DCS: Black Shark - Q&A **READ FIRST!**

Another question concerning mission design/editor.

 

I remember from IL2 editor that mission designer can set area damage with % or something like that.

This allowed to create warzone enviroments like destroyed cities and towns (actually this variable changes map objects into smokin' ruins).

Question is, can we do that in DCS?

Round earth?

"Faked" orbital mechanics, or real orbital mechanics (for sats)?

 

Is this time world a spherical real size Earth with more detailed areas and empty ones, or is it still flat like it is in LOCKON?

 

If we switch to F11 view and raise our view ALT to 300KM would we actually see that DCS world is a single solid sphere?

Sorry it took longer to get a more "official" response, but I wanted to make sure we provide accurate information.

 

In the current engine, the terrain model remains flat. However, as you can see in the ME screenshot, ED is developing a spherical terrain model for the new engine. Currently, the spherical ME map and the in-game terrain model are matched through a coordinate conversion system.

 

In regards to satellite trajectories, the flat terrain engine does not impact their proper orbital mechanics. Because the satellites are not currently used by any other game objects and are not drawn by the graphics engine, they do not operate in the same coordinate system.

Satellite coordinates are only needed to calculate the azimuth and elevation angles of the satellites for the purpose of displaying their position in the ABRIS sky plot and to determine the Dilution of Precision (DOP) parameters, which affect accuracy (the closer the satellites are grouped together, the higher the DOP value, the lower the accuracy).

The position of every satellite is calculated using the WGS84 reference system. It is determined using orbital parameters (3 + 3) and absolute in-game time (DD-MM-YYYY HH:MM:SS) with the same accuracy as the real GPS receiver calculates satellite positions using almanac data. The player’s helicopter position is converted from in-game coordinates into a geographical position (lat/long/geodetic height), then into the WGS84 system. The vector to the satellite is then calculated and used in determining the DOP. Finally, it is converted into horizontal coordinates (azimuth, elevation, range) to be displayed on the ABRIS sky plot.

 

Essentially - the satellites operate in their own, proper coordinate system and all that is required of the game engine is to convert the player's position (i.e. the position of the GPS receiver) into their coordinate system to perform all of the necessary calculations.

 

Can you select the projection in the Mission editor?

Not at this time. I don't know if there are any plans for this.

 

I remember from IL2 editor that mission designer can set area damage with % or something like that.

This allowed to create warzone enviroments like destroyed cities and towns (actually this variable changes map objects into smokin' ruins).

Question is, can we do that in DCS?

Something I have been wishing for as well, but have not seen in any plans. I'll forward the request.

The question I have is, you are talking about adding 7 more aircrafts to the series. Considering that Black Shark took many years to complete, obviously the other aircraft won't take as much to model as the foundations are laid for DCS now. But still, that takes time.

 

But I see at least 7 years before the last aircraft is added. Which, by that time LO engine will be outdated greatly. Which is already a good 6-7 years old.

 

Is there any plans to revamp the engine at one point? I know graphics are always at the second plan in the simulation theme, but graphics were one of the main factors that LO such a popular game. I consider it's one of the "main" points. The "revamping" obviously have to be better than just adding some DirectX 10.1(or what's the standart by that time) effects, meaning complete rewrite of the engine in DX10 or similiar.

 

What do devs think about this? Emphasis on graphics when necessary or "We'll go as long as we go with this engine."? I hope the former.

Is there any plans to revamp the engine at one point? I know graphics are always at the second plan in the simulation theme, but graphics were one of the main factors that LO such a popular game. I consider it's one of the "main" points. The "revamping" obviously have to be better than just adding some DirectX 10.1(or what's the standart by that time) effects, meaning complete rewrite of the engine in DX10 or similiar.

 

Q: Will DCS: Black Shark be Vista-compatible and take advantage of multi-core processors?

A: The initial release of DCS will use a heavily modified version of our TFCSE simulation engine that will run Windows XP SP2 and Vista equally well using either DirectX 9 or DirectX 10. However, DCS versions based on the TFCSE engine will not take advantage of DirectX 10 unique features or multi-core processors. We plan however to provide such features in our new simulation engine that is currently in development for later versions of DCS.

 

hope this answers your question :)

Well, I have other question.

 

It looks like ADF in Ka-50 are "hard-coded", you can't tune them directly, only select between eight (8) different predefined stations.

 

Is it possible to select the 8 predefined stations before the flight, in the mission editor?

 

and other one

 

Does the ABRIS/Rubikon flight plan load automatically before the mission, or the flight plan has to be inserted manually?

 

Regards!!

Is it possible to select the 8 predefined stations before the flight, in the mission editor?

Currently, the ADF channels are configured in the associated .lua file and there isn't a GUI for this function built in, although it is something ED hopes to implement down the road. In real life, the ADF channels are configured by the ground crew.

Note, using the new mission archive format, the mission designer can include a customized ADF configuration file in the mission archive, which will automatically replace the player's default file while the mission is running.

Does the ABRIS/Rubikon flight plan load automatically before the mission, or the flight plan has to be inserted manually?

The flight plan is loaded automatically from the ME. In the helicopter, the player can adjust or delete and redesign the flight plan as necessary.

Currently, the ADF channels are configured in the associated .lua file and there isn't a GUI for this function built in, although it is something ED hopes to implement down the road. In real life, the ADF channels are configured by the ground crew.

Note, using the new mission archive format, the mission designer can include a customized ADF configuration file in the mission archive, which will automatically replace the player's default file while the mission is running.

The flight plan is loaded automatically from the ME. In the helicopter, the player can adjust or delete and redesign the flight plan as necessary.

