StrongHarm

I like this method for multiple mavs.. doesn't require markpoints.

FYI, VSync doesn't work if you're using a 120hz monitor.

Make sure you're in the third mode. Also see if you're leaving air brakes switch open. This is a rigged continuous input as it's an axis emulation. No other button input works while operating air brake. I used to do it all the time. Open the brakes then recenter switch. You may want to add a larger dead zone to it if necessary.

I downloaded the file and reviewed it. It is populated with data [actioncommand=a83013d0-0179-47b5-89ea-cbd02e5f8dd4 name='HOTAS Nosewheel Steering Button' [actionblock [action device=keyboard usage=0x00000049 page=0x00000007 value=0x00000001]]] If you have the non-pro version of the X52 you have to convert this profile using a method in a previous post in this thread. Luck to you, and fair skies

Actually, this is not wind. I noticed this in my testing long ago. I created a wind free mission and found the same thing. To test it: - Create a mission with no wind - Take off and set Path AP with +5 pitch - Increase speed to +10 and watch the fade (note: more weapons/fuel load increases effect) I wrote this up, but the dev replied that this is an intended effect from the airframe physics.

Brit007, outstanding.. I'm glad your efforts are paying off! I have fun tweaking for performance until I start to see a drop in quality, then pulling back a bit to maintain my threshold for best quality. I noticed you're using medium settings for your motherboard and DCS. You might be able to stretch that. In first person shooters, I like to ensure that I get a constant 60FPS, that way when I'm in a tight spot with 20 people firing shotguns at one another in a closet, I'll see no lag at all. With DCS your tight spots are MP missions with a lot of units around cities. I personally stretch my system until DCS doesn't drop under 30FPS in those intense situations. You'll find that DCS FPS performance can't be measured by the same standards as an 1stPS, not because it's not capable, but because it's simply a different animal. For consistant testing I suggest my FPS Reference Mission. It shows you a range of loads in a quick and consistant manner, there are no variances that can throw your tests off. For your CPU and ASUS motherboard; if you want to get the most out of your hardware, consider a liquid cooling system. I personally use the H80 Corsair closed system. It's less than $100, super easy to install, and you never have to maintain it by adding water, etc. My temps never get over 45c at 4.7Ghz, even at 100% loads for hours. Also, the ASUS AI suite software allows automatic over clocking with little fuss. Your use of BIOS AsusEZ Mode will still get decent results, and a water cooling solution isn't absolutely required for the hardware you have, though. Once again, this is personal preference. You've asked the right questions and made the right moves. I think you're off to a great start in getting the most out of your system for DCS. Have fun.

Brit007, I hope your tweaking is going well. Don't let the argumentative bunch deter you from asking questions here. People flex their internet muscles and argue any point possible all over the web, these boards are no exception. All in all, it's an excellent community despite this. Our little friend in this case can't be expected to give advice on your hardware, as his will require more aggressive settings. From the link in my above post: Good luck, have fun.

I've put more air threats to fit your needs into the next mission in the series. It took a large amount of triggers to do it right, surprisingly. Doing too much damage too quickly to the Russians cause them to send in CAP Command reports the RU launch Friendly fighters are scrambled to meet the threat Command then reports when RU CAP is in your threat range (so you can continue with operations until then) If you terrain mask properly you can avoid the CAP If RU CAP kills US Intercept, reinforcment fighters are sent, you must stay out of their radar until then This logic is available in Battle For Patara Valley, which should be forthcoming in the next week or so.

My being a tester has nothing to do with it. I'm just a community member like yourself. I do have 20 years of technical experience and have been through a lot of trial and error, since before beta, to get my personal system configed for DCS to my personal taste. My results are good, and others report the same. I'm not going to argue the semantics of SLI, I was using a generalization to articulate the fact that you don't get much out of SLI in alternate or split frame rendering in DCS. I know I use more of my second card if I use it for AA, and I get some more FPS and quality when I do it. nVidia simply fixed the switch in the profile, they made no specific change to allow SLI to be utilized more completely in DCS. I've spoken with them directly. I took my time out to reply to this post to contribute my findings, DratsaB, not out of necessity, but to help out if I could. As I said in my post; feel free to take my advice with a grain of salt and tweak around until you find what works for you (then, if you like... take your time to put together long threads and screenshots to help others get the same results). Potentially helping someone is worth my time, arguing semantics is not. I've said what I can in this thread.. have fun.

