DCS World 2023 and Beyond
Discussion
Just spotted the latest vid from Eagle Dynamics for DCS and I must say I have goose bumps!
I've been playing on and off since the start of lockdown where I spent my not going out time learning to fly an F16 Viper. Still amazed by how good the engine looks and how indepth everything is.
Currently trying to tame the Russian Hind but it seems to just shout russian at me before turning into a big fire ball
I've been playing on and off since the start of lockdown where I spent my not going out time learning to fly an F16 Viper. Still amazed by how good the engine looks and how indepth everything is.
Currently trying to tame the Russian Hind but it seems to just shout russian at me before turning into a big fire ball
MikeGTi said:
I'm excited for not being able to fly the F4 and F15 when they're released
I am glad I am not the only one. I see videos and think "wow that looks so cool, I want some of that" and then remember I have two kids and a full time job so I am lucky if I learn to turn the bloody engines on There is a DCS thread running here if you are interested.
It is certainly one game which requires a lot of time investing, especially if you want to do it properly. Remember, these are full fidelity simulators, and for the people doing it for real, it is a full time job to stay current and effective. However, it is still possible to learn a module in a weekend, and map minimal controls if you want a more casual experience. There are plenty of very good, but more basic 2nd or 3rd gen modules like the F-86, F-5, or even trainers like the new MB-339 which have much simpler systems, but you can still hang ordnance and make things go boom, without a 600-page manual and endless reference material like the Viper, Hornet, Apache, etc.
I'm most hyped about the Mud Hen and the Kiowa. The Phantom falls into the same category as the Tomcat (and 2-seat helicopters), in that you really need a second human player to make the best of it. At least the Mud Hen can do pretty much everything from each seat. I think the Phantom will be a fantastic module, but I doubt I'll use it for much more than pleasure flights and dumb bombing.
The C-130 and CH-47 are going to be worthwhile additions when the new dynamic campaign engine is launched, as Ukraine is showing, logistics is an incredibly important element of warfare, and though less glamourous than the pointy fast stuff, I have a feeling virtual wars will be won and lost with these two new modules.
It is certainly one game which requires a lot of time investing, especially if you want to do it properly. Remember, these are full fidelity simulators, and for the people doing it for real, it is a full time job to stay current and effective. However, it is still possible to learn a module in a weekend, and map minimal controls if you want a more casual experience. There are plenty of very good, but more basic 2nd or 3rd gen modules like the F-86, F-5, or even trainers like the new MB-339 which have much simpler systems, but you can still hang ordnance and make things go boom, without a 600-page manual and endless reference material like the Viper, Hornet, Apache, etc.
I'm most hyped about the Mud Hen and the Kiowa. The Phantom falls into the same category as the Tomcat (and 2-seat helicopters), in that you really need a second human player to make the best of it. At least the Mud Hen can do pretty much everything from each seat. I think the Phantom will be a fantastic module, but I doubt I'll use it for much more than pleasure flights and dumb bombing.
The C-130 and CH-47 are going to be worthwhile additions when the new dynamic campaign engine is launched, as Ukraine is showing, logistics is an incredibly important element of warfare, and though less glamourous than the pointy fast stuff, I have a feeling virtual wars will be won and lost with these two new modules.
I'm very glad something like this exists, but I simply can't be bothered to put in the effort.
MSFS gives you the opportunity to go as deep as you want to go, from starting on the runway using a Xbox controller to doing a full checklist and following every procedure. Something similar for this would get me to invest.
I know some of the aircraft do have arcade settings, but the ones I've sampled were pretty dire, graphics aside.
MSFS gives you the opportunity to go as deep as you want to go, from starting on the runway using a Xbox controller to doing a full checklist and following every procedure. Something similar for this would get me to invest.
I know some of the aircraft do have arcade settings, but the ones I've sampled were pretty dire, graphics aside.
bloomen said:
I'm very glad something like this exists, but I simply can't be bothered to put in the effort.
MSFS gives you the opportunity to go as deep as you want to go, from starting on the runway using a Xbox controller to doing a full checklist and following every procedure. Something similar for this would get me to invest.
I know some of the aircraft do have arcade settings, but the ones I've sampled were pretty dire, graphics aside.
I spend a lot of time overseas and it is amazing how effective you can make a humble Xbox controller in DCS. This is an early version of my Viper button mapping:MSFS gives you the opportunity to go as deep as you want to go, from starting on the runway using a Xbox controller to doing a full checklist and following every procedure. Something similar for this would get me to invest.
I know some of the aircraft do have arcade settings, but the ones I've sampled were pretty dire, graphics aside.
The same thing adapted for one of the simpler full-fidelity modules is an ideal starting point for little initial investment.
Ye gods 
I started my flight sim journey with Psion Flight Sim on the Spectrum, so to be watching in game footage which at times genuinely had me wondering if they'd just sneaked in some real-world clips, and where even the stuff which you can still tell is CGI is now so far beyond what any of us would have dared to dream might be possible back in those early days, makes me want to magic up the extra hours in the day I'd need to be able to properly get back into the hobby having set it aside once my spare time got consumed with becoming a father.
Maybe one day I'll be able to get the modded Cougar out of storage and remind myself what it feels like to have my hands on a sidestick and throttle again, rather than a PS4 controller. And until then I'll just keep myself content by watching videos like this and reminding myself just how far we've come...
