Jayhawk1971

Forgive me if I bump this thread to the top, but I too would like to emphasize the need for a save-game feature, at least until the AI has been improved to a point where your own wingmen are no longer the most dangerous aspect of a mission. Yesterday I flew mission 8 of @Reflected's most excellent "Arctic Thunder" campaign (highly recommended if you love the Viper), and my own wingman crashed into me while RTB-ing, taking us both out. Now, when it happened I already spent 1 hour and 50 minutes in that cockpit, with another 25 minutes to go. With a saved game file (even only one!) I could have re-flown the last part of the mission. I do not fancy to re-fly the whole thing again only to experience the last 25 minutes of RTB and landing. So I'm definitely a proponent of a save game feature to make very long SP missions more manageable. Those who don't like this don't have to use it.

And I'm now a cloud of floating particles after mission 8, due to the "AI" suddenly - and I maintain: deliberately!! This is Skynet refining its capabilities - crashing into me after the battle damage check (done them a dozen times by now, here and in "Mig Killers", yet this time the AI decided to add a variant of mid-airing me that I've never seen before. Must be something in the water there in Finland). We at least need that mid-mission save game feature ED has been working on, soon! I suppose it'll take them years to get the AI be less "Forrest Gump-y", so being able to save progress on these very long missions would be a great quality-of-life improvement. So, let this be a warning to all of you: stay well away from the AI when they maneuver! In my case, at least 10 feet above your wingman before you press "space". Normally, the AI decelerates and slides under your belly (you hear "Betty" sounding an altitude warning) to your right wing. This time, the AI simply banked right into me, too fast for me to react. Also something I've never seen before: when disconnecting from the tanker, the AI rolls on its back, like it's initiating a split s, yet floats there for a couple of seconds, then slides away and rejoins. None of this is in the hands of the mission creator, BTW. He has only very limited control over what the AI does, or more precisely, how the AI performs the tasks assigned to it. It's just that elaborately crafted single player campaigns shine a spotlight on the deficiencies of DCS AI, that most players don't notice that much in "vanilla" gameplay.

Yes, adding the Indian Ocean is fantastic news! Thanks, ED.

Or the sales pitch for the upcoming DCS: Time Machine Module

I didn't do anything particularly heroic or eloquent. I did take the time to bug the MiG on the HSD while running in to drop, so I could find it easily with the HMD and have some visual reference where exactly to turn my nose. Then right after I dropped the JDAM, I switched immediately to missile override, flipped the CAT 1 switch, locked the MiG and fired, then dropped altitude and evaded by cranking hard left to gimbal limits, followed by hard right, again to gimbal limits. While dropping chaff. That seems to have defeated his missile. Fired off a second AIM-120, but the first one got him. Or maybe Scooter got him before the second AMRAAM could get to him? Kinda lost SA somewhat while trying to evade, so I could have very well missed whether or not she engaged as well. I did hear my character say "Splash Foxhound", so I assume, nay, claim that is was my kill. BTW, remember that if you use ECM in mode 3, your radar will stop working while you are transmitting.

It's not what you say, but how you say it. Re-read what you have written, and tell me this is normal conversational "tone". You were being rather condescending in your wording, and come off as confrontational and, frankly, entitled. Which personally I find highly unfair towards someone who invests a lot of time and effort (waaaay beyond "customer support") to provide this niche community with high-quality content. And who does his best to be transparent and open about what he is offering! Maybe it's a language barrier thing, I don't know. All I can tell you is this is how your post came across to me. Please don't be hyperbolic: No one suggests that you should "look at hours of playthroughs". Just a quick browsing of the gameplay of one single video would be sufficient to figure out what to expect. You could also have read the forum here. You could have posted and asked someone before buying. It was never a secret that this campaign is heavily scripted. A minimal amount of research would have provided you with that information. Judging by the feedback given here and on Discord, pretty much everyone else seems to have had a clear understanding of what to expect. That is the nature of the beast. The AI (both friendly and enemy) can not effectively simulate a BVR timeline, at least not enough to drive home the lessons you learn during the RAG part. How about you try to approach the campaign again with an open mind, and accept S&A for what it is: a training tool, to teach you the finer (and correct) points of flying and fighting in the Tomcat? Straight from "Paco" Chierici, a real-world former Tomcat pilot. My interpretation is that the second part of the campaign serves as an example of a "real world" application of the lessons you learn during the RAG and is, therefore, also part of "training". This part also has to be scripted, because, as I understand it, the DCS AI in its current state is incapable of performing in a way to make these real-world tactics you learn in the RAG work. If you pay a little attention you'll notice that the missions in the "conflict" part mirror the lessons from the RAG. The campaign also somewhat follows Paco's novel "Lions of the Sky". Which features the protagonists going through the RAG and applying what they have learned later in a "real world" conflict. I mean, since you already own the campaign, you might as well give it another try without any preconceived notions. Just an idea.

