=VG= SemlerPDX

Just heard about this test at MIT where a special spray paint (in layers) was used as a touch user interface and it just blew my mind - very cool concept - can't find the original video now, but this one shows off the concept: VoiceAttack_AsAdmin_NoUAC_Method.zip

In OBS, the higher you crank the resolution, the more power it requires. If you can't do your native resolution without visible performance drop in the game, or in the video, you can downscale the output until that happy middle ground is found. The other thing you control is the encoding itself. It gets deep, but on the top layer of the concept is the encoder type (and the settings for that encoder), the bitrate, and the desired FPS and resolution of the recording. The one most everyone uses is the x264 encoder. It has a couple preset settings, and these impact PC system resource usage. Basic general setup is a 1080p video at 30FPS *(or 60FPS if your PC can handle that) with a Constant Bit Rate of 2000-3500 (CBR) and using the x264 Encoder with the "Fast" preset. This is only if you don't have a Turing based nVidia GFX card ... if you have access to the NVENC encoder, that is the preferred method and is far less resource intensive allowing for much higher bitrate and resolution/FPS without taking up exponentially more PC system resources. TLDNR; Use the NVENC Encoder if you have a Turing GPU (nVidia 1050-2080) Without an encoder, a video capture would be a raw output, resulting in very, very large file size with no compromises on quality as it's essentially a frame-for-frame capture at whatever frame rate you chose to record at. This is what FRAPS does, and why it's file sizes can approach 4GB for video clips as low as 30-60 seconds in length, even at 1080p.

(so, not trying to say I'm a dork or anything, but I've watched it three times already and love it - shared it with my Pops to show him the way we all play games, that coop thang. Seriously, keep making videos!!!)

Cool man! That's one good reason to get an RTX / 2000 series nVidia card right there -- the NVENC encoder is so low impact I can't even barely tell I started recording by the performance hit (as opposed to an X264 Fast encoding setting in OBS) and also the quality is at least 20% better, too, especially during high movement. Keep making videos, keep toying & tinkering with things! Those programs have options menus that will melt the brain, but in time, getting the best settings in the GFX card, the recording software, and the game for a video will become easier.

Yeah..... um.... yeah.. So, I really should have trusted my instincts. Ryzen 9 is very, very picky with DRAM Frequency and Timings... After over 12 hours of working with a well respected Ryzen DRAM Calculator, I just can't get this damn Patriot Steel 4000MHz RAM to run at anything other than default DDR4 (2133MHz). Was just shooting for a simple 3600MHz but it just can't do it - also, fun fact - this MoBo thinks that 1.478V is just peachy for this AMD 3900X, and the AIO Pump Header is disabled by default even if something is plugged into it - so ya gotta watch these 45C temps on your CPU while IN THE DAMN BIOS doing basically nothing. Fixed it to 1.3V and everything is just great! NewEgg to the rescue - G.SKILL 3600MHz CL16 DDR4 (8GBx4) is speeding it's way to me now, and I'll even get to keep using this Patriot (at 2133MHz) while I get the rest of my programs installed and OS setup. Just gotta put off any tweaking, testing, and overclocking until then. (G.Skills costs less, too - but that's cuz the Patriots were rated at 4000MHz) My goal with the 3000RPM PWM Noctua fans is to create a custom fan curve profile for the case that can (hopefully) achieve positive case pressure in a well-known negative pressure NZXT case. The H510 has a minimalist interior and exterior, and excellent filtering yet terrible air flow - but for some reason, large openings in the front next to the filtered intake are directly open to the back panel and back of the motherboard tray, and the large vertical cutout designed for cable runs, which could literally form an intake/output loop where no new air comes in through the filters, if the path of least resistance is from the output of the fans themselves. MORONS! I've added some case modifications with some paperboard and soft foam filtering to block this air path, forcing front intake through the two filters only and not from any other part of the case. When temps get very high during gaming, it will allow for a negative pressure system where air will rush in from anywhere, including the rear I/O unused PCIe slot covers, and this is just fine... but normal operation will have positive pressure and prevent dust from gathering like a magnet as in my NZXT S340 case (pretty much same case). (All the wiring done - pics below were taken on this day, took my time during the week to install and configure everything)

