DCS

[DBFlyguy]

7 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

This is for all 'Thud' lovers out there...

 

 

This was really good! The same team also made "Hun Pilots" and "Tomcat Tales".  I haven't seen "Hun Pilots" but "Tomcat Tales" was really good too!

 

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by DBFlyguy

[Gingerwelsh]

F-15E bomber.

 

80000 lb landing weight.

 

 

 

 

..

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Gingerwelsh

[sevenless]

Epic!

 

[BOO]

1 hour ago, sevenless said:

Epic!

 

Nicely Done. 

 

F15 and Sinai are tempting but until MT settles and a decent long term, non breakable, fix for the stock absence of Alt/Enter is apparent, I darent risk putting anything more into DCS for it not to be enjoyable.

 

....but i said similar about 4 or 4 modules i caved in on.  "Time and Pressure" as Ellis Boyd Redding once said.

[Lusekofte]

Sinai is an excellent chopper map. Pyramid's and charming cities.  And it take not more resources than new Normandy. For the F 15. I am not saying I won’t buy it. But I prefer spending more  of my limited time for sim’s in msfs, despite its hassle. So I am just in for what DCS is best, choppers. Sadly I do not like the new performance of the Gazelle. They took all the fun out of it. Luck will have it I get more time for the rest. 
Besides some of them need refreshing quite often

Edited July 8, 2023 by Lusekofte

[Gingerwelsh]

Practicing AA as I did in Il2 when I first bought it.

 

Find a big fat defenceless target and shoot at it.

 

4 aim 120c, 4 aim 9m.

 

 

 

 

..

.

[LLv34_Flanker]

S! 

 

Been testing latest open betas with the WIP MT executable. Got a bump In performance, which was nice. Still get GPU bound indications In the metrics on my 6950XT/5800X3D combo. Frame rates well over 100 on The Channel map in a WW2 bird. And the latency stays at the bottom at all times. 

 

Still waiting what improvements Vulkan API will bring to the table, if done before I am too old to fly or dead ? DCS Been my main sim along with CloD. The feeling flying WW2 planes is THE thing In both

[BOO]

2 hours ago, LLv34_Flanker said:

S! 

 

Been testing latest open betas with the WIP MT executable. Got a bump In performance, which was nice. Still get GPU bound indications In the metrics on my 6950XT/5800X3D combo. Frame rates well over 100 on The Channel map in a WW2 bird. And the latency stays at the bottom at all times. 

 

Still waiting what improvements Vulkan API will bring to the table, if done before I am too old to fly or dead ? DCS Been my main sim along with CloD. The feeling flying WW2 planes is THE thing In both

A lot of the "bump"in frame rates  i saw can probably be put down to SSAA not working in MT but it doesnt account for all of the gain. SSAA still isnt implemented in MT as far as i know (currently cant play the game due to homelife). The big MT bonus though seems to be how much better the games hamdles bigger missions with AI and event triggers. The down side was the inability to get into exclusive full screen (something which makes the game smoother with my system using vsync). Thankfully there is a partial workaround for 2D players now but its still a hack really. That could stop working in with any new patch and, no doubt Vulkan will bring its own angst in that regard. 

 

Overall though a big step in the right direction and to get it as right as they did in a preview beta is encouraging . I dont know where Vulkan sits in the development but i suspect its still a long way off and i would not be surprised if MT is still a preview beta in 12 months time given the undertaking and bugz yet to squish.  

 

 

[BOO]

Come to ask for help from people I trust If I may.

 

It concerns the B17. All the metal skins in the game (the asset pack defaults) are white. Meanwhile theres a roughmet "fix" in the user files that i simply dont understand, a competition thread thats decended into a pissing competion over the roughmets and ED seem to be presiding over it all with utter indifference despite running a conpetions for a model that appears broken. 

 

Can anyone explain, in short, idiot proof  sentences please, what is wrong with the B17 skins and how to fix it. Ive really tried to get my head around it to no avail. 

[SCG_motoadve]

 

[kestrel79]

Is MT in only the beta download still? Or is it in the regular game? I don't get the beta updates.

[BOO]

Just now, kestrel79 said:

Is MT in only the beta download still? Or is it in the regular game? I don't get the beta updates.

Beta only

[Gambit21]

5 hours ago, kestrel79 said:

Is MT in only the beta download still? Or is it in the regular game? I don't get the beta updates.

 

There is no reason to stick with stable...OB is the way to go.

 

 

[BOO]

6 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

 

There is no reason to stick with stable...OB is the way to go.

