Jayhawk1971

Had the same (= same symptoms) freeze-crash again, when playing the "Fear the Bones" campaign, mission 8. That's the mission that always gave me troubles regarding freeze-crashes (the other missions in the campaign that I've reflown since 2.8 went without a hitch, also "Zone 5" is fine). Normally the game froze after the first engagement going feet wet, right about when a scripted radio message (and/or related event) was triggered. This time it was shortly before that first engagement, again right when a scripted radio call was triggered. Symptoms are: game freezes, and I get the SteamVR window saying "waiting....". A DCS window with a crash-log option ("send to ED") popped up. There has got be some sort of connection. Anyway, I've attached the crash log. I realize that my system is at or below the bare minimum specs, but other aircraft and other campaigns I've tried (with or without Tomcats) give me no trouble at all since 2.8. I did mess around with page file a little after the crash (set it to have windows handle it for my fastest drive, which is also the location of DCS), but have not gotten around to testing it yet. dcs.log

Thank you Chuck, what a Christmas present! Merry Christmas to you.

Do you use Vaicom or the F10 menu? I've found that when I use the Vaicom voice command to remove the wheelchocks, I get the exact same result as you describe (confirmation, but nothing happens). OTOH, using the F10 menu does work as it should (although admittedly I haven't yet tried in a shelter in Kobuleti).

Remember they didn't specify in which Universe. The Phantom could very well have been released in a couple of thousand different timelines already. It's just our crappy one that gets snubbed....

Thanks guys, really appreciate it! Happy Holidays to all of you!

I guess Reforger II is "no joy" in time for Christmas due to new AI pathfinding issues?

Thanks Greg! I bet it will! Thanks! That'll leave something else to look forward to in 2023, next to the Phantom and the Strike Eagle.

I'd say tomorrow would be the perfect day for a patch which could include the release of this campaign: a Wednesday, the week before Christmas....also my birthday! C'mon @BIGNEWY and @NineLine

DISREGARD. I suspect the "press spacebar" didn't "take" before the engagement. I'm playing in VR, and therefore hit the keyboard "blind", so it's quite possible that I didn't press the spacebar correctly or fully. So if I didn't ID the target correctly, of course they're invincible! This mission I am pretty task-saturated pre-engagement: developing the tactical situation, while scanning for the Wildcard, while also trying to ID targets....all while Jester in the back is - probably - reading the latest issue of "Big 'Uns". It's easy to take something for granted (like a keystroke) and move on. Let this be a lesson for you, kids: always check twice! I was re-flying event 6 yesterday with the latest OB patch, and noticed that Red Air AI didn't die after being hit by missiles and guns. Apparently over the course of the engagement, I happened to exclusively hit the same F-16 ("430") over again, twice with Sidewinders, and later with the gun (after I was "dead" I chased him down with the gun: a) to check if he would eventually die, and b) because I was pissed ). Nada effect on target. Friendly AI did die after being hit, and I got hit eventually and got the usual message....and would you have guessed it: I got shot by F-16 "430". Maybe the latest patch messed something up with the mission editor? Or could it be something on my end? I saved the debriefing that shows whom I shot and hit. I did save the track file as well, but it's kinda large and probably useless for the Tomcat? If you need it, let me know and I'll PM you the thing. event6.log

I'm running 2.8.0.33006 according to the DCS updater.

Hi Greg, just flew Event 5 again (2vunk + wildcard): In the break over Nellis, I gave Hammer the kiss off (text message acknowledged the kiss off and went away), yet the AI stayed on my wing (mimicking my dirtying up the aircraft) all the way to touchdown where it crashed into me and exploded (for whatever reason my right engine was on fire, despite Hammer having been on my left wing). Unfortunately I didn't save the track and I have TacView disabled due to VR performance. Could you or someone else maybe check the mission if you also run into this and - unlike me - have the presence of mind to collect data for ED in case this is reproduceable? The AI generally seems to be hit and miss, sometimes working as it should, other times going totally bonkers, so this most likely isn't related to anything mission specific, but since this is the mission it happened I figured this would also be the best place to mention it. In the previous missions everything worked absolutely fine (been coming back to Zone 5 in preparation for Speed and Angels ), so maybe (hopefully) this was just a weird AI hickup. Edit: Radio was set to button 4.

Ah, that's some unfortunate timing. If the AI bug still persists and you can't abort that refueling "mode" (haven't checked yet), probably the best solution would be to give the tanker a wide berth.

Could you please elaborate more? How did the mission advise you to go to the tanker? Maybe post a screenshot or short video of the message advising you to hit the tanker? I ask because I've played this campaign numerous times since it came out, and this never happened to me. Ever. Especially since 5000lbs are more than enough gas to safely make it back to Nellis. Now I've not played this mission in OB 2.8 yet, so maybe something has changed? Edit: did you by chance fly close-ish to one of the tankers on your egress (probably "Texaco's" track between ELKXXX and MOOSE)? Maybe you have inadvertently triggered the "AAR protocol" = when you get near one of the tankers, you'll get a message that your flight will be waiting for you to refuel and IIRC you need to take some action - either F10-menu option or space bar - to make them reform with you. It's been a while since I did an AAR in Zone 5, so my memory is sketchy.

