TacPack for the P-51?!

[BiBa]

The TacPack of VRS has reached its final zenith and is now applicable for third parties AI. Already a lot have joined them. It would be wonderful if this beautiful A2A airplane can finally show its muscles by displaying its fire power.

A simple question:

Is A2A planning in the near future of embedding TacPack into the Mustang? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm already enjoying it' fire power in DCS, but from my point of view your A2A P-51 is still a better plane than the DCS's and with more sophisticated flight properties. So I really wish you would give it a second thought, and a second good reason for me to go back to FSX. Charging the P-51 owners with an extra $15 for this Add-On is a fair demand that will be easily followed by all Users who can't wait to finally squeeze their finger on that Gun trigger...

Thanks

[robert41]

I cannot answer for A2A, but I would not like to see the tacpac installed.
My reason is that FSX is a flight simulator and not a combat simulator like DCS.
Although I do simulate a WW2 atmosphere with many A2A and other developer aircraft, I prefer the flying rather than the shooting experience.

[BiBa]

I cannot answer for A2A, but I would not like to see the tacpac installed. My reason is that FSX is a flight simulator and not a combat simulator like DCS

You're quite right Sir, FSX is not a combat simulator, but the P-51 is a war plane and it's a pity to keep its guns cold! Beyond that the Tacpack is a secondary product you can purchase separately so it has no impact on the major P-51 version, if A2A decides the merge. FYI the Tacpack is a great achievement which took the programmers years of work and made the impossible possible, as the FSX engine like you've mentioned is only made for civil avionic. It was thought for the beginning for the F18E and after success was further developed for other warplanes. So when I buy the P-51 military version, I think it's not pervert if I deal with it as war machine. FSX forgive me, for I am a sinner!

it's not a poll but just a simple info I need from A2A

With regards

[wallydog]

The TacPack of VRS has reached its final zenith and is now applicable for third parties AI. Already a lot have joined them. It would be wonderful if this beautiful A2A airplane can finally show its muscles by displaying its fire power.

A simple question:

Is A2A planning in the near future of embedding TacPack into the Mustang? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm already enjoying it' fire power in DCS, but from my point of view your A2A P-51 is still a better plane than the DCS's and with more sophisticated flight properties. So I really wish you would give it a second thought, and a second good reason for me to go back to FSX. Charging the P-51 owners with an extra $15 for this Add-On is a fair demand that will be easily followed by all Users who can't wait to finally squeeze their finger on that Gun trigger...

Thanks

I too would like to see the Tacpack enabled for all of A2A's offerings. The TacPack is a huge technical achievement for FSX and I'd love to see more developers supporting it. For myself , I've learned such a great deal about these warplanes through A2A's accusim, I would love to see weapons enabled to round out the experience. The early HOTAS modeled on the P-51 was something I never knew about ( a very cool feature by the way) so it would be great to have actual working guns and ordinance to take advantage of the excellent work already done in the cockpit.

Let's face it. People use FSX and Acceleration for a wide array of aviation simulation. There's not a whole lot of use for carrier landings in a civilian flightsim but its there. Like I said, adding weapons just rounds out the experience. Anything that helps grow interest in aviation and the flightsim hobby is always a plus.

[BiBa]

I too would like to see the Tacpack enabled for all of A2A's offerings. The TacPack is a huge technical achievement for FSX and I'd love to see more developers supporting it. For myself , I've learned such a great deal about these warplanes through A2A's accusim, I would love to see weapons enabled to round out the experience. The early HOTAS modeled on the P-51 was something I never knew about ( a very cool feature by the way) so it would be great to have actual working guns and ordinance to take advantage of the excellent work already done in the cockpit.

Let's face it. People use FSX and Acceleration for a wide array of aviation simulation. There's not a whole lot of use for carrier landings in a civilian flightsim but its there. Like I said, adding weapons just rounds out the experience. Anything that helps grow interest in aviation and the flightsim hobby is always a plus.

Totally aggree

[n421nj]

Would tacpack allow you to shoot down other players? I'm more about the flying than the combat but if you are going to fly an aircraft like the p51 or any other war bird then you'd expect weapons to come with the package. Kinda like having a skydiver without the parachute or a water bomber without the ability to drop water.

[BiBa]

Would tacpack allow you to shoot down other players?...

...And more, even highly sophisticated Radar scanning for modern Airplanes with Countermeasures Dispenser abilities and also Radar & FLIR surface scanning & Laser use of a whole scale of modern weaponry inclusive impact on 3D object etc... That of course is way too far for the P-51 military capabilities, as its ordinance is restricted on Gunnery, Rockets and unguided Bombs...

...but if you are going to fly an aircraft like the p51 or any other war bird then you'd expect weapons to come with the package. Kinda like having a skydiver without the parachute or a water bomber without the ability to drop water.

...That's exactly the impression I had

[Bruce Hamilton]

Charging the P-51 owners with an extra $15 for this Add-On is a fair demand that will be easily followed by all Users who can't wait to finally squeeze their finger on that Gun trigger...

Be a lot more than just $15, Biba. A2A might make the Mustang compatible with TacPac, but you still have to purchase both the TacPac module AND the Superbug. That's another $80, so you're talking $95 just to squeeze that trigger. Buy two new accusim fighters for that, if you're missing any...

[BiBa]

Be a lot more than just $15, Biba. A2A might make the Mustang compatible with TacPac, but you still have to purchase both the TacPac module AND the Superbug. That's another $80, so you're talking $95 just to squeeze that trigger. Buy two new accusim fighters for that, if you're missing any...

