Johnny Dioxin

That's a relief - thanks.

I've seen many missions updated for 2.5.6 as it seems to have broken a lot of stuff like triggers. Does anyone know for sure if the updated for 2.5.6 missions will still work okay in 2.5.5 or was it a fundamental change that will render the updated missions unusable on earlier versions as well as the current stable release?

I do have concerns about the end result of this pandemic and what countries may be tempted to do if and when they find themselves in economic turmoil - isn't that why many wars have started in the past - but if that were to be discussed I think it would be best in its own thread, as it would really be just hijacking this one if it were to switch to that kind of discussion, as the obvious intent of the thread by the OP was more a human and moral one, and not political or economic. Trying to support each other or even just having a place to express fears or worries is an important thing - especially where they don't have to worry about being belittled or under any kind of pressure of humiliation or anything else, personal, political, racial, whatever. Personally I'm sick of the blame game, though modern society seems to thrive on it.

I was really hoping (as I'm sure the OP was) that this would remain a non-political thread and that people would be sensible and perhaps offer support to each other throughout this health crisis. Unfortunately it's sinking into the usual mess of bashing egos and derogatory comments having a go at others either openly or by insinuation. Please stick to the original subject and tone and intent of the thread -else it will just be closed like the others that went this way. Maybe that's what you guys are trying to do? We should be sticking together and helping each other.

I use an app on my phone for this kind of thing - Easy Voice Recorder - yeah, you still have to look through the nose gap but I find it pretty easy. All it takes is one tap to start recording (because I have it set up beforehand) and one to stop, then another tap to play it.

Please have a look - and bear in mind, this is a normal, healthy couple: Personally, I don't mind admitting I am struggling just a bit - and suffering the consequences of stress - but thankfully, I know and recognise the symptoms of stress and can differentiate them from worse afflictions. Just being able to do that helps alleviate the symptoms. From today, I am having to isolate myself from my wife - in the same house. We have one bathroom and one kitchen - so it won't be easy, but I spent the whole weekend planning it and preparing for it, so I'm reasonably confident it will work. If I catch this virus, there's little doubt it will be lights out for me - although my wife is confident for herself, she has had "underlying illnesses" in the past and still requires treatment for herself. That concerns me more. She's a so-called "key worker" and has no option but to come into close contact with many different people in a day, which is why we've had to take this awful decision to seperate for who knows how long, in the house. Looking at that video shows me what we decided to do is right and sensible, regardless of how we feel about it. It's time to wake up and do something to help yourself and to help and protect others - or you (or they) might not be waking up at all. My attitude is that I've been in many life-threatening situations, since I was a boy - I'm not going to let ignorance or arrogance do me in now. But if I do get it and if I do succumb, I've had a great time and have done and seen more around the world in my 55 years than most people ever will. Stay safe :thumbup:

Mum has recovered! :)Unfortunately I now have to isolate - but I'm used to it (being stuck at home all the time), so no big deal for me. Good luck everybody.

I remember when the PC rags were all making a big thing of folding back in the early noughties - I never had the GPU power to do it back then (and my PCs were old defunct things, too) but I had no idea it was still going. IIRC they used to give away prizes to the geeks who folded the most hours a month. I say"geeks" because it wasn't just gamers and I can't think what to call computer users in general... :music_whistling:

It's pretty much beyond what I can comprehend, how many people around the world will be in the same situation as I am - seems surreal somehow, in this day and age. My mother came down with symptoms, so we're all just hoping it's something else but we have to stay away for now - and that's the hardest, especially for my sister, who is a professional carer and usually looks after her. I was watching Al Jazeera this morning - they had a documentary about the ebola virus epidemic in Africa, 2013. It was really awful - what we are having now is nothing in comparison to what that was like for them. In that respect, we are really fortunate.