A much more immersive and active environment, less of that bland sandbox. A more comprehensive ATC that also interacts with AI traffic. "Pilot legs": the ability to walk and drive around at will, to get into and out of aircraft and vehicles Briefing rooms with working equipment (white board, projector....), ready rooms, and the ability to move from those out onto the flight line, perform a walkaround, enter the aircraft and take off. Interactive ground crew, arming/dearming areas. Real time weather, gusting winds, and better environmental effects: water that forms puddles and spray, snow that builds a cover over time, dust, sand, cut grass More realistic AAR, where the drogue for example behaves like a real physical object (flops around, and probe needs to be "pushed" in) and probe/ drogue can be damaged/ripped off Immersive (!) dynamic campaigns (or story-driven semi-dynamic/ branching campaigns), as opposed to a mere "mission generator". IADS More realistically behaving AI (both air and ground units): not superhuman with perfect SA and aimbot cheats, but not braindead either; and arrange respective skills according to platform (a ZSU should be a better AAA platform than a BMP!!!!!!!). Also give the AI some self-preservation instincts (ability to know when to bug out, and maybe even getting "scared"), and skill levels according to the general training standards of the nations they represent.

I assume release around the end of Q1 2023 (some time between late March and early April).

Only one 3rd party campaign? I was hoping to be able to play "Speed and Angels" during the Christmas holidays.

Tomcat - normally my most favorite module so have flown extensively, currently grounded, hopefully only until the next patch Viper - fly regularly and my "replacement favorite", although in desperate need of fresh, quality SP content (quality = approaching the bar set by BD, Reflected. Ground Pounder et al) Hornet - flown regularly in the past, now "grounded" for the time being (for varying reasons, primarily due to unwillingness to relearn so much when jumping between modules) A-10C and "Tank Killer" upgrade, currently main focus due to ongoing campaign marathon (first "Iron Flag part 1", currently working through "Persian Freedom" campaign) Apache - flown for a while when it came out, currently grounded due to lack of engaging SP content (see Viper) Huey - grounded after finishing "Paradise Lost" early this year F-86 - just did the training missions and some free-flight here and there, mostly to see the cockpit in VR P-51D - same as with the Sabre FC3 - haven't touched in years (other than than a five minute free flight in the F-15 to check out its cockpit in VR) I only buy modules that I have a real interest in, and preferably only once there's good SP content available...except when nostalgia strikes - like the AH-64, which was a pre-order purchase for me. The F-15E will also tax my self-discipline, thanks to fond memories going back as far as "F-15 Strike Eagle" on the Commodore 64.

Yes, yes and yes, and SC. Preload radius is up as well, for good measure. The boldened part would also be my assumption. One can see the same phenomenon with other in-game objects as well (other aircraft). I 'd say that is definitely an area ED should try to improve on. Hopefully without introducing an enormous performance penalty, because I assume there's a reason for why there's an LOD issue: performance Catch 22 situation.

And I didn't intend for this thread to be derailed into SC territory. I was just picking up on "Nasty's" verdict. Anyway, it's a very good video with a lot of helpful and interesting insights into flying the Tomcat. And also IMO a huge affirmation of Heatblur's fantastic work on the Tomcat.

The deck in those images is still not a monochromatic blob. There are visible spots and lines, giving it texture, even in those 20-year-old photos. Which of course is not relevant to the issue at hand, anyway, because the in-game deck isn't nearly as weathered. The engine simply doesn't display textures when over a certain distance. Whether this technical limitation is even fixable or would result in severe performance issues if tempered with, I don't know. I'm just letting ED know that it is a nuisance IMO, and a retired Rear Admiral and former Tomcat pilot seems to share this opinion.

IMO this is a technical - I assume texture rendering distance, but I'm not a developer - issue, not a texture art issue. Weathering and all is fine, if it would render further away from the boat. Even when "weathered and grimy", you would still be able to see something, not a monochromatic light-grey blob. The ball is also affected in the same way. Greenish-yellowish blob. All that changes magically once you reach a certain distance from the boat. Or if you zoom in. All of a sudden everything is visible, "weathered" or not. Look at the video below. The deck markings seem to be in a similar (if not worse) worn condition as currently in the game. Now, despite this being GoPro wide-angle lens, tiny sensor footage, which also suffers from YouTube compression, you can still see features very well and can make out the deck when he rolls out into the groove. The deck appears to be a much darker grey than in-game, which gives everything a higher contrast. This is what I would like to be able to see when I am at the same distance in DCS. That's all. Preferably In VR, with affordable hardware, without having to use crutches like "zoom view".

18:03 "I can't see the ship. It's too grey. [...] see the centerline". Ha! So those of us who thought that the centerline was too hard to spot were not crazy after all.