This update brings various changes to radar and missile behavior, a few low-tech weapons to enable different gameplay, improvements and features for the mission editor, and various fixes and optimizations.
Radar
Active radar missiles:
Active radar missiles such as the AIM-120 now have the ability to return to a search mode to attempt to reacquire targets after a radar lock is lost. Previously, the missile would be defeated by even the shortest momentary loss of contact. They can still be defeated by proper evasive techniques, and only search a limited area when attempting to reacquire. They also use this search mode when going pitbull instead of magically locking on to the target at a certain distance. Beware that this also means that they can now accidentally lock onto the wrong target, so be careful to avoid friendly fire. AIM-120s can also now be launched without a target in MADDOG mode (enable in EQUIP settings), where they will enter a wide search phase soon after being launched, and seek the first target they find. This can be dangerous and unreliable but a useful tool in certain situations.
Semi-active radar homing missiles:
Radars guiding SARH missiles now give a distinct indication on the RWR -- the tracking radar switches to a different mode for guiding the missile which can be detected. Most of the basic SAMs have been changed to SARH instead of active radar in order to maintain similar difficulty, now that active radar missiles have improved capabilities.
Evasion:
Previously, chaff (when used properly) would only affect the guidance of missiles and AAA. Now you can see the effects of chaff from your aircraft radar. It can cause a false position reading and potentially break the lock if used properly. The change to radar sensitivity in STT and TWS modes in the previous update made it very difficult to notch at medium ranges, so the cap on effect of notching has been increased to match.
Heat-seeking missiles
In order to limit the widespread use of missile-to-missile interception as an evasion technique in multiplayer, the missile interception feature has been limited to the AIRS-T missile. Mission makers can control the use of missile interception by limiting the number of AIRS-Ts or only making the AIM-9 available for players.
Low-tech weapons
The AIM-7 SARH missile (F/A-26B) and AIM-9E Rear Aspect heat seeking missile (F/A-26B and AV-42C) have been added to allow missions where fire-and-forget tactics can't be used. We had a lot of fun with these in testing as we had to rethink how we approached air-to-air engagements. A low-tech version of PVP Strike has been added to the default multiplayer PVP missions.
The full list of changes:
v1.4.4f20
General
- Missile heat emission cooldown didn't get properly updated
- Decoupled terrain colliders from LOD system so they are always enabled regardless of distance to solve terrain masking issues for distant radars and engagements far from the host
- Removed range requirement for launching ARMs
- Stabilize TGP/EOTS direction when in TGT mode, pointed at sky
- Tweaked heating values to reduce missile temperature after burnout
- Fixed: bomb impact calculation was short at transonic speeds
- Fixed AI units breaking lock after firing SARH missile when altitude is very different
- Increased missile smoke trail opacity
- Changed ARAD missile to use estimated target velocity based on RWR pings instead of actual velocity
- Improved visibility of locked contacts in RWR
- Fixed: parachute did not slow ejector enough for 0-0 ejection
- Fixed: no VR when returning to main menu from editor menu
- Added mach, G, alpha indicators to HMCS for jets
Radar
- Active radar missiles can search and reacquire targets when parent radar lock is lost
- Active radar missiles must search for target to acquire it when going pitbull
- Chaff affects aircraft radar lock and TWS tracks
- Increased maximum effectiveness of notch against radar
- Changed BSM-66 (enemy SAM) to SARH
- Added RWR indication when a radar lock is supporting SARH missile
- Changed locking radar to not immediately unlock when tracking chaff
Equipment
- Updated AIM-120 and AIM-120D DLZs
- Removed ability to lock onto missiles for AIM-9s, ASF-SRMs, and stingers
- Added option to enable maddog firing for AIM-120
- Updated descriptions for AIRS-T equips
F/A-26B
- Added damage to wings and hardpoints under extreme Gs (no possible damage with G-limiter on)
- Added an extra range level on the radar display
- Don't unlock when switching to scan mode from boresight
- Fixed: returning to scan mode while locked on a target from boresight mode would not have the target as a soft-lock track
- Fixed boresight/head mode not finding targets sometimes
- Fixed: issue trying to STT a TWS track in certain circumstances
- Added AIM-7 SARH missile
- Added AIM-9E rear aspect IR missile
- Fixed: STT locks could exceed the 120 degree field of view vertically
- Added radar field of view limit to HUD for radar lock
- Added radar lock field of view indicator to radar MFD page
- Fixed issues acquiring STT on a TWS track
- Fixed: could lose TWS track on STT target