I had a regular appointment with my consultant yesterday afternoon and he told me if I get this virus I won't survive it. Bit of a show stopper because although I'm not getting stressed, I don't think I've thought about anything else for a few days (I was pretty sure of the situation before I went to see him, he just confirmed it for me). It wouldn't be as bad if I didn't continually see people being irresponsible when I have to go to town, like this morning. I don't think they are taking things seriously at all (except they panic-buy all the toilet roll and hand gel - hope we can get some bog roll within a couple of weeks or things are going to get very unsanitary round here - still, we have plenty of old newspapers! :D ). It's fine if there is little risk to themselves, but I wish they would think of others. I'm mostly scared for my mother - 81 years old and just recovered from lung cancer. She works in a charity shop and thereby has lots of contact with many different people. Soon I think I will be told to stay at home all the time, so I may not even see her again - that is troubling me. But even if I am told that, I will still take any opportunity to drive the 38 miles to her home and drink one of her awesome cuppa Tetley's.

Things have been running just fine - but I didn't run it overclocked as yet (only for testing). I had a look at other air cooling options, but in the end, they are all pretty much the same thing, just wrapped differently. the Arctic Freezer 7 Pro that I am using has always been popular and had good reviews, so i see no advantage in changing it. I will be taking it off again and seeing if I can get it rotated 45° - I know that's ideal, but as i said before, the fitting base won't go that way round on this board. I've just ordered some new, quality TIM to use - the stuff I am using atm is industry stuff I got cheap a few years back. Bought a couple of 30g tubes and still haven't even opened the second one, despite how much I build and change hardware in my PCs (I have a small collection of 'retro' PCs and loads of old parts and accessories, which is why I bought the OEM tubes). Anyway, I'll see how it goes and report back on the temps and performance. Been thinking a lot about the 'draw the air out' thing you mentioned, Konovalov. I'll investigate that further. I'm convinced I can get this working much better, so I can get the clocks up to where I like them. I'm still using my Index at 120Hz and 112% resolution at XMP settings with no problems, though. That's 3.9GHz for the cpu, which is the lowest speed I've used since the E6850 was 'modern'!

Listen, in life there are those who try and achieve and those who sit back and do nothing or moan about either the product or those trying to push it forward in one way or another. I won't be using wireless myself, I just want to see if it can be got working well enough so that those who are otherwise unable to enjoy the sim they'd like to fly - and are told by the second group that it just isn't going to happen (as I was when I was flying campaigns with Quest and Link with zero issues and others were trying to tell me it doesn't work). The fact that both SteamVR and Oculus Home start up has always been an issue - so please don't tell me it's just my rig or set-up - normally selecting it to run as admin fixes it (which shouldn't even be necessary - many games in Steam ask the player if they use Oculus or SteamVR and then implement the relevant code, so it's definitely doable). I'm not going to argue - suit yourselves and stay in the pen. the shepherd might be along shortly...

I'm talking about simply recognising the headset - why, for example, is DCS World the only game on my PC that kicks off both SteamVR and Oculus Home? Even though I used the old 'trick' to try and stop Home launching, DCS World seems to circumvent it and starts it anyway. This seems to be confusing the software and as a result, the sim is seeing nothing and starting in 2D. This is very much fixable by ED - why is it necessary to start up both VR systems on the PC? Only game I've come across in the over 4 years of public VR that does so. Still its up to them if they want to gain customers or not, I guess - and yes, that is very much what is at stake, no matter how you try and bubble wrap it.

With the Quest being so popular, it would make sense for ED to make wireless Quest accessable to virtual pilots. It has the same resoltuion as the Index, though with it using OLED displays there is more SDE - but in my tests with Quest and Link, this wasn't a big issue, and the overall experience is good. The whole point of Quest, however, is wireless VR, and it's very good at it with the PC, using an app devised for it, such as freeware ALVR or payware apps like Virtual Desktop. I've been trying to test wireless operation so I could report back and let people know how well it does, but DCS World simply refuses to start in VR mode, even though it fires up both SteamVR - which recognises my Quest as what it is - and Oculus Home, which doesn't! It does, however, usually see it as a Rift S. I actually get the notification that DCS World is starting in the headset on SteamVR, but it disappears as the sim starts in 2D mode. I've tried all different ways and it always comes up the same - desktop start and too bad. Doesn't DCSW use SteamVR engine anyway?. This really needs sorting out, because it should not be a barrier to people getting VR, who don't want it attached to a PC, but want to experience DCS World in VR. The 2 hour battery limit for the headset itself is no problem - I've been using a charger battery unit attached to my headset and after 2 hours play I still have 100% charge left in the headset. It really is a golden opportunity - especially with some other sims failing miserably with Quest due to lack of support, and putting it somewhere down their "to do" list.

