[1.1] BDArmory v0.11.0.1 (+compatibility, fixes) - Apr 23

[Specific Alduin]

I seem to be getting that problem as well, but in my non-BDArmory install. It therefore *could* be a core KSP problem if the mod is installed wrong.

Yeah, even after uninstalling all mods I still got the issue. I will try completely deleting and reinstalling KSP, then installing BD Armory.

[Tbone2142]

Hey Baha, not sure if this has already been mentioned, but, are there any plans on making an ECM pod, and some kind of data sharing pod? like an AN/ALQ-131 or AN/ALQ-184; Here are my ideas:

Have a jamming effect range

Have a flicker effect so that the jammer will turn off for a brief amount of time, the chance of flickering depends on how many targets there are (as shown below)

A radar lock disabler (depending on whether enemies are in range or not)

Electronic self-copies (copies just show up as extra green diamonds)

Now with data sharing. Is it possible to make some kind of pod, that, when one vehicle spots an enemy, all other team mates can see it? And have them show up as a green diamond (much like your new camera pod, except instead of camera spotting it's radar) mainly for aircraft use as the camera can not track fast moving airborne targets.

And if there's a jammer...

Anyway, these are just ideas that I've thrown out. Oh, one more thing... will there be laser guided bombs? like a GBU-12 or something? (again, not sure if it's been mentioned)

Edited July 28, 2015 by Tbone2142

[Endersmens]

Gonna drop these here.

This is my F-22 Replica, storing 6 AMRAAMs in it's internal bay, two sidewinders on the side of the fuse, and a Vulcan.

And this is My A-10 replica, sporting, and get ready for this, of course the GAU-8, 5 mk 82 Unguided bombs, 2 Cluster bombs, 2 Hydra Rocket pods, 2 Maverick Air-Ground Missiles, and finally 2 Sidewinders for air defense.

These are also my renders. They were my first ever attempted.

[Specific Alduin]

Yeah, even after uninstalling all mods I still got the issue. I will try completely deleting and reinstalling KSP, then installing BD Armory.

Yup, BD Armory was the issue. Tried some other mods without a problem. Too bad, I really wanted to use this mod.

[BahamutoD]

Yup, BD Armory was the issue. Tried some other mods without a problem. Too bad, I really wanted to use this mod.

How did you determine this? It works for me and other people. Please check that CKAN has installed it correctly.

[AccidentalDisassembly]

How did you determine this? It works for me and other people. Please check that CKAN has installed it correctly.

I have to second this. I've never had CKAN do anything except wreck my GameData directory and succeed in not telling me at all whether any of my mods are out of date. Sorry CKAN =(

[Scoundrel]

Yup, BD Armory was the issue. Tried some other mods without a problem. Too bad, I really wanted to use this mod.

This is a UI bug that is typically exacerbated by a faulty modulemanager rewrite, though it has, on rare occasions, messed up stock builds due to bad install. The only cure is a complete reinstall, I'm afraid.

Hey Baha, not sure if this has already been mentioned, but, are there any plans on making an ECM pod, and some kind of data sharing pod?... Anyway, these are just ideas that I've thrown out.

That's a lot of thought put into that suggestion, and some nice graphics to help articulate your idea. Well done. If I may offer an observation...

EW doesn't quite work like your suggestion; it's both more complicated and much more simple than you've articulated.

Firstly, jammers come in two main flavours: active and deceptive. Active jammers blank out radar by filling the sky with radiowaves; this is countered by anti-radiation missiles (ARM) or missiles with Home on Jam (HoJ) capability - it just homes in on the source of the noise. Deceptive jammers send out false radar returns to fool the radar into thinking it's in a different position: the target appears to jump around on the radar screen, which typically breaks lock-ons at longer ranges. Deceptive jammers don't really work well up close, where the radars are usually blasting away at about 10kw! As a side note, the Rafale (allegedly ) has a deceptive jamming system that actually sends false returns out of phase to hide the plane; in practice it doesn't work perfectly, simply reducing the range that it is detected... and it doesn't work as well with the latest EASA radar sets, but it's better than angled plane parts, IMHO.

