Giving the Alpha/Virtavia F-22 a small update.

[Sbob]

With the real plane heading into its "sunset" years (already!!), I figured it was time to finally update the HUD.
The FS9 version is, overall, one of Alpha's best in terms of features and flyablity, but it always used their bone-stock HUD that had been upgraded slightly.

I had been on the look-out for a better, or at least different, HUD for a while and finally found a good candidate in their Saab Gripen (JA-39) package, which is also available as freeware at Virtavia's web site.

Doing the modification was fairly straight forward but you may want to tweak some of my numbers.

Anyway, if you usually put ALL of your gauge files and folders in FS9's main Gauge folder you can skip the first step.
Otherwise, you'll need to make a copy of the Gripen's cab file in the Panel folder and move it to the F-22's Panel folder.

Next, open the F-22's panel.cfg file in Notepad and make the following changes (note that red text is unchanged):

[Window01]
file=large panel.BMP
size_mm=1024,768
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=7
visible=1
window_size= 1.000, 1.000
window_pos= 0.000, 0.000
render_3d_window=1
nomenu=1
ident=1000


gauge00=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD10, 105,384,206,153
gauge01=Virtavia_F-22A!RADIOSTACK, 340,324,342,179
gauge02=Virtavia_F-22A!PFD, 708,384,206,153
gauge03=Virtavia_F-22A!FSICONS, 184,338, 62, 36
gauge04=Virtavia_F-22A!VS LIGHT, 254,336, 19, 37
gauge05=Virtavia_F-22A!PANEL SELECTOR, 759,336, 82, 34
gauge07=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD13, 50,548,295,295
gauge08=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD11, 364,534,295,342
gauge09=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD12, 677,548,295,295
//gauge10=Virtavia_F-22A!HUD icon, 684,297,18,18
gauge10=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD SWITCH, 684,297,18,18
gauge11=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD MODE, 684,316,18,18



[Window02]
file=small panel.BMP
size_mm=1024,768
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=7
visible=0
window_size= 1.000, 1.000
window_pos= 0.000, 0.000
render_3d_window=1
nomenu=1
ident=2000


gauge00=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD10, 60,564
gauge01=Virtavia_F-22A!RADIOSTACK, 322,497
gauge02=Virtavia_F-22A!PFD, 735,564
gauge03=Virtavia_F-22A!FSICONS, 148,512
gauge04=Virtavia_F-22A!VS LIGHT, 225,509
gauge05=Virtavia_F-22A!PANEL SELECTOR, 786,510
gauge06=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD SWITCH, 705,465,18,18
gauge07=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD MODE, 705,497,18,18



(MAKE SURE to include four numbers in this part)


[Window06]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=1024,768
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=1
visible=1
ident=1004
render_3d_window=1
nomenu=1


gauge00=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD, 394,20,239,265


//----------------------------------------------------


[Window07]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=1024,768
window_size_ratio=1.000
position=7
visible=0
ident=2004
render_3d_window=1
nomenu=1


gauge00=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD, 375,580,263,280

[VCockpit01]
size_mm=1024,1024
pixel_size=1024,1024
texture=$vpanel
background_color=0,0,0
visible=0


gauge00=Virtavia_F-22A!F-22_contrails, 0,0,20,20
gauge01=Virtavia_F-22A!F-22_Gun, 0,0,40,40
gauge02=Virtavia_F-22A!hustlerburner_1_LOGO, 0,0,20,20
gauge03=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD, 170,160,650,680
gauge04=Virtavia_F-22A!GEAR TO FLAPS, 0,0,20,20


Then SAVE.

The Gripen HUD looks a lot more modern plus you also get more data, including G (I've seen it go as high as 10+ G).
There's also a floating "piper" plus a steady bore sight.
The only down side is that you may want to highlight the HUD switches on the 2D panel BMP files (the switches are just below the lower right hand side of the HUD) unless you fly the F-22 a lot.
Operation is pretty straight forward, Hit the upper HUD switch to turn it on in the 2D and virtual panels, then use the lower switch to declutter the 2D and virtual HUD displays.

My numbers keep the HUD as centered as I can get it, but you might want to play around with the Y values a little bit.

gauge03=Virtavia_Gripen!HUD, 170,160,650,680

The first number in black would be the over-all height of the HUD while the second black number controls how tall it is.