Please delete Not worth discussing.

Like I said before - it's only possible to fit it pointing down or pointing up, due to the mounting system. In the past I have always had it facing the rear fan, so that the heat from the CPU cooler gets expelled out the back of the case, but with this system it just wasn't possible to do that due to the mounting.

I neglected to mention the one very, very disappointing thing that I don't think any mods are going to make much difference to, and that's how poor the airfields look in VR - especially the AI aircraft. (edit - the more modern maps have better airfield structures and objects in VR, Caucasus is very bad for me- but I mean the aircraft, anyway). I really try and ignore other aircraft on the ground - especially at certain times of day, and it may well be because we can't use the settings required to make them look good. The word that comes to mind is 'hideous'. We're not allowed to compare other sims directly, so I'll just say it's the worst I experience today in this single regard. This is the main thing that would make me much happier in VR, now the performance (for me, of course) is good enough to enjoy flying and combat again.

Yeah, it was useful for me - especially with my older system (i5 2500k Sandybridge and RTX2060) and I didn't notice as many artefacts as others did, plus I didn't have any issues around the edges of my vision - they showed up in screenshots - but in the headset there were no issues. Was still stuck at 45fps, but it was a big step up in consistent performance. This in Rift CV1. A pretty cheap upgrade to Haswell and an i54690k (running at the same 4.3GHz as the previous cpu) and I was already better off and stoppped using the mod. I did notice the improvements Wags said they had made. okay, still not ideal performance, but enough to make the experience smooth. This now on an Index at 90Hz and 150% resolution. Now I have the i7 4770k - still Haswell - and a 2080Ti, again releatively cheap to buy (if you can call £800 for a graphics card cheap! - it is compared to some of the prices for that card) and things are really looking a whole lot better, because I have been able to increase settings that previously were always at the minimum. I'm also now on 120Hz and 112% res, as recommended in SteamVR, and things are starting to look nice. But I still watch some videos on YouTube and wonder if we are going to see it like that in VR in my lifetime. I doubt it very much - though I do expect improvements, and this is much more than I could have dreamed about when I was first gobsmacked by the appearance of the first ever home computer helicopter simulator back in the early 80's, with wireframe graphics on a 12 inch green screen with either keyboard control or a Kempston 2 button stick for the lucky rich guys.

That was just on the table whilst building the PC and routing the cables. It's difficult to connect some of the SSD without removing the right panel (or fitting the CPU power).

Ah, but mine is better - I have this one behind it: https://www.oldrids.co.uk/igenix-df1655-16-inch-pedestal-fan-white/p29627 Keeps my VR lenses clear of condensation, too. :D oh - talkin of suspending fan, I had that,too - crazy things we try! I'm sure I took a couple of photo's, have to see if I can find them.

Thanks for the opinions, guys, and your detailed explanation, Konovalov. I have already tried several different ways and also all of the fans have been tried pushing air both ways. Unfortunately, it's not possible to put the 200mm fan at the top - it isn't wide enough. I also didn't put one at the bottom sucking air in, because that is where the majority of dust is - and this house is very, very dusty. I have instead just put a dust filter there. All of the inward fans have dust filters fitted (but of course there are many leaks all around the case). I have turned the rear fan around so that it is blowing air directly onto the CPU tower and that whole area - there is nothing between the fan and that motherboard surface with the VRMs and other power gubbins. After doing this, and closing up the case, I have fans at the front and back blowing air in and fans at the top and side blowing it out. Unfortunately, the side 200mm fan is also pretty slow and the volume of air it shifts is very low. Since doing that, the temperatures (all of them in case) have dropped about 3°. So now they are all comfortably under 30°C. I would dearly love to have a more modern case, but I've spent so much on this PC over the last couple of years (two VGA upgrades, two CPU upgrades, RAM upgrade, three motherboards - two developed issues, the Virpil HOTAS then Index and Quest as well - then DCS modules on top! :) ), I really have to watch every penny now. I'll try the things you've suggested over the coming weeks and see how it affects the temperatures. Hopefully, I can move to water cooling at some stage - but that won't be for a while, yet - probably next year. The case is made for it (with an external radiator). Cheers.

