Let's Talk 'Taxi to Takeoff' Feature (4.12)

Aviar · #1 06-30-2013, 09:32 PM

Taxi to Takeoff is one of the best new features in 4.12. Mission builders will love all the new possibilities.

Let's discuss one particular scenario and see if there are any issues we can possibly resolve. (I hesitate to use the term 'bug' at this point because it's a new feature and I can't say for sure if TD intended it to work this way.)

The simple scenario is one flight of four planes. I have them spawning into Stationary Aircraft near the runway and then taxiing to takeoff. (See screenshot 1 from the FMB) When playtested in the FMB, there are no problems.

So I then decide to make #4 the Player's plane. (See screenshot 2) Again, there are no problems when playtested in the FMB. The first three AI planes taxi to the runway perfectly. (See screenshots 3,4)

Now, the issue arises when I attempt to play the mission in Coop Mode. For this particular test, I took plane #4 again as my plane. When the mission started I thought everything looked good. I was spawned into plane #4 with the the other three planes to my left, as they should be. Then I noticed that the 3 AI planes were not starting their engines. ( I know there is a new 'Start Engines' commands, but since I am not the flight leader it does not come into play here.)

Anyway, I then spotted the real problem. The 3 AI planes had not spawned into the Stationary Aircraft as they did in the FMB test. They spawned at the end of the runway, and took off from there. (See screenshot 5)

So there is the issue. When playtested in the FMB, the mission appears fine but when played as a Coop, the AI planes do not spawn into their assigned Stationary Aircraft. Instead, they spawn on the runway.

I'm hoping that TD can clear this up and tell us if this is or isn't a possible bug.

Aviar

JtD · #2 07-01-2013, 05:20 AM

From the 4.11 guide, AI spawns in coop need to come with "AI only" option checked to make use of stationary planes. Was it enabled in your mission? If not, does it work if you enable it?

Aviar · #3 07-01-2013, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JtD

From the 4.11 guide, AI spawns in coop need to come with "AI only" option checked to make use of stationary planes. Was it enabled in your mission? If not, does it work if you enable it?

No, none of the planes were designated as 'AI Only'. I understand what you are saying. (The mission was just a small test to see how the 'Taxi to Takeoff' feature works in a coop environment. The four planes were all meant to be flyable by a human.)

However, 4.11 did not have a 'Taxi to Takeoff' option. This would make it necessary for AI-controlled planes not occupied by a human (in a coop) to be automatically placed on the runway. Otherwise, they would just attempt to take off in a straight line from their spawn position. I understand all that.

But now in 4.12, we have the 'Taxi to Takeff' option. An AI that spawns in, say a hangar, will not simply take off in a straight line. It can be assigned taxi waypoints to the runway where it can safely take off.

So to me, it doesn't seem unreasonable to wonder why the AI-controlled planes in the 4.12 coop mission I described are not following their assigned taxi waypoints.

Aviar

JtD · #4 07-01-2013, 06:33 AM

Hardly unreasonable, but not implemented that way. Maybe something to do for 4.13.

SPAD-1949 · #5 07-01-2013, 01:52 PM

There is a lot of testing with this new feature.
If spawn position to close to something opposite, or planes positioned to close, they wont start.
Only start normal possible, no pairwise or other, no waiting for allignment (or I have not found out yet)
Starting from spawn point directly towards spawn nose position If you command "cover me"
I need at least two starting points on a runway or the AI starts in "some" direction as soon as entering the runway.

Igo kyu · #6 07-01-2013, 04:26 PM

In standard missions, in 4.7 (in particular, US missions on (Wake island? Midway island?)), I get planes spawning into planes that are already on the runway, and planes *2 being destroyed.

It's not realistic, and it's not good enough, but it is IL*2 1946 as it exists.

If someone wants to fix this, that would be good.

Currently, I'm not registered with anybody outside 1C (and a few entirely unrelated others), and I'm not likely to extend that in the context of IL*2. I have expansions up to 4.9 that I could install, but if they're buggy and need fixes that I don't yet have then I'd rather not bother.

FC99 · #7 07-05-2013, 04:20 PM

One thing that I didn't saw mentioned yet.You can make path on the airfield with taxi to takeoff waypoints only and create some traffic on the field. When plane reach last WP it will be considered as landed and stay there.

Ventura · #8 07-05-2013, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC99

One thing that I didn't saw mentioned yet.You can make path on the airfield with taxi to takeoff waypoints only and create some traffic on the field. When plane reach last WP it will be considered as landed and stay there.

ooo, nice one! didnt realize that!!

Ventura · #9 07-05-2013, 08:22 PM

Had same issues as Aviar.

I instead will use single aircraft from different points to simulate this, though it's probably inefficient and uses more resources for same effect.

Problem with using multiple aircraft on one wp without the 'taxi feature' is that the far left plane is always the lead and subordinate planes will taxi out one plane length, and turn towards leaders first waypoint. Good when the taxiway is towards the left, but looks a little wonky when going right...

wheelsup_cavu · #10 07-10-2013, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC99

One thing that I didn't saw mentioned yet.You can make path on the airfield with taxi to takeoff waypoints only and create some traffic on the field. When plane reach last WP it will be considered as landed and stay there.

Very cool. Another thing in our tool box we can use to make the missions more immersive.

Wheels