DCS

[nirvi]

interesting post about FM development
https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=281651

[SCG_OpticFlow]

 

[Bremspropeller]

I like that helicopter-base on that mountain he's flying over.

 

Looks really interesting for night-fiddling in the Kiowa and other aircraft.

[Trooper117]

Great video... looks really good!

[CanadaOne]

Cool Grim Reapers interview with one of the DCS bigwigs.

 

90% of players are SP.

Average DCS session is about 25 minutes.

 

And...

 

The Syria map doesn't come out until the end of September. Probably end of October. 

 

I'll be neck deep in FS2020 by then.

 

 

[Lusekofte]

Yeah I will tune my Trackir and fly Tobruk and fs 2020. DCS and VR will be third choice for a long while. 

[Lusekofte]

I was wrong. Hind over Syria will haul me in

 

[AndyJWest]

The Hind does look nice. Though I'm not a fan of the fan. ? 

 

Why is it that so many Soviet-era aircraft seem to have been designed on the assumption that being able to see where you are going is some sort of decadent Western affectation?

[Rei-sen]

@AndyJWest What you see on a flat screen doesn't represent what pilot sees IRL. Only VR can give you an idea. Take Aircobra for example - terrible rear visibility on a flat screen, while in VR it's actually pretty good.

[AndyJWest]

Just now, Arthur-A said:

@AndyJWest What you see on a flat screen doesn't represent what pilot sees IRL. Only VR can give you an idea. Take Aircobra for example - terrible rear visibility on a flat screen, while in VR it's actually pretty good.

 

Certainly having two eyes rather than one helps. And no doubt the fan blades are a little less obvious when it is rotating. All the same though, I can't help feeling that it would obstruct the view IRL. And that if they'd put it a little higher (or found something a little less bulky) the view could have been better. 

 

Anyway, it is what it is. It is presumably historically correct. No doubt if I fly it, I'll get used to it. LIndburgh had a worse view, and he managed well enough - though presumably he wasn't too worried about colliding with trees and the like, most of the time... ? 

[Bremspropeller]

4 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

The Hind does look nice. Though I'm not a fan of the fan. ? 

 

Why is it that so many Soviet-era aircraft seem to have been designed on the assumption that being able to see where you are going is some sort of decadent Western affectation?

 

If you switch that fan on, your field of view will dramatically improve.

The opposite may be the case with your haircut, though.

[AndyJWest]

8 minutes ago, Bremspropeller said:

 

If you switch that fan on, your field of view will dramatically improve.

The opposite may be the case with your haircut, though.

 

In Soviet Russia, plane trims pilot!

[Monostripezebra]

Did you know you could go gliding in DCS? Just aerotow a heli with engine of on an awacs.. kinda dicey but fun:

 

but I am not gonna lie: this was costly research...

 

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by Monostripezebra

[Gambit21]

 

Wake me when there's a reason to install and purchase the MiG 15 and Sabre.

Or wake my grandkids.

[CanadaOne]

My new T16000M was waiting for me when I got home, and though it was painful to retire my MSFFB2 after more than a decade, it was showing its age and was taking the fun out of the flying. The T16000M is much more accurate, though a bit light on the springs, and having a working POV hat switch again is great.

 

Flying the Harrier for the last hour has been a real treat. Sure wouldn't mind a few more buttons though. If I can figure out some macros between the flightstick and the TWCS throttle, it's gonna be fat city. 

 

Was toying with the idea of a Stream Deck, but it's stupid expensive, but I had an idea: number keypads that can be programmed. $20 each, set them up on little stands in frotn of the monitor and program them to work as the MFD buttons in the Harrier.  Anyone else try that?

 

[AndyJWest]

24 minutes ago, CanadaOne said:

My new T16000M was waiting for me when I got home, and though it was painful to retire my MSFFB2 after more than a decade, it was showing its age and was taking the fun out of the flying. The T16000M is much more accurate, though a bit light on the springs, and having a working POV hat switch again is great.

 

Flying the Harrier for the last hour has been a real treat. Sure wouldn't mind a few more buttons though. If I can figure out some macros between the flightstick and the TWCS throttle, it's gonna be fat city. 

