Warhead lock arcs

Issue #261 resolved
Random created an issue

I've finished gathering the data on the arc range tolerance required to build a lock with missiles or torpedoes. The arc is based on units of distance from the target. A unit shall be defined as the smallest unit of distance in the XWI file (160 units = 1 km). The arc is defined as the degrees of rotation away from the center point.

Here's a summary of the main arc thresholds. These values are estimates and could perhaps be rounded to the nearest quarter of a degree. 2 units: 14.35 degrees yaw, 16.04 pitch
10 units: 15.75, 17.28
255 units: 2.9, 3.28
256+ 1.04, 1.31

There is a linear trendline from 10 units to 255 units, so the approximate arcs may be interpolated between those ranges at any particular distance. Note that pitch tolerance is slightly greater than yaw.
At 256 units (1.6 km) and beyond, the arc is a fixed size.
Object class or IFF does not not appear to affect arc.
Missiles and torpedoes have the same arc.
Lock strength does not appear to affect arc.

The test was conducted by placing a target with raw unit coordinates at X=0, Z=0, and Y=distance. A line of reference targets were placed at at either side on the X axis. The joystick was moved with as much (reasonable) precision until the last pixel that highlighted a lock. The arc was calculated by taking the X (estimated) and Y axis distances as edges in a right triangle to determine the arc angle.

A lock to the left of the target appears to have a slightly lower tolerance arc than to the right, and the top slightly lower than the bottom (usually no more than 1 unit of distance). For the sake of numbers, I chose an average between each side.

A table of the arc data collected at each distance
Y is distance away
Mi for missile, To for torpedoes
X and Z axis (yaw and pitch)
Note: arcs at 2, 10, and 20 were calculated based on relative pixel distance from a screenshot. Arcs at higher ranges were visually estimated.

Y    Mi-X   Mi-Z   To-X   To-Z
2    14.22  15.3   14.35  16.04
10   15.74  17.7   15.75  17.28
20   14.87  16.38  14.87  16.35
30   14.93  16.26        
40   14.04  15.35        
50   13.5   14.57        
60   13.13  14.93  13.27  14.26
70   12.49  13.65        
80   11.52  12.68        
90   11.46  12.68        
100  10.76  11.59        
110  10.68  11.81        
120  9.93   10.85  9.93   11.02
130  8.96   10.03        
140  8.93   10.12        
150  8.16   8.9        
160  7.13   7.83        
170  7.37   8.04        
180  6.34   6.97   6.42   7.05
190  6.31   6.9        
200  5.43   6.14        
210  4.63   4.94        
220  4.55   5.19        
230  3.73   4.1        
240  2.86   3.28        
250  2.86   3.21        
255  2.81   3.25   2.9    3.28
256  1.01   1.23   1.04   1.31
397  1.01   1.23        

Here were some torpedo arcs at a distance of 255, numbers that are possibly close enough to be considered identical:

Craft X     Z
T/I   2.9   3.28
FRG   2.96  3.31
MINE  2.72  3.14

Attached a chart to get a visual idea of the data. Edit: formatting.

Comments (3)

  1. Random reporter

    Addendum: the locking area around the target isn't a cone, but a diamond. The diamond is fixed, roll has no effect.

    See the transports in this image for reference.

    Lock Diamond.PNG

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