Sunbather

This seems to be a very important one that I've seen suggested many times already, even as a newcomer to DCS. It would also help to populate the comment section a bit more which is important to be able to judge if a campaign, mission, mod or whatever still works. (from my consumer perspective)

I have found conflicting info on this topic. Are the two campaigns and the 10 training missions by Baltic Dragon included with the jet still functional? I think I even heard that you can't even click on the campaign anymore so basically not working at all. I even trialed the module during Christmas but forgot to check this. What are your findings?

I am sure of that! Have a great weekend, too!

That's why I said "new work". Clearly, a lot of work has gone into this and it is a great enabler for modders. As to the constructive part: I did make 2 constructive suggestions of which you ignored one. Already someone else posted here that it feels outdated because it lacks basic features. And it was stated in other threads over and over again. Sorry, I am just a bit grumpy about the shortness of the newsletter. One is no news and the other one was already announced by Octopus G one or two weeks ago... Yet, zero news about the Afghanistan map update, no updates on continued work on any of the other modules released recently (Kola, Sinai, Phantom, ), no deep dive into the 2025 and Beyond video... But I do object to the claim that my post wasn't constructive!

I'd say the User Files section is hardly overlooked. And if you are praising how great community content is (which it is), you might wanna implement some basic features to the User Files section. E.g. adding the Iraq map to the filters (the map is out for 2.5 months now...) and let us see when the last file upload was, e.g. if a campaign from 2022 got an update since then. Sure, most creators write their changelog into the text section but why not make things simple to see at one glance while you are browsing? In a more unfriendly manner one could also say: it would be nice to put at least a little bit of new work into a feature before praising it in a newsletter ; )

Don't take my words out of their context, please. I am more than willing to pay for another asset pack but the previous one should be completed first, or at least implemented correctly.

I can say that this is certainly true for me. I did a trial on the WW2 stuff, especially the asset pack, and it's just not complete. In instant action missions (official ones, mind you) for the Channel map or when I use the mission generator (the official one, mind you), the Allies constantly got Flak 36s as their air defense. Wtf? Then there is the overall lack of singleplayer content, aside from the paid campaigns. It feels just way too incomplete. And now I am expected to buy another asset pack for WW2? Even that would be fine but I see very little progress regarding the Western Front so I obviously expect the PTO asset pack to stay incomplete and non-developed as well.

Hold on a minute: how do I make the ATC speak German? And can I make my pilot and flight also speak German? One of the my biggest petpeeves is WW2 games in which the Germans speak thick American. As to your last paragraph: That's exactly what is needed: more planes/variants of the ones we already have, even if unplayable, and fitting to the timeframe of Summer 1944. Where are the transport aircraft (C-47, Ju-52)? Where are the other heavy bombers (B-24, B-25, Lancaster, Bf 110)? Where are the light bombers (P-38, Ju 87)?

According to @Skewgear, yes. I was answering to them.

Indeed, great news. And just yesterday I read that WW2 was dead in DCS because no new modules are coming out. Now we just need a Caucasus map in which the modern buildings are replaced with older ones and some cities are reduced in size and some WW2-style airfields.

Great exposition of the problems involved but at the same time, I think you're overthinking it. Having an easy way to mark one building or truck as the objective that needs to be destroyed is already in the game. Now there needs to be the opposite trigger: when another building or truck than the intended target is destroyed, you lose points or even fail the mission right away. Maybe something like this can already be done but it seems very complicated or else more people would implement it in their missions / mission generators. Only having that would already go a long way to increase immersion.

That does sound bleak indeed. But aren't there several WWII planes in the works by 3rd party devs? Yeah, not delivered yet but still in the works, no? That being said, I would assume work on WW2 stopped because of the sales not justifying further development. I can only speak for myself but I would immediately buy into the WW2 experience (meaning: Channel map, Normandy map, WWII assets pack, at least 2 planes right away with more, possibly all to follow, and maybe even other maps if they get tuned to WW2). But right now? What I am trying to say: don't just take low sales at face value. Also factor in how much more sales you would get if the experience was actually not half-baked. My wallet is ready but DCS WWII in its current state doesn't justify the investment.

Especially since we got the Afghanistan and Iraq maps. ROE played a huge role in the recent wars there. I really hope ED will take note of this. As I said in some post above: there are very few wargames that simulate this but imo it is an absolute must, especially when you want to simulate COIN.