 

Was toying with the idea of a Stream Deck, but it's stupid expensive, but I had an idea: number keypads that can be programmed. $20 each, set them up on little stands in frotn of the monitor and program them to work as the MFD buttons in the Harrier.  Anyone else try that?

 

 

I've fiddled around with using a non programmable numeric keypad, but that was of limited use. Where did you find a programmable one that cheap?

 

Currently, along with my T.16000M, I'm using a gamepad - mounted on a bracket so I don't need to hold it. This gives 10 buttons, along with 2 x 2-way analog sticks and a POV hat fairly cheaply. And I use the gamepad for other games anyway, though I could do with finding a neater way to secure it to the bracket than the rubber bands I'm currently using. 

[CanadaOne]

8 hours ago, AndyJWest said:

 

I've fiddled around with using a non programmable numeric keypad, but that was of limited use. Where did you find a programmable one that cheap?

 

Currently, along with my T.16000M, I'm using a gamepad - mounted on a bracket so I don't need to hold it. This gives 10 buttons, along with 2 x 2-way analog sticks and a POV hat fairly cheaply. And I use the gamepad for other games anyway, though I could do with finding a neater way to secure it to the bracket than the rubber bands I'm currently using. 

 

Amazon has a programmable model, "MoKo Numeric Keypad", for $20. Some aren't programmable  but this one appears to be except for the top row of buttons according to the reviews.. Can't find the model on American Amazon, just Canadian. I assume that to be "programmable" your PC - or your flightsim - simply has to read it as a separate device and not simply a copy of the number keypad on your keyboard, is that right? 

 

I like your gamepad idea, that's pretty cool. I'm going to check that out. If I steal your idea, do I have to pay you royalties? 

 

Edit: Do the gamepad joysticks work on DCS or does the game ignore them the way it - hyper annoyingly -  ignores the little joystick on my TWCS throttle?

Edited August 6, 2020 by CanadaOne

[AndyJWest]

@CanadaOne. I can't seem to find a programmable Moko numeric keypad listed on Amazon. I'd make sure you really are getting that before purchasing, as all the programmable keyboards I've seen listed are a lot more expensive.

 

And no, you definitely need external software to use a keypad as another 'device' - Windows only sends 'key pressed' messages etc to software, and doesn't say which device they came from. It doesn't distinguish between identical keys on different devices, and software (e.g. DCS) accordingly won't know (and wouldn't be expected to check anyway). It can be done with external software, but this is a bit of a kluge, and relies on fiddling with  core Windows USB handling to redefine the keys (or treat them as joystick buttons) before they are sent to applications. I've  tried this previously, but it really isn't that useful, and the only software I found that could do it was in a very unstable state.

 

As for using gamepads with DCS (or other applications), I've never had any trouble, even when using them via the generic Windows game controller drivers. In my experience, it is generally custom drivers etc that cause problems, rather than Windows, or the hardware. The Thrustmaster TARGET software in particular seems to have issues, so I've not installed that.

[DerNeueMensch]

A bit of lonewulfing while on SRS on the Cold War: 

 

[jollyjack]

All ya' IL2 GB, even TC1 owners should never complain again on the game loading time.

Just tried the free DCS Su-25T game, it takes 10 times as long to load ...

[unlikely_spider]

Not for me. Did you try more than once? Maybe it will just take that long the first time.

[RedKestrel]

8 minutes ago, unlikely_spider said:

Not for me. Did you try more than once? Maybe it will just take that long the first time.

Il-2 seems to do this too just after an update. Takes longer to load the first time.

[jollyjack]

12 minutes ago, RedKestrel said:

Il-2 seems to do this too just after an update. Takes longer to load the first time.

it was the fist time ...

[RedKestrel]

1 minute ago, jollyjack said:

it was the fist time ...

Go slow, be gentle, lots of lube

[Art-J]

If it was the very first time, the game needs to build temporary shader files, so it takes longer than usual.

 

That being said, in DCS, an SSD drive, any make or model, even the budget one, is pretty much mandatory to avoid loading-times-related and stuttering-related frustrations.

[CanadaOne]

8 hours ago, jollyjack said:

All ya' IL2 GB, even TC1 owners should never complain again on the game loading time.