 

Thanks, as always, EvilBivol. Some time ago, in a old video, it showed the possibility in ABRIS for marking "dangerous, hot" (AAA and SAM) zones. Could it be done in ME, or only inside the Ka-50 cockpit? In this last case, Is it possible to save the config, so we could use the same zones in other missions whitout config it again?

 

Regards!!

Some time ago, in a old video, it showed the possibility in ABRIS for marking "dangerous, hot" (AAA and SAM) zones. Could it be done in ME, or only inside the Ka-50 cockpit? In this last case, Is it possible to save the config, so we could use the same zones in other missions whitout config it again?

The ABRIS will show threat zones automatically for any known air defense positions as loaded from the ME. If the mission designer hides the unit in the ME, it will not be displayed on the ABRIS. The threat zones are calculated according to the unit's LOS (i.e. accounting for terrain masking) for your current altitude.

 

You can also add customized markings and lines to the ABRIS database to mark threat zones, approach routes, etc. The mission designer can do this using a special "prepare mission" function, which starts the simulation as normal, but records any changes to the ABRIS database. When done, a custom ABRIS file is created and included in the mission archive. When the player opens the mission, the customized ABRIS data is loaded automatically. I'm not sure if the custom ABRIS file can be reused in other missions or not.

 

So, to simulate a real environment, the mission designer can hide a unit, so the player does not have the actual position and threat zone displayed automatically, but he can add an approximate "no fly zone" to the ABRIS.

 

Note, for known moving ground units, the ABRIS will only display their initial position, as it has no real-time information on their movement.

The mission designer can do this using a special "prepare mission" function, which starts the simulation as normal, but records any changes to the ABRIS database. When done, a custom ABRIS file is created and included in the mission archive. When the player opens the mission, the customized ABRIS data is loaded automatically.

 

That is what I want to read :). Thanks you again. It would be nice in next DCS iterations to have a "ABRIS emulator" outside the sim which we could create and export custom config files, but the actual solution is valid, too.

 

Regards!!

Ekran

 

Isn't Ekran supposed to warn the pilot if he doesn't react to a message for a while (with the lady saying "Smotri ekran"). I've noticed in the Nav producers note that it doesn't.

Isn't Ekran supposed to warn the pilot if he doesn't react to a message for a while (with the lady saying "Smotri ekran"). I've noticed in the Nav producers note that it doesn't.

 

It is warning the pilot- both with aural warning and text message on the Ekran display. The Ekran is modelled fully, unlike LO.

But it doesn't :) It does it both for the LOWER GEAR at the beginning, but PERFORM NAV POS FIX is only displayed, without aural warning. At least I'm not noticing it :D

I didn't say that aural and message warnings always go together. Aural you get when there are some important things happening to your aircraft, like "GEAR DOWN"- it's called attention getter, while "Perform nav position fix" is just informative, you won't crash just because you got lost ;) You'll see all messages in the manual, pretty comprehensive reading what the EKRAN is actualy for.

Is the representation of the snow better in DCS than in LO? I mean, in Lock On there was something like an animated 2d layer put on the screen, but it looked very artificial sometimes, it didn't even fill the whole FOV in zoomed out cockpit view. Any improvement to that?

Is the representation of the snow better in DCS than in LO? I mean, in Lock On there was something like an animated 2d layer put on the screen, but it looked very artificial sometimes, it didn't even fill the whole FOV in zoomed out cockpit view. Any improvement to that?

 

That is a good question. Are the wipers functional? I mean, they move and so on, but are they neccesary? Will be there water drops over the windshield in BS? and over the Skhval sensor? Do water drops over the Shkval sensor affect it?

 

Regards!!

Does Ka-50 have a HUD recorder, and is it modeled?

Not with the current engine. The 6 DOF view options makes water droplets unfeasible and still maintain acceptable frame rates. We'll revisit this with the new engine.

 

No water drops are not modeled on the Shkval sensor, that will be for another day. However, we wanted to put the wiper options in now and take advantage of them when we can do rain effects right.

 

Well, anyway Ka-50 isn't an all-weather helicopter, so I don't see problems with that. Thanks you :thumbup:

 

Regards!!

Well, anyway Ka-50 isn't an all-weather helicopter

 

Hmm, IRL it's not all weather thanks to the Skhval, but what about the game? Will weather affect the TV targeting process in Black Shark?

Will BS run at 800x600, at least when the 3D window is launched?

I have a new question. Has it been decided how Black Shark will be distributed? Will it be download only or is a CD or DVD going to be available?

Does Ka-50 have a HUD recorder, and is it modeled?

There is a switch for a HUD camera in the cockpit, but it isn't clear if a HUD camera is actually integrated on operational airframes. I'm not sure I see the practical value of modeling a HUD camera in DCS, considering that you have the ability to record tracks and view them in the HUD-only view.

Hmm, IRL it's not all weather thanks to the Skhval, but what about the game? Will weather affect the TV targeting process in Black Shark?

Yes, the Shkval's effectiveness will be reduced in low-visibility conditions. At night, it will only track targets that are illuminated by a light source.

Will BS run at 800x600, at least when the 3D window is launched?

800x600 is not supported natively, though I suspect you will be able to "force" this resolution through a graphics configuration file. Not 100% sure.

I have a new question. Has it been decided how Black Shark will be distributed? Will it be download only or is a CD or DVD going to be available?

ED intends to distribute both online and in retail. That's probably all we can say for now.

Well this isn't a BlackShark related question, but a next modules ones.

 

How about hypoxia and other biological effects? Are you thinking how to model them in the next engine? I've read Ka-50 haven't the ECS system modelled, ok, but for fast airplanes, the ECS is a fundamental part and I think it should be modelled, and not only the system, but the biological effects of a malfunction too (blurry sight, tunnel effect, faints...)

 

Regards!!