herr_LaSk

I just hope they include an antenna elevation knob under the left pinkie finger, just like the f 15 throttle. Would make it much more compatible when the DCS fighter modules comes out.

Bah, all these military's spending our tax money on their expensive toys, and we're not even allowed to play with them! :mad:

Would that be entirely unlikely though? Wouldn't the most likely customers of desktop sims be smaller military's without sky high budgets, like the UAE?

F-16 block 60 would be nice.:D

If it was a commersial product developed by a professional, third party development team, I would definitely spend money on it, though I'm not so sure about a fan created dynamic campaign mod. Would love to see some sort of third party industry grow up around the DCS series just like the one for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

What makes people so sure DCS: A-10 wont come out until late this year? Have ED made any official statements on this? I thought they just said they wont be releasing info on the next module until FC 2.0 comes out. Anyway, just want to say, in case Thrustmaster employees reads these forums, that it would be cool if they gave the throttle an antenna elevation angle rotary under the left pinkie finger, like the F-15E throttle. I know its supposed to be an exact replica of the A-10C HOTAS, but it would drastically improve the HOTAS usability if they did include one. Antenna elevation control is an essential part of an air superiority fighter in the BWR phase, and not having it on your HOTAS would be a pretty big handicap. I'm sure most of Thrustmasters potential buyers are not going to invest in the controls just for one sim only, they'll be using it as the main simming device for years to come, and it would be nice with some additional features, like the antenna elevation rotary, to accommodate this.

Actually I think the current campaign system has the potential to be just as fun (if not more) than a "real" dynamic campaign. If the devs improve the briefing and debriefing system and dedicate more time to create realistic, complex and fun missions for their campaigns, the resoult would a ton of fun. A dynamic campaign often ends up feeling "generic" because its made on the fly by a computer. Hand made missions, if done properly, could be much more varied and immersing.

I bet the MFCD has an options menu where you can toggle between the two.

Its unlikely we'll see a dynamic campaign anytime soon. Dynamic campaigns are complex and timeconsuming to produce, and ED is a small company. Theyll have to prioritize what they do with their resources, and at this point they seem to have their hands full making top of the line, high fidelity simulations for both the military and consumers. Would be awesome if a third party developer or some such would create a proper dynamic campaign generater though.:)

cool, thanks:smartass:

Link doesnt work!!:cry:

Its been a while since I played Black Shark, but I think the people who complain about fighting the autopilot is somewhat missing the point. When you use the flight directors, or the autopilot is off, the flight controlls controll rate of roll/pitch, just like in a cessna 172. However when using standard autopilot settings the flight controlls changes to controll angle of roll/pitch, so the amount of stick deflection corelates to the bank and pitch angle of the chopper. Move the stick two degrees to the right, the helicopter banks a certain amount to the right and then holds that bank angle. Move the stick furder to the right and the helicopters bank angle increases the coresponding amount and holds that bank angle. Release the stick and the heli rolls back to the trimmed roll angle. Its designed to work this way to make it less of an effort to fly for the pilot. With a standard configuration the pilot, in order to initiate a right turn, will first have to move the stick to the right in order to initiate a certain amount of roll rate, until the desired bank angle is reached at which point the pilot releases pressure on the stick in order to maintaing that bank ange. With the Ka 50 autopilot system, all the pilot has to do is move the stick the amount to the right which he knows from experience coresponds to the desired bank angle, hold the stick at that position (and trim if its a long turn) and the heli turns to the right. The first option requires the pilot to consentrate on several aspects of flying in order to initiate the desired turning manuver, while in the second option he only has to move the stick a certain amount and the heli turns just like he wants.

I doubt we'll really see great difference in the graphical area until they release the new DCS engine a few modules down the line. The one they use now is simply an upgraded version of the old LockOn engine and has its limitations on on how much eyecandy it can pull off.

I remember DCS: Black Shark was very suddenly released without warning when many fans thought it was still months away, maby thats whats going to happen now too.:D

Thanks, was looking for that one, but had to go to work. :thumbup: Not convinced its an autopilot panel, looks more like a multifunction panel with the buttons and switches the pilot uses the most conveniently placed right behind the throttle.

I looked at this screenshot but its difficult to distinguish what it says. I thought the autopilot panel was just below the HSI.

It looks like they also included the panel just aft of the Engine Controll panel on the throttle. In my A 10a flight manual that panel is the TV Monitor Controll panel, however I think thats changed since the A-10C uppgrade. Anybody know what it is?

Ahh, good point. Maybe it uses a sort of spring centering system where the center point of the springs is determined by magnets, sort of how the real Ka-50 works. Would be the most authentic as the real A-10 stick, if I remberer correctly, is spring centering, however the springs are connected to electric servos that moves the springs so that the zero force point of the stick coresponds to the current trimmed possition.

Looks awesome, cant wait to get more screens of it.:thumbup: Any of the HOTAS experts here on the forum dare venture at a guess if its spring sentering, FFB or FS?:joystick: Theres a good shot of the base of the stick there.

Its more about flexibility than using all the buttons on the HOTAS. Military aircraft controll systems comes in all shapes and sizes, and the more buttons and axis you have on your Hotas, the greater the likelyhood you will be able to get a close aproximation of how it would be to acctually controll the real aircraft. Its about immersion really, its obviously always possible to put the shkval slew function to the ministick of the X52 pro, but it would'nt be as cool as to have an acctual two axis hat under your thumb on the acctual stick. You can allways just push the "g" key on the keyboard to raise and lower the landing gear, but would'nt it be awesome to acctually have an authentic gear switch that you can move for real with your hand? The A-10C HOTAS as it is would work great as an all round simming controll system, however with just a few more additions, it could really be the ultimate simming hardware. :joystick:

Just get it out in good time before fall 2010, I'm starting at the university at that time, and wont get time to play:cry:

Also make it possible to extend the stick, so that it would resemble the senter stick on the real A 10, and most WW1 and WW2 aircraft. Maybe an X-, Y axis hat on the upper left hand of the stick so you could operate the shkval with your right hand thumb like the real aircraft. I believe that most modern eastern aircraft also have a thumb slewable hat at that location. They should retain the overall design of the A 10C Hotas, just make aditions to it. In addition, include buttons and switches that's common to most aircraft on the base of the throttle, like gear leaver, trim weels, light switches, weapons arm/disarm, and so on. If it even comes with FFB, and someone makes FFB peddals, I dont know what else one could need when it comes to simulation controlls. :pilotfly:

I hope they include the antenna elevation angle rotary on the comercial version. Would make the throttle and stick a great standard controll device for all modern jet fighters, and not just the A-10C. ;)

It says its made for military contractors, so its not sure we'll be able to get it:(

http://www.scribd.com/doc/8637634/Operators-Manual-for-Helicopter-Attack-Ah64a-ApacheSha This is a more readable version of the manual, IMHO.:thumbup: