Project Reality Forums

Well, as much as I find the SOFLAM / FLIR laser designation usefull, it does have many notable problems. One of the biggest of which, for me, is that when designating with the FLIR, the box will follow where my cursor is pointing. This is especially annoying, since we can't have working lasers that stick to objects and fly at the speed of light, and therefore lasing in helicopters especially becomes an unecessary pain, rather than an advantage.

Instead, what if we made the FLIR and SOFLAM to use a straight, unguided path. This way it'll land on whatever you had your cursor on at the time of the lase, rather than following an unpredictable path ending anywhere.

Any thoughts/comments? I'd write more, but I'm just using my in-game browser atm

I agree if it can be done. Isnt't the laser 'box' (so to call it) like a physical but invisible object ingame that can stick to something like C4?

+1 what ever you got your mouse on when you lase it stays on that targets i was hoping someone would suggest this eventually.

Well, they are kinda like wire-guide projectiles, but because of that any movement, of the chopper, the cursor, or w/e, results in a change to the laser box's destination. While this might seem nice to those unexperienced with the current FLIR, the lack of stabilization makes it useless. It would be more practical to have it shoot straight on target, so that as soon as you hit the RMB (or LMB with the SOFLAM), it sends the laser "box" exactly ewhere you pointed it.

And Adriaan, you nailed the thing right on the head. The only reason why the "box" doesn't move at the speed of light is because it ends up bouncing off objects apparently.

McLuv wrote:Well, they are kinda like wire-guide projectiles, but because of that any movement, of the chopper, the cursor, or w/e, results in a change to the laser box's destination. While this might seem nice to those unexperienced with the current FLIR, the lack of stabilization makes it useless. It would be more practical to have it shoot straight on target, so that as soon as you hit the RMB (or LMB with the SOFLAM), it sends the laser "box" exactly ewhere you pointed it.

And Adriaan, you nailed the thing right on the head. The only reason why the "box" doesn't move at the speed of light is because it ends up bouncing off objects apparently.

I beg to differ i don't use the Laser targeted ones just the laser guided and i hit my target a lot, it's about having a good pilot for one. but i think the laser should move much faster because they take to long to reach there target.

No no no, not the missiles, but the actual laser targeting, IE lasing.

I don't mean to hijack the thread or anything but McLuv, what ingame browser do you use? Xfire?

Yea. I was just fiddling with it, while I was waiting on a flag to cap, hidden in the fiels of Asad Khal

But back onto topic. This would probably make the FLIR on helicopters and aircraft much smoother, right?

I disagree. I have lased quite successfully using the scout choppers. Find a good pilot, or really any pilot that can hold level, and you can lase away. The only threat to you is if there's AA in the area. If the projectile fired straight, it would make it that much harder to hit moving tanks from high altitude.

I wish there could be a way to fix SOFLAM and the FLIR so that the laser actualy stick to whatever im lasing and not the nearest objekt.
The distortion on the FLIR monitor is also a tad to much,espcially when in zoomed mode or when traveling at higher altitudes and with some speed at lower altitudes.

Personaly i like the idea of having scout helis that can paint targets for the heavier guns and even plot a safe course thru enemy controled terretories (<--spelling?)
But i think that maybe it should be more stable and like McLuv said, be able to travel in a straight line and paint whatever you are having your cursor on at the moment of lase.

This will increase the learning curve for using a SOFLAM/FLIR when on the move and over greater distanses,but i think i the end it will be more accurate and possibly even be easier for the reciving end to track the target when they know that the lase is actually ON the traget...

On a sidenote i am adding the Kiowa to my wishlist
This is how the FLIR should really work imo
PS: I went ballistic with google image search

US Army OH-58 KIOWA helicopter



It can carry an assortement of armament and is small,agile and fast



Paint,lock,fire

Same with attack choppers. I cannot lase anything by myself, it's moving everywhere. Annoying.

LiveLeak.com - Apache Takes Out Tanker VBIED With Hellfire

This guy seems to be lasing his own target, doesnt take 20 secs and the laser is not going everywhere, please solve this problem.

Or make it "locks on" like IGLA and when its locked on, you press LMB to actually attach it...ofcourse driver doesnt hear the beep.

You want to lock a laser onto a laser?

Alex6714 wrote:You want to lock a laser onto a laser?

No, lock on any vehicle automatically (when pointing near it but its not too far/friendly) and after 1 second or so, you click LMB and the square stays there, you get it? So you don't need to pull your hair out when lasing a moving vehicle like chopper.

ChizNizzle wrote:No, lock on any vehicle automatically (when pointing near it but its not too far/friendly) and after 1 second or so, you click LMB and the square stays there, you get it? So you don't need to pull your hair out when lasing a moving vehicle like chopper.

Except, to lock on, you have to lock on to a laser placed on the vehicle, to then place a laser so you can fire? Just have the missiles lock on to the vehicle full stop.