As for datalinks, they typically can't be jammed in any meaningful way. They're usually spectrum jumping (the ranges are classified); a highly advanced broad spectrum noise jammer could disrupt them, but it would have to be really, really close, and it would be a giant, glowing target for any ARM or HoJ capable missile - like the AMRAAM!

The self-copying idea is amusing... IRL aircraft use towed decoys with lots of right angles on them to fool the radar into thinking there's multiple aircraft. I'm not too sure how that would work in KSP. A slow missile that flies behind and in formation of the main craft perhaps? Hmm. It might be too much work.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Baha has up his sleeve.

[Tbone2142]

That's a lot of thought put into that suggestion, and some nice graphics to help articulate your idea. Well done. If I may offer an observation...

EW doesn't quite work like your suggestion; it's both more complicated and much more simple than you've articulated.

Firstly, jammers come in two main flavours: active and deceptive. Active jammers blank out radar by filling the sky with radiowaves; this is countered by anti-radiation missiles (ARM) or missiles with Home on Jam (HoJ) capability - it just homes in on the source of the noise. Deceptive jammers send out false radar returns to fool the radar into thinking it's in a different position: the target appears to jump around on the radar screen, which typically breaks lock-ons at longer ranges. Deceptive jammers don't really work well up close, where the radars are usually blasting away at about 10kw! As a side note, the Rafale (allegedly ) has a deceptive jamming system that actually sends false returns out of phase to hide the plane; in practice it doesn't work perfectly, simply reducing the range that it is detected... and it doesn't work as well with the latest EASA radar sets, but it's better than angled plane parts, IMHO.

As for datalinks, they typically can't be jammed in any meaningful way. They're usually spectrum jumping (the ranges are classified); a highly advanced broad spectrum noise jammer could disrupt them, but it would have to be really, really close, and it would be a giant, glowing target for any ARM or HoJ capable missile - like the AMRAAM!

The self-copying idea is amusing... IRL aircraft use towed decoys with lots of right angles on them to fool the radar into thinking there's multiple aircraft. I'm not too sure how that would work in KSP. A slow missile that flies behind and in formation of the main craft perhaps? Hmm. It might be too much work.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Baha has up his sleeve.

Thanks for the insight, Yea I wasn't really going for realism on these ideas. With the copying, I wasn't looking at physical objects being the decoys, but rather a system where it shows multiple objects in different locations, but there's only one, the jamming aircraft. Something very similar to DRFM jamming.

[boontze]

Thanks tetryds, it helped.

By the way, anyone managed to make a whole bomb bay of bombs empty without bombs colliding with plane, using FAR? I blew my Crackofortress up so many times while trying to do this. Real planes have advantage of aerodynamic shadow being "calculated", while here bomb starts slowing down immidiately upon release.

http://i.imgur.com/zMiBuRB.png

http://i.imgur.com/NEJ4s0U.png

Also, Rockeyes (even tho they have a texture of cbu-87) are unstable with FAR, and fly at 60 degrees angle of attack. Maybe all the projectiles should be forced back to stock aerodynamics while in flight?

What mods are put into that plane besides BDA?

[alexustas]

Actually I do not really like weapons in the ksp but "BahamutoD's Armory" mod is so cool that I couldn't sustain.

[Hodo]

Hey Baha, not sure if this has already been mentioned, but, are there any plans on making an ECM pod, and some kind of data sharing pod? like an AN/ALQ-131 or AN/ALQ-184; Here are my ideas:

*snip*

Anyway, these are just ideas that I've thrown out. Oh, one more thing... will there be laser guided bombs? like a GBU-12 or something? (again, not sure if it's been mentioned)

While I love the ideas, I still say, lets keep it simple.

[volcanicshrimp]

Does the plane AI use bombs? And if it does, would it open a "bomb bay" (cargo bay) to let the bombs out of the plane? I would love to have an AI bomber trying to bomb my armoured cars or stuff like that but I doubt the AI would be clever enough to open the bomb bay.

It would also be cool if the guard AI could move an IR (missile?) turret but that would probably be really hard to code.

Edited July 28, 2015 by volcanicshrimp

[EdusacconBR]

Actually I do not really like weapons in the ksp but "BahamutoD's Armory" mod is so cool that I couldn't sustain.