I started my flight sim journey with Psion Flight Sim on the Spectrum, so to be watching in game footage which at times genuinely had me wondering if they'd just sneaked in some real-world clips, and where even the stuff which you can still tell is CGI is now so far beyond what any of us would have dared to dream might be possible back in those early days, makes me want to magic up the extra hours in the day I'd need to be able to properly get back into the hobby having set it aside once my spare time got consumed with becoming a father. Maybe one day I'll be able to get the modded Cougar out of storage and remind myself what it feels like to have my hands on a sidestick and throttle again, rather than a PS4 controller. And until then I'll just keep myself content by watching videos like this and reminding myself just how far we've come...
twister said:
Ye gods I started my flight sim journey with Psion Flight Sim on the Spectrum, so to be watching in game footage which at times genuinely had me wondering if they'd just sneaked in some real-world clips, and where even the stuff which you can still tell is CGI is now so far beyond what any of us would have dared to dream might be possible back in those early days, makes me want to magic up the extra hours in the day I'd need to be able to properly get back into the hobby having set it aside once my spare time got consumed with becoming a father.
Maybe one day I'll be able to get the modded Cougar out of storage and remind myself what it feels like to have my hands on a sidestick and throttle again, rather than a PS4 controller. And until then I'll just keep myself content by watching videos like this and reminding myself just how far we've come...
Amazing isn't it. This is where I started in 1985: I started my flight sim journey with Psion Flight Sim on the Spectrum, so to be watching in game footage which at times genuinely had me wondering if they'd just sneaked in some real-world clips, and where even the stuff which you can still tell is CGI is now so far beyond what any of us would have dared to dream might be possible back in those early days, makes me want to magic up the extra hours in the day I'd need to be able to properly get back into the hobby having set it aside once my spare time got consumed with becoming a father. Maybe one day I'll be able to get the modded Cougar out of storage and remind myself what it feels like to have my hands on a sidestick and throttle again, rather than a PS4 controller. And until then I'll just keep myself content by watching videos like this and reminding myself just how far we've come...
Currently got too many modules and this year I guess a few more will be added!
Looking forward to the Chinook, I like helicopters as it opens up lots of interesting scenarios.
For those who mentioned key bind for your joysticks, do a search for Chucks guides - that guy has produced truly excellent free guides for most of the modules including what you need mapped to your controller (granted it’s for the the Thrustmaster warthog but could still be helpful for other hotas systems.
Looking forward to the Chinook, I like helicopters as it opens up lots of interesting scenarios.
For those who mentioned key bind for your joysticks, do a search for Chucks guides - that guy has produced truly excellent free guides for most of the modules including what you need mapped to your controller (granted it’s for the the Thrustmaster warthog but could still be helpful for other hotas systems.
The newer Western/US jets like the F-16, F/A-18 etc. are fantastically complex beasts. I've been playing for a couple of years, couple of times a week at most and mostly focusing on the 18 and still feel like I'm only scratching the surface. Also doesn't help that most modules are released as "early access" so just as you feel you're starting to get the hang of it they go and implement some new features and you're back a couple of steps.
The older stuff like the F-5E Tiger and all the stuff in Flaming Cliffs 3 module (F-15C, A-10A, MiG-29, Su-25, Su-27 and Su-33) have far less steep learning curves, still plenty to get your teeth into or as a stepping stone before moving on to the more complex modules.
ETA - not sure if it's been mentioned here but the Chuck's Guides site for DCS has extremely handy "getting started" guides for most of the currently available modules, including suggested control mappings which should be mostly applicable to any decent HOTAS setup. The guides can be downloaded in PDF format so you can have them open on another computer/screen/an iPad etc. while you play DCS - https://chucksguides.com/
The older stuff like the F-5E Tiger and all the stuff in Flaming Cliffs 3 module (F-15C, A-10A, MiG-29, Su-25, Su-27 and Su-33) have far less steep learning curves, still plenty to get your teeth into or as a stepping stone before moving on to the more complex modules.
ETA - not sure if it's been mentioned here but the Chuck's Guides site for DCS has extremely handy "getting started" guides for most of the currently available modules, including suggested control mappings which should be mostly applicable to any decent HOTAS setup. The guides can be downloaded in PDF format so you can have them open on another computer/screen/an iPad etc. while you play DCS - https://chucksguides.com/
Edited by 8bit on Monday 9th January 15:51
kowalski655 said:
I've just seen if you want a less involved,and a LOT cheaper (£4), F-16, then Falcon 4.0 BMS now has a VR update! Not bad for a 24 year old game. This one also has a dynamic campaign.
Just needs VR for Cliffs of Dover now, and that's coming soon
From what I’ve heard about Falcon 4 you may find it’s even more evolved !Just needs VR for Cliffs of Dover now, and that's coming soon
Also have my original box in the loft somewhere !
Falcon BMS 4.37 VR update is welcome news. I wondered which would happen first, VR in BMS, or dynamic campaign in DCS. BMS won, but the VR interface is a lot less polished, and doesn't feel quite right compared with DCS. The key mapping seems more limited too which will make VR hard work. I've loved the Falcon series since the early days and I really want to love BMS, but there are still too many issues for me to abandon DCS for it. A fantastic effort for a bunch of part-timers, and for them to give it away effectively free one must try not to be too critical, but DCS still has the edge for me. That's not to say BMS couldn't show it a thing or two, the campaign, selection of theatres, radio comms, for example are way better than DCS.
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