

Rick50
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See, now this is what I'm talking about: pilot model is more detailed than many FPS games have...
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Heat seekers on Helos as enhancement to shorter range SAM systems?
Rick50 replied to Rick50's topic in Military and Aviation
Spike NLOS The Spike NLOS missile from Israel features a + 25km range, and a nose camera for "man-in-loop" targetting updates. One of the benefits is that unlike "fire forget" missiles, this one can allow an operator to shift targets or impact point even up to the last few seconds before impact. Thus if you suddenly see the closeup image of an ambulance, you can shift away from hitting it. Or if you see the target is on fire, you can shift to an alternate target. All WITHOUT line of sight... as it can be fired from behind hills or other objects, fly over them, and aquire the target after launch. Has a GPS for guidance to a search area, presumably you'll get GPS targeting from satellites, UAV's and ELINT, and the operator uses the onboard camera for target selection and terminal guidance. The official stated max range is 25km, but clearly 20 miles ( demonstrated from this recent test), or 17.5nm is closer to 32km. Keep in mind that's WAY further than any version of Hellfire. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39826/an-army-ah-64-apache-used-an-israeli-made-missile-to-blast-a-small-boat-20-miles-away Keep in mind, the first version of this missile dates back to 1981, and was kept secret for decades by the IDF. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_(missile)#Spike_NLOS I don't expect this system to replace Hellfire, Brimstone, or it's possible future replacement the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), in part because it's much heavier and larger to fit on already heavy helos. Also, I expect it's not as quick in engagements involving a dozen or more targets... meaning it's probably not really for busting lots of tanks in an armored column. But for deep penetration raids like commando missions, mission flexibility, and special applications, such as SEAD, it could prove very useful. AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), dual-mode laser and millimeter wave radar seeker. Now in service, cleared in 2022 for operational use on the USMC AH-1Z Viper gunship helicopters https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AGM-179_JAGM ===== So we've all heard of the Switchblade, looks interesting and useful, and might be getting good results in Ukraine. The larger version of the two, the 600, however, seems to have quite a standoff range while still being able to loiter downrange observing and tracking before hitting it with a warhead straight from the Javalin ATGM. Switchblade 600 : 40 km (25 mi) or 40 min flight time Why bring this up? Because I feel this is a direct competitor to the Spike NLOS, with many of the same advantages: far greater standoff compared to Hellfire / Brimstone man-in loop control for operating in heavily populated areas, danger of accidentally hitting civilians and non-combatants, gives a last-second ability to "not kill", or even re-target if needed possibly getting a quick glance at the battlespace for recon purposes I wonder if the Switchblade 600 might be a good item for launching from Apaches, for special purpose missions, much like NLOS ? Certainly it's got near double the range of Spike... if that's a need. Ok the downsides compared to SpikeNLOS: much slower speeds, if time of flight is a significant concern. On the other hand, that slower speed better enables target ID, searching for other enemies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVironment_Switchblade I see both of these missiles as being ideal for taking targets like an S-300 SAM site. Command and control centers. Elint and Sigint gathering vehicles. Critical enemy aircraft on the ground at a FARP or enemy airfield. Take down an HVT in a populated region. -
Been done in game. GR did an attempt to sorta recreate that attack on Iraqi SAM sites just recently. I don't recall what kind of SAM's they were using, but I know they did have a bunch of SA-2's around the country, among other things.
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Do you want DCS to change to subscription based payment model
Rick50 replied to skywalker22's topic in DCS Core Wish List
Why is this thing still going? ED isn't interested. Full stop. Move on. -
Well, apparently they are working on AI for many aspects of DCS World. I think that it's not just multi-crew, but possibly also infantry. Second, there is work being done for a Global Map. Not appearing soon, but such a map of the world would lend itself very well to the ultra long range heavy hitters. One crew (or individual) is working on Splash Damage 2.0, which means that rockets and cannon fire can damage/kil with close shots... see the RotorOps: Dynamic Mission Generator, which includes it:
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Bump!!!
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need track replay SA-13 shot me down with 7.62 mm?
Rick50 replied to Mr_Blastman's topic in Bugs and Problems
I seem to recall the HIND has a titanium bathtub, a bit similar to the A-10 Warthog... not sure about turbine/gearbox protection, but there does seem to be a similar philosophy between the Hog, Hind and Apache: give a bit of protection to the squishy humans, beef up critical items that would crash the thing if it got hit by a golden BB, and maybe give some redundancy for critical systems. It's a logical plan based on careful observation of the results of past wars. -
Yea... I participated in two threads on the subject about a year ago. It would be possible. Ambitious and costly but seemingly possible. If such a thing can be done, then it can be done for many complex aircraft that have several crew doing intricate tasks!