 

 

And its a pretty easy and relatively quick process to roll back between patches if one doesnt suit. Stable really is now just for those who have an absolute aversion to any level of tinkering....and even then it doesnt always work out. 

[RedeyeStorm]

And in stable you basically get the same bugs, just later then anyone else!

Edited July 19, 2023 by RedeyeStorm

[[DBS]Tx_Tip]

On 7/17/2023 at 3:10 PM, SCG_motoadve said:

 

 

Two excellent Bat turns, no red out and possibly G-defying maneuvering. You're right, DCS 47 is a real killer. Multiplayer or just an AI honcho?

[Art-J]

On 7/17/2023 at 9:13 PM, BOO said:

Can anyone explain, in short, idiot proof  sentences please, what is wrong with the B17 skins and how to fix it. Ive really tried to get my head around it to no avail. 

 

When DCS adopted deferred shading and physical based rendering a few years ago, they had to convert existing aircraft models and textures to show up in the game properly (going from specular maps to roughmet maps to control surfaces reflectivity). Not a big issue for planes with flat finish, but planes with natural metal finish did suffer a lot and definitely had to be converted to the new standard - otherwise they would look flat grey/white instead of silver.

 

For whatever reason B-17 has been left by ED outdated / incompatible in this regard. 

 

In the meantime experienced skinners have been doing various voodo-sh..t to get proper aluminium look on their custom skins and they succeeded, but it requires replacing (read: modding) some stock ED files, with all resulting consequences: modded content will get overwritten back to crap stock version whenever game updates (unless you use mod manager like OvGME, OMM, JSGME), there might be IC problems when connecting to multiplayer servers etc., etc.

 

How to fix it the easiest way? As said above, for official content, ED would have to wake up and update their model first, but if they don't, or if you don't mind modding the game yourself, Warlord64 posted his edited version of a relevant json file over here:

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/319116-specular-reflectivity-from-brushed-to-mirror-effect/

 

Follow his instructions (replace that single stock json file with a modded one) and this is how default skin will already start looking like. Much nicer, ain't it?

 

 

On 7/18/2023 at 9:13 PM, BOO said:

Beta only

 

Nah, not quite. Stable/regular version also got the MT preview eventually, in May the 5th update.

 

It's still a set of fully optional, separate exec file and libraries to run, if this is what @kestrel79 asks about? But that's good. One can launch from ST exec or MT exec whenever one feels like it (and given the fact that latest OB brought serious game loading time problems in MT, being able to go back to ST at will is very convenient - and so I did).

Edited July 19, 2023 by Art-J

[BOO]

1 hour ago, Art-J said:

 

When DCS adopted deferred shading and physical based rendering a few years ago, they had to convert existing aircraft models and textures to show up in the game properly (going from specular maps to roughmet maps to control surfaces reflectivity). Not a big issue for planes with flat finish, but planes with natural metal finish did suffer a lot and definitely had to be converted to the new standard - otherwise they would look flat grey/white instead of silver.

 

For whatever reason B-17 has been left by ED outdated / incompatible in this regard. 

 

In the meantime experienced skinners have been doing various voodo-sh..t to get proper aluminium look on their custom skins and they succeeded, but it requires replacing (read: modding) some stock ED files, with all resulting consequences: modded content will get overwritten back to crap stock version whenever game updates (unless you use mod manager like OvGME, OMM, JSGME), there might be IC problems when connecting to multiplayer servers etc., etc.

 

How to fix it the easiest way? As said above, for official content, ED would have to wake up and update their model first, but if they don't, or if you don't mind modding the game yourself, Warlord64 posted his edited version of a relevant json file over here:

https://forum.dcs.world/topic/319116-specular-reflectivity-from-brushed-to-mirror-effect/

 

Follow his instructions (replace that single stock json file with a modded one) and this is how default skin will already start looking like. Much nicer, ain't it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks @Art-J. Keefy's (Warlord64's) solution is, by far, the easiest to apply and, as ever, demonstrates his usual common sense and helpfulness. The next step is to adjust some of the highly mirrored skins and work out exactly how to paint the prop hub caps as most seem to use a stock unpainted version. Ive seen some nice skins with the voodoo roughmets applied but they dont play nice without a lot of faff. Long time since I booted up gimp and its a step beyond my patience at present. 

 

It is the most bizarre skinning competion idea I think. Even by ED's sometimes disfunctional standards.

[SCG_motoadve]

8 hours ago, [DBS]Tx_Tip said:

 

Two excellent Bat turns, no red out and possibly G-defying maneuvering. You're right, DCS 47 is a real killer. Multiplayer or just an AI honcho?

