New to P-51: Several Questions and Help Needed

[marcus4hire]

Greetings!

 

First, I am thrilled with DCS P-51. I have been waiting for THIS for........let's see......15-20 years?? Seriously, I could go on and on but safe to say I am very pleased with the sim. I have been simming since SWOTL and the original MS Flight Simulator. This is the best by far.

 

I have some basic questions about how it 'works' and was hoping somebody could steer me in the right direction. Been searching online for a couple of days without much luck. I dunno if my copy is missing something, I am missing something, or I just don't understand. Any and all help is very much appreciated.

 

Let's start with how I downloaded and installed the game and see if that is part of it.

 

I originally downloaded DCS World through Steam. I then purchased P-51 from the DCS website and, after some poking around online, learned I had to activate it through Steam. I did this and it is now showing up on Steam that I have it. Been flying for several days without any hiccups so, it works.

 

My questions:

 

-How do I obtain the Fw-190 as an AI opponent? It is not available anywhere in game?

 

-Skins: I do not believe I have any in the game. I noticed some were downloadable through the DCS site. Are there any 'stock' skins? Seems like I read online there were.

 

-How do I enable the pilot? I don't see the option anywhere.

 

-In reading online I came across a screenshot of the setting menu in game. It looks exactly like mine but mine doesn't have any tabs across the top. Just opens to the page with graphics options, that is it.

 

-How do I, and do I need to, update the game? I have version 1.2.7 according to the main menu.

 

I THINK that is basically it. Been looking online for these answers without much luck. It seems like I need an update but don't know how to go about doing it. Looked on Steam and on the DCS website for patches. No luck. The lacking of options menus concerns me a bit. I'd also really like to try my hand against the Dora too.

 

Once again, thank you very much for your help. Going to poke around the forums a bit.

Edited April 3, 2014 by marcus4hire

[Bounder]

 

-How do I obtain the Fw-190 as an AI opponent? It is not available anywhere in game?

 

-Skins: I do not believe I have any in the game. I noticed some were downloadable through the DCS site. Are there any 'stock' skins? Seems like I read online there were.

 

-How do I enable the pilot? I don't see the option anywhere.

 

-In reading online I came across a screenshot of the setting menu in game. It looks exactly like mine but mine doesn't have any tabs across the top. Just opens to the page with graphics options, that is it.

 

-How do I, and do I need to, update the game? I have version 1.2.7 according to the main menu.

 

-on the main menu go to instant action -> P-51 tab -> P-51 vs Fw190D9 dogfight

 

-here is a link to search and download lot of content for DCS World, including skins

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/

 

-pressing "right shift + P" keys together toggles the pilot in 1st person view (in the cockpit) on/off

 

-no idea sorry

 

-If you installed DCS World through Steam, it should keep your game up to date automatically (like Steam does for any game). Personally I preferred to install DCS World outside of Steam, the main reason being that you cannot roll back an installation to an earlier version of DCS if you need to via Steam.

 

PS: welcome to DCS, I share your enthusiasm it's a wonderful sim the the Mustang modelled to such level is a dream!

Edited April 3, 2014 by Bounder

[Chief1942]

Perhaps I can help you with some of your questions. Recently acquired this module myself and the learning curve is trying to say the least. That's what we get with DCS as their aim is towards realism in the FM area and they seem to have hit the mark with the P-51D.

 

Since I obtained all my DCS World and modules through DCS and not Steam, I cannot offer any help in that area. Sorry. As to the skins, they are there. You have to use the Mission Planner to get to them. Open the mission planner and select "Open" in the upper left of the screen and it will give you a list of the types of missions, training, single, etc. Select the one you want and when the Mission Planner opens it will have the map for that mission. On the map you will see a symbol for your aircraft. Click on that and a window will open on the right side of the MP. Select the particular a/c you are flying (P-51D) and make sure it says "player" for the pilot, In the bottom portion of that screen will be several icons and the one that is for "weapons/loadout". Move your mouse cursor over the icons and it will tell you what each icon represents.When you highlight that icon (loadout) it will open the weapons selection screen plus it will also show the available "skins" at the bottom of that right side screen. Simply choose the skin you want from the list and hit "save" in the upper left of the MP screen.

 

To enable the visual pilot from inside the cockpit use R-Shift +P and it should appear.

 

Whenever you start DCS, if there are any updates to the version you have it will identify those before it starts the sim. It is pretty much automatic unless you decline the update. I believe 1.2.7 is the current version. We are all awaiting 1.2.8 but DCS will make that available when they are sure it is ready for prime time.

 

Hope that helps. Be sure to use the "Axis Tune" under controllers to reduce some of the sensitivity to inputs or , as I found out, that P-51D is real "tender" with the controls. Good luck and enjoy the challenge. I am.

