DCS

[Lusekofte]

Well space is critical after this update. I had to uninstall GB and SA map in order to squeeze the update and Afghanistan map. 

[DD_fruitbat]

Flying around TK (Tarinkot),

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tarinkot base,

 

 

 

 

Camp Bastion,

 

 

Kandahar,

 

 

 

l

[Gambit21]

I've been working on a Kandahar randomized airfield template for weeks now. Still nowhere near done.

 

So randomized flight spawns, taxi, takeoff etc. Will never be the same twice, includes vehicles, helos etc.

 

I took the official Hook out for now and replaced with AI G model.

I won't be able to post pics here once the F is back in.

 

 

Based on actual unit dispositions in 2009 or so. Since the actual airfield layout is later (2015'ish) some extrapolation (making $hit up) will have to happen for some ramps.

[DD_fruitbat]

Talking of the hook,.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2024 by DD_fruitbat

[BOO]

Map looks great but I wish they would extend the grass/clutter from where its been stuck for years. Its far too short a distance for low level play and, as an ever present feature on the arid maps, the bush and rock fade is awful. 

[Gambit21]

2 hours ago, BOO said:

Map looks great but I wish they would extend the grass/clutter from where its been stuck for years. Its far too short a distance for low level play and, as an ever present feature on the arid maps, the bush and rock fade is awful. 

?

 

(Ah nevermind, I know what you mean now)

Edited July 13, 2024 by Gambit21

[DD_fruitbat]

1 hour ago, BOO said:

Map looks great but I wish they would extend the grass/clutter from where its been stuck for years. Its far too short a distance for low level play and, as an ever present feature on the arid maps, the bush and rock fade is awful. 

 

I respectfully disagree.... After flying around on it lastnight with @DD_Friar who was in Apache (myself in of course the Kiowa) for some time, sight seeing, we saw so many opportunities for missions for Helicopters. So many cool compounds and features to make missions with. Is it perfect, no, of course not. I do understand your point about the draw distance for grass and trees, I hope one day that it is a customable feature, particularly for trees.  But  frankly there also has to be a cut of point between what I want, and when my computer will tell me to f#ck off. Its pretty close to telling me that already.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think Microsoft looks as good as this down low, and certainly can't think of anything else that does either,

 

 

Spot the obvious mistake where I go just a fraction lower than I intended.

 

Did I mention before, I really love flying the Kiowa, just checking!

[Lusekofte]

I see lots of opportunities here for choppers but the mountains looks like styrofoam at low level. When landing it is great. But the elevation looks really bad. Idk. I am very disappointed by that. 

[Gambit21]

2 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

 

I respectfully disagree.... After flying around on it lastnight with @DD_Friar who was in Apache (myself in of course the Kiowa) for some time, sight seeing, we saw so many opportunities for missions for Helicopters. So many cool compounds and features to make missions with. Is it perfect, no, of course not. I do understand your point about the draw distance for grass and trees, I hope one day that it is a customable feature, particularly for trees.  But  frankly there also has to be a cut of point between what I want, and when my computer will tell me to f#ck off. Its pretty close to telling me that already.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think Microsoft looks as good as this down low, and certainly can't think of anything else that does either,

 

 

Spot the obvious mistake where I go just a fraction lower than I intended.

 

Did I mention before, I really love flying the Kiowa, just checking!

Where it looks good (and those areas are significant) it looks really, REALLY good!

 

My concern which I’ve voiced is that more remote areas, mountains, valleys…places we want to also operate in, look just as good. 

I should be able to resupply an ODA in a remote valley or on a mountain and it should look as good as anything else on the map. This is what I’m counting on. 

[BOO]

14 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

 

I respectfully disagree.... After flying around on it lastnight with @DD_Friar who was in Apache (myself in of course the Kiowa) for some time, sight seeing, we saw so many opportunities for missions for Helicopters. So many cool compounds and features to make missions with. Is it perfect, no, of course not. I do understand your point about the draw distance for grass and trees, I hope one day that it is a customable feature, particularly for trees.  But  frankly there also has to be a cut of point between what I want, and when my computer will tell me to f#ck off. Its pretty close to telling me that already.

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think Microsoft looks as good as this down low, and certainly can't think of anything else that does either,

 

 

To clarify, I have no issues with the map, at least around the populated areas. My "meh" is soley the draw distance of shrubs which I think is more a throwback to choices made when DCS only had the Caucauses and we used potatoes to play it. 

 

After some more playing about it isnt the grass/clutter distance but rather the selected render distance for the shrubs and bushes in comparison to other trees. It would seem that this is set likley globally rather than per map. So where is might have once made sense in a heavily forrested map like the Caucauses, where shubs are used more to provide an impression of dense cover in the forests, it makes less sense in arrid maps where trees are few and far between and the shrubs take precedent. Everything shub wise is factored down including LOD distance. Reduce tress visibilty and the shrubs take a hit as well even though they are already cut well  within vewing distance unlike the trees. I just dont think they need to be hobbled in this way anymore. 

