[REL] Rockets mod

[gap]

Originally Posted by Kendras

I've just managed to put an explosive input on the rocket launch event !



So it should be easy now. Just have to tweak some parameters values.

Amazing!

Note that the approach I suggested, if it works, might require each rail/launcher to be a separate gun. The reason is that the virtual muzzle that the explosive flash effect is spawned from, needs to be really close to the "unarmed" rocket model (the one attached to the rail), for it to be destroyed by the explosion.
When a multiple-muzzle gun is elevated/traned, its muzzles move away from gun's pivot point, so it it would be impossible making sure that the muzzles are always close to their respective rocket, unless we make rockets to unrealistically turn together with the virtual barrels. On the contrary, if we have separate launchers for each rocket, the one muzzle and the one roket can be placed on the same coordinates as the pivot point of the virtual gun, and the muzzle will alway "fire" its explosive charge at the center of the corresponding rocket, no matter whan gun's elevation/training is.

Some other advantage of having a separate gun for each rocket, is that we could place any number of rails under aircraft wings (2, 4, 5, etc for each wing) , we could have any combination of rocket rails (say for example 2 AP + 2 HE for each wing) and by moving the equipment nodes appropriately we could make each rail to follow more closely wing's profile.
The one downside that I can think of, is the time required to create multiple rocket hardpoints on aircraft models, and for setting their equipment files appropriately

Originally Posted by gap

Amazing!

Note that the approach I suggested, if it works, might require each rail/launcher to be a separate gun. The reason is that the virtual muzzle that the explosive flash effect is spawned from, needs to be really close to the "unarmed" rocket model (the one attached to the rail), for it to be destroyed by the explosion.
When a multiple-muzzle gun is elevated/traned, its muzzles move away from gun's pivot point, so it it would be impossible making sure that the muzzles are always close to their respective rocket, unless we make rockets to unrealistically turn together with the virtual barrels. On the contrary, if we have separate launchers for each rocket, the one muzzle and the one roket can be placed on the same coordinates as the pivot point of the virtual gun, and the muzzle will alway "fire" its explosive charge at the center of the corresponding rocket, no matter whan gun's elevation/training is.

Some other advantage of having a separate gun for each rocket, is that we could place any number of rails under aircraft wings (2, 4, 5, etc for each wing) , we could have any combination of rocket rails (say for example 2 AP + 2 HE for each wing) and by moving the equipment nodes appropriately we could make each rail to follow more closely wing's profile.
The one downside that I can think of, is the time required to create multiple rocket hardpoints on aircraft models, and for setting their equipment files appropriately

I perfectly understand and I agree with you.

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Originally Posted by Kendras

I perfectly understand and I agree with you.

Another possible advantage of the one rail/one gun approach is this:

Originally Posted by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RP-3

A typical RP-3 installation was 4 projectiles on launching rails under each wing. A selector switch was fitted to allow the pilot to fire them singly (later omitted), in pairs, or as a full salvo. Towards the end of the war some RAF Second Tactical Air Force Hawker Typhoons had their installation adapted to carry an additional four rockets doubled up under the eight already fitted.

If a group of four rails is set as a single gun, they will always fire their rockets as a salvo. On the contraty, if each rail is a separated gun, depending on circumstances chances are that the AI pilot will fire his rocket loadout in two or more attack runs. There are things we could do for making this evenience more likely (like having two copies of each laucher/rocket to be fitted on the same plane, each with slightly different gun settings), though it actually happening is largely out of our control

Originally Posted by gap

When a multiple-muzzle gun is elevated/traned, its muzzles move away from gun's pivot point, so it it would be impossible making sure that the muzzles are always close to their respective rocket, unless we make rockets to unrealistically turn together with the virtual barrels.

Well, to be sure, I've tested by putting a flak fire effect at the place of the 4 muzzles rockets gun. Each muzzle effect is always centered on its own rocket.

Originally Posted by gap

If a group of four rails is set as a single gun, they will always fire their rockets as a salvo.

