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Increase UserMFDValue and UserMFDText limit
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Description

Hi folks!

For the past two years I've been working on the Project Hatchet H-60 pack, a mod that does a lot of complex work with MFDs. The Arma MFD system is incredibly powerful, but it has a single large technical limitation. The UserMFDValue / UserMFDText limit.
This limit is an arbitrary number that limits us to 50 integer and 50 string values we can display in MFDs through script.

We would really like the ability to tweak this limit. There is no universal number that would work for all vehicles, but having a config value called something along the lines of "userMFDValues=[number]" that would let us set the number of UserMFDValues and UserMFDTexts available would allow us to get a lot more mileage out of the MFD system, and implement full fidelity replicas of real world aircraft MFDs.

Any other way for scripts to interact with MFDs would also be welcomed, for example being able to use scripts to create and edit MFD elements (equivalent to commands like drawLine on the map), though most solutions would be harder to implement than simply letting us configure the value limit.

Details

Severity
Tweak
Resolution
Open
Reproducibility
N/A
Operating System
Windows 10 x64
Category
Feature Request

Event Timeline

Yax created this task.Sep 30 2022, 1:15 PM
Yax updated the task description. (Show Details)Sep 30 2022, 1:18 PM

Hello,

I am on the Apache dev team and have been working with Mattysmith22 (previous commentor) on the MFD update for the mod. Increasing the user values would be massively invaluable to this effort. If I had to a give a number, I'd say somewhere in the ballpark of 1000 to 2000 user values would allow any conceivable MFD to be created. The issues we're running into are in creating graphics for the moving map displays int he aircraft. The Apache has a database of 150 points, this alone requires 2 user values per point, totalling 300. If we wanted to display other icons (such as radar targets, or threat indications) we'd need at least another 46 points (16 radar targets x 2 + 7 threats x 2). If we want to draw lines, and assume each line has 4 points per line that's another 8 per line, the aircraft can place 16 such lines so that brings that total up to 128. All of the listed items bring the total to around 474. So the minimum (and i'm sure i'm forgetting some things) is around 500. I'm a big fan of more is better, so I just doubled/quadrupled the minimum value.

lost added a subscriber: lost.Sep 30 2022, 2:27 PM

Hello!

I am the developer behind the F-117A Nighthawk, and making a full fidelity aircraft (or as close as you can) is extremely difficult and limiting on real virtuality. There just simply isn't enough to make it feel practical for all of the different pages and specifications. Raising these values would be essential to making aircraft to it's fullest extent, and having the ambition to do so, but not having the engine supporting you in these goals makes it difficult. You can only be hacky and creative for so long, before things start to get hard. I am relatively new to the modding scene, but seeing these limitations gives me little hope for me to make it a realistic / DCS feeling aircraft. But it's in your guy's power to change that, so we'll just have to wait and see how you guys feel. Maybe there's more to this than once thought by us, but we need at least a response.

MrJazzy added a subscriber: MrJazzy.Oct 1 2022, 1:37 PM

Hello I'm a big fan of Hatchet and Apache mods. Recently I ordered couple of Thrustmaster cougar MFDs. Would love to use them in Arma 3 to full potential. As stated above, it would be really nice to let modders do their magic engine wise.

dedmen added a subscriber: dedmen.Jan 10 2023, 5:21 PM

Since we now have arbitrary number of UI on Texture displays, this doesn't have priority anymore (IMO) so I'll just leave this open and we won't do it.
Unless you can give me an argument why its still needed even with UIOnTexture feature being there.

It would be great to have everything be in the one system that was purpose built for doing MFD's, rather than having to spilot between two systems. Right now the graphics side (lines, icon textures, etc.) are handled by the new UI system. Everything else, is handled by the MFD system. The framework for the MFD system is neat and tidy and extremely useful for making MFDs. So while the new UI system is nice, it's not as friendly or nice as the MFD system is for drawing all the MFD items. The MFD is excellent at drawing and placing graphics on the screen, drawing lines, and controlling all of that. The UI system by comparison is not. Again, being able to do everything in one system that was purpose built for that task would be amazing, rather than having one for one set of things and the other for another.