Reflected is always very transparent about his campaigns, how they work and how they are structured. He releases tons of videos and tutorials on how to play them, and what to expect - and not to expect. Well in advance of release, I might add. On top of that, a quick search on YouTube provides you with a list of mission playthroughs made by several customers. Enough material for you to make an informed purchasing decision, IMO. You clearly didn't do your due diligence. It's not for you, you prefer a different style of gameplay. Which is fine. However: There is no need to be disrespectful about it. Especially considering the sheer amount of work and time Reflected, BD, Groundpounder and all those other creators put into these campaigns. Not only to create, but also maintain and update them (like constantly adding new features, despite having no obligation to do so).

Without any deeper knowledge of the ME (and without knowledge whether or not this is currently possible): wouldn't the obvious solution for placing statics be to simply allow the mission maker to enable/disable catapults in the editor? Simple on/off switch for each CAT?

Yeah, good point. I didn't see it on the screenshot (all that text over the image). BTW, while you're here, I really enjoy your campaign playthrough videos! They are a treasure trove for learning this module! My MO is to fly the mission, then watch your video of that mission (and take notes for the inevitable second play through of this campaign). For example, using GM to create a markpoint from bullseye coordinates; I never even thought about that. One question: for those of us who like to role-play this thing, what is the external light policy in the Air Force? When do I set to flash vs steady, for example?

Just a thought, as it is a Viper-specific thing that has caught me out cold a couple of times (and, from what I've seen on YouTube, even those that are intimately familiar with the Viper ) Did you by any chance mess around with the targeting pod prior to setting Echo point (Mav boresighting, for example)? If so, did you "CZ" the pod before going to nav mode?

It worked flawlessly for me. Are you sure you joined with the correct tanker? On my route towards Orange, Shell was actually the closer tanker relative to my position, so I double-checked with TACAN. Edit: Then again, if you are on the correct freq, you should be able to at least contact the AI asset, no matter where you are on the map, as it is independent from the mission's trigger structure. So that can't be it. FWIW, once I was on the tanker freq, I could hear the usual "DCS AI chatter" (which is a good indicator for being on the right freq).

Will the new plane director feature "recognize" the Tomcat as well, or has it been calibrated solely for the Hornet? I ask because there still seem to be compatibility issues with the F-14 regarding certain SC features (LSO call-outs, IFLOLS*). Just so I can manage my expectations. *or has the IFLOLS been fixed in the meantime? I seem to have read - around July (?) of this year - that ED was in the process of addressing that issue, so maybe it has been fixed (I'm on somewhat of a DCS break right now)

I meant the "If it comes soon" part.

I hear you (and agree with you), but the keyword here is "if".

Yes, that would be great! Ideally a map including Southern California and western Arizona (to include the Yuma TACTS range). Even more "idealier", make it NAS Miramar from the 1980's (not present-day MCAS). Either a brand new map, or maybe an "NTTR 2.0" module (sold separately from NTTR, maybe with discount for current NTTR owners?) , which could be renamed to "DCS Southwestern US", with updated textures, including NAS Fallon, Edwards AFB, Fort Irvin/ NTC. I suppose there could very well be enough demand to justify the development costs. And while we're in the process of wish-listing, maybe later another map featuring the opposite coast: Oceana/ Virginia Beach area?