[marcus4hire]

Aaaaaaand that answers just about all of them.

 

Thanks all!

 

I may post a screenshot of the menu pic I found versus the menu I have here in a bit. In short, I am missing tabs 'controls' 'gameplay' 'audio' 'misc' and 'special'

 

Found the 190!

 

About to find the skins, and toggle the pilot. I was looking for a check box versus a control.

 

Been flying for a few days now.

 

I can say it is the most 'feely' of ANY sim I have ever tried. You really feel the plane through the controls and engine. Very challenging and, consequently, rewarding when you do something as simple as take off or even start the engine. GOBS of power (as the Mustang should have).

 

That's funny. The forum crashed or was inaccessible as soon as I read your responses. But, it's back now!

[marcus4hire]

It's me again, guys (and any gals).

 

Everything has worked perfect so far. Found the 190, found the skins, got the pilot. Getting more stick time. Yep, loving this more every day.

 

This has been a great forum thus far. I didn't think but 2-3 people in the world were watching it but that wasn't the case (or the 2-3 people actually replied).

 

:clap_2:

 

Final question:

 

Earlier I described a perceived problem with the main option menu accessed from the front screen. Namely, it looked like I was missing some tabs. Hard to explain, I know, and I haven't seen anything else on it in some searches. Below is an example of what I think it should look like and then a screenshot of what I have. Any ideas what is going on??

 

What I found online.....

 

 

What mine looks like.....

 

 

I tried messing with the resolution, thinking that could be part of the problem but no matter what I set it at it looks the same. I have never had this issue before with this PC or any other. As always, I appreciate any help!

 

ETA: errrr....lemme figure out the pic problems. Used to this forum format but they didn't take....

 

There we go......I think it is pretty evident but as you can see, I have those two bars at the top and bottom and there do not appear to be any tabs.

Edited April 4, 2014 by marcus4hire

[HotTom]

That's an odd resolution you are using (according to the screen shot). Are you using the native resolution your monitor was designed for? You should be. Is the resolution on your monitor the same as the resolution you are selecting for the game? It should be. The aspect ratio is all screwed up but that may be as a result of the resolution setting.

 

Try resetting both your monitor resolution to its recommended values and then make the game resolution the same as the monitor and see how it looks.

Edited April 4, 2014 by HotTom

[marcus4hire]

That's an odd resolution you are using (according to the screen shot). Are you using the native resolution your monitor was designed for? You should be. Is the resolution on your monitor the same as the resolution you are selecting for the game? It should be. The aspect ratio is all screwed up but that may be as a result of the resolution setting.

 

Try resetting both your monitor resolution to its recommended values and then make the game resolution the same as the monitor and see how it looks.

 

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I should clarify. I was fooling around with resolutions when I took that.

 

With other PC's/vid cards, the monitor runs at 1360X768 native. For this vid card (650ti) that resolution cut my desktop off just a hair. The card controller had the 'create your own resolution' so I had to use that. 1360X768 is the closest to it. I have since ran the options through every supported resolution and it looks exactly the same. I'll mess with it some more though.

 

Appreciate the response!

[HotTom]

Good luck with it. The best advice I can give is only tweak/change one thing at a time. Sounds like you are juggling more than one ball.

[marcus4hire]

Hey There!

 

Thanks for all of the advice, tips, and well wishes.

 

Just wanted to post one final update to: 1) thank you guys and let you know where I ended up and 2) to finish it up for any future users experiencing any of these problems.

 

I was successful in finding the skins, the 190, and turning the pilot on. The last problem, the menu thing has also been resolved. Turns out it just had to do with fiddling with the video card. I know just enough about PC's to build one and break it. My last vid card had a different native resolution than this one. Once I adjusted it on the desktop, I then adjusted in game and.......voila!! Options tabs!! I can also see my fraps FPS now. DCS does not support my particular resolution, 1280X720, but it gets pretty close. Maybe future patches will add some, who knows??

 

In any case, I think I have it figure out (there were a ton of options I didn't know existed due to that little problem).

 

Off to shoot some landings.....

[9.JG27 DavidRed]

if im not mistaken, i think ive read somewhere here, that you can lte DCS use any resolution you want...there is a .lua file where you can enter the res- values manually...

[msalama]

enter the res- values manually...

 

AFAIK you also have to get the aspect ratio right or the sim crashes.

[marcus4hire]

Interdasting. Very interdasting.

 

The resolution appears to be something like 95% correct. My FRAPS is still off the screen enough to not see. The in game FPS counter is also not visible. There appears to be a menu bar at the bottom in external view modes but I can't tell anymore than that.

 

Am I missing much??

 

I might look for that resolution setter, bearing in mind the aspect ratio bit.......maybe not.....