OK - well I had to pay an extra $50 for the TacPack, as supplement for the VRS F-18E. I'm not quite sure about the rest, as the F15E IRIS Mudhen Driver that I purchased (around $50) has now been "franchised" bei Metal2Mesh, where we've been recently charged with an extra $15.00 for the F-15E Avionics Upgrade, where now Radar FLIR are functioning with few weapons, but unfortunately still need new patches, but they're working on it. I can not say much about how it looks with the form of the internal agreement between the two, as it remains to be negotiated between A2A and VRS if merging is decided. May be they've already done that and did not come to an agreement.

From my side I can say, that I'll be willing to pay up to 30$ for this A2A P-51 Add-On for two reasons:
1. The A2A P-51 has better flight properties than the DCS P-51
2. I have a 3D monitor, and believe me if you fly once in 3D, you can never come back to 2D monitor. Now even though I have beside the P-51 three others, NONE of the DCS product have a 3D compatible Hud! That means the target is between a splitted two Reticle/Pipper - that means in combat I have to fly with a 2D monitor. But All Huds in FSX, like F18E, F-15E or the wonderful A2A P-51 have a 3D compatible Hud/piper! A good reason to remain FSX faithful. Now in a dogfight you have a lot better distance estimation on a 3D monitor than a 2D, you only miss the light shadow effect in the cockpit because 3D monitor doesn't work if you set your FSX Graphic to Direct-X 10.

But as A2A has around five warplanes in their sortiment, maybe you'll buy the A2A-TacPack merged product only once for all the A2A package! to be honest, if that happens, I'll buy the whole A2A warplane package, and I'm sure that will triple the sales, because a lot of people still think combat in FSX is not possible...

[Kiwi Spitfire]

Unless I am mistaken - Scott started out with Combat Flight Sim mods - so if there is any way to incorporate combat like you are saying..I am sure he can/will find a way based on workload etc.

[stickshaker]

I too would like to see TacPac in the P-51 and other A2A products. And I would gladly pay for it. No combat sim has, at least for me, a Mustang as good as the A2A one.

[BiBa]

...if there is any way to incorporate combat like you are saying..I am sure Scott can/will find a way based on workload etc.

I don't wanna lay over another varnish to avoid been accused of promoting for others, but it's not only a hypothetical probability I'm talking about. I'm practically flying with it for over a year in a military squadron, and correct me if I'm wrong, TacPack is the first third party Add-On for FSX with such high standards. In the military branch I've been for 13 years since Jane's F/A-18 [RIP]

But recently I'm going through a nostalgic flashback to the old school. I never thought after going super sonic that I'll be enjoying again "turtling" in an oldtimer until I tried the A2A C172. And there is no equal icon for a combat Oldy than the P-51. After trying the ED version, I can assure you if the A2A P-51 version is baptized with fire and learned truly how to rock, it will be the no. 1 in that business. I'm sure more "Stickshaker" will come to back up that slogan!

I too would like to see TacPac in the P-51 and other A2A products. And I would gladly pay for it. No combat sim has, at least for me, a Mustang as good as the A2A one.

[CodyValkyrie]

Just to clear a couple of things up, since I've worked for both parties here. The TacPac development does not require really any negotiated contract. He releases the SDK to developers, and they are essentially welcome to use it as they see fit. He's not really filtering who uses it, and as far as I know Jon hasn't drawn up any contracts. (I call him Jon because he's a friend of mine whose family I have had dinner with. Great guy! I can't recommend his products enough.)

Believe it or not, A2A did much of the sound for Jon's products. Look in the installer's and you will see credit to A2A. Jon also licensed the 3D light effects from A2A as well.

That being said, I'm not sure what Scott's plans are for utilizing the TacPac. They already have a pretty busy schedule for this year.

[BiBa]

Just to clear a couple of things up, since I've worked for both parties here. The TacPac development does not require really any negotiated contract. He releases the SDK to developers, and they are essentially welcome to use it as they see fit. He's not really filtering who uses it, and as far as I know Jon hasn't drawn up any contracts. (I call him Jon because he's a friend of mine whose family I have had dinner with. Great guy! I can't recommend his products enough.)

Believe it or not, A2A did much of the sound for Jon's products. Look in the installer's and you will see credit to A2A. Jon also licensed the 3D light effects from A2A as well.

"Engine Audio by A2A Simulations" - I see that everytime I start the TacPac, this one of the reasons why I made this question-thread, because I'm still wondering what's taking A2A so long to make that final step. But since you've worked for both parties, you seem to be the right middleman for this "marriage"!

That being said, I'm not sure what Scott's plans are for utilizing the TacPac. They already have a pretty busy schedule for this year.

I really hope you mean 2013 with this year and not 2014, so it's only a question of three weeks delay until he reopens that file, otherwise to wait another whole year would be really BAD news!

I've done also extension studies on violence in the media, and everywhere you see new wargames popping all over the internet like "World of Warplanes". It's amazing to what level the graphic renderings technology has reached, (where FSX is grounded by many limitation) but they remains games but no simulation! It would be not only a real pity, but unwise if Scott keeps those five A2A warplanes in the civil aviation for another whole year. The sim market has expanded so fast, it risks to implode - everywhere you see 50-70% Sales and not just for Christmas...

He should forge the iron while it's still hot.

[jabloomf1230]

First I should disclose that I am a loyal TacPack fan. I might even consider the P-51 if it was TacPack aware. However, there seems to be no effort to sell the professional version of TacPack for P3d2 for anything less than roughly what P3d2 Pro Plus sells for now. That price tag is basically deadending TacPack as it dies a slow death along with FSX.