Looks like it's all back to normal now. Thank you for the report @ranger_12

Glad you got it sorted! Windows updates can often be the culprit for many things. It's best to have a backup schedule that is timed for the end of the month, as new Windows Updates roll out near the beginning of each month, with major overhaul updates on a more annual basis, like the 1909 Fall Update (which messed up a few files for some folks until it got sorted). General rule is to constantly have file backups, and to update your system image and restore point items if you use them at the end of every month, so you're prepared for a start-of-the-month update issue. YOU WILL need to get those updates eventually, you can't stay rolled back like this forever, but with any luck the issue will get patched and sorted (cuz when these things happen to us, it's likely that many with similar equipment/programs will get it too). Might want to google more on this issue in a few days or a week to see if any progress has been made or if others have found solutions or whatever. Also note this tool for later - fixed issues for me more than one when I was facing a full Windows Reinstall to recover from issues: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Too much fun - some glam shots for posterity -- bench test successful, CPU, MoBo, and RAM all check out, time to ditch the Wraith Prism and release the Kraken:

Given Start/Stop/Restart access to Skitalez - and SOP / info. When this happens, the thing to do is first make sure it's not just you -- then, click STOP (not restart) and wait about 30 seconds or so, then click START. The server will come back in less than a minute. It can be joined via IP address much sooner than it will appear on the servers list.

Read the full post(s)... yes, it was a joke -- but no, the content and features info was not... those are planned features in 1.6, whether every one pans out and makes it to the full 1.6 day 1 release is up to testing and continued development as it's not released yet. ↑

That case mod will look good on my new NZXT H400i box:

↑ re. that thing what I wrote before... Using a 3rd party website for server tracking and info, seems like a decent place, lots of registered servers. Got us set up and tossed a banner under the Game Servers page and also a Vote button above the current poll - please help us get that number up over time, if you like what we're doing and you like the server, give us a vote. No thumbs down if you don't like it, so the standard flaming bag of dog poo on the doorstep would be understandable. New "Leaderboard" style wide banner looks like this: Full list of these banners is here: https://squad-servers.com/server/12381/banners/

How about the new VG SQUAD Server? Password is: vgsquad Find it listed under the CUSTOM BROWSER - filter for "show empty servers" -- we're not there yet, but we will build it up. I'd love to try any Arma 3 PR thing, or anything like it. We played the Arma 2 PR Mod back in the day, it didn't work too well, and we were already used to better systems for base building, etc. at the time.... Looks like it's worth trying out.

Please refer to the 'How to Connect' guide here: https://veterans-gaming.com/index.php?/forums/topic/6656-falcon-bms-434-how-to-connect-online-campaign-with-ivc-enabled/ bottom of the first post has ports listed *Server is located in Kansas USA, not Germany like our PR Server, etc. -- may have issues connecting from the Middle East. But try ports and follow the guide, first

Grabbed this screenshot from the loading menu in game - keeping it on the other monitor when I play - might be helpful for some new folks:

Yea, too bad they don't have support in GameTracker!! If there is any way to see who was playing on the server and put up a banner on the website here, I would really like to get that working. I can't even seem to get info from Steam about the server, and Steam Query is working or our steam games and updates wouldn't work (SQUAD pulls their in-game servers list from the Steam Server Browser, so again, that is odd...) ooh... I missed this one a ways back: go ahead... click that spoiler button... you know it's coming... (or you don't know me yet)... ( j/k - everyone who hangs out here at VG is so generous, even my poor ass! we are doing fine and have plenty of power with our current server. game on!) Checking through their requirements when I went to make a Server License application, I paused because the factors for getting our SQUAD License would require a regular and active Admin Player base already established, trained & knowledgeable in the game, and with enough active playing Admins on the server to cover Admin absences like overlapping coverage and able to respond to player requests/issues. Our only route to this is to start out on the CUSTOM BROWSERS list, the alternate server list with everyone including those with mods, etc. **IF our goal is to ever run with Mods, then this would be the final resting place for our server, but if we plan to move towards an Officially Licensed Server, we'd eventually pursue a license once we are established. If our goal is to get there, we'll get there - but we don't start there with this game, we don't start at a license until we know what we're doing. **we can also run another SQUAD Server that would never get licensed just for Mods if we want, too... first things first, gotta see how it performs on Skylake before I know how many of any sort of server we can run at one time.

I had restarted it earlier, but something must have gotten borked. The server was crashed, it wasn't you.... Campaign restarted to last auto-save on Day 11 Thanks for the report!

I've just sent it a hard stop and start. Should be back up very soon. Thank you for the report!

The RAM should finally arrive today and I can start testing parts and building, but there's one last thing I'm thinking about buying... since I never get these things to look as good as those pictures of Gaming PC's.... what do ya think?