Multiplayer, human pilot (I wish AI was this good in any game  )

Yes the P47 its really good in DCS performs well and its sturdy and durable , like the a good reputation it had in real life.

[Gambit21]

Yes ED made the proper Jug we sorely needed. 

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

P47 is one of my favorite allied fighters. Has a certain appeal to it, big and sturdy. And firepower in abundance. A workhorse. Need to get back to flying again

Edited July 20, 2023 by LLv34_Flanker
Typos

[dburne]

I will have to give the Jug a try soon in DCS. I tried it in IL-2 and did not care for it much.

 

[Lusekofte]

2 hours ago, dburne said:

I will have to give the Jug a try soon in DCS. I tried it in IL-2 and did not care for it much.

 

It is a different beast in DCS. Climb better but not compared to p 51 witch is correct. It feel heavy but powerful. I love it. Probably my favorite. Mostly because it is beautiful 

[Picchio]

18 hours ago, BOO said:

 

It is the most bizarre skinning competion idea I think. Even by ED's sometimes disfunctional standards.

 

The screenshot contest going on in this neighbourhood seems close enough to me, with its unlimited number of entries per user... ?

But yes, the thread discussing those skinning problems had its surreal (multilingual, even!) moments...

The skins being showed there look great, but what I really wondered was why the contest was even made.

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by Picchio

[Trooper117]

2 hours ago, Picchio said:

I really wondered was why the contest was even made.

 

Well, it gives people something to do... 

[Art-J]

The contest idea in itself is brilliant. If ED is understaffed (or can't be arsed) to do multiple skins for flyable or AI planes, there are plenty of talented folks in the comunity who will happily assist for free (well, almost free, but giving away a couple of licenses as winner prizes is obviously much cheaper for ED than hiring a full-time artist). Similar contests worked very well before for Kurfy, Anton, Jug, Mossie and some of the modern aircraft modules. B-17 with only one single default skin available desperately needed such a contest as well and so we have it now.

 

The "only" problem this time is - neither the official template, nor the model are up to date and suitable for good NM finish skins - which were the most common ones for the -G version. And that's indeed a bit absurd.

[BOO]

The failure to update is also leading to at least 3 ways (as ar as I can see) to skin a cat (or a B17) that are all mutually exclusive. So rather than expanding the livery options available you have to back a horse or forget the whole thing and use older skins and Keefy's fix. 

 

 

[BOO]

Spent a few hours on Saturday working out the B17 skins. Through a process of taking what Iiked/wanted from one skin folder (props and wheel DDSs mainly) and placing it in anoither with an edited Lua file and a bit of rough and ready colour alteration of the spec maps on the more shiney skins I got an acceptable set of painted and NM skins that use Keefy's mod well. 

 

Upshot is that I then went to create a few sandox scenarios using the Normandy 2.0 map. Wasnt inpressed by it on release but Im assuming a bit of work has been done since launch as it looks a lot better tone wise now. Which is great because the detail  work done to give the airfields life on this map is brilliant.

 

Another quick question if I may   - do the Freya and Wurzburg radars work? 

 

 

 

 

[Picchio]

1 hour ago, BOO said:

Wasnt inpressed by it on release but Im assuming a bit of work has been done since launch as it looks a lot better tone wise now. Which is great because the detail  work done to give the airfields life on this map is brilliant.

 

Can't comment on radars, but have you tried Barthek's "Dry Summer"? See here: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/248155-vivid-normandy-20-by-barthek/

It's a bit "cliché" perhaps, but I'd say that it really conveys a realistic, summer-like feeling (at least when compared to the couple of videos suggested by the commenters in that thread).

Now we only need Taz to overhaul the trees.

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Picchio

[BOO]

52 minutes ago, Picchio said:

 

Can't comment on radars, but have you tried Barthek's "Dry Summer"? See here: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/248155-vivid-normandy-20-by-barthek/

It's a bit "cliché" perhaps, but I'd say that it really conveys a realistic, summer-like feeling (at least when compared to the couple of videos suggested by the commenters in that thread).

Now we only need Taz to overhaul the trees.

 

Thanks. Ive used a lot of the mods over the years but all have something that jar with me (but most were for the Caucauses which has meh ground tiles and a whole host of 2D low rez building sploches to start with). I'll look up this one though as Barthek's work is always well judged. To be clear though, I think it looks pretty good already, perhaps just needing me to alter the gamma over other maps. Pretty hard to knock it for $10 given the detail work it brings. Id happily pay another $10 or $20 to them if they wrestled the Assest pack off ED and expanded it though i know many would raise hell if they were asked to pay more again. 

