SF2 Radar/PPI display

[+ravenclaw_007]

for all of you who aren't happy the way the PPI is displayed in the game this is what i found and changed on my F-4E radar

this is how it looks unchanged , the PPI has a green background with a serrated edge on top and left and right , this edge problem annoys me a lot and i was never happy with that green background either

 

so i start looking in to the Avionics.INI but at first i did not know what to look for until i had a conversation with ludo.m54 and pvince , so i checked the Avionics.INI again and found this entrys , GroundClutter , MapBackgroundLevel and MapHighlightLevel and started to change the entrys

 

that is the original entry

GroundClutter=0.6
MapBackgroundLevel=0.2
MapHighlightLevel=0.6

that is the modified one

GroundClutter=0.8
MapBackgroundLevel=0.001
MapHighlightLevel=0.8

 

and that is the result , the PPI looks almost like the real one in a F-4E ,and the serrated edge is no longer a problem , i´m more than happy right now finally i got that problem solved

Edited June 8, 2024 by ravenclaw_007

[+Wrench]

I REALLY like how much clearer and sharper that is!!

can this 'fix' be used on any aircraft with GM?? With both avionics60 and avionics70???

[+ravenclaw_007]

45 minutes ago, Wrench said:

I REALLY like how much clearer and sharper that is!!

can this 'fix' be used on any aircraft with GM?? With both avionics60 and avionics70???

i think so , it is just an editing of given entries

i reduced the MapBackgroundLevel  to MapBackgroundLevel=0.0 , that will be the setting on my F-4E/F/G´s , much better and as you say it is much sharper

Edited June 9, 2024 by ravenclaw_007

[+swambast]

Awesome discovery ravenclaw, congrats!   

[+ravenclaw_007]

i made some more test flights over Nord Vietnam and so far i´m very happy , the only thing i dont understand is why a town or a city gives no radar signals ???

it is if is nothing there , is that an issue with tod and lod ??? i think a lod object you can see on the radar screen , if i´m not wrong  , is there no way that a tod object like a house can show up on the radar ???

 

hills and mountains show up nicely

 

towns and citys not at all

[+Menrva]

1 hour ago, ravenclaw_007 said:

hills and mountains show up nicely

towns and citys not at all

That's normal, it can't be fixed. TODs are not 3d models, they are optional entities that make tiles look better in higher settings; they have no collision whatsoever, they do not exist if not just for eye-candy. Radar shows all that you can collide with, so proper terrain objects/3d models and the terrain itself.

[+ravenclaw_007]

7 minutes ago, Menrva said:

That's normal, it can't be fixed. TODs are not 3d models, they are optional entities that make tiles look better in higher settings; they have no collision whatsoever, they do not exist if not just for eye-candy. Radar shows all that you can collide with, so proper terrain objects/3d models and the terrain itself.

Thank you , i assumed something like that , to bad that this can not be changed 

[Mr_Tayto]

This looks great, well done OP.

 

I am an editing noob, does this editing require the CATextractor program?

[+ravenclaw_007]

nope , you just have to open the Avionics.ini in your aircraft folder , and change the existing values to the one below ( only the colored RED ones  )

[RadarDisplay]
ViewportTextureSize=256
FadeImageIntensity=0.3
TargetFadeTime=1.00
ImageFadeTime=0.30
SweepIntensity=0.4
StrobeIntensity=0.7
ElevationScale=95
ElevationStrobeSize=0.07
TargetStrobeSize=0.07
TargetShadowIntensity=0.1
AcquisitionSymbolHeight=0.05
AcquisitionSymbolSize=0.09
NoiseLevel=0.1
DitheredSweepWidth=0.07
DitheredSweepIntensity=0.35
RangeStrobeWidth=0.07
RangeStrobeHeight=0.04
RangeGateWidth=0.05
RangeGateHeight=0.05
RangeGateIntensity=0.25
MissileRStrobeWidth=0.07
BreakXSize=0.50
BreakXIntensity=0.8
BreakXTexture=RadarBreakX.tga
PPIArc=50
PPISweepTexture=RadarPPISweep.tga
GroundReturnFadeTime=2.0
GroundClutter=0.8 ___________________________________ edited entry
MapBackgroundLevel=0.0 ___________________________  edited entry
MapHighlightLevel=0.8 ______________________________  edited entry
RangeRateCircleSize=0.65
RangeRateCircleScale=926
RangeRateCircleTexture=RadarVcCircle.tga
HorizonBarSize=0.75
HorizonBarTexture=RadarHorizon.tga
ASERadarCircleMinSize=0.20
ASERadarCircleMaxSize=0.35
ASERadarCircleMaxSizeRange=0.6
ASERadarCircleTexture=RadarASE.tga
ASEHeatCircleSize=0.14
ASEHeatCircleTexture=RadarASEHeat.tga
AimDotSize=0.03
AimDotTexture=RadarAimDot.tga
BreakXRemovesRangeRate=TRUE
BreakXRemovesASECircle=TRUE
DisplayLimitLeft=16
DisplayLimitRight=112
DisplayLimitTop=16
DisplayLimitBottom=112

