DCS F/A-18C

[Toonces]

^ Absolutely fantastic book and a must read for internet fighter pilot enthusiasts.

It's also just plain interesting in and of itself, even if you aren't a computer fighter pilot nerd.

[Jarhead0331]

I've had that book for nearly 2 decades. One of my favorites.

[mbar]

Started reading the PDF yesterday. The pilot quotes are gold.

Started doing the start up tutorial and did not even make it past starting left and right engines. Between real life interruptions, struggling with TrackIR and  bifocals, and a laptop keyboard (yeah I know). But found some +3.0 reading glasses and alternate key-binds for engine idle and I'm pressing forward.  :nerd:

[Jarhead0331]

Quite comfortable with cold start, take-off, ADF, TCN and WPT navigation...next comes weapons.

The Hornet is awesome. Its drawn me into DCS like no other module before it really, although I did go through A-10 and Black Shark phases. Now, with more terrain diversity, the Hornet and a number of other exciting aircraft on the horizon, there is more reason to invest serious time into DCS than ever before.

[jomni]

Quite comfortable with cold start, take-off, ADF, TCN and WPT navigation...next comes weapons.

The Hornet is awesome. Its drawn me into DCS like no other module before it really, although I did go through A-10 and Black Shark phases. Now, with more terrain diversity, the Hornet and a number of other exciting aircraft on the horizon, there is more reason to invest serious time into DCS than ever before.

Hornet seems to be a great choice as it has the all high-tech A-A and A-G weapons as opposed to the dedicated ground attack aircraft that DCS started with, the outdated Cold War planes and trainers, and the simplified FC planes.

[Yskonyn]

For sure she's be all the hawtness the boys will talk about for quite some time in DCS world, or dare I say combat sim world!
With several theatres now present she will start giving the Falcon boys a run for their money by all estimation.
On top of that she's probably be the cover girl for all things marketing concerning DCS.
Quite the game changer.

[JudgeDredd]

Ok. So I started off directly in line with the runway. I know. I lowered my gear with the beast going too fast.

But I think the touchdown was super smooth.

[Stryker07]

I am thinking it's time to take the DCS plunge, not entirely new to the series as I played FC2 and LOMAC before, but this here Hornet has got me by the heart strings.

[JudgeDredd]

I agree with JH - for some reason, I'm "feeling" DCS more than I ever have done with this bird.

I don't know why - the A-10 and the Harrier should really have done it for me - and I do love them both - but there's something about this baby that makes DCS alive.

I'd like to say it's the carrier ops - but a) I haven't tried them with this and b) those are available with the Harrier.

So I don't know what it is - but I've been working all weekend on this baby.

[Jarhead0331]

^me too. I spent hours with the Hornet this weekend. I've never done that with any DCS module before. Lots of cold start and general flight training, a couple carrier launches and some weapons practice with rockets and guns.

It's a very alluring aircraft to begin with and belsimtek did such a fantastic job recreating it. I really can't recommend it enough. If I could only have one module, this would be it.

[mbar]

I've been working on configuring my HOTAS and the mission editor. I was feeling a bit confused with just what I really needed to map to the HOTAS. Just trying to get to a point to fire the cannon was frustrating. But setting it all down and doing some spring cleaning to clear my head and I came back to it and things began to click. I've been away from the DCS game for a couple of years but I am enjoying coming back and putzing around with this F/A-18 module.

[Jarhead0331]

I've been working on configuring my HOTAS and the mission editor. I was feeling a bit confused with just what I really needed to map to the HOTAS. Just trying to get to a point to fire the cannon was frustrating. But setting it all down and doing some spring cleaning to clear my head and I came back to it and things began to click. I've been away from the DCS game for a couple of years but I am enjoying coming back and putzing around with this F/A-18 module.

I tend to configure on an as needed basis. I always start with my axis commands. Roll, pitch, yaw, throttle and then start mapping from there...trim, TDC, countermeasures, weapon release, etc. I find it is much more manageable to configure if I do it in chunks, and only when the control is actually needed for whatever aspect of the sim I am learning or using.

[Yskonyn]

+1 I handle that the same way. It gets you in the action quickest. :)

[mbar]

I tend to configure on an as needed basis. I always start with my axis commands. Roll, pitch, yaw, throttle and then start mapping from there...trim, TDC, countermeasures, weapon release, etc. I find it is much more manageable to configure if I do it in chunks, and only when the control is actually needed for whatever aspect of the sim I am learning or using.

Sound advice and order of priority.  O0

[JudgeDredd]

I've been working on configuring my HOTAS and the mission editor. I was feeling a bit confused with just what I really needed to map to the HOTAS. Just trying to get to a point to fire the cannon was frustrating. But setting it all down and doing some spring cleaning to clear my head and I came back to it and things began to click. I've been away from the DCS game for a couple of years but I am enjoying coming back and putzing around with this F/A-18 module.

I tend to configure on an as needed basis. I always start with my axis commands. Roll, pitch, yaw, throttle and then start mapping from there...trim, TDC, countermeasures, weapon release, etc. I find it is much more manageable to configure if I do it in chunks, and only when the control is actually needed for whatever aspect of the sim I am learning or using.

+1 I handle that the same way. It gets you in the action quickest. :)

+1 - the best way. Made all the easier by allowing you to do so whilst flying - which isn't always the case in games