FE2 - Gunsight for the SE5a, what's the consent?

[Helmut_AUT 0]

Hi all.

 

It's been reported to TK as "bug" (more like, a missing but necessary feature) that the SE5a in FE2 lost the Aldis Tube from the cockpit model (which in FEG is incorrectly modeled with a magnifying effect).

 

But instead of simple reducing the magnification, it's now entirely gone in FE2. Problem for me as TrackIR user (and likely others) is that with our heads constantly somewhat offset from dead front center, it becomes really hard to aim with only a single ring sight (no bead) on the left Vickers. In the German AC I can lean behind either gun and line up the sights. In the Camel and Spad, the center ring sight is most often accurate. But in the SE5a, leaning behind the left sight makes no sense since it lacks the bead.

 

Someone suggested modding in an "icon" crosshair, but I'm not liking anything "floating" around in front of my WW1 cockpit, too much like a modern HUD.

 

So what's the consensus? Have people adopted to firing "blind by tracer" without sights? Or would you guys also appreciate either a bead for the ring sight, or a non-magnifying ALDIS?

[Bandy 3]

Bring the Aldis back!!! It is an excellent long range site and very effective even over short range once the magnification is reduced and you get used to how to use it.

 

Historically many pilots removed them, most likely because they were completely weird to them. WWI pilots (and perhaps beyond) tended to avoid anything unorthodox, take for example the Sopwith Dolphin.

[Helmut_AUT 0]

For me it's a bit of personal irony to see it removed, since I heartily slagged RoF for leaving out the Aldis on the Camel and SE5a.

 

Going by SF2 HUD displays, it isn't possible in the engine to have a "colimated" piper present that doesn't "overlay" cockpit instruments. Otherwise it would be sweet to have a fully working ALDIS where aim point is independent of head position.

[+Tailspin 3]

The Aldis sight worked well with an easy modification to the magnification. I don't know why TK eliminated it. Bad move.

[Venator 0]

Well, shouldn't one simply be able to extract the necessary SE5a files from FEG and install them in the mod folder of FE2? Or is the Aldis hard coded?

 

Helmut, I did not see your bug post at 3rd wire, have you asked TK about it?

[Helmut_AUT 0]

It's in the Technical Support Section "FE2 Bug Hunt" thread where all Bug Reports go. TK hasn't replied in detail yet what he thinks of it.

 

I'm not sure you could simple drop the cockpit model from FEG into FE2, minimum would be that the texture changes and you lose the new bump mapping effects. I have no experience with adding/modding aircraft, if anyone can tell me what to try I'll do it.

[Heck 496]

The new version of the sim doesn't seem to have the AvionicsWW1.dll anywhere that I can find it. The Aldis sight was dependent on that. If you copy it from an old version into the new, the game crashes just after loading. Don't know why TK eliminated it, but all references to the needed files (SE5A_Avionics.ini, AvionicsWW1.dll) have been removed, so it was eliminated purposely and you can't reinstall it yourself without that .dll being recognized by the game.

[Helmut_AUT 0]

Interesting info, thanks. Makes sense since the sight ring was not cockpit geometry.

[Bandy 3]

First page of the thread "FE Bug hunt" at the FE2 forum @ Thirdwire:

 

 

CA_STARY » Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:38 pm

...

 

But my S.E.5a has no ALDIS sight..?

 

 

Re: FE2 bug hunt

Postby TK » Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:53 pm

 

CA_STARY,

 

Yeah, we decided to just remove that sight, it simply wasn't working as well as we had thought... TK

 

 

Now, does TK mean there were problems with getting it into Vista/Win7, or player issues not liking it???

Edited February 27, 2010 by Bandy

[Helmut_AUT 0]

I posted after that and told TK that I don't know how we're supposed to aim without sight. Maybe that changes his mind?

 

There's nothing Vista/win7 specific that would prevent the sight from working correctly.