ARM505

I've spent more than twenty years operating aircraft, and my experience in jets (airliners, specifically Boeing 737 and 777's) is that the ECS is the overriding noise in cockpit. It'll be even worse in a fighter. In airliners you can barely hear the engines, and of course I can't comment on engine and especially afterburner noise in fighters, but the aircon noise is very realistic (it would be from the packs in an airliner, when they're on, as well as the recirculation fans, if all the cockpit vents are open it sounds like a hairdryer - and we don't wear helmets or ear pro). It actually stood out to me in the F15E module when I started it up for the first time, 'ah, somebody has made it sound like reality!' We have variable vents, and you can close them to reduce the noise a bit. I can only imagine that the ECS in the F15 needs to very potent in a glass bubble canopy aircraft that regularly operate in extremely hot environments. It's not like this hasn't been discussed before either! The PMDG B737NG for MSFS's 'old style standby altimeter vibrator noise' stands out to me, with people firstly driving themselves mad trying to find what was making the noise (it's a 'company option' to select between the old style physical altimeter and the new style ISFD), then wanting an option to turn it off or down. In reality, the thing is just as irritating, and crews will simply pull the circuit breaker for the vibrator *cough* not me of course *cough*. tl;dr They might make it optional, but it's not like there aren't enough options to change it now already.

His is different because he's searched for the word 'castle' - but you can see which groups it appears in to the right, under the 'category' tab: in this case, the castle switch would be shown in both the Control Stick submenu, as well as the HOTAS submenu. So you should have been able to find it under either submenu, UNLESS there's some kind of issue with your installation, or some other issue/setting? For reference, mine also shows under both Control Stick, and HOTAS (the same as many other modules).

In the mission editor you can select whether you'll have access to the rear seat (the '2' key, as with all other modules) using the '...' menu option (on the right side of the menu options where you choose waypoints, loadout, radio frequencies, failures etc. I believe the relevant box is 'solo flight' but I could be wrong, that could be to lock other people out in multiplayer - in any case, there's an option there somewhere) VR or not, that isn't the issue - it's how the aircraft has been set up. When you put an F15E into a mission you generate, it defaults to allowing rear seat access. Obviously in the training missions, the rear seat has been locked out.

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, I again request the simple addition of a 'cancel' button on the 502: Bad gateway error window (or frankly any error on load), so we don't have to spend time waiting to load into the sim, see we've lost access to all our modules, quite out, retry, and if successful, reset the backdrop in the sim. Or if unsuccessful, repeat....

Refer to this thread: Basically anytime a new module get released, this happens. The F15E has just been released, so expect the usual problems until everybody has downloaded it.

Well, the secrets definitely out - "Error code 502 - bad gateway" and locked out of all modules, or whatever the usual error is. This was after updating DCS, then downloading the module. Luckily I got in on the next try. Now, to not exit the game..... ED, seriously. With every update and new module, each person has to log in and be authorised twice - once on the update, and again on the module download. That right there is unnecessary, and adds load to an apparently already overloaded system (if this problem is persisting, and my experience wasn't just a once off. Also, I again state that having the option to NOT load into the sim when the authorisation fails would be great, to avoid the needless load times. Anyway, TO THE COCKPIT!

4th 1!11!!111 Sorry, had to...... But yes, launch trailer is 11 minutes old on youtube as I type...bit of a giveaway

"Negative Ghostrider, the server is full", or something like that.... Yeah, that's a no go for me as well. "502, No saved authorization found." and all modules deactivated. So, my little contribution to this is PLEASE, can we have the option to 'CANCEL' the load (other than just click "OK") when authorisation fails, so we aren't forced to go through the whole loading and quitting out every. single. time. this balls up happens? Really painful, adding insult to injury. Edit: Ran a repair, restarted PC, then it worked (no idea if what I did helped, probably had nothing to do with it, but that was the end result) My comment above is still relevant - please let us 'cancel' (and not run DCS) if auth. fails, to avoid loading in and out of the game.

I have no idea why people pay for a preorder, then get all angry when the thing that never had a release date, where they explicitly state it won't have a release date, doesn't have a release date. It's out when it's out. Note to your future selves: Don't pay for a preorder, just go back to the game, play, chill, forget about everything that isn't already out. Enjoy what you have. You're not suited to preordering, so don't do it. It's fine, completely understandable. Preordering niche products isn't like preordering from AAA developers (which is crazy stupid, but that's another discussion). We only preorder to support the niche products. No other reason really. We otherwise gain absolutely nothing, except *maybe* a few dollars off the price. There is no advantage for the impatient to preorder. For those who've been playing this genre for decades, we've seen it before, and we're just happy to have the chance to see such amazing products in our lifetime. Maybe you haven't got that perspective yet, but I grew up in the time when the horizon was just a line on the screen, 48kb of RAM was what you had, and that was the terrain, full stop. If you're vulnerable to all the hype, create a bit of space for yourself so you don't get worked up about this, it's trivial.

