Erforce

True, but easy guess ! Let's be clear : initially, i responded to an anti-russian stuff post. - Yes I'm French - I'm really glad to be part of NATO, and be called to arms if something goes wrong in the future. - My friends used to call me Pro-American (ex: my car was made by Ford Michigan, i buy parts via ebay.us) - I will visit Quebec/Canada before USA ;) - I wanted to fly a F-18, not a Mirage of Rafale FFS ! - Even less chance to get my hands on a Mig, Akula, Moscow or Mir :D (but i'm ok for Ka-50, just to fly around) Now the fact : this pilot was in French Guinia army. He lived there half of his life until recently. He was a recon or insertion pilot (you know, fool guys with a gun jumping from a chopper) When we talked about that and maybe tried to get him to BS or A10, he just told me (sum up): "Yeah, russian stuff (for BS obviously), weird but reliable, i like their gauges you can trust them. Oh, what's the 5 blue buttons on the right, it's fancy!:) at least the Shkval is at the right place. When i tried a new night vision camera, it was placed on the rear panel! damn engineers ! Anyway, i don't like sims, i need to feel my bird. not in front of a 23+" screen." Further we talked about US stuff. He told me : Damn yeah they have good stuff, but you never can fly with it here. (then he explained me the electronic and high-tech stuff issues in tropical area, what he actually saw etc...) Yes i'm not omniscient, i can be wrong. I have no problem with UH-1 or B-52. Apache, Cobra are 80's stuff, for European theater initially. Sure high tech stuff can have extra-protection. But we see more and more electronics (made patrially in china). Put a Harrier next to a F-35. i won't bet on the F-35 lasting longer in extreme areas, especially without maintenance. TL/DR: Now i know they're some veteran or active pilots here. You've got your point, i've got another POV. I like this forum too. But don't tell you will "only fly US stuff". There's no reason.

Nooooooooooooooooooo Not in 3D pweaaaaase !

Why Pacific? Black Sea link to Mediterranean Sea, linked to Atlantic ocean. In between you have Arabs, Europeans, Reds and even dolphins. IE : water, mountains, desert, grass, forest, and even some dumb cruise ship pilot crashing in rocks near Italy. (oh by the way, we have that already in Georgia) Why would you need Pacific? it's empty ! Still awaiting EDGE. i hope ED will implement some tactical nukes too, because that's what they do there, right ? ;)

I forgot that : I wanted to be a fighter pilot when i was 15. But only for a F-18. and France didn't have that, so i dropped that idea. Didn't want to turn swiss or spanish. Now if the world looked differently, i would be a real marine or survivor, against zombies or evil creature against mankind (Aliens?). Death is around, but you could enjoy your life. As being a fighter pilot, still the same. you can't do much with your jet and its 4 missiles.

I think theory, rules of engagements, Military code, and briefings will do short work of my brain. But i could be a consultant for fictionnal world (movies... when you see them, you're lolling everytime you see this fake HUD, or a guys taking 30G in his looping, not talking about Emmerich's 2012 movie)

lowdown ? don't know this word. If you're a console lover, you'll not be disappointed. If you're a sim lover (and keyboard+mouse prosumer) you will be disappointed ;) The bad pointS : First thing : It's Ubisoft. Aka Silent Hunter 5 (the Bugged Game ) Prepare to be robbed at some point. 2nd thing : It's Ubisoft (AGAIN!!) : After convicing your GF to play with you in split screen for the co-op campaign, you'll find that ubisoft "forgot" to implement this option in the PC version. :cry_2: 3rd thing : It's a console game for assisted people. Hardcore Mode == Easy mode for "us". And if you die too much... they're a problem with your mouse. 4th : Solo campaign extremely short (2h) or extremely long (and repetitive, i love "side quests, by Ubisoft"). 5th : an end by Ubisoft. ("ohlala, it's wonderful, there's 2 ends !" LOL when you get there, LOL) 6th : LOL A.I. 7th : LOL tactics 8th : Multiplayer : Multi is Multi... same since Quake3. If you want true multi, i advise you Natural Selection II. 9th : You're lost ? don't worry, it's a console game. (look the white line under your feets, just follow it) 10th : Console interface. Horrible with a mouse. clicks x1000 to sell 1 thing. 11th : Unlocked Success ! lol, success, you've freed John Doe from being sold to slavers. But if you didn't done that, you can't finish the game anyway. Useless. Now the good point : 1st : It has "not-so-bad" graphics... for console ;) Trust me if you want to have fun (or challenge) wait for Arma3, or Misery 2.0 mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. call of pripyat (it's kinda DayZ with goals) Or maybe i'm just a true console hater, since this platform stole the best games from computers, and changed it to dumb-arcade player. Sorry if you took it bad. If you proceed anyway, consider non-steam key. you can find it on http://www.g2play.net/store/ I've bought my copy at 15E ;) it's ubiplay, and you'll get some free bonuses with success (LOL bonuses anyway)

True that this stick fully controlling the shkval would be a blast (analog) I'm using it via SST, but the major flaw right now is : - 4 way (as 8way would be A+B key, not C) - Each time you change direction (right, then up-right, things that always happen with the mini-stick) the shkval speed resets. it's higly annoying, and almost impossible to lock any chopper or plane. If someone has a solution, i will hear it !

