Propwash!!!

[g00b]

I've been reading a bunch of WWII fighter stories and one thing has really stuck out, PROPWASH!!! A good many of the stories I have read talk about what a huge effect propwash had in combat. You couldn't come in from dead 6 as the tubulence made it too hard to aim. There are many accounts of planes being flung about and losing control when crossing another planes prop wash. I'd love to see this in AH2.

My two cents....

g00b

[mars01]

I second that!!!

[BlckMgk]

How would you propose he take such a task?

[bongo]

How about if they can or cant.

[Wilbus]

Prop wash would really only make a difference if you come in low 6, the prop wash kind of falls downwards (hard to explain). You can experience it if you get too low while beinged towed in a glider. Kind of fun actually, plane looses some lift ability, speed drops drasticly etc.

[g00b]

I never really thought of propwash as a big deal before. However, my recent reading binge has convinced me it was a significant issue in a  fairly large number of dogfights. I think it would add to the immersion greatly.

How to implement? You can turn "trails" on during replays. How 'bout if you intersect a trail you experience some level of turbulence, the strength of which depends on your distance from the aircraft which generated it? You could really go overboard here and calculate the strength of the turbulence based on the plane's mass and speed.

I really have no idea if it's a reasonable request of HTC. I just think it would be a neat feature.

[mars01]

Prop wash would really only make a difference if you come in low 6, the prop wash kind of falls downwards (hard to explain). You can experience it if you get too low while beinged towed in a glider. Kind of fun actually, plane looses some lift ability, speed drops drasticly etc.

Yeah it would be interesting to see at what distances Prop wash would be an issue.  These were very powerful engines and huge props.  I would think anywhere directly behind the plane would be quite turbulent.

[Karnak]

Originally posted by BlckMgk
How would you propose he take such a task?

The way that I would go about it is to have an area behind each engine defined by invisible polygons.  It would trail each engine like the smoke from a damaged engine does now, though it would be larger in diameter and shorter in length.  Any lift point on an aircraft that entered the polygon defined propwash would be subject to the simulated effects of propwash, which based on the above posts seems to be a reduction of lift.

That said, I've only got the most rudimentry programming skills and Hitech would likely see immediate problems with my suggested solution.  I have no idea what the effect on framerate would be either.

[streakeagle]

Propwash is modeled in Xtreme Air Racing. It discourages you from getting too close from low and behind if you want to maintain control. It is fun to wallow around in it.

[ChuBBs]

YES ADD PROPWASH!!

[ramzey]

we have it!, warps, lags, delays its work same way ;P