@MAXsenna I got the issue resolved! It was actually two separate issues turning up at once: One was that I had the folders mixed up after the merging of openbeta and stable, and the path to my DCS install was set to bin-mt instead of the root folder. Fixed that, now everything works again as it should. Second was that my Vive Pro headset doesn't work well with USB 3.0, so using a USB 2 port fixed it.

It does have a mic at the start of the mission, but after 10 minutes or so, it suddenly loses the mic. A restart usually fixes it, until it happens again. As I said, weird. I hope it's not my VR headset.....

It was a VoiceAttack update. I do have this nagging thought in the back of my mind that somewhere, some time ago, I read that one should not update VoiceAttack when using VAICOM Pro, but that could very well be either outdated info, or my memory playing tricks on me. Other times when I lose the mic (happens from time to time), using the Windows 10 troubleshooting button (Windows settings-> system -> sound -> microphone) fixes the problem. This time it didn't even recognize that there was a problem.

All of a sudden (I noticed it after Monday's update, but haven't had used VAICOM for a couple of months), I got a number of issues that I haven't experienced ever before. I'm at a loss where to even look for the problem. It began with VAICOM suddenly not connecting to DCS. I normally delete the VAICOM entry from the Export.lua after every DCS patch. Usually it get's rewritten after starting VAICOM and then DCS. Turns out, not this time. So I manually added the entry, which at least connected both apps. Next, VAICOM diag told me that my Voice Attack version was outdated. So I downloaded and installed the latest version. I also manually re-entered (=clicked through the respective folders) the installation path to the DCS exe again (bin-mt), just in case something got messed up with the DCS's switch to MT only. I have "REL HOT" under PTT disabled, but for some reason, as soon as I start a mission in the Tomcat, sometimes it's on (light is on). Anyway, after all those above steps, I finally got voice commands to be recognized again, only for the microphone on my VR headset to suddenly behave weirdly. I noticed that my commands were suddenly (in mission) no longer acknowledged (no beep). Checking the VA window I saw that the microphone bar was all the way to the right (with the "too loud" icon showing). Which is wasn't at the start of the mission. Then, after opening Voice Attack settings to see if I can do something about it, the mic was no longer "active" (no sound bar, with or without PTT pressed). Also not working in Windows all of a sudden. VR headset mic was recognized, available, and Windows diagnostics couldn't find any problem, but no sound was recognized (no volume bar, nothing on test recording). Unplugging the VR headset and plugging it in again helped. Everything back to normal with both Windows and Voice Attack (without DCS running). I gave up and went to bed. Does anyone have any idea what the hell might be going on?! Next step would be to test with another microphone. But before I go full diagnostics mode, maybe someone already has encountered something similar and could save me a lot of work and frustration. I'd rather fly than fiddle around with hardware and software.

+1 Please fix this, ED. Or, alternatively, gift me a Pimax Crystal Light; maybe that'll help some. and yes, this also affects "Speed & Angels".

So, until then, all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us?

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but +1 on making the mouse bindable in DCS for the Tomcat. It does work in the Phantom, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work with the other Heatblur products.

+1 for functional (like with the F-15E), not merely cosmetic

Yep, that solution should work too. As longs as it's not too much of a hassle to implement. Since Autopilot doesn't work very well with my Force Feedback stick, I always have to have half an eye on the HUD to check attitude while being heads down in the cockpit, and with VR there isn't much peripheral vision. So a little bit more time to set things up (especially the kneeboards, ECM, MFD contrast) would be nice.

Suggestion for mission 13: Could you give us more time to set up the jet properly when starting behind the tanker? Both Reflected and Ground Pounder have the player start in some form of active pause, and only after pressing a key (space, IIRC) does the mission start (and the assets then spawn in). Having first to trim, then to set up all my preference, at night - while trying to fly formation - threw me off, and I felt I was "behind the jet" during the mission (= couldn't get my head in the game as I felt I had to play catch-up). Other than that: What a great campaign! Incredibly immersive, and I did learn a lot about the Viper, even though I'm not at all new to that jet (had my first "run in" with the Viper with Falcon during my Amiga days). I can't believe I'm already at the final mission!