DCS Discussion

[Jarhead0331]

Man DCS is really cranking out the goods.  I'm going to have to see if I can track this mod down, that looks fantastic.

Download is in the link below the video.

[Toonces]

Perfect.  I like when things are simple like that!

I saw a reference to this mod in one of the F-14 videos I watched, I want to say by Growling Sidewinder or something like that.  It sure looks neat.

I hope to have some free time this weekend to finally boot DCS up...always the optimist I am.

[trek]

Speaking of mods, my favorite fighter jet of all time is the F-4 Phantom. I was on the DCS forums the other day looking at the F-4 Mod thread. The discussion is that the mod no longer works due to the recent DCS upgrade. Shame, I would've liked trying it out.

[mikeck]

Phantom would Great. With how much I love ground attack, I'd still love to see my 2 cold-war favorites with a "Jester" AI: the F-111 and A-6. Moreso the former. I love moving fast low in the Av-8 and I'd love to do that at night on an interdiction. Unfortunately, I don't imagine DCS would do either

[Skoop]

^ I'd love to see all that, but in a full supported DCS effort.  I don't thinks it's out of the question.  Finish the F-16, do a DCS apache or Cobra Z model, stop Dcs WWII (because it's meh and that itch is scratched by IL2 BOX) and move all those resources over to DCS Vietnam, complete with theater map and period assets.

[mikeck]

^ I'd love to see all that, but in a full supported DCS effort.  I don't thinks it's out of the question.  Finish the F-16, do a DCS apache or Cobra Z model, stop Dcs WWII (because it's meh and that itch is scratched by IL2 BOX) and move all those resources over to DCS Vietnam, complete with theater map and period assets.

Lol...personally, I'd like all gaming companies to stop making WW2 games (is there a WW2 itch in existence that hasn't been scratched?) and put resources into....I don't know...anything else.

Anyway, Would love a Cobra AH-1W. The helicopters don't seem to be the sellers that the gen 3/4 planes are so I don't know. Can't complain though when you look at what SCs has done in the last 3 years

[JasonPratt]

Incidentally, my favorite part of that Flogger demo video was the faux-VHS video footage, including the "standard play" SP designation and tracking noise. So 80s!

[Jarhead0331]

^ I'd love to see all that, but in a full supported DCS effort.  I don't thinks it's out of the question.  Finish the F-16, do a DCS apache or Cobra Z model, stop Dcs WWII (because it's meh and that itch is scratched by IL2 BOX) and move all those resources over to DCS Vietnam, complete with theater map and period assets.

Anyway, Would love a Cobra AH-1W. The helicopters don't seem to be the sellers that the gen 3/4 planes are so I don't know. Can't complain though when you look at what SCs has done in the last 3 years

They are working on an S model...most people agree, the W would be better, but I'll take what I can get and head for the hills.

[Toonces]

This whole page is pure win. 

+1 to all.

And I posted in the Carriers at War thread before I read this, LOL.

[trek]

So, late last night I bought the Hornet and today I'm buying the PG Map. My self-inflicted damage also includes the AV-8B and the damn Tomcat which is not even on sale! Good thing I have an understanding wife. AND good thing I'm retired 'cause i have no idea how I'm gonna' learn to fly all these birds. But I've already mapped half of my commands to my joystick for each one so that's a start anyway.

Total damage for me in the premium department of DCS over the last two years comes to: All four of the WW2 fighters, as well as the Viggen and the Mirage and the three listed above. I got pretty far with the Mirage but the Viggen just doesn't do it for me. The WW2 fighters I've mastered.

I should've listened to Jomni and stuck with one plane but I got greedy. Now I have to decide which one of the new purchases to really dive into as I'm in lust with all three.

But I still have my self-respect and will maintain my willpower! I WILL NOT be swayed by any of you here to buy the F-16 under any circumstances!
I may be old but I still have some principles you know!

So, having said that when is the F-16 supposed to be available?

[Toonces]

Spent a few hours with DCS today, kind of bouncing between BMS and DCS figuring things out.

After I got DCS fully updated and all of my modules installed, I went straight to multiplayer to see if I could even connect, and then to see what it's all about.  Of the servers I tried, I preferred the Growling Sidewinder PvP server. 

One of the things that annoys me about DCS is that, unlike BMS, you have to do some upfront work as a player in order to find something to do and have fun.  Multiplayer seems to alleviate some of that, to some extent, as logging into a public server couldn't be easier, and there seemed to be a good mix of aircraft on the two that I tried.

The study-sim nature of DCS is completely lost in something like a PvP server, where you're essentially taking a highly detailed sim of a jet and playing air-quake with it.  But, I think this is something that could be an enjoyable way to spend a few hours; log in, fire up a favorite jet, and tangle with some other folks.  I imagine that if you can find even one other like-minded player to team up with a competent pilot could dominate.