 

EDIT  - now that ive had a little time with the map I have to say that outside of the populated areas its not very good at present. I've bought it now so I'll see what develops but, like a fews others have said, here and there, its all a bit "MSFS".  Some of that though had to also do with shrub draw distance as its culling stuff that would give those low res terrain tiles some much needed je ne sais quoi (though it wouldnt help the mountains). Im left with the impresson that map making in DCS has taken something of a wrong turn at present in choosing quanity over quality. 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2024 by BOO

[Lusekofte]

There are issues with this map. For me liking mountains I still like Caucasus best. SA and Kola due to its green textures come off as better. But this map got potential if they stop saying handmade parts of it is finished.  And just smooth out the edges. 
For me seeing myself back in the eighties flying for USSR flying my beloved Mi 8 or Hind, populated areas  is of less interest. For US oriented focus I guess you can say urban operations are more likely. 

Edited July 14, 2024 by Lusekofte

[Gambit21]

On 7/14/2024 at 6:30 AM, Lusekofte said:

There are issues with this map. For me liking mountains I still like Caucasus best. SA and Kola due to its green textures come off as better. But this map got potential if they stop saying handmade parts of it is finished.  And just smooth out the edges. 
For me seeing myself back in the eighties flying for USSR flying my beloved Mi 8 or Hind, populated areas  is of less interest. For US oriented focus I guess you can say urban operations are more likely. 

Nah - there’s all sorts of ODA (Green Berets) Delta, Seals, Ranger infil/exfil, resupply, etc etc not to mention 101st ops that happen out in remote areas.

Not to mention Marines.

 

That said, yes there’s a lot of opportunities for closer in “door kicking” etc and the detail level is outstanding in these (so far) developed areas of the map.

[Lusekofte]

What worries me the most is that this is what we can expect in the future. MSFS style maps. Basically killing the immersion for choppers 

And prebuying a map will be for most dedicated fans. I for one stop now doing that. I can’t justify this decline in quality the map represent. It is the way for global mapping. 
In witch I personally see no use for. 

[BOO]

Perhaps the future is an MSFS style marketplace where habndcrafted FOBs and FARPs are paid for DLCs and all this is just bit of market research to discover how easily we can be parted with our money? 

 

Whatever the current situation is, its a change of stance from ED. Once was the time that they gave us maps without suiatable aircraft, now we have the aircraft without suitable maps. 

[Gambit21]

Anyone test out the Kola snow yet? Downloading the map now - will take a while. I’m thinking March - April should be good

 

[LuftManu]

1 hour ago, Gambit21 said:

Anyone test out the Kola snow yet? Downloading the map now - will take a while. I’m thinking March - April should be good

 

I did! I love it

There is a ton of mountains, valleys etc. And it has a feeling of coldness and such that I like.

 

I have to admit that I have a sweet spot for northern Europe maps and this one looks awesome. I am a little bit tired of sand so this is a great (very fresh) air

 

 

 

Kind regards!

[Lusekofte]

4 hours ago, LuftManu said:

love it

Yes the winter clothing suites this map. 
I kind of expect population will happen. I was planning to do something at my hometown. But can’t say it out loud. Out of context it might get me in trouble

Anyway. Mountains are nice in winter but I kind of disagree with lowland. It simply to little snow. I live here and it looks like late spring to me

Edited July 20, 2024 by Lusekofte

[Gambit21]

Was my theory correct that snow textures hold up better at low level?

[BOO]

11 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

Anyone test out the Kola snow yet? Downloading the map now - will take a while. I’m thinking March - April should be good

 

 

It looks better but its doesnt fully hide the fuzzy felt feel. Kola, SA and Halfghanstinstan are sill Fighter Jock and DHL delivery  maps to me. In the towns and from alt they look great but low down everying it still jelly mold with blurry painted on details. The new map making process is a negative for Helos right now. 

[DD_fruitbat]

8 hours ago, BOO said:

 

It looks better but its doesnt fully hide the fuzzy felt feel. Kola, SA and Halfghanstinstan are sill Fighter Jock and DHL delivery  maps to me. In the towns and from alt they look great but low down everying it still jelly mold with blurry painted on details. The new map making process is a negative for Helos right now. 

 

Having spent a lot of hours flying helos on the Caucuses, Persian Gulf and Syria as well, I don't see much difference, can find exactly the things you speak of on all DCS maps if you go looking for them. Generally, I'm not sue what people are expecting really.

