Hijong Park's Defender Patrol News & Patch Notes

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/d00968362b1a7a34ed3a5b30d7d671da675d0810.png https://store.steampowered.com/app/3982150 We have opened the store page for Low Level Hunters! In order to prevent further confusions with 'Hijong Park's Defender Patrol', further development news about Low Level Hunters will now be uploaded there. I want to say thank you to everyone who had purchased the Supporter Edition of Defender Patrol, and I'll make sure to deliver a much improved sequel! — Hijong Park

This post has been moved. You can read the full content at the link below: https://steamcommunity.com/games/3982150/announcements/detail/686378575516926274

This post has been moved. You can read the full content at the link below: https://steamcommunity.com/games/3982150/announcements/detail/686378575516926272

This post has been moved. You can read the full content at the link below: https://steamcommunity.com/games/3982150/announcements/detail/686378575516926270

This post has been moved. You can read the full content at the link below: https://steamcommunity.com/games/3982150/announcements/detail/686378575516926268

Shortly tapping 'Mouse free look' key toggles mouse free look mode.
Added flatscreen Comm menu. It broadcasts what's shown on the COMM panel without needing to look down the panel, and allows to select one of 6 orders using COMM select keys. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/6aea98a5bf9ead5e5eeb6f73d20a567925fba74d.png
Changed Default keybind of 'Toggle Copilot sight control' to U. Tab is now used for opening COMM menu.
Divided various AI commands to 'AI auto pilot commands' and 'AI crew commands' and 'COMM menu commands'.

I had been receiving some requests for Meta Quest Standalone port of Defender Patrol. I never had any experience in developing a standalone VR, let alone an android app, but nonetheless I also thought it would be awesome to play in standalone headset and decided to give it a try in this week. Unfortunately, The porting attempt was not successful. The android devices were far more weaker than I expected. No matter how many features I strip down to make it work on weaker machines, the game was simply unplayable in Quest 2, and barely worked in Quest 3. It ran alright in completely empty maps, but once the engagement happens with any enemies, which is the crucial part of the combat flight simulator, the framerate dropped rock bottom. When I removed all the important features of the game just to make it work on meta quest, the game could no longer be called 'Defender Patrol'. After many efforts on trying to port my game to Standalone VR, I concluded that delivering the experience of 'Defender Patrol' to Standalone is IMPOSSIBLE. This had nothing to do with the graphics fidelty alone, but the complex level of simulations in my game and the missile engagements where a targeting pod is required to snipe the enemies several kilometers away. The specs of the VR headsets alone are not to blame. It's mostly my lack of skill and experience on Android development and optimization that prevents me from porting this game one-to-one. Someday, when i become more clever at android development and optimizations, I'd like to make a new helicopter simulator spinoff tailored for Standalone VR from ground, set in Vietnam war era. The simpler tech level of Vietnam war where there's no targeting pods and missiles but just guns, grenades and rockets will work much better in Standalone VR. But for now, I'll no longer touch standalone port. Instead I'll start working on the sequel of this helicopter simulator, set in pre-apache cold war era featuring TOW firing AH-1 Cobra, for PC as promised. — Hijong Park

Added 'Recenter VR' keybind.
Keybind settings are now saved in local files and can be shared with Steam Cloud(Supporter Edition only). As a trade-off, all the keybinds from the previous version no longer works. (Sorry!)
Added some initial random aiming errors to low-tier units like infantries to reduce the chance of instant death in close range. The amount of error varies with AI skill levels.
The player can no longer fly outside the island.
Fixed softlock issue when the helicopter had ran out of fuel but landed safely with autorotation.
Fixed overly exaggerated effective translational lift effect. when the helicopter flies in over 24 knots, the rotor blades become around 2 times more efficient than during hovering, instead of around 8 times. And the amount of induced flow between forward and backward sides of the disc are not equal, causing more right roll tendency during forward flight.
Now in settings, 'Camera' settings are only available in monitor mode and 'VR' settings are only available in VR mode.
Improved texture and patricle effect optimizations (leftover of Standalone VR port)
Added progress numbers for placing buildings and trees during generating the mission.

Added Unbinded key warning in training when the important keys are unbinded. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/31fa22748edc4617bf4f32aa4b33af787ab9d626.png
Reduced the Unit's turret rotation speeds to the more realistic level.
Some updates in Polish translation.

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/a1f974320e6fe3ef260f784e6880c9edb9086ef9.png{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/ef76cc4d998e6f9003a72c595fda5252bc8eb72f.png It had been over 2 years since I started working on this small flight sim. it was truely awesome to make my own dream game and share it with others in the community, and eventually make it to steam release! At this point, my dream of flying MD-500 defender in VR had now been accomplished and the project is far beyond my initial scope. But i do not want to just stay here forever. Now I want bigger choppers(e.g. AH-1 Cobra), better scenery, and some engaging campaigns with pilot career progression to fully utilize all the features I have created in "Hijong Park's Defender Patrol". Recent v2.5 'Last Service' patch was the final major update for Defender Patrol. After this, I'll start focusing my development time on the sequel, 'Low Level Hunters'. The only updates for Defender Patrol will now be some fatal bug fixes and additional localizations. (German, Russian, and French localizations are on the way) As I make Low Level Hunters with all the support I got from making Defender Patrol, I'll occasionally upload some important devlogs about 'Low Level Hunters' in the news. The first one will gonna be showcasing a functional AH-1S Cobra attack helicopter. If possible, I want to showcase it in this Christmas, so I'll work hard on this sequel from now. Thanks for playing my flight sim, and I hope I can deliver the bigger wonder some day! — Hijong Park