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Splash Damage 2.0 script (make explosions better!)
Rick50 replied to Grimm's topic in Scripting Tips, Tricks & Issues
Sorry Can't help with scripting or debugging.... ... just a big thanks!! -
Thanks!
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- helicopters
- troops
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Do you want DCS to change to subscription based payment model
Rick50 replied to skywalker22's topic in DCS Core Wish List
I believe they are. But because it's hidden away, not a direct part of a popular module development, people think it's not being done at all. Also, once something appears, people may not notice right away, with the millions of distractions. Thing is, these wants are not easily fixed and improved simply by waving cash in people's faces. Time allocation for the programmer coders, needs to be balanced to best help the company. In ways that we outsiders have no idea about. Running a business well and effectively, ensuring you will still be in business 1 to 6 years from now, is a very different creature from demanding a wishlist be complete! -
I'm interested in learning more... could you expand a bit into how this works? What wpns gets this effect? What targets will this affect? Is the effect no different than a direct hit, or is it temporary, or maybe varied depending on distance from impact point? Can you give a radius that this affects for each wpn? Are there weapons and targets that are not affected by this 'script' ? Thanks, I know this is something that many have wanted particularly for helicopter rockets and cannons, so it very much affects the rotor community.... it would make the HIND soo much more effective given how much it's dependent on rockets!
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- helicopters
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CH-53 would help populate the USMC for DCS. On the other hand, it's not used by many other nations, Israel and Germany... oh and the Mexican Navy too. But that's it. The CH-47 doesn't help the Marines for DCS... but it's operated all over the world for decades by 28 nations. Iconic.
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All good choices. Been several threads I've participated on this general subject. I think the Cobra will be done in say 2 years time or so. I've no idea which version, but I'd be looking for, and a bit more likely to be a 1980's US Army flat-glass TOW cobra. And a UH-60 will probably come too. With luck a CH-47 or CH-53 for the Tarawa class ships. The Tarhe, while I think it's an interesting aircraft, I'm a bit doubtful that it would be made as a full DCS paid module. A free mod would be possible if there's enough interest. The Mi-6 and 26... those I'm not very certain of. I mean, good idea, but I'm not super convinced that there would be huge interest for lots of people to buy such modules at the big prices. How are sales of the Huey and Hip going to be in a years' time, now that the Apache and Hind are available? How about the Gazelle's sales? I also hope for a C-130 Herc, and AC-130 Spectre modules, with AI and realistic systems. This would be awesome for the eventual world map that's starting development.
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Well that's the long term dream isn't it!! B-52 is unlikely because several humans/AI to do many different tasks. Also really quite complex a system to operate. With little automated/comuterised. Diminishing returns. It's not clear if some of it might be still secret. Might work better as a MAC product, if MAC ever gets going. B-2 is unlikely because so much of it will remain secret for at least another two decades. Many assumptions would have to be made. Parts of it would certainly be doable, but it's not clear it would be enough to be considered "full fidellity" or not. Not entirely clear how much interaction you'd have during a mission, as it's mostly passive "hiding", cruising at high alt, hoping they don't detect you. Lots done by automation/computer. Almost all by autopilot. Then drop some JDAMs that mostly have pre-programmed coordinates. Your home cockpit will need a plastic lawn chair for the long missions, just like the real ones bring for the 50 hour flights. I'm not sure there's lots of people wanting to pay full module price for that. C-130 transport, AC-130 gunship, those might come. Mostly manual. Lots of tactical flying. Lots of sneaky low flight. Extremely varied missions and flight profiles. AI can help fill in. No secrets. The AC gunship though.... probably not enough real secrets to slow it down. Interesting useage. Probably fun. However, VERY vulnerable. Even in the relative safety of Vietnam and Iraq, 6 were shot down in 'Nam, and one during the 1991 Gulf War. Sooo in your typical DCS scenario... expect to be shot down a lot. Like REALLY a lot... Tors and Tunguska nearby, forget it, just not happening. People would have to make AC missions that were light on AAA, SAM's and MANPADS. But still, it'd be a compelling subject, people would buy, probably few secrets if any. Now... right at this moment, the postage-stamp sizes of the maps don't lend themselves to B-2's, B-52's... and would still be cramped for some C-130 missions. Sure, you CAN do all of that on these maps... it's just that you'll quickly be wanting to fly much further! But any of these proposed modules are some ways off, probably around 2 years or so. And guess what's being developed as we speak? A global map. Yep, ED is starting development of a global map. No, we don't know details. We don't know if it'll HAVE details on the map. We don't really know much of anything really, other than: 1) they've done a few tests in the past, to see if this might be possible. Apparently the answer came back "yes it seems possible" 2) they recently announced that, and the start of development. 3) they said it's a LONG way to becoming a product. And it might not even be possible. So don't get too excited. 4) we know just about nothing more. That's about as much as we've learned from Wags. Sooooo... don't hold your breath... but it MIGHT happen some time in future! with global maps, Hercules, Spirits, Mitchels, Flying Fortresses, Superfortresses and Stratofortress, Lancasters, Globemasters, Bones, Bears and Backfires start to make more sense as user flown modules.