Edited June 10, 2024 by ravenclaw_007

[Mr_Tayto]

7 minutes ago, ravenclaw_007 said:

nope , you just have to open the Avionics.ini in your aircraft folder , and change the existing values to the one below ( colored RED )

[RadarDisplay]
ViewportTextureSize=256
FadeImageIntensity=0.3
TargetFadeTime=1.00
ImageFadeTime=0.30
SweepIntensity=0.4
StrobeIntensity=0.7
ElevationScale=95
ElevationStrobeSize=0.07
TargetStrobeSize=0.07
TargetShadowIntensity=0.1
AcquisitionSymbolHeight=0.05
AcquisitionSymbolSize=0.09
NoiseLevel=0.1
DitheredSweepWidth=0.07
DitheredSweepIntensity=0.35
RangeStrobeWidth=0.07
RangeStrobeHeight=0.04
RangeGateWidth=0.05
RangeGateHeight=0.05
RangeGateIntensity=0.25
MissileRStrobeWidth=0.07
BreakXSize=0.50
BreakXIntensity=0.8
BreakXTexture=RadarBreakX.tga
PPIArc=50
PPISweepTexture=RadarPPISweep.tga
GroundReturnFadeTime=2.0
GroundClutter=0.8 ___________________________________ edited entry
MapBackgroundLevel=0.0 ___________________________  edited entry
MapHighlightLevel=0.8 ______________________________  edited entry
RangeRateCircleSize=0.65
RangeRateCircleScale=926
RangeRateCircleTexture=RadarVcCircle.tga
HorizonBarSize=0.75
HorizonBarTexture=RadarHorizon.tga
ASERadarCircleMinSize=0.20
ASERadarCircleMaxSize=0.35
ASERadarCircleMaxSizeRange=0.6
ASERadarCircleTexture=RadarASE.tga
ASEHeatCircleSize=0.14
ASEHeatCircleTexture=RadarASEHeat.tga
AimDotSize=0.03
AimDotTexture=RadarAimDot.tga
BreakXRemovesRangeRate=TRUE
BreakXRemovesASECircle=TRUE
DisplayLimitLeft=16
DisplayLimitRight=112
DisplayLimitTop=16
DisplayLimitBottom=112

Cool, thanks.

 

Weirdly, I don't seem to have an "Avionics.ini" in my aircraft folders?

[+EricJ]

Most of the stock planes have their files in the .cat files, so you'll need to find it in the numerous .cat files wtih the CATextractor.

[Mr_Tayto]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

Most of the stock planes have their files in the .cat files, so you'll need to find it in the numerous .cat files wtih the CATextractor.

I've run out of reactions, but thanks.

[+EricJ]

 

8 minutes ago, Mr_Tayto said:

I've run out of reactions, but thanks.

How do you run out of reactions? I never knew you did.

And no problem. What I suggest you do is if you have an external hard drive that you extract ALL of the files into a folder that is separate from everything, so you can find it that way. I recommend this because I don't know which .cat the F-4 files are in at, just the file vomit that it does for you.

