sim is about equal to F4AF in that regard. Plus, you get to land on a boat! I know there is some carrier functionality in Lomac, but it just didn't "feel" the same to me. That's not a knock, just IMHO.

While there has been some graphic/gameplay fixes/community upgrades to this sim, I'm having some water graphic issues. Once I get that fixed, I'll turn to making a TB profile for it, if anyone is interested.

[Vegas]

Whoops, nevermind... in researching the water issue, it is evidently a "known" problem with no fix. I put the "known" in there because someone from TSH was indicating improvements to the sim (which got me to install it in the first place), but didn't mention the inherent problem(s). While I'm willing to accept SOME lower graphics due to the age of this sim, checkerboard water with green text on it, ain't one of them!

[Ripcord]

Vegas, thanks bud. We are aware that it works. Zorlac came over to the Janes FA-18 forum a few weeks ago and showed us a little test movie he made. Touch-bu got it going first, I think, according to the threads that Zorlac posted.

http://www.simhq.com/cgi-bin/ultimat...;f=32;t=009844

Here is are links to that little demo movie that Zorlac made.

WMV Version
http://www.syn-ack.com/touchbuddy/vi...-fa-18-wmv.zip

AVI DivX Version
http://www.syn-ack.com/touchbuddy/vi...-fa-18-avi.zip

Note: Its the same video content in both.

If you want to collaborate a bit on a touch screen profile, I'd sure appreciate. I'm mostly interested in doing a UFC panel, and maybe some tabs with MFDs and certain a tab or two with AI radio commands.

Still waiting to get a touch screen -- actually I wrote in another thread that I have some chinese importer contacts here that are on the lookout for one in China, which is just over the border here (from Vladivostok).

As for the gridlines in the water, there are a number of ways to fix that. Depends on your video card. Come over to the Janes FA-18 forum on simHQ and read this FAQ.

I think we can get you fixed up.

Issue #1: Gridlines in the water
CAUSE: Windows XP, Anti-aliasing, "Low Level Noise Mapping" and "Sparkling Water" enabled

FIX: Run Windows 98
FIX: For nVidia GeForce users, run Forceware 56.72 or detonators 30.xx or earlier (old drivers available at www.guru3d.com)
FIX: For ATI users, run Catalyst drivers 4.1 or higher and enable antialiasing
FIX: For ATI users, run a program called Radlinker and use it to control the sim's graphics settings. (see notes below)
WORKAROUND: For nVidia users, disable Anti-aliasing and run detonators 43.45, 44.03, or 45.23.
WORKAROUND: For ATI users, disable anti-aliasing.
WORKAROUND: Uncheck "Low Level Noise Mapping" and "Sparkling Water" in the graphics options of the sim.

If that doesn't do the job, we now have DXTweaker. But you have to read up on that over there.

Ripcord

[Ripcord]

When you get that going, try installing all the TSH mods. It's a long painful dance to go through, but well worth it. Then when you get TSHv3 going, you can really do some touchbuddy programming.

I'm real keen to get these UFC screens set up (see this link).

http://tsh.war-fighters.net/tshv3/features2.html

Also, the sim has separate view for the right and left MFD panels. In a perfect world, TSH would find a way to allow multiple views to run on multiple monitors... eg, keep the normal view on the large main monitor, and allow some of the other views to be sent to aux monitors -- maybe even a touch screen. But that's just my idea and I'm no programmer. And we don't have the source code. So who knows if that is even possible -- probably not.

I will also add that TSH is sorely lacking (and recruiting) C++ programmers right now. The team has a lot of ability to do things (like new flight models and or new 3d objects) that were figured out earler, but we just don't have the programmers to do them. So if any of you are programmers or modders, then we can use your help. Pass it on.

Ripcord

[Vegas]

Thanks for the advice Ripcord. I did activate AA (using ATI Tray Tools) and my framerates dropped dramatically, especially in air-to-air (like 2 fps, not even slideshow quality! ). It did fix the water, but at an unacceptable price.

In looking at all the "fixes" or "workarounds", most, if not all, require a regress in drivers, directx, etc. Not doable, as I have other programs that need more current settings.

I was wondering about installing Virtual PC and trying to run it under that. I'll give it a go when I can, and report back.

With regards to your "multiple monitor" statement for multiple MFD's, from my understanding, you could run multiple instances of TB on two different touchscreens and have them set up left/right (of course this would involve buying another touchscreen, and video card, a little out of my budget for now ).

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to dis the sim itself, it was more frustration over how new operating systems and advances obsolete older, but still great, software. I'm still ticked at not being able to use Lucasarts TIE fighter! (if anyone remembers that old title)

[Vegas]

Whoops, forgot to mention... nice job on the video zorlac! You do a very professional job with all things TB (well, and one has to assume, all things! ).

And Ripcord, you should really push to get a touchscreen. After you have one, you'll wonder how you functioned w/o it!

[FrenchToast]

Vegas, as for TIE Fighter, do you know this: http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/news.php?show_news=1 ?



FT

[Vegas]

Yep, FT, tried that. Just couldn't get it to work well on my system, but thanks for the thought. I think my system is a little flaky, looking to upgrade in 6 months or so...

[Ripcord]

Vegas,

Try just going into the game settings and unchecking "Low Level Noise Mapping" and "Sparkling Water" in the graphics options. Did you try that?

I know you aren't saying anything negative, just the objective facts that it's an old game and needs an update. But we don't have the source code, and TSH is doing the best they can, by just reverse engineering. I think eventually we will figure out a way to go to high level of graphics resolution to better with newer cards.

Yeah, I need a touch screen and I'll get one at some point. It might even have one now, coming back from China. I'll find out on Monday or Tuesday. Right now I'm busy finishing a new campaign.

Ripcord