The VG SQUAD Dedicated Server is now online. This is a sort-of soft launch announcement, we can do something fancy down the road with pics, links to rules, etc.. It's not quite the time to plaster this info all over the Twitters and Facebooks and such, we're not configured yet - but we will be soon! ( @=VG= BLuDKLoT ) We need to configure many things - right now, the entire list of maps and all available modes are selected. I've added basic MOTD and Server Messages, and name. We will need to decide on a number of factors including the maps, their rotation (or randomization), etc. Also, we need to evaluate server performance over time, and that will only happen once we have an event with more than a few people. The server must remain passworded for now, as we get our feet under us. This is not a licensed dedicated server under SQUAD, and will appear under the CUSTOM BROWSER selection in-game (select the filter "show empty servers"). We will not meet the requirements to be approved for a license from the SQUAD Dev's for some time, won't bother listing the many things we don't yet meet - but feel free to check them out for yourself. They take the term "dedicated" very seriously, so for the foreseeable future, the VG SQUAD Server will not be an "official" server, and will appear under that CUSTOM BROWSER list. Also, for now and for a little while, we will be keeping our server passworded, but feel free to share that password of course (just not in the MOTD/Server messages). Server name: VETERANS-GAMING | Training Grounds | TS3.VETERANS-GAMING.COM Password: vgsquad Requesting =VG= Members who want to babysit this thing and make it their own: I set it up for you, but I'm not taking a new bouncing baby server under my direct control, I'll just make sure it's online and running day after day, paying the bills and applying any technical help until the server has it's own dedicated tech, I'm honestly not yet big into SQUAD, even if I will get hooked in future - gonna eventually need a dedicated tech person and/or someone to watch over it, research how to do Admin-y things, the banlist stuff, RCON, etc. and manage the server's in-game admin base (whether current =VG= members, PR Admins, or out of any new player base of regulars, to the same standards of all VG game server Admins) As always, feedback, support, or questions are welcome. I don't know everything about this game, how it runs, or even how to ban players yet. This is just the beginning.

If you have a webcam, you can attempt basic head tracking right away. The highest precision is in IR LED positional tracking with good software, TrackIR is the kingpin, but there are other solutions. FreeTrackNoIR and OpenTrack are viable options for webcam (and other) methods. Can't hurt to play around while you await your packages. Best tips are to control light glare off glasses if any, and to control lighting behind you such as a bulb or window. If you set your turning acceleration curve manually, you can achieve best performance by having a maximum (looking behind you) when your nose is pointed at the left/right bezel of your display. Up and down may be best for you with a less aggressive curve, and all of this is gonna require testing to get the best feel for you. A head movement dead-zone in the middle will seriously help avoid neck strain if that is something you're prone to, as a tendency to hold still can cause some stiffness in the absence of a reasonable central dead-zone. Using head tracking in flight games (even with triple monitor setups) is like night and day, and you should move into it as soon as you can.

Thank you for posting up @arrive123! Concurrent campaigns cause a serious hit to the main campaign that we run, we are already at 70% CPU usage and 90% GPU usage 24/7 -- basically, we're at capacity, except for the random dogfight or small TE. As Crab pointed out, you can edit down the time of your flight as low as 14 minutes rather than 20, for a RAMP Start, or even lower if you plan on launching from TAXI or TAKEOFF. There are guides to fragging flights on a server, and this website is overdue for a personalized one as well. For now, please join our server campaign in progress only, and thanks for understanding!

Can't go wrong with the Logitech G Pro Flight yoke and rudder pedals combo. Flown quite a bit with those when I set them up at my Pop's house a few summers ago, and with the throttle combo, feels pretty good. Rudders are a little more plastic than the original version, but plenty good enough if you respect that they aren't gonna support the entire weight of a human. Price only goes up from there as far as build quality, and anything lower starts sacrificing the same, some CH Products are decent, but the ones I've handled at Fry's Electronics made me glad my Pop's invested in good gear. Same with his racing setups, Logitech G920's FTW - a good brand with well made peripherals at a price that reflects the build quality for the most part. Just don't waste money on a bunch of dials and gauges and radio stacks before investigating the second monitor display extraction methods that most of us use, even with touchscreen support or controls that stick to the monitor itself. For fun add up the costs of those USB gauges and dials to 1:1 a very basic Cessna cockpit - it gets ridiculous very fast.

Well, they are gone again. I don't recognize the callsign. Please keep posting if you see them again. I will catch them one time and will talk with them. Thank you again!