I saw a few F-14s up and around (and getting shot down).  Since I haven't tried it yet, I don't know how well Jester does in the backseat automating things and taking some of the load off the pilot.  However, after wresting with the MiG-21 most of the afternoon, I have to think that if Jester is working the radar and countermeasures on your behalf, freeing you to fly the jet, that the F-14 can dominate even against more maneuverable planes or somewhat better pilots. 

It's amazing how much better DCS looks and especially sounds compared to my beloved BMS. 

[Yskonyn]

On another note: I have discovered a nifty little device called Elgato Streamdeck. I bought the XL version with 32 LCD buttons. ( www.elgato.com )
It's basically a buttonbox, where the buttons have a tiny 144x144 pixels LCD display so you can make each button have custom looks, which can be changed on the fly with profiles.
You can sort profiles in folders, so effectively you have unlimited buttons available to map and sort.
Build quality of the device is VeRY nice and I gather that people in the sim community are working on software to have two way comms to the device to make dynamic profiles possible (think annunciators lighting up, or button states changing as a result of things in the sim)

My first effort was to create my own custom made UFC for the A-10C. (See pic)  The result is superb!

[Jarhead0331]

^isnt this sort of what Helios does with your iPad, just with actual buttons instead of all touchscreen?

My biggest problem is that I am out of usb resources. My computer told me to go f%ck off last time I tried plugging in a new device. Between 2 mice, 3 monitors, keyboard, flight stick, throttle, rudder pedals, 2 VR headsets, trackIR, Xbox one controller, an external hard drive, and lord knows what else, my computer has said enough is enough!

[Jarhead0331]

One of the things that annoys me about DCS is that, unlike BMS, you have to do some upfront work as a player in order to find something to do and have fun.

Not sure I follow you with this...there are dozens of missions for most aircraft, a fast mission creator, a dozen campaigns, etc. I never feel like I have to do work to find something to do and MP is the last place I would look. LoL

[Yskonyn]

^isnt this sort of what Helios does with your iPad, just with actual buttons instead of all touchscreen?

My biggest problem is that I am out of usb resources. My computer told me to go f%ck off last time I tried plugging in a new device. Between 2 mice, 3 monitors, keyboard, flight stick, throttle, rudder pedals, 2 VR headsets, trackIR, Xbox one controller, an external hard drive, and lord knows what else, my computer has said enough is enough!

Helios makes a template to export gauges and displays to alternate (touchscreen) monitors.
The Streamdeck is just a buttonbox with tiny LCD's in the buttons so you can make custom labels for the buttons. To elaborate; I've always used the Logitech G13 keypad as my UFC controller in DCS.
But those keys have 'G' labels printed on them, so I used a Dymo label machine to print out UFC sticky labels to put on them. Of course this poses a problem if you want to fly the F-18 now with it's differently modelled UFC controller.

Streamdeck alleviates this problem because of the LCD in the buttons; I create a profile for the A-10C's UFC (as shown on the pic), but I can also create a profile for the AV-8B's UFC equivalent, the Hornet's, etc. and just switch those on the fly without having to restart DCS nor the Streamdeck software. Just make sure one button remains configurated for 'folders'. One press opens a folder (which can contain nested folders) and sort all the profiles you have created neatly to switch ad-hoc.

This way you can create profiles for all kinds of stuff like UFC's by airplane model, radio stacks, counter measures controls, miscellaneous features like probe heat switches, lighting, etc.

The device was launched as something for streamers to quickly access system fuctions, camera controls, sound effects, etc, but the sim community is quickly discovering the greatness of the device! :D

The buttons you see on my screenshot are just cut from a screenshot, made into 144x144 static icons to populate the buttons, but as I understand it, certain wizkids from the community are working on a two-way thing via DCS BIOS to hopefully enable the Streamdeck to display dynamic icons in the buttons, so for example if you flip a switch the position on the icon will update, or annunciators will come on, stuff like that.

I suppose in effect Helios does the same in the end on a big touchscreen, but the hassle of getting it to work and having to delve into scripts is off putting for some (I have used it before to export engine gauges to my second monitor).
Streamdeck is really easy to use with drag and drop interface and quick hotkey assignments.

What kind of motherboard do you have? It doesn't sound you should run into USB resources with those peripherals? Have you tried using a powered USB hub? I have 3 Rift Sensors, Rift headset, TM WH Throttle, VirPil WarBRD base, MFG Crosswind pedals, Epson printer, USB hub, TM Cougar MFD's, TrackIR 5, Jetseat, DSD Buttonbox, Streamdeck, Mouse and Keyboard plugged in without issues.