OK, I've got enough set up to upload the photo's now (reduced size). I have actually decided to turn that top rear fan around already. So far temps are good, but nowhere near finished setting up, yet, so not relevant now. The top and rear fans, along with the CPU cooler:

I'm rebuilding my rig, including a new mobo and CPU as per my SIG. Just connecting up the fans and thinking about switching things around. Its an ATX rig, in a large case, a CoolerMaster HAF 922. I have a 20cm fan in the lower front drawing air in. I have two 12cm fans at the top expelling, and a single 12cm at the rear also expelling. I have a tower cooler for the CPU, similar to the old arctic freezer pro from athlon64 days. I think it's an Arctic Freezer 7. Anyway, the fan on the cooler faces upwards towards the two top expulsion fans. I have some snaps, but without my PC can't upload them yet, so I hope my description is good enough. I'm considering turning the rear fan around and drawing air in, instead of out. That fan is at the same height, but to the side of my CPU cooler. So whaddya think? This set up served me very well for years with my i5 2500k at 4.3GHz, but since switching to Haswell, my over clocks have not been that impressive. Though I read today that Has well runs much hotter than expected anyway. So far the BIOS auto overclocker has given me 4.6 GHz with the 4770k, but I'm concerned that I'll have some issues when the weather turns warmer (currently mid teens in my PC room). I'd like to get it running cooler anyway, with the hardware I currently have. Might splash on a better one later in the year. PS - forgot, I also have a 20cm fan on the side of the case, above the mobo, expelling. The twovfans at the top are high-volume fans on temperature sensors, which I have sited under the motherboard near the CPU and RAM.

I've not been using it, no - but I was wondering if its impending change was the reason I coudn't deactivate - so that is probably it. Thanks for that - a bit of relief. My A-10C activating issues were about a year ago. I do still use the standalone A-10C and Ka-50 1 & 2 purely for fun, to fly the many community-made missions I downloaded and never flew. It's still worth doing them for a change. I considered buying a second A-10C during one of the sales just to top up my activations, but since the sale prices are no longer the drop they once were it was no longer attractive for this purpose, and I decided against it.

I'm getting nervous because I am about to reinstall windows and will have to therefore reinstall or reactivate everything else as well. My C drive SSD is throwing a wobbler - 1st reason to reinstall, plus I am upgrading my CPU and motherboard - either of which requires reactivations. A while ago I had the same issue as the OP with A-10C requesting activations out of the blue - repeatedly, every time I started the sim despite having been activated the previous time I started it. From having a number left I have gone to zero activations left. I did contact support via the website but got the usual "whats the worry? It will all be replaced soon" number. Now the system has not been replaced and I will have to reactivate. If anything goes wrong anywhere I'm left up the creek with the A-10C (yeah, come on - "what''s the worry? You just have to wait a month...!". Do me a favour - it isn't acceptable. Apart from this, when attempting to deactivate both BS and FC3 a few minutes ago, I was told it was not possible. Possible reason given that I had run out of activations - which I struggle to believe as I note down how many activations and deactivations are left whenever I perform it, and the only module with zero is that A-10C due to aforementioned bug (which is what it has to be). This archaic and over-zealous system should have been ditched years ago. I'm really sick of so-called anti-piracy systems screwing me around - in all of my flight sims, not just this one, whilst the skull and crossbones crowd just laugh. As you can tell, this a sore point. Yes - for years I had zero issues until 2019 and the above shenanigins. It was one of many events over the years that made me close to ditching the whole thing (which may yet happen - despite the silly amount I've spent on it, which is why I haven't done so up to now). Nothing more to say.