I've also tweaked some stuff like adding a teal (blue green) cockpit light and if you bought the VRS Super Hornet, try using the Rhino's sound set.

[Sbob]

Before I forget again..
Yeah, yeah, Window 7. It works but you can't adjust the position of the HUD.
Window 7 is the shorter 2D panel that runs off the rocker switch in the upper right corner of the panel.
I've tried to fix it several ways so far (in the original panel folder) and haven't found any luck.

Since I don't use it, I'm not going to be spending more time to try and fix it and I'll probably remove Window 7 entirely.


Also, you can add the small VS lights from the 2D panels to the virtual cockpit by adding the following:


[VCockpit02]
size_mm=240,240
pixel_size=240,240
texture=$vpanel6
background_color=0,0,0
visible=0


gauge00=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD10, 10,37,229,170
gauge01=Virtavia_F-22A!FSICONS, 90,2,65,36
gauge03=Virtavia_F-22A!VS LIGHT, 159,2,20,37



For an added bonus, you can also add the Betty voice files and gun sounds if you bought the old Lago F-16 package.
You'll want to copy the <LAGO_F-16> folder from the F-16's panel folder over to your F-22 panel folder then add the following at the bottom of the Panel.cfg file:


[VCockpit08]
size_mm=400,400
pixel_size=400,400
texture=$vpanel2
background_color=0,0,0
visible=0


gauge00=Virtavia_F-22A!MFD14, 45,0,300,350
gauge01=LAGO_F-16\Lago_F16!bitching_betty, 0,0,1,1


By the way, the "gun" effects from the F-22 are fairly neat, especially at night, and work well with other aircraft.
Having the Betty gun sound linked to your trigger and the F-22 gun effects makes the F-22 a more complete package.

[fsafranek]

Interesting mod. Thanks.

[Sbob]

Hey Frank, while we're on the subject of repurposing Virtavia software , I'd like to add the gun sight from the newer F-5E Tiger II to the older Alpha Saab Drakken.
The 2D part of the panel work is pretty easy but I'd also like to add the sight to the Virtual cockpit's HUD.

Any ideas on if there is a phantom "$panel" assigned to the glass sight in the virtual/3D cockpit?

[AndyG43]

Is this what you are looking for?

[Vcockpit04]
Background_color=0,0,0
size_mm=512,512
visible=0
pixel_size=512,512
texture=$vpanel4

gauge00=ALPHA_F5!Sight_F5, 141,183,223,223

[Sbob]

That depends. Is that text from a Drakken panel.cfg file?

[AndyG43]

Ah, my mistake, that is from the F-5E.

[Sbob]

Yeah, I wish it was that easy.

[fsafranek]

Hey Frank, while we're on the subject of repurposing Virtavia software , I'd like to add the gun sight from the newer F-5E Tiger II to the older Alpha Saab Drakken.
The 2D part of the panel work is pretty easy but I'd also like to add the sight to the Virtual cockpit's HUD.

Any ideas on if there is a phantom "$panel" assigned to the glass sight in the virtual/3D cockpit?

I honestly don't know. I was never involved in that part of the products. I only made the textures and paint kits.
Will be watching this thread for cool mod ideas though.

[Sbob]

Well, the good news is that its possible.

I just tried using the entire panel folder from the F-5E and the Virtual Cockpit loads in the Draken.
It looks screwed up, but the new VC gauge placement covers the gun sight glass area.
The gun sight is covered by Vcockpit01 (texture=$vpanel) so its just a matter of adding the (hud) gauge to the top/middle position.

If anyone wants to take a shot, just copy the F-5's panel folder and rename it something like "panel.test" and drop in the main Draken folder.

Anyway, let me play around with it for a couple of days and I'll post the results.

Update- This is easier than I thought. At least with the VC it is. What I don't want to do is post how to add a gun sight from a payware plane.
What I can do is start a new thread for the Alphasim Draken so the rest of you can add a HUD or a gun sight as you see fit.
The main challenge is getting the (generic) numbers right for the 2D and VC parts of the panel folder.
I'll start a new thread sometime this week.