Removal of Instrument Panel Lights

[O-1Driver]

Gentlemen,

We are strongly considering the removal of all instrument panel lighting in ETO and not install anymore going forward. we have found that flying the RAF Bomber missions at night with searchlights, flares and the new flak raises havoc with them and the flickering will drive you insane.

We have a good proposal for you however as a solution. I have been flying with my stock panel lights dimmed and turning them on and off when needed with my light command 'L". I use them only when I want them and I can change the colors as I desire. These hard coded lights do not flicker at all and are a much better answer I believe.

To test this concept, which has been around for a long time (I did not discover it) go in to your Apps Folder. Open your ViewUi XML with notepad and change the three cockpit light number values to any combination you desire. I have been using these three and found them to work very nicely but you can create your own colors and intensity, the options are unlimited.

Try these as starters and then go and fly one of the stockers that do not have panel lights installed.

Dim Green 5 50 5
Dim Violet 30 10 50
Dim red 100 10 10

We need feedback on whether you want to keep the current panel lighting or remove them.

Thanks

O-1 Driver

[jaycee]

I uninstalled all panel lights as they were always flickering,I also feel bad about answering this thread,as i do not want this to seem as a criticism of all the hard work people have done on this.

[gaw]

wondered about that....it that the same funky business that makes the whole plane seem to flicker on the runway? Love the lights but the flickering was a bit wonky. Best part about your panel lights was the selective lighting that wasn't so red......standard "L" just didn't look right....I'll try your view.ui settings......thanks.....GAW

[BeauBrummie]

Thanks for this Steve. I wasn't sure whether the flickering panel lights was my shaky rigs fault. My experience is that I can live with out them. I have them coming on in the day light when I'm going slow and that's not so immersive. It's a shame considering the work that went into this effect. But being controlled manually is the better option. What about the nav light, any comments about them?

Beau

[oki]

I do also think the flickering on the runway doesn't look right and I always had the feeling it slows down the game, but would it not be possible to keep the effect as an option (but not necessarily install it all over....)

...it is defined in an extra line in the xdp file (?)

[O-1Driver]

wondered about that....it that the same funky business that makes the whole plane seem to flicker on the runway? Love the lights but the flickering was a bit wonky. Best part about your panel lights was the selective lighting that wasn't so red......standard "L" just didn't look right....I'll try your view.ui settings......thanks.....GAW


When you are on the runway with a wingman behind you his landing light causes the pronounced flicker you observed.

We will be removing the lines of script from the aircraft XDPs for the panel lights but leaving the rest of the lights. I don't know if it will be in the Hot Fix we have coming out really soon or the 1st Quarter update. We wil let you know so you can save your panel light effects if you still want to keep them. Also the effects will remain in the main effects XML.

I really appreciate you guys responding on this issue. We have a lot of new stuff coming out in a week or two with the hotfix that will knock your socks off.:d

O-1

[gaw]

nothin like an early xmas........thanks guys!

[O-1Driver]

Has anyone had a chance to try the new dimmed stock lights using command "L". I think the dim red ones look really good.

O-1

[gaw]

yeah....poodled around w/ the viewUI numbers you gave us and they look fine.....better than the original set up to be sure....what was so lovely about your previous panel set up was the isolated gauges being lit instead of a general glow that illuminates everything....that being said, the choices you gave us to play with were infinitely welcome.....I settled for green! Thanks............GAW