- Fixed: TWS HUD icon would show target actual position even if STT is tracking chaff
F-45A
- Adjusted range levels in TSD display
- External pylons jettison with equipment
- Fixed: hovering on a unit in TSD would not allow you to drag the view away from it
- Fixed: TSD hovered unit info showed actual data instead of estimated data
- Fixed localization keys in Game, Network, Players MFD pages
AV-42C
- Added AIM-9E rear aspect IR missile
Multiplayer
- Added Low Tech PVP Strike mission
- Fixed: errors from other players' AH-94 for non-owners
- Decreased other player model's culling size
- Attempt to fix client crash if another player respawns and disconnects immediately afterward
- Fixed: personal briefing note would not refresh if closed and opened while animating
- Fixed: MANPADS missiles were invisible to clients
- Fixed: UI issue when selecting a new mission and a player leaves/joins the lobby
- Fixed FLKM-100 for clients
- Fixed: units remained invincible for clients despite event actions
- Updated dogfight mission maps
- Added air defenses to bases in BVR mission
- Updated allowed equipment in built-in PVP missions
- Fixed hang when loading workshop missions in MP mission browser (added loading bar)
- Fixed framerate drop when browsing many multiplayer workshop missions
- Fixed: voice comms breaks after host switches to a new mission
- Fixed "View Briefing" button tooltip
- Disconnect client who tries to spawn a non-existing prefab
- Fixed: missions could have team seats defined without spawn points on that team, leading to errors
- Fixed: could join a team that had slots set to 0 if it had spawn points
- Fixed: audio was muted when SteamVR overlay was opened in flight
- Fixed hand positions between oculus mode/non-oculus mode players
Units
- Fixed: AI units did not get healed when they RTB and rearm
- Added AIM-7 and AIM-9E to F/A-26B AI equipment
- Added AIM-9E to AV-42C AI equipment
- Added rear aspect SRM to ASF-30 and GAV-25 equipment
- Added SARH version of MRM to ASF-30 equipment
- Fixed: AI AV-42C and F/A-26B radar cross section was not affected by equipment
- AI pilots avoid friendly fire when considering Fox-3
- Fixed: AI pilots would dive unnecessarily when beaming missiles
- Fixed: drones on enemy drone carrier would teleport during origin shift if the carrier is killed before launching
- Added destruction effects to allied humvee units
- Added destruction effects to enemy stationary radar/SAM units
- Added destruction effect to enemy ground vehicles
- Added SLAM Truck (mobile surface-launched AIM-120) for Allied team
- Added Watchman Truck (mobile search and FCR) for Allied team
- Changed MAD-4 to SARH
- Added MAD-4A active missile equip for MAD-4 launcher
- Fixed issue causing MAD-4 to not detect units at certain angles
Mission Editor
- Editing campaign info would reset the workshop upload version
- Fixed: new pickup and dropoff objective targets would not show in list
- Fixed: pickup and dropoff objective target lists would show non-soldier units when loaded from existing campaign file
- Added search field for multi-unit selector
- Added search field to units list
- Fixed: Adding alt spawn would not copy existing settings for group-linked alt spawns
- Adding a point to a path will insert it after the current point, instead of always at the end
- Added bulk add/remove units to group (double-click group in groups tab)
- Changed briefing note editor to reflect the final fit of the text
- Added "Num Near WP" conditional property for unit list
- Added "Gets Killed" conditional property for Multiplayer Spawns
- Fixed: Copied units did not inherit the unit custom name
- Fixed: part of the search bar was blocked in New Unit window
- Added event action to force alt spawns for AI units and unit groups
- Added option for rearming point to not be spawned immediately
- Added event action to spawn rearming point
- Added event action to enable/disable rearming points
- Updated missile descriptions for BSM-66 and BSM-66LR
Map Editor
- Fixed: Docks placed at certain angles could create holes in terrain
Quicksave
- Fixed: Timed Events did not get quickloaded properly
- Fixed: AI VTOL velocity when resuming vertical take off
- Fixed: AI VTOL didn't resume landing when resuming certain vertical landing phases
Localization
- Updated zh strings file
AH-94 v1.1.3f1
General
- Compatibility with VTOL VR 1.4.4
- Fixed: altitude/speed/distance units preference did not load properly when joining as gunner
- Fixed: center/side stick option did not load properly for gunner in MP
- Fixed: landing gear lever initial state did not sync properly for late gunner join in MP
- Fixed weird aero instabilities
- Added SAS level adjustment knob
- Added flames to destroyed engine
- Fixed: equipment settings did not get loaded properly when joining gunner seat
- Tweaked flight assist settings
- Fixed quickload error when no radar is equipped
- Reduced pitch instability at high speed
Multiplayer
- Fixed: intercom was still active for copilots that leave and enter a different aircraft
- Fixed: switching to a different slot after requesting copilot seat would not clear the seat request