Edited July 21, 2024 by DD_fruitbat

[BOO]

2 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

 

Having spent a lot of hours flying helos on the Caucuses, Persian Gulf and Syria as well, I don't see much difference, can find exactly the things you speak of on all DCS maps if you go looking for them. Generally, I'm not sue what people are expecting really.

 

Probably too much but also probably understandble given the hype ED gave to its revamped terrain tech. 

[DD_fruitbat]

Granted, I didn't track to much what ED said about its revamped terrain tech, other than catching the comments about better 3d meshes for the new maps. I may well of missed what else they said.

 

However, the mountains in the Afghanistan map are way better in regards to 3d meshes than earlier maps imo, so since that's all I was expecting,  I'm okay with this.

 

 

[Gambit21]

14 hours ago, BOO said:

 

It looks better but its doesnt fully hide the fuzzy felt feel. Kola, SA and Halfghanstinstan are sill Fighter Jock and DHL delivery  maps to me. In the towns and from alt they look great but low down everying it still jelly mold with blurry painted on details. The new map making process is a negative for Helos right now. 

 

Helos is what I'm primarily concerned with. 

Hopefully it get's better. 

Fuzzy, zoomed in sat imagery looks terrible down low...that goes for everywhere that it exists.  

 

Afghanistan is looking promising

[Gambit21]

 

 

Screenie speaks for itself.

Back to Afghanistan.

 

 

[Lusekofte]

I find very good spots and textures in Kola map. SA has improved a lot. But the color of the texture in Afghanistan map make it very fugly. 
It is the less flattering color that make mountain look like styrofoam there. But one are beating a dead horse here. I will not invest in any new map , I keep myself to what I got. This msfs inspired map crap is not for me. I was considering upgrading my pc but the way all cfs evolve right now I think a big brake from it all are in place. 
 

[Gambit21]

Afghanistan is going to take shape, and the developed areas are looking outstanding.

So I have high hopes/expectations for that map. Kola is destined to be uninstalled shortly I think.

2 day download. 

[Lusekofte]

I did not intend to buy Afghanistan. But I was asked to do so for some testing. 
I find it adequate to own. With miles it only cost 12 buck’s. 
But everything is a periodic. Right now for next two years I got little to look forward to in this hobby, if not msfs 24 rock my boat. 20 was in my opinion a continuously download and troubleshooting. With planes not maintained in sync with all those patches. 
Korea is to me a no go. Sort of what Afghanistan is for me. Does not appeal. 
It’s going to be same old stuff like clod and DCs choppers for a while now. And my old rig can do that

[Gambit21]

1 hour ago, Lusekofte said:

I did not intend to buy Afghanistan. But I was asked to do so for some testing. 
I find it adequate to own. With miles it only cost 12 buck’s. 
But everything is a periodic. Right now for next two years I got little to look forward to in this hobby, if not msfs 24 rock my boat. 20 was in my opinion a continuously download and troubleshooting. With planes not maintained in sync with all those patches. 
Korea is to me a no go. Sort of what Afghanistan is for me. Does not appeal. 
It’s going to be same old stuff like clod and DCs choppers for a while now. And my old rig can do that

 

 

I think the scenes are outstanding. Far and away better than anything I see on the Kola map.

That's my Chinook parked off in the distance there. (AI D model for the moment)

 

I just see so many places/possibilities for missions in these environments. 

Makes me want to learn the Apache.

 

 

 

I want CIA crew for the  Mi-8.

[BOO]

Im not sure if I've had a bump to the head but I am starting to warm to the Afghanistan map. Cerainly moreso than Kola and, like Gambit, I foresee Kola getting the heave-ho. Its far from perfect, especially in the hills and mountains, but its not Kola jarring. Using the Techicolor 3 filter in the settings helps a little for me too. 

 

How much I can ultimately live with the 2010 "bush pop" and the still woeful shadow tech will dictate how I use the map and I am still a very "meh" when I come across a  streak of aqua coloured sand that its clearly a flowing river in RL.  But at least I am likely to use it, unlike Kola. 

[Lusekofte]

Well. It is always the campaigns that decide my purchase on map

If I like the chinook my guess is I gravitate towards all Afghanistan map 

Because I bet all chinook campaign gonna be there. Kola at least Norway bit of it is excellent for me. 

[Gambit21]

Anyone fly the Apache?

Waiting for the Chinook to mature, and with my baby (the AH-1W) not here yet, and working on the Afghanistan map template (which can be used for any aircraft)…I’m feeling an itch to fly the Apache. On the other hand I feel like I’m going to get 5 min into a systems/workflow tutorial and have my Hornet “who has time for this” reaction. Have any of you stuck with it beyond the new toy novelty stage?