Thanks for the response! For now, I am strictly singleplayer for now though and the amount of user content is unfortunately small, especially for the Normandy map. On the brightside, the Normandy map is much better than it was earlier today. I suspect it was a faulty instant mission or a crappy weather preset. It really looked like all my graphics were set to the lowest settings. I did create a mission with the Briefing Room app and it was fun but yeah, the missing variety of airplanes and available missions (e.g. bomber escort) is just painful. I will probably buy into the whole DCS WW2 'experience' eventually but for now I rather invest my money in a more complete WW2 flight sim.

I stand partially corrected. I was in "WW2 experience in DCS" rant mode. Still, let's not confuse things here: having both paid FC and FF modules of the same A/C is not the same as at the same time announcing a new FF module and a free FC module of the same A/C. Also, the logic is reverse here: making a FF into a FC one is a sound business decision because it reels in new customers with a lower priced module.

Reporting back with my findings: it might no be beautiful flying but once I am in the air, I rarely need to use my twist axis for rudder adjustments. The takeoff procedure requires some acrobatics, apart from that I find flying the P-51 and the Bf-109 comfortable for my standards. Regarding the WW2 experience: I appreciate the sound effects of guns and drag, the flight model and how intimate the cockpits feel compared to other WW2 flight sims (probably because you know that you can actually click things). But what use does it have? The first training mission with the P-51, a humvee spawned right next to me. I downloaded the Normandy map and the WW2 asset pack: zero (0!) missions for neither the P-51 nor the Bf-109, instant action missions ridiculously low, zero training missions, WW2 asset pack gives me 2 of the same (?) missions for the Persian Gulf map but none for Caucasus or Normandy. In addition, and although I had never issues with LOD and draw distance on maps, the Normandy map suffers from horrible pop-ins. I mean like from 5km away, whole towns are fading into fog. And don't let me start with the whoefully little amount of AI planes. Sorry for the rant but I really understand now why people call the WW2 experience in DCS a lackluster one. And in my opinion, that's a euphemism. It's half-baked with little regard for immersion. But I write this not to vent but to add my voice to the many voices that demand a proper treatment of the WW2 aspect in DCS. And no, just having a Pacific map won't cut it because it will likely be just as half-baked as the Western Front, mabye even less baked regarding how little actual planes are announced for that theatre.

Ah yes, promising the F-15C for free when the FF F-15C just got announced. You must be a businessman!

Damn, so it's that expensive to go to the movies in Belgium? Hold on. Waffle? Belgian Waffles? It all makes sense now! Please excuse me again for my rant. I was homing in on that one argument of yours which you made in all innocence.

Years ago, travelling on foot through Spain, I wondered what the proper term for 'sparkling stars' is. It was then that I found out about "Scintillation". I've never thought about tieing it to how radars work. Then again, I've just started to really learn about radars like 6 months ago. So thank you for your post! And yes, the A/G was one of the most important reasons why I feel drawn to this module. Thanks for not only not snapping at me for making such a post but in fact complimenting me for it! Thanks! I really had questions regarding content and wasn't at all trying to tackle the drama. And I think it is great that everyone here understood what I was trying to ask about! Yes, F-15EX would be great but I agree with: In any case, the F-15E or whatever other strike variant should never be missing from DCS from here on out! I've heard this argument so many times already! "This new 79,99$ game is still dirt cheap. Dinner with my wife is 100$ and it only lasts 2 hours!" Or another classic, your variant: "Going to the movies twice is 60$!" Well, here in a big city in Germany, going to the movies is about 10€. I also don't go the movies because too much crap is produced nowadays and every time someone sits behind me with popcorn despite the theatre being completely empty. It would make more sense to compare it to a Netflix subscription. 60€ is 5 months of Netflix subscription. Even if we take going to the movies as example: a curated, compressed experience in the outside world is not a good equivalent to a game in which there are many downtimes (traversing the world, setting things up etc.). And if you are really adamant on comparing things: I like to read. I get about 100 hours of enjoyment out of a book that cost me 13€, minus all of the costs that are accompanying the other hobbies like energy and fuel costs. Yet another aspect, and sorry that I am assuming that you are American: when it comes to daily purchases, 60€ gives you much more buying power than 60$. Meaning e.g. that a sandwich in a city in the USA is 15$ while you get the the same for 8€ in Germany. Sorry for the rant. I don't try to attack you but I am tired of this argument because it is flawed in so many ways. Regarding your second paragraph, hahaha: now that I've paid and played the plane, I wholeheartedly agree. Completely worth it and I woudn't wanna miss it ever again! I did this way too many times already. Felt a bit like cheating. Also, I am then hanging like a sitting duck in the air. Or are you invisible when on active pause? Anyways, both the A/G radar and the TPOD have such a big reach that, in theory, I have enough time to prepare my bombs, if I give myself enough ingress time.