Just tried the free DCS Su-25T game, it takes 10 times as long to load ...

 

Just tried a few DCS starts up for fun: 23 seconds, then 21 seconds, then 20 seconds. (m.2 NVME)

 

IL2: 31 seconds, then 28 seconds then 27 seconds. (SSD)

[Lusekofte]

It take very short time to start the game

new installer remove useless files. I start up DCS 10 time faster than GB now after 2 patches ago. 
it must be your pc. 

[Sokol1]

On 8/8/2020 at 8:31 AM, DerNeueMensch said:

A bit of lonewulfing while on SRS on the Cold War: 

https://youtu.be/99O8iXPPUJc

 

 

LOL, Missile kill at 4.10.  

[Tuesday]

On 8/13/2020 at 8:33 AM, jollyjack said:

All ya' IL2 GB, even TC1 owners should never complain again on the game loading time.

Just tried the free DCS Su-25T game, it takes 10 times as long to load ...

 

You likely didn't lower any of the pre-load radius settings.  If maxed out, it is loading a great deal more than you need to play. 

[Blooddawn1942]

Just read on Stormbirds blog that the Syria map is coming this week.

[CanadaOne]

8 hours ago, Blooddawn1942 said:

Just read on Stormbirds blog that the Syria map is coming this week.

 

Tomorrow, apparently. Wasn't supposed to be out for at least a month, but I think everyone wants a slice of the attention FS2020 is getting. Update here Monday, FS2020 Tuesday, and Syria Wednesday. 

 

Haven't see it on Steam yet, but it's an instant purchase when it shows up.

 

Helluva time to be a flightsimhead! 

[nirvi]

21 hours ago, CanadaOne said:

 

Tomorrow, apparently. Wasn't supposed to be out for at least a month, but I think everyone wants a slice of the attention FS2020 is getting. Update here Monday, FS2020 Tuesday, and Syria Wednesday. 

 

Haven't see it on Steam yet, but it's an instant purchase when it shows up.

 

Helluva time to be a flightsimhead! 

The Syria map should be available this evening with a 20% discount.

[Lusekofte]

Great that will keep me from buying 2020 for a while

[AndyJWest]

5 hours ago, nirvi said:

The Syria map should be available this evening with a 20% discount.

 

Seems to be 30%. ?

 

I have no willpower. Bought it, even after saying I'm spending far too much on sim software at the moment. Tobruk, MSFS 2020, and now this...

[nirvi]

10 minutes ago, AndyJWest said:

 

Seems to be 30%. ?

 

I have no willpower. Bought it, even after saying I'm spending far too much on sim software at the moment. Tobruk, MSFS 2020, and now this...

30% in the E-shop, 20% on steam

[CanadaOne]

2 hours ago, nirvi said:

30% in the E-shop, 20% on steam

 

Still not out on Steam here.

 

But the very microsecond it is...........

[Lusekofte]

F***ing Tobruk. Takes so long time flying. Love the Wellington but aint got the time needed. Not bought Syria map nor 2020 so I must be getting very old. 
We currently looking on of grid farms with huge land to buy. Going to be A grumphy prepper witout internet as soon as my son take over the company. 
So I might as well pass on it

[CanadaOne]

Just now, 216th_LuseKofte said:

F***ing Tobruk. Takes so long time flying. Love the Wellington but aint got the time needed. Not bought Syria map nor 2020 so I must be getting very old. 
We currently looking on of grid farms with huge land to buy. Going to be A grumphy prepper witout internet as soon as my son take over the company. 
So I might as well pass on it

 

Grumpy will come along naturally. (Especially to you!) No effort required. 

 

FS2020 is optional. My option was to get it. And the Syria map as soon as Steam lists it.

[Lusekofte]

Kind of lost the interest, really. I do not start up any sim easily. 
So I will simply go down and dl the new patch in GB and fly the PO 2 , that should fix it

[dburne]

Well I got the Syria map earlier today, currently no instant action or single missions have been done for it.

I think maybe one or two for the Tomcat and that is it.

So I spent the afternoon continuing my PWCG campaign in IL-2.