Not at all. You can separate each launch by the time you want. You just have to set whatever value you want for the recoil time (2 seconds for example). You can also simulate several separated salvos by setting a reload time (3 seconds for example), and you choose clip size=2 : that means that 2 rockets will be launched (separated by the recoil time) and 3 seconds will pass before another salvo of 2 rockets is fired.

Originally Posted by gap

On the contraty, if each rail is a separated gun, depending on circumstances chances are that the AI pilot will fire his rocket loadout in two or more attack runs.

No. In this case, all guns will fire at the same time.

About my tests. I don't manage to make the rockets destroyed when fired. The airplane (wings + engine) is destroyed (even with a min/max radius=0.000001 for the ammo damage). It seems that a very small explosion is impossible. I have tested further with max radius=0 : the wings are no more destroyed but the rockets still don't disappear. And when the airplane falls in the water, only the rockets on the left wing disappear because of the depth.

Have to fix the crazy machine guns of this plane ...

Originally Posted by Kendras

Have to fix the crazy machine guns of this plane ...

Problem solved : 5 and 355 were reversed in the traverse parameters.

Bombs and rockets loadouts ready for the Wildcat ! By the way, do you know how to hide the edges on the rockets ?

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@ Kendras

What is the minimum armor level of the aircraft you are using for your tests (considering CollionableObject's AL of the plane and the AL of its wings/engine)? It is probably something between 0.5 and 2. If so, have you tried setting the AP value of the spawned explosive charge and of the dummy rockets on the racks to 0? To be sure also set the minimum radius of the explosive charge smaller than the maximum radius (let's say 0 and 0.1 for a start) and set Min and MaxEF to the same value (let's say double the hit points required for the dummy rocket to be destroyed).

If you followed these instructions and the plane still gets destroyed before the rockets in its racks, then I am afraid there is not alternative but reducing the Min and MaxEF of the explosive and the HP of the dummy rockets to something veeeery low. The plane would still get damaged, but the damage would be so modest that the player won't notice it. The downside is that the rockets would disappear from under the wings even when they are subject to enemy fire, but I think we can live with it

Originally Posted by gap

What is the minimum armor level of the aircraft you are using for your tests (considering CollionableObject's AL of the plane and the AL of its wings/engine)?

AL/HP (armor level/hitpoints) :
unit "Avenger" = 1/300
front wings = 11/110
engine = 14/70

explosive charge spawned :
MinEF=1
MaxEF=10
AP=100
MinRadius=0
MaxRadius=0,000000001

Rocket new zone :
Multiplier=1
Flotability=0
HitPoints=5
Destructible=Yes
Armor Level=90
Critic Flotation=0
Critical=No
FloodingTime=1
CargoType=None
Crash Depth=10
Effect1=#plane_on_fire, 50

Originally Posted by gap

It is probably something between 0.5 and 2. If so, have you tried setting the AP value of the spawned explosive charge and of the dummy rockets on the racks to 0?

No, maybe I will try this.

Originally Posted by gap

To be sure also set the minimum radius of the explosive charge smaller than the maximum radius (let's say 0 and 0.1 for a start) and set Min and MaxEF to the same value (let's say double the hit points required for the dummy rocket to be destroyed).

Already tested.

I'm trying another solution. If I fail, I will try a bit more with your/TDW solution.

[gap]

Try with these values:

explosive charge spawned
MinEF=1000
MaxEF=1000
AP=0
MinRadius=0
MaxRadius=0.1

Rocket new zone
Multiplier=1
Flotability=0
HitPoints=500
Destructible=Yes
Armor Level=0
Critic Flotation=0
Critical=No
FloodingTime=1
CargoType=None
Crash Depth=1000

If the Avenger still explodes, try reducing charge's Min/MaxEF and rocket's HitPoints to 2 and 1 respectively (I am not sure whether decimal numbers are valid HP entires; if they are, something like 0.25 and 0.0625 respectively, would be even better...)

If the Avenger finally doesn't explode but the dummy rockets don't disappear, try increasing a bit the max radius of the explosive charge and moving gun's muzzles away from the dummy rocket. It is possible that if an explosion happens within an object, that object can't get damaged (i.e. the explosion must impact its damage box from outside)