Remember ED is mainly Eastern guys ;) You can blame chinese equipment, because it's mainly a cheap western copy. But Russian equipment... i don't get it. Ok it's maybe not the best democracy in the world unlike M. Depardieu said, but their equipment is far more reliable than western part. The reason : If a war happens, it's not gonna be in the Desert. And US equipment are made for desertic (preferably sand) area. Bring a F-22 in a tropical area and see what's happens. Same for High-Tech choppers. I've learn that from an ex-chopper pilot. Don't fly U.S. things if you're in humid areas. it's 1h flying, 40h maintenance.

You're right Eddie. that's what i've said. No need for a new map really. Just an expasion of the current one. One cool thing, could be the whole map we have right now (IE : The Black Sea region : Ukraine, Romania, the semi-island etc...)

Meh, warthog joystick or X65F, not sure they will perform with much sims. Especially Black Shark. X52 Pro is a good start Track IR is a must have I'll try soon VAC, voice recognition for radio commands. 1 or 3 screens, not 2. Hi-Fi speakers. I'm loling everytime i see a monster Simulation config with poor audio (you know, the ones with a subwoofer under the desk and 2 tiny-medium sh*t around screens). A freaking good PC. Right now, i'm over 1200€ just for BlackShark2. I'm sick :(

Northern Iran, maybe a little bit of Afghanistan, but please please please, not the whole Gulf. I played FA18 Hornet 3(but not only), and desert is desert. Soooooo boring. Korea with F4.0 was a good mix of giant (flat) battlefield, and Balkans was ... Extraordinary (and kinda flat to). Moreover, imho the best expansion to current theater would be south (Turkey, Armenia...) I feel the need of a new Theater, but each time i load some portion of the map, i found excellent unknown places to makes ambushes, skirmishs, sieges... I'm afraid i still have to learn Georgia further more. I'm still awaiting Nevada to see what the 3D engine has to give. But considering the investments i've made for BS, i would like, even for 60$, a real Georgia map instead of pseudo-satellite map. (trees, hills, farms, fields, city, heights, rocks, mud...) I'm just tired to spot tanks on the open ground at 15km, even at max settings. It would probably require another engine, and that's not going to happen anytime soon looking at the sim today.

Civ Trafics needs to be implemented really. Right now, it's only candy eyed. You can make your own Civ Trafic via ME. It's hard and tedious. But if you want to protect inhabitants, it's the only way to do triggers. ATM i don't have any idea how ED can tweak civ trafic more valuable.

Yep, Joey probably right. For me, i don't have FRAPS, and don't want to pay it. i found MSI Afterburner, which can record up to max quality on video source (ex: DirectX output, not windows desktop), and have 2 input audio sources. Could be your speaker and a mic. It's easy, and free. Work on any GPU, not only MSI. Good luck!

The price difference is i5 = 4 cores i7 = i5x2, for 1/4 added price. sure for DCS, i7 worth nothing. But... ED is not alone in this universe right ? ;) Warhog, i'm glad to see people with 1200p screens ! Enjoy ! But, guys, i assure you best option is Water High ;) Oh... i forgot, you are A10 pilots... you really need to lower your altitude !

Hehe ! glad to hear that ! 3 MacPros ! Well, as i said, it depends the sims. As for me, Blackshark 1 was mindblowing 3 years ago, blackshark 2 even more, but in some cases, unplayable. (too much scripts, units...) FC3 should run fine, and A-10 in mose case too, because intrusmentation and engines are less detailed than BS + high altitude. i still doubt about ati's 2600. Lastly, with my new rig, i finally run BS2 at max settings, in every situation, it's fluid. Unfortunately, when you tried that, you can't go back. ("Mhhhh, Water High, sooo nice") I said multiple times here that my 2006 MacPro run every games@high/ultra BUT DCS. EtheralN didn't believed me ;)

Yes, i do that since the start. I need all other POVs for other things, and playing with the shkval with the left hand allows so may other switchs things with the Right hand ;)