 

With Taz's work I use the medium tone low rez trees when using Helos but find they tile noticably when seen from altitude (again Caucauses). Thankfully its easy to swap them in and out using OvGME and i always know what ill be doing before i start DCS. 

[Picchio]

3 hours ago, BOO said:

Thanks. Ive used a lot of the mods over the years but all have something that jar with me (but most were for the Caucauses which has meh ground tiles and a whole host of 2D low rez building sploches to start with). I'll look up this one though as Barthek's work is always well judged. To be clear though, I think it looks pretty good already, perhaps just needing me to alter the gamma over other maps. Pretty hard to knock it for $10 given the detail work it brings. Id happily pay another $10 or $20 to them if they wrestled the Assest pack off ED and expanded it though i know many would raise hell if they were asked to pay more again. 

 

With Taz's work I use the medium tone low rez trees when using Helos but find they tile noticably when seen from altitude (again Caucauses). Thankfully its easy to swap them in and out using OvGME and i always know what ill be doing before i start DCS. 

 

Caucasus is perhaps too old for mods to improve certain aspects.

I agree that Taz's trees are not perfect but IMHO they are so much better than default ones, I really don't like the way DCS uses the Speedtree tech (not to mention that Normandy doesn't have any sort of appropriate texture for undergrowth and trees don't blend at all with the landscape). Awful LODS switching, terrible aliasing, lighting glitches when sun is low... ?

Almost everything else is fantastic.

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Picchio

[BOO]

8 hours ago, Picchio said:

 

Caucasus is perhaps too old for mods to improve certain aspects.

I agree that Taz's trees are not perfect but IMHO they are so much better than default ones, I really don't like the way DCS uses the Speedtree tech (not to mention that Normandy doesn't have any sort of appropriate texture for undergrowth and trees don't blend at all with the landscape). Awful LODS switching, terrible aliasing, lighting glitches when sun is low... ?

Almost everything else is fantastic.

 

Aw - you've ruined it now - there was i making pretty pastoral airfield scenes...:-)

[Lusekofte]

I don’t know, but Caucasus got the best campaigns for my mi8. 
in fact the only map that got them. That might be the reason for that old map being my favorite. Nevada has for some reason become my major playground for Gazelle and Huey. 

[BOO]

1 hour ago, Lusekofte said:

I don’t know, but Caucasus got the best campaigns for my mi8. 
in fact the only map that got them. That might be the reason for that old map being my favorite. Nevada has for some reason become my major playground for Gazelle and Huey. 

I think that’s the rub. If I were a campaign maker I’d certainly have one eye on how wide a potential audience I could reach. So the free map is always going to be a consideration if I could get away with it. And the hip fits the location. 

[Lusekofte]

Coming home tomorrow, and leave for what can be 6 weeks away if unlucky coming Sunday. I have a difficult priority to do. 
Fly the new patched Gazelle? Or Comanche in msfs? Friday will be GB coop or server with mates. What to choose for Thursday and Saturday will be the hard one 

[Hoots]

7 hours ago, Lusekofte said:

Coming home tomorrow, and leave for what can be 6 weeks away if unlucky coming Sunday. I have a difficult priority to do. 
Fly the new patched Gazelle? Or Comanche in msfs? Friday will be GB coop or server with mates. What to choose for Thursday and Saturday will be the hard one 

Tough decisions Luse, but sounds like a good dilemma to have

[BOO]

20 hours ago, Lusekofte said:

Coming home tomorrow, and leave for what can be 6 weeks away if unlucky coming Sunday. I have a difficult priority to do. 
Fly the new patched Gazelle? Or Comanche in msfs? Friday will be GB coop or server with mates. What to choose for Thursday and Saturday will be the hard one 

Go Comanche!!!

 

Whilst the Gazelle is re-coded, the Comache seems to be bringing a whole new experience to MSFS. Seems theres some faffing about to do with the gazelle controller wise to. With limited time, the Comache means more flying and less tinkering and, in MSFS, anywhere you want.  

 

Though, if it were me....Id still go fly the hip.....

[Trooper117]

Luse, you need to be staring death in the face type of flying, not swanning about site seeing... 

[Lusekofte]

2 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

Luse, you need to be staring death in the face type of flying, not swanning about site seeing... 

Well msfs , DCS , Gb 

I pretty much ending up the same way, 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Lusekofte

[DD_Fenrir]