From which mod is the IVA? o_O

[Ratboyslim]

EdusacconBR: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/...A%E2%80%99s%29 im trying to get it to work now

[volcanicshrimp]

Just as I start talking about how AI bombers would be cool the AI starts playing up. When I try to launch my AI craft (by starting the engines with AI on and exiting to space centre before the craft goes too fast) nothing happens and when I go back to controlling the craft sparks shoot out of the engines and they start working again with the craft stuck on the spot until it realises that wheels go on the ground not in it. After a few attempts the game crashed with the output log saying that "Read from location 000000b8 caused an access violation." The craft is totally stock apart from BDarmory parts and I have hardly any mods (IR, Instell inc., KAS, KIS, Tweakscale).

I'm going to try getting smart parts and using that to start it but I have had problems with smart parts in the past.

Edited July 28, 2015 by volcanicshrimp

[sashan]

What mods are put into that plane besides BDA?

KAX cockpit, Ven's stock revamp cargo bays with added tweakscale config (they are 1.25m by defaut), BahamutoD gears, B9 procedural wings for all the control surfaces, tailplanes and pylons, OPT droptanks. Oh, and ProceduralFairings for that Vulcan aerodynamic cover. Pretty much my standard list.

Flies like charm, I really did learn something on my dynamics of flight lessons

Edited July 28, 2015 by sashan

[BahamutoD]

Hey Baha, not sure if this has already been mentioned, but, are there any plans on making an ECM pod, and some kind of data sharing pod? like an AN/ALQ-131 or AN/ALQ-184; Here are my ideas:

snip

Anyway, these are just ideas that I've thrown out. Oh, one more thing... will there be laser guided bombs? like a GBU-12 or something? (again, not sure if it's been mentioned)

The jamming pod I have in mind will probably work more like an active jammer as Scoundrel described. If a missile is launched on a distant jamming target, the missile will be forced to HoJ and go into a pure-pursuit (as opposed to lead pursuit), making it easier to bleed energy off the missile by beaming. At closer ranges, missiles and radars will still be able to get a proper lock. This is just from my experience with DCS so correct me if I'm way off.

Right now I'm just finishing up implementing data sharing; I'll make a quick video soon.

Does the plane AI use bombs? And if it does, would it open a "bomb bay" (cargo bay) to let the bombs out of the plane? I would love to have an AI bomber trying to bomb my armoured cars or stuff like that but I doubt the AI would be clever enough to open the bomb bay.

It would also be cool if the guard AI could move an IR (missile?) turret but that would probably be really hard to code.

Just as I start talking about how AI bombers would be cool the AI starts playing up. When I try to launch my AI craft (by starting the engines with AI on and exiting to space centre before the craft goes too fast) nothing happens and when I go back to controlling the craft sparks shoot out of the engines and they start working again with the craft stuck on the spot until it realises that wheels go on the ground not in it. After a few attempts the game crashed with the output log saying that "Read from location 000000b8 caused an access violation." The craft is totally stock apart from BDarmory parts and I have hardly any mods (IR, Instell inc., KAS, KIS, Tweakscale).

I'm going to try getting smart parts and using that to start it but I have had problems with smart parts in the past.

AI won't use bombs at the moment. It's planned for the future - when I get to working on AI after targeting/detection systems are at a good state (release, then a few updates for bugfixing).

For what you're trying to do, you should set the AI to standby mode so it won't take off until an enemy is detected. You don't need to try to quickly switch to the space center.

"Read from location 000000b8 caused an access violation" means you've run out of memory. It can happen often when switching scenes.

[volcanicshrimp]

I didn't know what standby mode did but thanks for telling me. Smart parts seems to work fine and now I just have to get the AI to attack me (I think I gave it too small a FOV)

[Scoundrel]

The jamming pod I have in mind will probably work more like an active jammer as Scoundrel described. If a missile is launched on a distant jamming target, the missile will be forced to HoJ and go into a pure-pursuit (as opposed to lead pursuit), making it easier to bleed energy off the missile by beaming. At closer ranges, missiles and radars will still be able to get a proper lock. This is just from my experience with DCS so correct me if I'm way off.

Yeah, DCS doesn't actually model EW worth beans, sadly.

And in fact I'm also a little embarrassed that in dismissing Tbone2142's multiple target spamming idea that I forgot that is exactly how jamming works... and I even said that! Duh! So, sorry Tbone2142, for being a dunce!