Hello Jan W. If i don't get wrong, you're the second MacPro user on DCS forum (after me :cheer3nc: ) Lucky for you, i'm still around (even if i don't play often nowadays (still waiting for bugfixes in BS2!!!!)) It's been quite some time i tried/asked everything possible to run BS2 smoothly with my MP. But i didn't succeeded, and bought a PC :devil_2: I'll try to sum up what guys told me here : (Me : Hello EtheralN :D, doing fine? ) MacPro 1,1 - 2,1 - 3,1 are Top Of The Line Core2 architecture - They (DCS members) don't like Core2.:cry: Not seeing a 100% core load on an application doesn't mean your CPU is overperforming. (i would say, if so, that also means the code is bad ;) but ED stills hide behind their "Extreme Simulation" joker word. I don't program, so can't discuss that.) FPS is subjective. (My own goal is 30-60 FPS maxed out. had 8-16 FPS low/med settings with my MP. Unplayable with a chopper.) Go for a SSD, avoid OCZ. (now i have one, i know it doesn't helps FPS, but everything else. No, i can't go back, it's too late.) Change your GPU (didn't agreed wiht my 4890, but for your 2600XT, i'm 100% ok with that) So, in other words : CPU : You're playing (or want to) FC3, this is not a real-world flyable aircraft. Thus it's saves a lot of CPU cycles. I don't have it, nor want it. Can't help you with that. If you intend to play with BlackShark 2 or A-10C, then, Yes, you will have issues with your current MacPro sometimes. (scripted/dynamic weather/cities/crowd...) GPU : Buying a GTX690 is just wasting money. Your Xeons will never supports the load it would require. (ED's vinci Code guilty here) My advice : find a card which will works fine under W8/MacOs. 1GB minimum (2 recommended) possibly quiet and with better performance than HD5770 / GTX 560. (look for DirectX 11.1 too. GTX6xx doesn't support it) System : You have the last "overclokable" possible MacPro (SetFSB.exe). If FPS is an issue, you have this solution. According you never bought your RAM at OWC (at least...) Mine are CSX MP800 Big. maximum at 900Mhz designed for MP3,1. OWC froze at 668, and Dane-Elec at 671Mhz.:music_whistling: Future : The next MacPro, in 2013, considering the RoadMap, will be a gold crap. Now, i post some other threads you might read : FPS results : (my post is #35. Add 4-5 FPS with my MP@3.2Ghz) http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=83269&page=4 Windows FSB Overclock issues for MacPro: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=90498 My Evil turn result : http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=96439 Well, hope that helps. Don't be mad if this thread is moved in PC Hadware setion one day.

Here what i see when clicking on "News" on digitalcombatsimulator.com : Just saying. Fly safe o/

Oh, don't feel bad EthernalN :) Usually 3 pros answer is better than one. (yours count for 2) I'm mostly agrees with you, but for Liquid cooling :) that's all haha :D

Yes it should be good for DCS. do not plan to buy a second 660 "SLI" for DCS though. I've planned to do that, but bought a 670 instead ;) Still, Perf/Price is very good for the 660.

5min is extremely slow... maybe it's not BS problem... try running it as admin first (right click...) and... no, i havn't any other idea. sorry. Wish you best luck. My loading time was resolved with 1.2.2. i don't know why.

Nate is right. As BS2 flights controls change in some patches, you probably must re-learn how to effectively control your collective. Some times ago, with 15° (or 13°) blade angle, intersection would happen very oftenly now it's seems you can max out your collective to take-off and fly straight forward. they've called it "the placebo effect" if i remember ;) at sea level, if your put your cyclic gently, you could achieve 330kph. 9/11° blades angle (depending the weather also) anyway, for a sim purpose, this is dangerous flight speed. When you fall (70-85° negative pitch), you can achieve 500-580 kph (minimal collective) in extreme situation. At 600-820 (my max speed :D), it's very difficult to recover without intersection / or crashing. Anyway, MaxIAS is a good alarm to tell you never raise collective to max. OverG, well it's worse, and you must be very very very cool. Also, AP heading control will kill your shark at high speed (300+). Fly manually !

Unfortunately, i'm very new to PC Kit. would gave you advices happily on Xeons systems though :) But what i can remember from all discussions around the web (and Here OFC): - IvyB is 5-10% faster than SandyB at same speed. - SandyB can over clock greater than ivy bridge, thus annihilating the speed difference. - Pci3x is not relevant right now. thank you Xbox/PS3/PS4 - Sata3... meh.. it's cool for benchmarking ultra-compressed files atm. - Socket 1155 is dying. socket 2011 is freaking expensive for extreme versions and Xeons (?) - No real High power CPU haswell Roadmap (socket 1150), high doubts upon AVX-2 supports. My personal advice : if you want to stick with your CPU a long time, maybe you should consider i7 ivy. not i5. DCS put apart, i see more and more games using using 4 threads at 100%. (R.A.G.E. for example) If it's simple trading without more cashing, i'd say why not ?? If EtheralN speaks here, take his words like a Guru. (unless water-cooling :D ) Hope i cleared the haze a little more.

Hehe, for sure i've got some nice application CTD since 1.2.2 (was it 1.2.1?) The fact, if you're following my previous post (bugs and glitches summary) that ED resolved some ugly AI bugs, and keeps adding EXCELLENT options in Mission Editor. And just because of those awesome updates, i feel myself not able to re-fly a previous version ever. They're narrowing more and more bugs, i takes some time, but hopefully, they will make it. I only wish Datalink is on top-list. Right now, i have 1.02, 1.1 and 1.2.0 full packages sleeping on my hdd. think they will enter stasis.

Yes. I have reinstalled Win once, and lost 1 activation for all mods. When you uninstall, uninstall number will decrease by 1, install will increase by 1. (you have 10 intall/uninstall possibilities) Sobek, after all activation, you'll get one BY month? or one forever ?