Edited June 10, 2024 by EricJ

[+ravenclaw_007]

36 minutes ago, Mr_Tayto said:

I've run out of reactions, but thanks.

for wich Aircraft do you need the Avionics.ini , i can send them to you

[+daddyairplanes]

41 minutes ago, EricJ said:

 the file vomit that it does for you.

well, thats a new term. not very technical, but terribly descriptive

ravenclaw_007,  how does this look over water? plays into a old idea of mine that may become my next shiny object

[+ravenclaw_007]

9 minutes ago, daddyairplanes said:

well, thats a new term. not very technical, but terribly descriptive

ravenclaw_007,  how does this look over water? plays into a old idea of mine that may become my next shiny object

very transparent , i even was able to find that soviet submarine 

[Mr_Tayto]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

 

How do you run out of reactions? I never knew you did.

And no problem. What I suggest you do is if you have an external hard drive that you extract ALL of the files into a folder that is separate from everything, so you can find it that way. I recommend this because I don't know which .cat the F-4 files are in at, just the file vomit that it does for you.

Yeah I'm a bit scared of that (and getting them all in the right place). I can just about manage mod installation!

 

42 minutes ago, ravenclaw_007 said:

for wich Aircraft do you need the Avionics.ini , i can send them to you

I appreciate it man. I might just hold back for now. It doesn't affect the acquisition of targets, so it's no biggie for me.

[+EricJ]

9 minutes ago, Mr_Tayto said:

Yeah I'm a bit scared of that (and getting them all in the right place). I can just about manage mod installation!

 

 

It's just finding the right folder. It should have something like "F-4D_75_AVIONICS.ini", so it corresponds to the right aircraft. It's easy when the folders are already there in the Mod Folder for you to add your custom ini. Just place it in the appropriate folder and then and go fly with the new changes. That's the coolness of the mod folder anyway as you can have your own edits for the game, even the stock birds.

[+EricJ]

41 minutes ago, daddyairplanes said:

well, thats a new term. not very technical, but terribly descriptive

 

Gotta keep it real man...

[+daddyairplanes]

15 minutes ago, Mr_Tayto said:

Yeah I'm a bit scared of that (and getting them all in the right place). I can just about manage mod installation!

the big first question is : do you have the TW cat extractor?

if yes,  then its a matter of playing with it. you wont remember which file is in which folder. but you can browse each folder and you'll start to get a feel for whats in each. the first one is generic game object inis, second one off limits (the actual lod models) and from there its typically grouped by decals, aircraft and ground models, going down the line of sf2, vietnam, europe, israel, north atlantic and DLC (if you have any)

it seems daunting at first. play with it, practice, screw up, learn from screw up and practice some more. eventually you'll start having the game dialled in the way you want rather than adjusting to the game

[OlWilly]

23 hours ago, EricJ said:

It's just finding the right folder. It should have something like "F-4D_75_AVIONICS.ini", so it corresponds to the right aircraft. It's easy when the folders are already there in the Mod Folder for you to add your custom ini. Just place it in the appropriate folder and then and go fly with the new changes. That's the coolness of the mod folder anyway as you can have your own edits for the game, even the stock birds.

TW extractor should not be even touched when Mue's one exist

Search function solves the issue

Use * to denote misc entries

F-4D*AVIONICS* will return relevant files for all the D versions

F-4*AVIONICS* should show all Phantom's avionics files

*AVIONICS* should show avionics files for all stock aircraft

Edited June 11, 2024 by OlWilly

[+EricJ]

2 hours ago, OlWilly said:

TW extractor should not be even touched when Mue's one exist

 

I am aware of that, but thanks

[+daddyairplanes]

2 hours ago, OlWilly said:

TW extractor should not be even touched when Mue's one exist

 

personal preferences

brand name Adobe Photoshop is  better than GIMP in most categories other than cost

but since i used GIMP consistently over the years when i couldnt afford the Adobe CC subscription (or to get a copy of the old CS packs), i do tend to prefer using GIMP for most work (esp tga work). 

if youre familiar with the TW extractor, then its perfectly usable, although i believe no longer available on TW site

if just getting started  then one may want to use Mue's extractor instead. but those of use that have been doing it a decade+ will use what we're comfortable with

Edited June 11, 2024 by daddyairplanes