Hi all! I seem to be able to fly well in DCS, but still haven't managed to learn any modern plane's avionics reasonably well.
Background:
I've got some experience in flight sims. My most extensive was F-22 TAW - it's got simplistic aerodynamics, but the avionics part is delicious. Still, the game just feels too easy, the plane's too overpowered, and the flying part is abstracted away too much. I've tried to upgrade to LOMAC and then to DCS, but it's been challenging. Maybe I've been spoiled by TAW with its seemingly-perfect UX.
I just can't seem to understand the avionics of any aircraft in DCS. Navigation, most of all, followed by weapon targeting and launch. The training missions seem to assume I know a lot, and teach me on a very specific scenario, but then I can't use it even in the next training mission.
So far I've tried the F/A-18 and the Harrier (my favorite) as combat planes. Got to some very basics like dropping bombs with CCIP, but I still can't get reasonable results with missiles.
My airmanship appears sufficient for DCS physics. I tried taking off with and landing all of the DCS planes during the trial, and got most of them on the first attempt. Even got carrier landings done on the F-14 on the 2nd pass without crashes, first on the F-18. Aerofly FS was the sweet spot for me for a while - no avionics, but realistic flight models; however, without combat, it's not fun enough. Flaming Cliffs was okay, I could even shoot there (yay!), but the avionics are so ridiculous that I'd rather play TAW again.
I tried to do a realistic progression in DCS: from basic pistons, to advanced trainers (L-39), to lead-in (Hawk), to light fighter (F-5E)... Didn't work out - most of the skills weren't transferable. I have limited time, unfortunately, not retired or anywhere near that yet.
Questions:
- Is there any jet airplane in DCS that has markedly easier-to-learn avionics than the rest? Either simpler, or more intuitive, or a great manual.
- Should I try a survey-sim style progression - try to learn a simpler plane first, then more complex ones? Or put all my efforts into the F-18 or whatever I want to keep flying?
- If I choose anything other than the F-18 as my primary aircraft, will that make the missions/campaigns more difficult, due to lower performance, or is it a non-issue?