[DD_Crash]

I think Fruitbat does, if you can get him out of his new toy

[Lusekofte]

I fly AH 64 

It is a bit tedious setting up controls 

but it is pretty easy to operate pilot seat. But I feel like cheating letting Georg blast away the hellfire. 
Startup is easy. Once out of ground effect it is easy to fly. Easiest machine to start up. If you keep away from front seat it is easy. It is easy to set up waypoints or target points in nav setup. But personally I favor the Kiowa. It got an easy ai pilot and even easier system. And fly like a dream. And it got cool weapons

Edited July 23, 2024 by Lusekofte

[DD_fruitbat]

4 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

Anyone fly the Apache?

Waiting for the Chinook to mature, and with my baby (the AH-1W) not here yet, and working on the Afghanistan map template (which can be used for any aircraft)…I’m feeling an itch to fly the Apache. On the other hand I feel like I’m going to get 5 min into a systems/workflow tutorial and have my Hornet “who has time for this” reaction. Have any of you stuck with it beyond the new toy novelty stage?

 

I do fly it indeed as Crash says. There's two other Dogz who do regularly too.

 

I like it, and as Luse says, once you've got the controls mapped that you actually need, its pretty easy to operate at a level of killing stuff. I'm pretty sure within an hour, I could teach you enough to use all 4 weapons and kill everything, its really really good at laying waste to a battlefield, and there is something really fun flying it and looking at something and pressing the delete button (the 30mm gun slaved to the IHADS)

 

If you want to fly from the front seat, its a lot more involved and I don't personally bother much, although I did learn it a while ago, I prefer to let George handle the TADS, me the flying, the radar and rockets and we share the gun.

 

If you want to hook up again, let me know and I can save you a ton of time, going from what needs to be mapped and what doesn't and get you putting warheads on foreheads 👍

 

I can be persuaded to get out of the Kiowa to help you!

Edited July 23, 2024 by DD_fruitbat

[Gambit21]

19 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

I do fly it indeed as Crash says. There's two other Dogz who do regularly too.

 

I like it, and as Luse says, once you've got the controls mapped that you actually need, its pretty easy to operate at a level of killing stuff. I'm pretty sure within an hour, I could teach you enough to use all 4 weapons and kill everything, its really really good at laying waste to a battlefield, and there is something really fun flying it and looking at something and pressing the delete button (the 30mm gun slaved to the IHADS)

 

If you want to fly from the front seat, its a lot more involved and I don't personally bother much, although I did learn it a while ago, I prefer to let George handle the TADS, me the flying, the radar and rockets and we share the gun.

 

If you want to hook up again, let me know and I can save you a ton of time, going from what needs to be mapped and what doesn't and get you putting warheads on foreheads 👍

 

I can be persuaded to get out of the Kiowa to help you!

 

That's all good stuff. Thank you.

For hassle and HD space reasons, I don't have the public build installed right now, although that may change - I'd love to get online with you again.

From your post I get the impression that I don't need to bind everything that Chuck necessarily tells me to bind.

 

I did download it yesterday, but still in the "hmm...should I start this?" position. 

The Apache is a very comms heavy environment in real life, so I'm not sure I want to attempt a campaign and having to replicate that (not even possible really) for practical/workload reasons. Seems like a great platform for online fun though.

[Lusekofte]

7 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

Seems like a great platform for online fun though.

Personally I am ambivalent towards it. It is kind of cool but since I don’t want to go into front office it feels like a cheat both in Hind and Apache telling those padawans to find a target and kill it. You basically just prioritise what he should kill. Hind demand a level of skills to fly I can relate to. 
KA 50 you do all things and you do it well. 
So I still haven’t decided if I like the Apache 
 

[Gambit21]

Wow - Apache is a handful. Not sure what I was expecting…this will take some getting used to.  

[Lusekofte]

@Gambit21

Sort your head. Of course easy flying depends on hardware you use. 
But the system is easy enough if you take it step by step. 
Me or @DD_fruitbat can start up the chopper and walk you thru it. Not even having to be in a server. Just communicating with Discord or Teamspeak. This way you will comprehend the system and technology in a heartbeat. Fruitbat might have a better time zone 

Edited July 26, 2024 by Lusekofte

[Gambit21]

Well I'm reaching out for Apache and Chinook SME's...we'll see how things shake out.

I'm definitely going to need pointers, so I'll take Kev on on this at some point without a doubt but I have get decent at flying it first. I have to get Public updated etc etc.

Luse if time zone works at some point, then maybe we can hook up as well. I know for the DD's a Sunday at 1pm (my time) seemed to work out great before. 

I was so outside of my body (being online for the first time in 20 years) that things didn't go so well...but I'll get past that I guess. lol

[BOO]

On 7/22/2024 at 7:25 PM, Gambit21 said:

 

 

Screenie speaks for itself.

Back to Afghanistan.

 

 

 

If that were me Id be so tempted to enter it in EDs screenshot competition.