WARNING - This mod is compromised shite that will probably never work properly.
With that out the way.
Because of the limitations of MSFS it's not possible to have a proper moving aircraft carrier - as in something you can navigate to and take off from. What you can have right now is a solid landable platform that moves, but that's it.
So... we may as well have one, right? It's only a few megabytes and will amuse you for up to 1-2 minutes. I'm sure plenty of other mod makers knew how to do this but were too embarrassed to put it out. I, with my brutality and total lack of mercy, am not.
Quite appallingly this is still sort of valid after the Top Gun add on. Hopefully cleverer people will find something in it to make this redundant.
This is the USS Nimitz, with a Ticonderoga cruiser alongside if you feel cocky enough for a helicopter touch and go on its helipad, moving in a 41 km loop at around 25 knots. It does seem to speed up in the corners quite a bit.
What you can do - Land on it. And then immediately leave again if you're lucky.
What you can't do - Everything else pretty much. You can't - start on it. Use any of the catapult mods. Erm, stop on it. Find it. Have any usable light. Have any navigation aids.
There are many glitches. If you try to stop on the deck, the carrier will continue to move underneath the plane. There may be fps drops. The landable surface may act weird if you hang out on it for too long. The models may flicker here and there.
The further the model gets from its point of origin on the loop the higher it rides in the water and it starts to bounce up and down so act quickly.
This has been placed at 9 locations with starred POIs to find them. No matter what aircraft you arrive in they should be visible when you start by looking around.
Locations - Google Map Link
Philippine Sea - 18.743175, 118.812068
Arabian Sea - 22.556033, 63.524380
Gulf of Mexico - 25.673290, -90.042052
Hawaii - 19.918721, -157.789380
Japan - 30.724421, 129.641301
Mediterranean - 40.933227, 11.369840
North Sea - 52.128299, 2.898167
US East - 39.377472, -74.149814
US West - 37.864680, -122.951627
Will this improve? Probably not, and defintely not unless Asobo give us more to work with. If i get moaned at excessively I'm gonna delete this. This is as good as it gets currently. If it annoys you then chuck it away.
I personally enjoy getting some high waves going, sticking on Fleetwood Mac's 'Albatross' and puttering alongside the ships in a Shock Ultra and thinking deep thoughts.
The photos are crap because it's hard work chasing the ships. I guess that's a backhanded endorsement at least.
Will we be seeing a return of your most excellent carrier group vol 1 & 2? They seem to have disappeared from the site.
2 years ago
Yes. There were many reports of it being broken, which surprised me as that hardly ever happens with scenery, so I pulled it.
I'd been working on an update for what seems like months with a buttload of new models.
Currently waiting to see if Mr Touching Cloud and friends figure out anything with moving carriers from the Top Gun DLC or whether they'll restore the previous functionality.
No point finishing the update until they've figured that out. I won't be of any help to them.
2 years ago
superspud
White_Wolf
Can we expect a version coming soon where we don't slide off after landing? Great mad TY!
2 years ago
Nope.
Only Asobo can change that. This is as usable as the programming permits.
2 years ago
superspud
Highwayman
That is so wonderful. We can practise the approach procedure here even if we cannot start on it or stay still on it. It seems that Touchingcloud's F-18 Super Warrior Mod dose not work on it, either.
2 years ago
Because it's a standard object, which is the only way to make it both moving and landable, you can't attach anything clever to it or make anything else clever see and interact with it.
The sim's programming regards this the same as a traffic cone or plastic chair.
We'll see if Asobo change that. Or maybe some mysterious hero will come up with their own solution.
2 years ago
superspud
Boots_Hu
I lost my F35 on this just like the real US Navy so its pretty authenic.
2 years ago
You're doing better than me. I usually have the ships do a Philadelphia Experiment in front of my eyes before I manage to crash on them.
2 years ago
superspud
brutusb
how can i find it? Only by coordinates??
2 years ago
Correct. There's no way of attaching any type of navigation marker.
2 years ago
superspud
wstrazzer
i know it has bugs in like it keeps moving under you when you land, but its great for practicing staying along side it hovering, and it just looks great in the water, keep up the great work
2 years ago
nickb007
Regardless of how well it works - i appreciate the fact that you're putting in the "research" - trying is the first step toward success !
2 years ago
johnwalker
I downloaded your Area 51 today, and via a mention in the Hype Discord channel, arrived here. Your commentary on your creations is hilarious!
2 years ago
blave
Thank You! Yes, whilst this is certainly not perfect, i know this is a brand new concept for FS2020. I remember the old days of ai carriers etc. It is certainly awesome that you are trying here 😊
2 years ago
From what I can tell, but I might be wrong, the Top Gun carrier won't move, so this might be it for now.
There are two types of objects available to developers. Dumb ones that you can place in a static location and that's all. And programmable ones that can react to sim inputs like weather and movement.
Asobo have already added quite a few carrier deck items like US Navy cranes and tow tractors in the object list available to place. They're all dumb ones which means they ain't going to be riding the high seas.
Maybe things will change at launch. Hope so. This offers a glimpse of the idea.
2 years ago
superspud
hotzoner
Oh hell...deserve 5 stars just for the commentary!
2 years ago
Too kind.
It may be the only stars this mod ever earns.
2 years ago
superspud
totheskies