Inside The 'Office'

The cockpit is the pilot’s working environment. In Falcon 4.0 Allied Force, the quality of this “office” is photorealistic with stunning detail and much improved functionality. Each button and switch can be activated just like the real thing.  

The instruments respond accurately to the aircraft’s speed, height and aspect. In brief, it’s as good as it gets. In these development notes, Lead Pursuit’s art and cockpit designer, Eric “Aeyes” de Best, takes us on a tour of some of the features.

Types and resolutions

We have three different types of cockpit in Allied Force matching those of the Block 40/42, Block 50/52 and MLU (Mid Life Update) variants of the F-16 fighter. The main resolutions supported for these pits are 1024 x 768 and 1600 x 1200. But autoscaling is implemented too in the simulation. For example, when 1280 x 960 is selected, it will use the 1600 resolution pit but resize it to 1280.

Nightlighting

Before in Falcon 4.0, lighting of the cockpit was achieved using a simple illuminating set of colours. At the time, this was advanced, but did mean that it could be difficult to see detail clearly. In Allied Force , the basic method of illuminating colors remains, but the pilot can now turn on lights for instruments and the backlit instrument panels. All with the turn of the two appropriate knobs on the INT LIGHTING (Internal Lighting) panel. The animated sequence below demonstrates the four stages of lighting.  

Rampstart

Firing up the bird from “cold” is fully implemented. The rampstart can be achieved by carefully following the checklist for engine start-up, the data computers and avionics. Also included is the “spider” switch for opening and closing the canopy.

Normal and wide view

One way of improving the pilot’s field of view in the pit is to switch between “normal” and “wide view”.  This allows the player to see more of the cockpit instrumentation, but also more of the outside environment.

Reference views

An invaluable aid when you’re trying to figure out what the TACAN channel is for the particular airfield is the Reference View. In 1600 resolution, this allows the pilot to view the channels for all the available airfields for both the Balkans and Korea. In addition, there’s an enhanced map for the theaters too. This view can be easily reached by panning down in the cockpit.

Big HUD (Head Up Display)

For the home cockpit builders, a bigger HUD view is added, showing the HUD and the HUD bar in a larger size, matching more accurately the real life size of the Head Up Display. Easily reachable by pressing Shift-1, this is also a great view for bombing and strafing.

Checklists

The right kneeboard has a checklist for the RWR symbols, Surface to Air missile ranges and AAA Guns ceiling ranges. But it also has a switchable refuelling checklist, for those pesky moments trying to get fuel while being airborne, flying behind the tanker.

New ADI functionality

The ADI (Attitude Director Indicator) has a set of new indicators implemented, the turn and slip indicators, see the picture.

New Airspeed indicator functionality

The Airspeed indicator displays more detail. The instrument comprises 2 disks positioned on top of each other. One indicates Mach speed, the other displays knots.

MLU cockpit

The Mid Life Update cockpit has darkened panel frames so that the use of NVG (Night Vision Goggles) does not disturb the pilot’s vision. 

The pit has various new panels -- the most significant are the EW for the RWR and EW panel downleft replacing the CMDS like in the block 40/42 and 50/52 cockpits. See below for the functionality of these panels. What you see is a similar setup to the older block 40 and 50 panels but modernised and digitalised. 

  1. Chaff number indicator
  2. Flares number indicator
  3. MD, Mode switch, switches to Naval, increases priority of Naval threats
  4. ML, Missile launch warning light
  5. UNK, Unknown indicator light, undetermined radar energy sources
  6. UNK, Unknown button, undetermined radar energy sources
  7. SEP, Target Separation button
  8. PRI, Priority Mode button
  9. Priority indicator light
  10. H, Handoff  indicator
  11. Modes display

 

  

 

 
  1. ALT button
  2. SRCH button, displays Search Radars on the RWR
  3. RWR toggle RWR system, enables receiving of RWR data
  4. EW Program switch
  5. EW main mode switch
  6. RF Silent switch
  7. Chaff release power
  8. EW Jammer power
  9. EW RWR power
  10. Flare release power

Block 40/42 cockpit

3D cockpit

All 3D cockpits match their 2D counterparts, meaning the 2D and 3D pits use the same textures. Although 2D cockpits have their advantages, the future is 3D.  Looking ahead, we’ll be investing considerable resources into fully-functional 3D pits with detail and functionality to match if not surpass the 2D pits and Track IR is already supported in Allied Force.

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