Anyhow, rather than post links to various EW pdfs I have in my library - for about 300+ pages worth of painfully dry information - here's a 20 minute video of how jamming/chaff appears on PPI (and by extension B Scope) back in the 60s. Modern radar sets, while more sophisticated with their ECCM, pretty much operate the same way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyFqaaqqph0

Also the HoJ capability of missiles doesn't override lead targeting as they treat the constant emissions as radar illumination. It's how anti-shipping missiles hit ships which would otherwise have enough power to completely negate the missile's on board radar; and how AMRAAMs and Vympel R77s go after EW aircraft in the air dominance role.

[BahamutoD]

Well as the video shows, the multiple target spam doesn't show as multiple distinct pings, but a spam of pings along all ranges in the general direction of the jammer. I'll go for that look. I'm trying to keep it relatively simple, so I'll just have one type of jammer and try to balance its effectiveness.

---

Progress video on radar features:

Edited July 29, 2015 by BahamutoD

[Tbone2142]

Yeah, DCS doesn't actually model EW worth beans, sadly.

And in fact I'm also a little embarrassed that in dismissing Tbone2142's multiple target spamming idea that I forgot that is exactly how jamming works... and I even said that! Duh! So, sorry Tbone2142, for being a dunce!

Anyhow, rather than post links to various EW pdfs I have in my library - for about 300+ pages worth of painfully dry information - here's a 20 minute video of how jamming/chaff appears on PPI (and by extension B Scope) back in the 60s. Modern radar sets, while more sophisticated with their ECCM, pretty much operate the same way.

Also the HoJ capability of missiles doesn't override lead targeting as they treat the constant emissions as radar illumination. It's how anti-shipping missiles hit ships which would otherwise have enough power to completely negate the missile's on board radar; and how AMRAAMs and Vympel R77s go after EW aircraft in the air dominance role.

That's alright mate, the video was really interesting. I'm not an expert on these things anyway, I'm only starting to learn how electromagnetic waves work (grade 11 Physics).

And Bahamuto, you're doing a really good job on this mod, I'm really curious about the code you put into this, I'm also studying IT, but I'm stuck with having to use Visual Basic 2008.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Tbone2142

[Anister]

Well as the video shows, the multiple target spam doesn't show as multiple distinct pings, but a spam of pings along all ranges in the general direction of the jammer. I'll go for that look. I'm trying to keep it relatively simple, so I'll just have one type of jammer and try to balance its effectiveness.

---

Progress video on radar features:

[DurtyR]

First of all, let me say that the updates you are showing off in your videos look fantastic, and that i didn't even dream such things could be achieved in KSP.

I've got a few questions, though.

Will there be different tracking systems for active or semi active radar missiles?

I know you don't have any semi active missiles in your mod right now, but having the code be there for anyone who wants to modell an AIM-7 or R-27 etc would be nice.

The AIM-120 as an active missile should also only need radar lock from its parent vehicle untill it goes pitbull and takes over with its own radar, will this also be modelled?

Pretty much the same goes for ground attack weapons, will there be the option to have fire and forget missiles like the Kh-29T and some AGM-65 modells where you only need lock on with the targeting pod to fire them, and won't have to maintain lock untill impact?

With the latest datalink features, will there be dedicated anti radar missiles for destroying targeting radars rendering their datalinked AA pieces unable to fire?

Another idea might also be to have radars of different strenght (perhaps a "RadarMaxRange=X" in the part.cfg files for each individual radar)?

A SPAAG with its own onboard radar shouldn't really be able to track targets at the same range as an AWACS (though within the ranges ksp operates with, this might be "realistic enough").

Once again, thanks a lot for your continued work with one of the unquestionably best mods ksp has to offer.

Now if only squad would get themselves together and give us multiplayer...

[Anister]

-Snippety snip-

Now if only squad would get themselves together and give us multiplayer...

They are working on it, dont worry

Also, no AWACS dish Baha?

[Nickvr628]

With the missiles be able to use the data link too? So even if I do not point at the target I launched the missile at it will still track? Also, I can see some remote-tech integration with this data link system. Sending AWACS data through a satellite to tanks on the ground would be awesome.