dswo
July 6th, 2010, 11:29
...which also reminds me to get in touch with David again regarding the planned patch.
I'm breaking this out from an earlier thread so that pilots more knowledgeable than myself can contribute and correct. As will be clear from my AVSIM review (which is with the editor now) I like this model a lot. I was over at the Vertigo forum a few minutes ago and saw someone complaining about the sound, framerates, animations -- it was almost like he got a different product. The product I got was so good, I went back and bought the Hellcat. (Yes, I know: I'm slow on the uptake sometimes.) Looking back to posts from 2009, I see that this was one of the aircraft I was looking forward to in 2010; well, it's 2010 now and I'm not disappointed. Looking forward to the Bearcat and -- wow -- a DC-3/C-47 and a Zero! Meanwhile, here are my notes for a Dauntless patch, collected mainly from my posts here and on the Vertigo forum. There may be things that I've forgotten, didn't notice, or (in my ignorance) didn't know about. If so, I hope my brothers and sisters here will set the record straight; and when there is a patch, it will be better for the conversation.
THE MANUAL
The checklist says cruise power is 65% or 618 horsepower. What does that translate into for MP and RPM?
The manual says to "consider" CHT. What should it not exceed?
Some hints for both of these might be found in the 1942 POH, which I found here: http://avialogs.com/douglas/douglas-sbd-3-dauntless. See also my map tray image (attached).
TEXTURES
Some of the liveries have missing/funny colors in odd corners of the wings. See wing paint http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=33931&page=1 for screenshots.
The image in the map tray is cosmetic, but it could be useful. If you want to use my Solomons map (which also has some suggested engine settings on it, from that aforementioned manual) you're welcome to; it's attached here.
In the VC, the texture for the canopy frame needs work. The Hellcat frame is nice and sharp. If I were to fix one thing, this would be it, because you see it all the time when you're flying.
The textures for the machine gun in back are low-res too. This might not be worth fixing, depending on what it does to framerates, since you don't see it from the front seat, where presumably you do most of your flying.
VIRTUAL COCKPIT
Reference tab on kneeboard refers user to non-existent checklist tab on kneeboard
The autopilot switch moves slightly to the left when you click "on," but it still points in the general direction of "off."
The clock has a 24-hour face, but hands indicate time like a 12-hour clock. E.g., actual time 0645 shows as 1245 on the clock.
As I understand it, the gyro in the center of the main panel was used to adjust the autopilot heading. Would it be possible to make it do the same here?
Is there a switch to turn the avionics on? I notice that if I don't start with control-e, the autopilot can't be switched on. I have a key set to toggle the avionics on and off, and if I turn the avionics on with this key, the autopilot can be switched on.
It doesn't seem that adjusting the fuel mixture has any effect on power. Should it?
WISH LIST -- These are little things that would be nice, but not at the expense of framerates
Arm the wing pylons.
Set a key to deploy the bomb trapeze, so that you can watch the animation from outside.
Set a key to drop the bomb? (Same reason.)
Link bomb impact with an explosion effect (so that you don't have to be in a mission to see the smoke and fireball).
Make the SBD-3 bombsight telescopic. (This is not going to happen.)
Give the SBD-5 a reflector bombsight. (But I'd rather have a bomb effect than either of these.)
I'm breaking this out from an earlier thread so that pilots more knowledgeable than myself can contribute and correct. As will be clear from my AVSIM review (which is with the editor now) I like this model a lot. I was over at the Vertigo forum a few minutes ago and saw someone complaining about the sound, framerates, animations -- it was almost like he got a different product. The product I got was so good, I went back and bought the Hellcat. (Yes, I know: I'm slow on the uptake sometimes.) Looking back to posts from 2009, I see that this was one of the aircraft I was looking forward to in 2010; well, it's 2010 now and I'm not disappointed. Looking forward to the Bearcat and -- wow -- a DC-3/C-47 and a Zero! Meanwhile, here are my notes for a Dauntless patch, collected mainly from my posts here and on the Vertigo forum. There may be things that I've forgotten, didn't notice, or (in my ignorance) didn't know about. If so, I hope my brothers and sisters here will set the record straight; and when there is a patch, it will be better for the conversation.
THE MANUAL
The checklist says cruise power is 65% or 618 horsepower. What does that translate into for MP and RPM?
The manual says to "consider" CHT. What should it not exceed?
Some hints for both of these might be found in the 1942 POH, which I found here: http://avialogs.com/douglas/douglas-sbd-3-dauntless. See also my map tray image (attached).
TEXTURES
Some of the liveries have missing/funny colors in odd corners of the wings. See wing paint http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?t=33931&page=1 for screenshots.
The image in the map tray is cosmetic, but it could be useful. If you want to use my Solomons map (which also has some suggested engine settings on it, from that aforementioned manual) you're welcome to; it's attached here.
In the VC, the texture for the canopy frame needs work. The Hellcat frame is nice and sharp. If I were to fix one thing, this would be it, because you see it all the time when you're flying.
The textures for the machine gun in back are low-res too. This might not be worth fixing, depending on what it does to framerates, since you don't see it from the front seat, where presumably you do most of your flying.
VIRTUAL COCKPIT
Reference tab on kneeboard refers user to non-existent checklist tab on kneeboard
The autopilot switch moves slightly to the left when you click "on," but it still points in the general direction of "off."
The clock has a 24-hour face, but hands indicate time like a 12-hour clock. E.g., actual time 0645 shows as 1245 on the clock.
As I understand it, the gyro in the center of the main panel was used to adjust the autopilot heading. Would it be possible to make it do the same here?
Is there a switch to turn the avionics on? I notice that if I don't start with control-e, the autopilot can't be switched on. I have a key set to toggle the avionics on and off, and if I turn the avionics on with this key, the autopilot can be switched on.
It doesn't seem that adjusting the fuel mixture has any effect on power. Should it?
WISH LIST -- These are little things that would be nice, but not at the expense of framerates
Arm the wing pylons.
Set a key to deploy the bomb trapeze, so that you can watch the animation from outside.
Set a key to drop the bomb? (Same reason.)
Link bomb impact with an explosion effect (so that you don't have to be in a mission to see the smoke and fireball).
Make the SBD-3 bombsight telescopic. (This is not going to happen.)
Give the SBD-5 a reflector bombsight. (But I'd rather have a bomb effect than either of these.)