I pulled the trigger shortly after having read all your messages and it was very much worth it. The F-15E does exactly what I want: change up things when playing DCS Retribution. It feels so different than the F-16C! It feels heavier and much more powerful, evading SAMs is a joy, the huge fuel tank is a relief, the pilot cockpit delightfully uncluttered. The workload is insane, obviously, as there is a WSO seat for a reason but I do manage the A/G radar and the TPOD in combination with the Smart Weapons menu quite well already. Air to Air works much better than I expected. The sun visor is not to be underestimated! Yes, as a module with stopped progress and unknown future, 40€ or even 30€ might have been a more reasonable price. Things I miss: - HMCS - more armament like SDBs The real problem: - I am now even more invested in the whole 'situation' and I hope the F-15E stays playable for a long, long time with all the current features and maybe even some additions.

Unfortunately, no. I had some racing gear as a kid, and I think it was a pretty expensive one but I am afraid I sold it. It would be the perfect temporary solution!

Thank you guys for the quick response. I thought as much. I didn't know there was auto rudder and takeoff assist! Yeah, I've decided on a German plane because I am an Axis main in WW2 games. And the Fw 190s have the reputation of being buggy which would make my beginner's experience even worse, I reckon. Still, I am also going to trial the P-51! Thanks for the technical explantion. I am still a noob when it comes to flight physics, especially propeller planes, or piston engined planes as they are apparently called, haha. So it is in a very basic sense the same as the torque you have to apply when flying rotor wing, I guess. Funny thing is, I did purchase some rudder pedals >200€ and the experience was NOT good. Too many flaws for such an expensive product. Which kinda left me frustrated. I will buy rudder pedals eventually but right now I am fed up. And since I found out that I can fly the Apache without rudder pedals, I am somewhat content for now anyways. But yeah, I've already learned that you shouldn't buy cheap when it comes to flight gear. I had the Thrustmaster T-16000 for about 2 hours until I decided to buy a better one, hahaha. Even as beginner, the thing just felt too cheap and unprecise and the layout didn't make much sense either. Generally, this is good advice but see my previous response just above. Also, there is not much space to make in a cramped 1-room-apartment. But I am working on it. Right now, I am also more eager to spend the money on new modules and maps. And it's a lot of modules and maps you can buy for 250€ on a DCS sale. I understand this now. Thanks for adding your input though! Thanks for ending on such an optimistic note! The muscle memory thing is a thing, I've experienced this in other areas of life already. But on the upside: it will be like a new experience when I finally have rudder pedals. I reckon that a lot of jets, planes and helicopters will feel much different once I've upgraded my gear. @ all: thanks again for taking the time to respond!

Right now, I don't have rudder pedals and that won't change for the foreseeable future (space, money, cable chaos etc.). However, I do have a twist stick and I have zero problems with modern jets, no problems yet with the F-4E and I can even comfortably fly the AH-64, especially when I use force trim. Now, I see it mentioned a lot that rudder pedals are WW2 really need rudder pedals. How true is that *after* I've already managed to take off? I would imagine I need them in dogfights to edge me into just the right position to get the enemy in my sights but for what else do I really need rudder pedals? Inb4: Yes, I know that in general having rudder pedals is a must and will change the feel and immersion. It will come, just not now. I basically want to know if I am able to enjoy WW2 in DCS without rudder pedals or if I should wait until I get rudder pedals. I will also trial the Bf-109 in the next few days and see for myself but I won't spot the nuances that might require a rudder pedal.

EDIT: I was wrong. I was looking at it the wrong way. The non-sale prices or rather the € and $ prices are way more different than I thought, hence the amount of % off is different as well. Except for Kola it does result in similar prices on both storefronts. Both the Super Carrier module and the Kola terrain are off 40% in the DCS store but only 25% over on Steam. I know that with Kola the calculation is a bit different anyways because the 40% is deducted from the future 1.0 price but it is still 38€ on Steam while it is 33$ here. Worse with the Super Carrier which is really only 25% off over on Steam but should be 40%, no? As sale prices have been wobbly before on DCS Steam, I suppose that this is an error and would appreciate if you were able to adjust it. EDIT: AH-64 off 37% on Steam but 50% here.

Thanks for the info! I am going to pick up the MiG-21 today and your campaign will be bought as well, either now or later when the rework is finished.