Propeller graphics

[eazydweeb]

Hi everybody,
every time I fly AH I’m a little distracted by the strange Propeller graphics . In RL when I’m sitting behind a 3000  rpm 2 bladed wooden Prop I will see absolutely NOTHING from the prop. The prop only becomes visible  when the sun is directly behind the plane. Then you have a bow of reflected light in your forward view. Since my „experience“ with real warbirds is just one flight in a old DO27 (Hey,not WWII but it IS a warbird   ), could s.o. with real high performance multi blade knowledge jump in and tell me if these disturbing interferences in AH are  “correct” ??
IMHO the prop should be seen as a VERY light shaded area and the P51 guys would see a faded yellow line (the reason for the yellow tips is better visibility of the turning blades, isn’t it ?).

BTW : NO I don’t have glasses and NO I don’t need glasses  


Eazydweeb
I wouldn’t hit a barndoor anyway

[214CaveJ]

that's an interesting question about the props.  My only expierences are in cessnas, and I can't say I remember the props being as visible as the ones in AH are.  Maybe HiTech should email the Confederate Airforce and see if they could validate the flight models or something, since they fly a lot of the birds that will be in the game.  The might could also give tips on the visual cues like the props.

Just an idea.

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Air power is a thunderbolt launched from an egg shell invisibly tethered to a base.         -  Hoffman Nickerson

[-lynx-]

Yep, in theory you're right and all that but IMHO it's the best compromise between reality and an indication that the prop is:

a) actually there;
b) rotating.

EAW was absolutely horrible, AH (I think) has got it just right. I don't even notice it in AH - it's certainly not "in a way" - but that's how I see it. Others may have different view.

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-lynx-
13 Sqn RAF

[LLv34_Camouflage]

This topic has been discussed several times in most sim forums.  

The prop should show as a transparent disc. The strobe effect you see now in AH, and in most sims for that matter (not in brand W), results from the "movie camera effect" that the game programmers so eagerly want to simulate.  

Look at a turning prop in real life. You won't see it.  You just see a transparent disc. Like eazydweeb said.

Then take a video camera and film the turning prop.  Look at the recording and you will see what you see in AH now.  That is because the camera captures about 50 frames per second, which results in that strobe effect.

Bottom line is: we should get rid of that strobe effect.

Camo



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Camouflage
XO, Lentolaivue 34
 www.muodos.fi/LLv34

"The really good pilots use their superior judgement to keep them out of situations
where they might be required to demonstrate their superior skill."

[Werewolf]

Getting rid of the effect? IMHO the effect should stay in  because it somehow gives feedback on the RPM.

Werewo

[Westy]

> Look at a turning prop in real life. You won't see it. You just see a transparent disc.

 I've always seen a 'semi' transparant disc.
 Never had I had to look twice at a spinning prop and had to look harder to see if it was there - regardless of rpm.
 Could be my eyes.....
 
  --Westy

[delta]

Werewolf said:

"Getting rid of the effect? IMHO the effect should stay in because it somehow gives feedback on the RPM."

however, the changes in engine sound pitch (still lacking in AH) should do this quite well.  

FWIW, I vote to get rid of the current effects.  Besides it might offload critical processing on the CPU down the road.

And I too have been in and around WW-II planes recently (flew in C-45 and AT-6, saw from ground many 51s, T6s, 1 F4F, 1 B-25, 4 B-17s 1 Ju-52) and I didn't see any strobe effects either.

delta


[This message has been edited by delta (edited 12-02-1999).]

[Thorns]

IMHO, the modeled prop from sitting in the cockpit is modeled correctly.  It gives you the feeling of the plane moving and isn't distracting.  Looks just about right from the airplanes I've flown.  Painted, metal, or wood props have a whirl to them when running.  Other sims have props that ruin the game, because they try to put too much reflection from sun, but not in Aces High.

Thorns_Musketeer(Butchawk)