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To the contrary, I want ED employees to be paid well regardless of where they live. Regardless of what their passports and driver licenses say. My concern though was that if ED was officially registered as a "Russian company", then sanctions could hurt ED. That's all.
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Do you want DCS to change to subscription based payment model
Rick50 replied to skywalker22's topic in DCS Core Wish List
ED doesn't want this. MOST customers don't want this. No guarantee this will help ED. Is possibility this could backfire, maybe badly. Subscription will NOT be cheaper for users -
Do you want DCS to change to subscription based payment model
Rick50 replied to skywalker22's topic in DCS Core Wish List
This is probably the BIGGEST reason why subscription is a bad idea. Subscription only makes sense for people just starting out, because while it's inexpensive upfront, it's expensive over time. But lots of people have ALREADY spent a LOT in many DCS modules... subscription basically stabs them in the back by effectively making them pay twice for all the modules. MS tried subscription in flight sims, twice now. The first failed SOOOOOOOOOOO hard that few even remembered that project even existed!!!! An entire sim... that few ever even knew about... and forgotten a year later by those who DID know of it. They wanted to monetize the whole thing. Basically, they wanted Simmarket and Aerosoft to go away, MS could do all those products and sell it in-house. All the addon planes, alll the custom terrains. The base was a few light sport planes, and Hawaii. It looked good to the eye. It took them a year to make one or two payware addons, simple sport planes, no complexity. Customers had already moved on. The product died at launch, in effect, and never recovered. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Flight And the second time, now, is of questionable popularity, most people who are into this new flight simulation pay full price. The subscription is more to try and get Xbox arcade players to "try a flight game for a change, see if you like it". -
Sure, but I was completely unaware of this, and recently I saw a post by someone who like me, thought ED was still a Russian company... therefor I made this post!
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Amazing project!!! The decades of planning, decisions, engineering, re-engineering, extensive testing, retesting and testing some more... then, what to me looks like the most crazy, precise launch... with seemingly zero margin for the orbital mechanics calculations, you either get it right, or the whole thing is wasted. And they got it right! Then unfold the super fragile components slowly, carefully, in slow stages... aim the mirrors... and 20 billion will probably start to pay off soon!! Huge effort by SOOO many people all around the world, "a giant leap for mankind" even?
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I've seen the 1980's Lynch movie many times, probably at least 10 times. I hated it the first time, but grew to love it as a niche movie. Then I saw the Scifi Channel mini-series both Dune and Children of Dune, which were... unique and interesting, but hard to recommend these days. The CGI was... um... well "poor" doesn't even come close. Enhance the graphics with your own imagination. but the latest Dune movie I was anticipating greatly, largely on the strength of it's amazing director, Denis Villeneuve: Prisoners, Sicarios, Arrival (Amy Adams alien invasion with one 'splosion and one shootout... and still awesome movie), and the Blade Runner sequel. Sooo much anticipation, that during the wait, I went and bought the book and finally read it. Best scifi book I've ever read, and I've read a few really good ones. And an easy read compared to some (Altered Carbon was a bit of a slog for me though I love the story). the latest Dune movie is the first half of the book, so the ending is a bit abrupt for many viewers, but is the highest quality movie I've seen in a couple years. The acting, dialogue, photography, sets and desert locations in Jordan... editing all top notch. The ONLY criticism I have is that in a couple scenes the sound drowns out important dialogue for a minute or so (between Paul and his mother in the wake of the attack, and in the tent). The ornithopter in the newest movie... amazing. It looks and flies like one really might! They actually filmed real helos they were using for filming, doing landings, so that later they could digitally remove the helos, keep the movement and dust, for the ornithopters...and it just WORKS. Though they don't look very lightweight... but the wings are HUGE, like they belong to an Mi-26... which could easily handle an Ornithopter like in the movie if it were made of steel instead of aluminium or titanium...