New Versions Lac08p43 and Lac08p44
Combat Flight Simulator for LINUX. WW2. Network and VOIP. Open-source.
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I just uploaded two new versions of LAC, named "Lac08p43" and "Lac08p44" to the "Files" section of our online SourceForge resources according to the prevailing pattern.
Both of these new versions offer identical features. The differences?
New Features in Lac08p43 and Lac08p44:
I found and fixed a bug that had been sounding an irritating noise when landing a damaged aircraft.
I fixed a bug that was causing bomber gunners to shut down their guns in preparation for landing whenever their aircraft was flying at extremely low altitude. This behavior is no longer desirable because so many of our new terrains include low-altitude canyons and valleys where aircraft like to fly low in order to avoid radar detection.
I balanced the acoustic volume of all of the sound effects. Now the engine noise levels are more appropriate among all of the other sounds that are active in flight. Computer-generated voice effects from the "espeak" companion application are no longer so disturbingly loud. It is now easier for users to "tune" acoustic volume levels to their liking, and to balance them with sounds emanating from "Mumble", "espeak", "YouTube" documentation videos, etc.
I improved the selection of aircraft 3d model artwork for a better balance between visual quality and performance. If you are unhappy with any of these changes, you can always download individual .3ds art files for any aircraft, choosing from our "optimized for appearance" or from our "optimized for speed" online archives instead of the "balanced optimization" set used as the standard for this version of LAC. It is easy to find the required web page from the prominent "ENHANCED ART" link at the top of our official web page here:
https://askmisterwizard.com/2019/LinuxAirCombat/LinuxAirCombat.htm
Improved "USB Console Game Controller" support: Since about March of 2020, it seems that Joystick manufacturers have drastically cut or eliminated production, resulting in huge price increases for those lucky enough to find a joystick offered for sale. LAC's users, seeking a lower-cost alternative, have been making increasing use of USB "Console Game Controllers" instead. Because LAC has long offered powerful mapping of joystick axes and buttons to available flight functions, these users have enjoyed reasonable success, and some of them have developed surprising flight skills around this new arrangement. However, none of the available Console Game Controllers had enough buttons to grant easy access to all of LAC's most important flight and view functions. Accordingly, those players still needed to reach for keyboard keys from time to time (for example, for various combinations of target selection, RADAR range selection, target vocalization, landing gear, WEP, and the 6 distinct types of view zoom functions).
I decided to enhance LAC with four new functions to address this deficiency. The basis for all four of these new functions is to "cycle" more comprehensively, through more options, when invoked through a single, associated joystick button or keyboard key.
For example, previous versions of LAC use two distinct functions for "Target Select", requiring two keys or buttons (one for SelectNextRed, and the other for SelectPreviousBlue). I thought LAC should be enhanced with an optional, new, additional function that cycles comprehensively forward through ALL targets regardless of team affiliation, and that can be invoked with just one key instead of two.
The same is true for Zooming the Map In and out, Zooming the RADAR In and Out, and Zooming the Field-of-View ("FOV") In and Out: In each case, I could cut the required pair of keys or buttons down to a single button by creating a companion function that would cycle through all available values, repeating the cycle endlessly if the player continued to press the associated control.
Accordingly, I created four new "Cycle" functions that can be activated as needed during flight. Each of the four new functions is available through two new variables that can be specified in the LacControls configuration file as follows:
key_RadarZoomCycle (Mapped to "s" for "Sensor Range" by default)
joystick_RadarZoomCycle
key_TARGETCYCLE (Mapped to "t" by default)
joystick_TARGETCYCLE
key_ZoomFovCycle (Mapped to "f" by default)
joystick_ZoomFovCycle
key_MapZoomCycle (Mapped to "z" by default)
joystick_MapZoomCycle
Brief offline testing of the resulting, default, joystick-based configuration confirmed good progress: All of the classic keyboard and joystick mapping still worked without change, and in addition, tapping "s" (for "SensorZoomCycle") invoked the new RadarZoomCycle function, tapping "t" invoked the new TARGETCYCLE function, tapping "f" invoked the new ZoomFovCycle function, and tapping "z" invoked the new MapZoomCycle function as expected.
Additional, more extensive testing with a USB Game Console Controller was gratifying: Players could then configure a lot more functions for easy access to throttle, rudder, elevator, and aileron axes, with six buttons for view direction, and one each for target selection cycling, radar range cycling, weapon selection cycling, target vocalization, primary and secondary weapon firing, flap extending, and flap retraction.
Even with all of those buttons configured in the default arrangement, most Game Controllers offer two more buttons that are "hidden" beneath the two analog axis controls. Each is accessed by pressing inward, whereupon the player feels a satisfying "click" as the associated button is activated. I wrote new logic to refer to and use these two buttons with the following new names, functions, and logic:
1 of 2: "ThrustTripleModifier". This is the button beneath the Throttle/Rudder axis. Depressing it activates one of three separate functions depending on the setting of the throttle axis. Under normal circumstances, when the throttle is resting in its spring-loaded center position, the ToggleUndercarriage function is activated. But if the throttle is slammed all the way up for maximum thrust, the ToggleWEP function is activated instead. Conversely, if the throttle is slammed all the way down for minimal thrust, the "ToggleSpeedBrake function is activated.
2 of 2: "ViewZoomCycler". This is the button beneath the Elevator/Aileron axis. Depressing it activates one of two separate functions depending on the current view mode. Under normal circumstances when the operator is looking out at the world through one of his cockpit windows, the new ZoomFovCycle function is ativated. On the other hand, if the operator is looking at the map, then the MapZoomCycle function is activated.
Significant online testing confirms success: Now users equipped with a low-cost, readily available USB Console Game Controller can use it with good success instead of a joystick. They have easy access to all 23 of these functions:
01 of 23: Elevator Axis
02 of 23: Aileron Axis
03 of 23: Rudder Axis
04 of 23: Throttle Axis
05 of 23: LookFwd (Dedicated Button)
06 of 23: LookBack (Dedicated Button)
07 of 23: LookLeft (Dedicated Button)
08 of 23: LookRight (Dedicated Button)
09 of 23: LookUp (Dedicated Button)
10 of 23: LookDown at Map (Dedicated Button)
11 of 23: WEP (MaxThrottle & click)
12 of 23: Undercarriage (CenterThrottle & click)
13 of 23: SpeedBrakes (MinThrottle & click)
14 of 23: Radar Zoom Cycle (Dedicated Button)
15 of 23: FOV Zoom (Click Elevator/Throttle axis while looking out a cockpit window)
16 of 23: Map Zoom (Click Elevator/Throttle axis while looking at map)
17 of 23: Target Select Cycle (Dedicated Button
18 of 23: Target Vocalize (Dedicated Button)
19 of 23: Flaps Up (Dedicated Button)
20 of 23: Flaps Down (Dedicated Button)
21 of 23: Secondary Weapon Cycle (Dedicated Button)
22 of 23: Fire Primary Weapon (Dedicated Button)
23 of 23: Fire Secondary Weapon (Dedicated Button)
A photograph of a USB Game Controller of this type is available online, and it is marked with labels for each LAC's functions mapped as described above. You can access it here:
https://askmisterwizard.com/2019/LinuxAirCombat/UsbGameControllerMapping02.jpg
The little-used old "ConfigFileSamples" folder has been deleted from our standard distribution page because that information is now available online through our "Flight Control Hardware" forum.
The little-used old "Optional3dModels" folder has been deleted from our standard distribution package because it is now available online through a prominent "ENHANCED ART" link at the top of our main web page.
The little-used "KnownBugs.txt" file has been deleted from our standard distribution package because that information is now available online through our "LAC Bug Tracking" forum.
Sounds are generally better balanced, acoustic distortion is notably minimized, engine noises are heard at more realistic levels, and landing a damaged aircraft is no longer accompanied by irritating, distracting noises. Furthermore, bomber gunners remain active and continue to defend their aircraft even when flying down at extremely low altitudes.
Last edit: bbosen 2021-03-01
Update from late April 2021: These two functionally identical versions of LAC remain the "Official", production versions. It has been nearly two months since these two versions were published, making this the longest interval between releases since LAC development commenced. Due to the stability and robustness of these two versions of LAC, I have alerted the worldwide Debian and MX LINUX communities that LAC development is now sufficiently stable to justify publication in "official" repositories. (Repository installation is best implemented via version 8.43.)