Captain Sim Xperience FSX AC-130 question

[SSI01]

Not long ago I picked up the complete all-in-one pack FSX C-130 Xperience from CS, and installed into FSX. Everything works without a hitch, 100% compliant with the exception of the icons panel for the AC-130 gunship variant. When this aircraft is loaded all I get is the regular icons panel for the standard C-130. There is no little "w" on this icons panel that is supposed to open the weapons control panel so the aircraft's weapons can be made ready and fired.

I have the FS9 version of this aircraft; when comparing the icon panel for both aircraft, I note some of the icons displayed in the FS9 icon panel have been moved to the "animations" panel in the FSX AC-130 version. I realize that. However, I can not locate anything on the icons panel that opens that weapons control panel for the aircraft. I'm 63, not too senior but it's probably in front of my face and I'm not seeing it. Does anyone know where this icon is on the main icon panel?

[HarleyDude]

The first step is clicking on the View tab on the header then go to the Instrument tab in the drop down menu, then go to the animation tab.Go to the animation popup panel and at the bottom you will see a line for weapons panel click on this and a panel will appear with some toggle switches. The toggle on the left side of the panel powers the system and then to the right of this switch are three toggle switches that arm or safe a weapon. Below the weapon safe/arm toggle is the fire button for that weapon. I just checked mine and the miniguns produce flame, smoke. The 40mm produces flash, smoke and tracers. The 105mm recoils, and flashes sometimes. FYI while I was experimenting with the AC-130 I hit the "L" key after arming the system and all the weapons fired at the same time giving me tracers, smoke, and muzzle flash. I hope this helps.

[dhazelgrove]

I notice that there's a model 15 and a model 15g - which is unused.
Anyone know what the differences are between the two?

Dave

[DaveB]

I notice that there's a model 15 and a model 15g - which is unused.
Anyone know what the differences are between the two?

Dave

Dave..

Just had a quick look and there aren't any mdl files in the G's.. just model.cfgs. As far as I can see.. the G's model.cfg points to an EICAS interior and the non-G's point to a standard C130 interior.

ATB
DaveB:)

[SSI01]

Harley Dude, you are dead on.

What was throwing me a little bit is I have the FS9 version of this aircraft, and while there is no "animations" panel, you can get the weapons control panel to show up on your screen via a "w" key on that icon panel. They put EVERYTHING into that icon panel in FS9, which was a good thing.

This goes full circle back to what I was maintaining in earlier threads about poorly-written instructions befuddling people. I read the CS AC-130 manual; I don't recall seeing anything in there saying, "if you are in full screen mode, open the menu bar" - and then doing what you described. I've uninstalled/reinstalled everything this morning (saving everything I added, of course) and now I find this out. It would have been nice if CS had put it in the terms you did, rather than sending me to the "Tech Support KB" which, BTW, does NOT say what you did. They just tell you to uninstall/reinstall - but not a word about going to the menu bar.

The method you describe for opening the weapons control panel in FSX is a clumsy one. I haven't had the chance to try it in flight yet because RW is intervening. I'll bet that weapons control panel disappears if you shift from 2D to VC, doesn't it? Or, if you change views in the 2D panel, it disappears, too. Both of which mean, it's time to reopen the menu bar and drag it back down again.

This is what I call poor customer support, at least in this instance. Also, a design flaw.

[ncooper]

If you want a 2D window to remain displayed when you change your view,
you need only add this line to the panel.cfg entry, above the first gauge, for that window.

[Window20]
size_mm=345, 200
background_color=2,2,2
position=3
visible=0
ident=11015
nomenu=0
type=special
gauge00=Captain_Sim.c130.weapon!weapon, 0, 0, 345,200