I was impressed that the clock on Big Ben actually works...

That's exactly what I meant when I said "juggling custom mappings" (perhaps it didn't come out very clearly), but yes, I know that - as well as the spreadsheet that Scott-S6 mentioned (all very handy when the Mirage F1 came out, in fact I think it was the Mirage F1 that spurred that spreadsheet). But like you said, a bit of a faff, hence my desire to have it all done with a simple 'AB point' setting in the axis setup (Like that other software with BMS in the title - one click: idle cutoff, next click: AB, done).

Afternburner detents/gates/throttle travel is one area that the otherwise excellent DCS control bindings setup could be substantially improved. At the moment, every aircraft has separate key and axis binds - that's excellent. BUT, the point on the throttle axes that enters Afterburner is hard coded. For throttles with physical AB detents, this (at the moment) relies on pure luck for them to just happen to be the same. For most of the aircraft, this is fine, but there are exceptions. The Mirage F1 for example, on release didn't line up. Later they added the option to select the percentage at which AB was activated in the 'special' menu, but others don't have this. The FC3 Mig29 for example, will light up it's AB's before you reach the same point of throttle travel. So: What they should add, is an AB 'detent' line that can be set in the axis setup, per aircraft. Otherwise you have to resort to juggling custom mappings, which have the downside of creating non-linear throttle travel, and are a pain to adjust. The same can be said for creating custom axis ranges on your throttle software, or physically moving your detents (I have a Virpil CM3 throttle, I can loosen the screw, move the detent, and tighten, but why do this from aircraft to aircraft when a software solution per aircraft is really the answer?) Then we can talk about button mappings to 'push through' the gate etc, but it's a separate issue.

Me, I'll keep giving more of my money to ED, and less to Valve. But I acknowledge the business case of the mass market access.

Valid points. But something to note: 30% is a lot. While DCS may certainly benefit from the relationship with Valve, a 3rd party like Razbam may decide that they don't. As is the case here so far. DCS (the core) is already benefitting, they may decide that the rule of diminishing returns has been reached, and ride it as they can with what they think will be a popular product in any case. My perception is also biased as I used ED's launcher from the beginning, and was running sims since before the Flanker days, and have followed them since they existed - ie. not reliant on Steam, despite also liking Steams ease of use (put another way - I like sims, and I would have found ED, regardless of platform).

Oh, and while I'm at it (and I don't intend this to be a debate between the two, but I will chip in my personal experience, bearing in mind that I have 200+ games in Steam, but have used the ED launcher since it's birth) 1) Download rate via Steam is excellent, but unless an ED module has literally just been released within the hour, the P2P method of the ED launcher is also excellent. 2) Ok. Steam offers the refund within two hours (and no doubt other plusses), but since I've never, ever used any of this, I'm not sure how much of an advantage this is - with ED modules, I always know exactly what I'm buying, so it's hardly like I'll return them anyway. 3) Steam - two clicks. ED - enter CC details and pay. 20 seconds vs 60 seconds. Brutal. 4) DRM via Steam. DRM via ED. Offline modes available via both. I'm not sure what the practical difference is for you, the user. 5) Since this is a personal opinion, and I have no need to switch languages, this is irrelevant to me. 6) See point 2 - I've never refunded, either with Steam or attempted to with ED. 7) I fly on specific servers, not with specific people. The value of this point will vary wildy from person to person, for me it's value is zero. 8 ) Valid. If ED dies, I'm not sure the Steam version will work, but I'll accept that. If anybody bought the Steam version of the Hawk, let me know if it still works please. 9) Yes, most have Steam, as do I. Even so, the ED launcher is so unobtrusive that calling it 'annoying' is stretching my imagination to breaking point, but fine - different people have different tolerance for these things. 10) The discounts from miles and specials via ED have more than satisfied my need for 'cheap', and if ED and it's 3rd part devs get more, I'm fine with that. I'm struggling to believe that modules are cheaper on Steam (despite their cut) in general, but that's my problem because I lack the data. 11) Again, click on 'run DCS', game updates if updates are needed, or I run the deliberate update. Despite Steams ease of use, I have never, ever, been frustrated at DCS's launcher. 12) Irrelevant in the case of only using the ED launcher. tl;dr - my personal opinion. Others may find themselves in the same situation. It's not a 'cult', it's just logical. And again, if Steam is taking a cut, then it's less for ED and associated developers, so it is ENTIRELY logical if they decide that they cannot accept that cut, and not offer discounts on that platform. 100% logic.

For a niche product like simulators, I'm more than prepared to run one more launcher. As you say though, each to their own. However, I fully understand that in the case of this niche product, payment to a 3rd party, non-contributing (let's be real here) piece of software may produce adverse financial results to those who choose that option. You are paying for your (perceived) convenience. Again, just IMHO.