Britt007, welcome to DCS! I have just about the same system as you, but I have the GTX570. I've been down the same road as you. I wanted to know why DCS wasn't heating my vid card up, and taking full advantage of my hardware. First of all, it's important to know that judging the performance of DCS can not be done the same as with other software. Games like BF3 for instance, are judged upon FPS and amount of stutter. They're graphics intensive applications. DCS:A-10C was originally built to military specifications for use by the Air National Guard in training A-10 pilots in a more economical manner (also the reason for the Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS). Cutting edge graphics wasn't important thing to the U.S. Military, the math was. The software had to operate within a realistic threshold both in regard to physics and aircraft sub-systems. That was the most important requirement. As such, DCS is very CPU intensive, and hardly GPU intensive at all. BF3 doesn't use a lot of floating point operations: an aircraft flying through the air and firing it's cannon is no different than a person running and firing their rifle. In DCS:A-10C, millions of calculations are being done on the airframe, the targeting dynamics, and the projectile physics. So, with this in mind, let's look at optimal settings: SLI and Crossfire advantages are not seen in DCS in the conventional sense, i.e. splitting one half of the screen to each card to double performance. If it did, since DCS is CPU intensive, you would lose the PhysX capabilities and see only a small load on each vid card. The second card is better used to provide PhysX and superior Anti-Aliasing. I would switch PhysX from auto to the 2nd card (to dedicate) then switch SLI to SLIAntialiasing mode (and use 32Q or 64Q AA, whatever is available these days). Your second card will take on some cycles from your CPU. Moving on from SLI: I seem to get more FPS out of higher settings than I do low, I know that doesn't make much sense, but I think with such a high powered system, the vid card power and features aren't really kicking in until the settings are high. Here's a post I put up recently on config. Be sure to check the link to TweakGuides that tells you specifically what each nVidia setting does, if you want to tweak to personal precision. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1405864#post1405864 NOTE: As an ED Tester, I don't work for ED. I'm just another person from the community like yourself, but ED uses me as a 'version lab rat' :). You can take my advice with a grain of salt, just like any other advice on the forum. It's mostly all opinion and speculation unless the person's tag is Developer or Wags.. then it's pretty much DCS gospel. Enjoy tweaking your setup and getting the most out of DCS, in my opinion that's half the fun! I make mid-sixfigures from what I learned from tweaking systems for sims (truly, college didn't teach me half as much). Here's my opinion on the subject of embracing the sim on it's own merits:

I did indeed wake up. It was like trading my fork in for a spoon to eat breakfast cereal ! heheh Attached the WH and X52 Excel files to the OP.

Finally broke down and got a WARTHOG HOTAS. See OP for new matrix.

Pucker factor of 10... Helo pilots are crazier than fighter pilots any day. They scared the hell out of me when I was inside the helo! I'll get there on the MKI boot.. thanks :)

I simulate a troop extract in one of my missions. I put a few waypoints around the extract point, so it circles to a hover, then make it go altitude +2. When the helo reaches the ground the troops disappear under it (trigger zone + unit alt). Close and not exactly flawless.. but hell, you're watching it from the cockpit of a Hawg.. so it doesn't look bad at all. Build it.. and they will fly.. See joint ops SAR manual (outdated and no longer FOUO)for some great mission ideas and techniques. SARs.pdf

+1 Very clear and helpful. This will save people a lot of time. Good stuff!

Thanks for the info july865! I must have the FARP gear sitting too far from the FARP. I'll fix that. Before I launch another version though, elaborate on what you'd like to see concerning air threats please?

Truth. I added a ctrl modifier to each of the TrackIR defaults. I've not found any conflicts.

The layout of the Warthog HOTAS is realistic, I wouldn't want to change it (except for making the trim hat trim instead of view.. bleh). You're using both hands, both feet, and your head to control DCS.. can I suggest you add more commands to another I/O method? Voice Activated Commands is a great app. I've been using it for years with very little trouble. No need to train voice or anything.. just type in the command, then type in the phrase.. then when you say that phrase, that key command (any combo, sentence, or macro) is executed at the speed you specify. You could conceivably say 'plane, start up now' and have the entire startup sequence bound to that phrase. Do a search on these forums for VAC, there's some good stuff out there.

july865, you're welcome. Glad you're having as much fun with it as I am. Concerning the migs; I set out to create an atmosphere of impending large scale battle. The migs should spawn when you're close to waypoint 2, right over Tbilisi. The migs spawn and a dogfight occurs within view. Moments later MLRSs start firing on the city under you and a portion of it is in flames. After the AA is cleared, you proceed on, nape of earth, to waypoint four to start ops in the ao. Migspawn and MLRS fire occurs when you break through a trigger point near Tbilisi.

The really important settings in nVidia Control Panel are as follows (everything else is just fluff): Max PreRenderedFrames = 1 (0 screws things up, 3 is useless) MultiDisplayMixedGpuAccel = Single Display Performance Mode SLIRenderingMode = Single GPU Threaded Optimization = On ( I know the debate.. but trust me, it gives me 5fps) TripleBuffering = on VertSync = on But really, it's a matter of what your preference is between performance and quality. I personally shoot for quality, as my rig is pretty stout. Check this page out. It will explain what each of the nVidia settings do so you can set them to your personal preference. Be sure to try changing your "Digital Vibrance" setting. I've found that it makes the terraign look a lot better. My personal settings:

Frostiken, this is what could have been.. Also... Watch carefully... (if you're busy, just start at 3:05) It's important for the convergence of perception and reality. I say these things in humor and with patient, good will.. :smilewink:

july865, no need to modify.. I created a coop version as well, up the page @ http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1393522. The coop version has two FARPs and different triggers. After it's properly tested, I'll post it in a seperate thread. Would you mind giving me some feedback to speed the process?

I moved boat switch to the toggles (lower switches) on the front of the stick. They're not really time critical functions. The modes are split as follows: MODE1: Weapons/Battle Critical MODE2: Avionics/Autopilot MODE3: Startup/Takeoff The modes aren't really a problem after you use it a bit. Before I mess with avionics, for instance, I check mode2 without thinking.

Nope.. it's simple. I created this mission long before I was a tester.. back in Beta, and people were requesting I update it for the current version...as the OP says. It's nothing sinister or conspiratorial <performs calming gestures> it's just a mission (by me.. StrongHarm) that tests maximum resource drain. I don't personally use this for DCS version testing, but I do use FPS Reference (another mission by me.. StrongHarm) as a control in performance testing. Every tester has their own methods of testing. The only time I've used this mission is when I get new hardware, to see how it reacts. Simmer down lil'dragon, all is well :thumbup:

There's no issue. This mission was created to provide a maximum system resource scenario. If you want a mission to use as a control in progressive light to medium-high resource testing, try my FPS Reference Mission.