Added custom mouse cursor. This mouse cursor can be used in VR mode, and It can also be controlled with joysticks via "Cursor Axis" and "Cursor Press 1".
Added Unit inspection feature. By designating a target with TSU and pressing "Inspect designated unit", you can quickly access to the informations about the designated unit. Binded to I(i) by default.
Added frame counter, which can be enabled with "Toggle frame counter". Binded to ＼(backslash) by default.
Added a digital clock on the instrument panel telling the current time of the day.
Added Cyclic and Collective position trimming feature in VR. By moving the levers around the collective or right side of the chair, you can adjust the positions of the collective and cyclic. This trimmed position remains persistent after leaving the game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/e0fa9b991cf34b3a0b52313504b95e1dd61e9d8b.png{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/419ee3fa6517ba553a83227f09cf139049caa5a4.png
Changed rearming camera view in VR to prevent nausea.
Improved training marker message positions, preventing them going out of the screen in monitor mode.
Introduced the Pylon weapon fire button for MD-530F. 530F now have two different weapon firing buttons for inboard miniguns and outboard pylon armaments, and both weapons can be fired at once for more powerful and convenient attacks. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/be65f0b766c5a5aae55db70f153eeb15e4c3869f.png This weapon fire system will also be applied for AH-1F(S) Cobra attack helicopter in the sequel, firing M197 turret with 2 stage trigger and using other pylon weapons with a button.
Dismissing some realism, The Starter switches are moved to the top side of the collective stick to reduce confusion. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/8349a4cd88ab9d6654996d39095aa4d91638340a.png
Various VR commands had been changed to respect single face button controllers like Vive wands. When not grabbing anything:
- Opening VR submenu: Grab + primary face button.
- Pausing game: Holding primary face button while submenu is opened.
- Interaction assistant ray: pressing primary face button without submenu, when it's enabled in settings.
Cyclic Sticks:
- Moving joystick: replaced 4 way hat trimming to 4 quick MFD page buttons, as this trimming is entirely useless in VR.
- Pressing joystick: Engage force trim.
- Secondary face button: Reset trim.
- Primary face button: Pylon weapon fire. (MD-530F only)
TSU control stick:
- Secondary face button: DTV/IR switch.
- Primary face button: ATGM fire button. (for MD-500MG and MD-530F)
Model 10:
- Upward joystick can also release latch like secondary face button does.
Added "Single face button input mode" that provides alternative control set on some control devices for VR controllers that lacks secondary face button.
Joystick inputs on cyclic will get disabled when mouse cyclic is activated to prevent confusion.
Every mouse keybinds get disabled when Cockpit interaction mode is activated to prevent unwanted inputs while interacting with the switch.
Fixed serious performance drop issue when enemy AI helicopters are requesting fire support from their howitzers.
The position of NVGs now can be freely adjusted in VR for the player's preference.
Added Polish(Polski) localizations. (provided by Ravenmore)
Increased the resolution of menu to allow more space for various languages.
Added custom mission start hour slider.

Added "Camera" tag in settings.
Moved TrackIR enable option to "Camera" settings tag.
Implemented different method for zooming
Instead of the 3 stage zoom, it zooms gradually while holding down the button.
Added Camera FOV zooming speed and max FOV slider.
Added reset zoom keybind.
Added 'Automatic cursor activation' option, which automatically activates interaction cursor when moving the cursor, and then deactivates when not moving it for 3 seconds. Mouse cyclic is disabled when this option is enabled.
Added SNEB type 23 HEAT rocket for enemy SA-342L gazelles.
Added Telson 12 and Telson 22 rocket pods for enemy SA-342L gazelles. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/a8f84856af3ddcc32e84fe9030833e47266ef24c.png
Added dedicated ATGM launch button on copilot seat's TSU control stick. In VR, grabbing the TSU stick and pressing Y/B will press ATGM launch button, so that you don't need to grab cyclic to launch ATGM while controlling TSU. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45766691/305d4495f21f32a32bbb6abdfd0f1156cf72a8be.png
Changed pilot hurt effect color to make Screen texts still visible.
Fixed the fatal error that happens when starting a new game after touching fuel capacity slider.
Added a slight delay in advancing to the next training part after pressing the required keys / switches.
Added Mouse cyclic recenter key.
Fixed some english typos

This patch wasn't meant to be uplaoded today, but due to the previous version having a fatal bug, I had to unintentionally make a day one patch. Other planned features will be addressed in the next week:

Menu natigation via mouse in VR.
Database menu being accessible during the gameplay.
Collective, Cyclic, and MFD position trimming features in VR.
Improved training letters that are less confusing.
Better Korean support.
More localization supports!

Hijong Park's Defender Patrol news & patch notes

Hijong Park's Defender Patrol news & patch notes

Steam news for Hijong Park's Defender Patrol