Random question: can Steam users migrate their existing modules etc. to the ED launcher/installation method? I've always used the ED launcher, and recommended its use to those who've asked me, exactly because of specials, pricing, access to latest patches/releases etc. and of course not having to divert money to a 3rd party other than ED. The ED launcher is quick, convenient, independant, and flexible. I don't know why people use Steam for this product, and I say this as somebody with 242 games in my Steam library, and having used it since the launch of Half Life 2. tl;dr - if there isn't a path for people to migrate from Steam to the basic ED install, their should be, and people should use it.

Purely for interest/histories sake, I'm curious how long the wrong price was up? 30 minutes, 10, 5, an hour? It'll be a cool little fact one day about the F15E preorder.

Frankly, 'source' or 'documents' don't matter all that much at this stage, because the fundamental underlying model that ED uses cannot incorporate changing RCS values based on anything at all (let alone the discrete parameters of aspect, stores, pylons etc). Why argue about values when the actual model can't really do anything with them, and everything is based on an arbitrary baseline number, with the focus being on relative averages? Unless I'm misunderstanding the core of this debate... A radar rework is a massive undertaking, involving all third party vendors etc - the sooner the better IMHO, but I don't even know if it's on the radar (ha ha, I see what you did there etc.)

From the recent patch notes (my bold): Engine: Flying backwards or having significant tail wind with RPM below 7000 might turn the engine off. Moving the throttle to idle before the RPM are above 300 may lead to fire or over-temperature due to accumulation of fuel faster than before (IMPORTANT). Engine stall can now be caused by moving the RPM back and forth too fast or engaging the afterburner at very high AoA or outside the flight envelope. Engine stall RPM oscillations are now less severe. Engine temperature in overspeed corrected to what is indicated in the manuals (<= 735 ºC). Engine starter sound starts 2 seconds earlier than before. Throttle is clickable now near idle detent position. When clicked it is set to idle cut-off position.

Sorry, off topic, but.....another South African spotted?!

You'd really need to look this up to get details - I'm not an expert by any means, but it's such a broad topic, depending on what class of racing you're talking about. The open, or unlimited class are HEAVILY modified, so to answer your question: They have strengthened components in nearly every part of the engine, anti-detonation mixture added to the intake charge, and boost pressure up to 150 inches of manifold pressure (nearly triple a stock P51), so you can imagine what needs to be done to handle this. You mentioned powerplant, so of course that's not going into the extensive airframe modifications as well. As I said, this is just off the top of my head, I'm only an 'interested observer', I'm sure somebody can go into details.

Now that I've actually run the new patch and observed the 'new' blur, the pixelated effect isn't actually visible unless you pause the sim. When unpaused, the effect moves too fast to really see? So....er......looks fine to me *shrugs* Until we get something like the WW2 prop effects.....

Photo's of the real thing bring up a critical point (IMHO) - do you want the sim to look like a photo, or movie, or like real life? Put another way, comparing photo's of the real life things blurred rotors to the animated in-sim blurred rotors doesn't necessarily help (IMHO). Having said that, we can't animate them at 100% real speed, so blurring is the way to go - it's just that photo's don't convey how we really see the rotor disk IRL. I hope I'm making my point well enough, it's a subtle thing. For example, compare DCS's current WW2 propeller graphical effects to MSFS 2020 - the difference is night and day. Despite having generally excellent graphics, FS2020's props look like they're out of the 1990's in terms of animation, whereas DCS props look brilliant. Or even older models in DCS that don't use the WW2 prop graphics. It's along similar lines IMHO. tl;dr - real rotor disks don't look like moving photos. Edit to add: I also get what the OP is saying, which is a separate point (that the new blur effect doesn't look as good, and is more pixelated than the old blur effect) so apologies if I'm off topic.

It's set up by default as a five state dial. Which I left it as. Frankly, there are already enough buttons that it becomes confusing enough moving between different aircraft, I didn't want to further add to the confusion. Secondly, the programming interface, while very powerful, becomes a little fiddly if you're going to add 'shifted' commands (and five states of them!) as well, since it's all done 'per button'. And it's not very intuitive at all for the more advanced settings like that. Youtube will provide I'm sure, but I didn't. All I did was add buttons in the axis range for the idle cutoff. So, idle cutoff and run, that's two virtual 'buttons' per throttle axis. That was enough for me. But, one tip: The two way red switches, of which there are four, are set up oddly from the factory - they are either 'on' or 'off' by default even though they have two 'physical' inputs as you'd expect - you might want to set them up as two button controls, ie. one input per position. Something to bear in mind. Once you get used to the idea of 'physical' vs 'output' buttons, and the way the software works, it's easier to understand. And then always remember to upload it to the device once you've made the change.