Detect if chopper engine fails?

[SEAL84]

Is there any way to detect if a chopper engine has failed?

I ask because I've just read that it's possible to autorotate in OFP without any addons or scripts (and it works!) ;D  BUT, you have to know the exact moment that the engine stops.

The trick is to hold down the Z key (or "descend", if you've remapped or are using a joystick) as soon as the engine stops - you'll gently settle to the ground with the rotors turning until you touch down.

It won't work unless you do it at the right moment - thus it would be great to detect the moment the engine fails and prompt you with a hint or titletext so you'll know what to do.

[xenofanes]

I know I've downloaded some examplemission (can't remember the name), you should look into those scripts, if you find the mission (due to the fact that the ofpec-site is down that can be hard)
The easier way is to do something like this:
@[(getdamage heli)>some precise value]:hint "JUMP!"
...if this even works  ....you should probably look at those scripts ;D

[Dubieman]

When autorotating, does the chopper engine shut down?
Or do you have to time engine shut off to get it right?
 

But I don't think there is a command or syntax "engine off" but I'm not sure though. :-\

[SEAL84]

At the altitude most people are likely to fly choppers (~100 meters) you need to be able to time it perfectly....but if you have the altitude you can get away with starting the maneuver later.

The engine actually shuts off but the rotors will stil spin and you'll hear the rotor sound, but as soon as you touch down they'll stop.

I've noticed that from roughly 100m you'll still crash and burn if you don't hit it at the exact moment of engine shutdown.

The other problem is that I've had my engine quit with only 10% damage to the chopper, when other times I've been flying around with 99% damage.  There seems to be no set cutoff point.

[deaddog]

Are you using the oh58?  I think that is the only chopper where the engine cuts off and at random times.  It was supposed to simulate the unreliability of it's engine.

[SEAL84]

Nope, primarily the Blackhawk but I've tested this with all the other US choppers so far.

It's as if the engine status is totally independent of overall damage....

[Dubieman]

Well I tested this with ALL choppers starting at 1000 altitude and EVERYTHING works! ;D

I don't think you need that command or hint saying shut off the engine or what not. Just listen to the rotor sound when you get high up hold the descend button down the whole time and when the rotor sounds sound like they're really whitstling then use action menu to shut down the engine and hold the desecnd button down to the ground.

1.)Works with no fuel too. Used a radio trigger to get rid of all fuel in heli when autorotaing and still went down softly...
2.) Works with about .85 damage
3.) Works on all helicopters

The engine doesn't need to be shut down quickly just anytime when the rotors really start turning... ;D

[SEAL84]

This has nothing to do with manually shutting off the engine....

Try this:

Put yourself in a Blackhawk on the desert island and put a shilka on the map.  The Shilka will shoot at you and more likely than not, your engine will die.  Now, if you're flying around at 1000 altitude, it's far easier to properly autorotate, but if you're down in the weeds as choppers normally fly, you start to fall like a rock and don't have enough time to get this working properly - it takes a second or two before they start generating enough lift to lower you safely.

Maybe I'm not being clear about this, but this is supposed to save your ass when you're flying around in a chopper and are being shot down.  It's easy to start descending and THEN shut off the engine (like what you said you did), but that's not the point at all.  

In my experience you do need the warning, because by the time you hear the engine winding down, it's too late if you're at low altitude.

[Dubieman]

Yeah would save your ass wouldn't it. You never said anything about being under fire.

Only problem is I've never seen the engine on/off command as syntax. Maybe you could use a script to check when the action menu's engine on comes up then tell you hit the descend key now. I think right when the engine fails the engine on action comes up.

Just an idea.... :hmm:

[SEAL84]

Well sorry I didn't say that to begin with, but autorotation is only done when a chopper is going down with no engine.

In real life, you essentially disengage the rotor blades from the transmission so that they spin freely - you're already falling, so the updraft keeps them spinning, which gives you some lift, which in turn keeps you from falling too fast.  Thus you're able to settle down for a landing without becoming a giant lawn dart.

It sucks that BIS didn't make this any easier, because you never parachute out of choppers...I've read (nonfiction) books in which desperate people tried and the results weren't pretty.  

[Dubieman]

Well yeah a parachute out of a helicopter? Errr :tomato:
Yeah that isn't very nice at all. I think the only way to signal a player that the engine died would be that action thing I talked about in my last post.

Otherwise you could have an add on that when the engine fails above like 30 meteres or something the little light in the cockpit goes off like an AA warning system.

I don't really like the fact that you can parachute out of a chopper and go THROUGH the blades. Plus on the ground you can't be cut up either.