Multiplayer few years ago and now - from FC 1.12b to DCS

[Falcon_S]

I have to look back and remember us to good old days because I think we lost a lot more even though we get a lot with the current level of this simulator.

 

What we lost:

 

1. People / Squadrons - I will mention a few and there are many more, =SE= SerbianEagles, =TuAF=, many of 141st_Wolves, 169th_Panthers, =AH=, =RvE=, some of =238.lbae=, some of =4c=... and many more.
    
    
   
2. Events - RedFlag, BSS, Nucleus, CI/GI, OPFOR, AerobaticShows... These events are awaited with excitement. It was worth it to be part of such memorable developments.
    
   
3. Daily entertainment on servers - Uh, what's all this fighting was! Action, action, and only action!!! A2A, A2G... There were so many people on the server that I once in the air directly collided with with my opponent 169th_Ice :lol: . The entire server on fire. Bombers fight ground targets according to our needs to we could penetrate deeper and control airspace, bases attacked, alarms on all sides, attacked the fleet, sink ships... On the chat: "Cover AWAAAAAAAACS!!! , "Bandit on the North, cover AWAAAAAACS!!!, ...coalition thanks for some of individual action...
    
   
4. Crimea map - Best fights happens here, here would enjoy and mission designers...
    
   
5. Hyperlobby - Many good things on HL. Chat, Server list, Who play where and a lot friendship fun when we not flying...
   

 

I miss all of this. And you guys?

 

What we get against the said:

 

1. More and more lone wolfs
    
   
2. No more events
    
   
3. Anyone flying to himself, silence on the server, a few words on chat...
    
   
4. The cliffs of the Caucasus and not very interesting to most pilots
   
5. Closed server browser
   

 

Many old FC fans will agree with me. :helpsmilie:

Edited June 22, 2014 by Falcon_S

[VTJS17_Fire]

I agree with you about the things we lost and what we get. But only to mention what we lost and get is a little bit simple.

 

We should ask: Why did we lost that things?

 

For our squadron - the VJS 161 "Mad Bulls" (since 2003) - I can say:

+ We didn't ever have a public server.

+ We fly against some other squadrons but had only one participation in a multi-combat scenario, IIRC it was one of the LOCERF (the server performance was bad and there were no comm-standards, that's why we didn't participate in such another event).

+ The core of our pilots switched to Falcon BMS 2 years ago, because the Level of the FC aircraft (F-15C for us) is depressing after 7 years. We didn't transfer to the hardcore DCS modules, because we are a fighter squadron - "once a fighter pilot, ever a fighter pilot" ... so, waiting for the praised F/A-18C (or a DCS F-15C) and BAE Hawk for our new squadron members and to have a feet in DCS.

 

What we have - in my opinion -, are only DCS aircrafts for training and co-op missions. Bombing targets is OK but after some time, you need a human opponent.

 

To operate a server for DCS is not cheap (waiting for a dedicated server tool for years) and if you have trouble (like masterrob), you are not motivated to do all the admin stuff for long time (and money to protect it against hackers).

 

Why all the old squadrons you named are gone, I don't know ...

 

 

regards,

Fire

[Ndest]

Hey guys, I'm still new to this game, and I used to be a part of a huge community in Arma 2, transitioning to DCS World because of my Flying Passion I feel there is no real big community setting Daily Organized Missions or even weekly. Fortunately I have found someone to play with but even so... Simulators require Events driven by Communities to really get fun and both real, and it could be achieved if someone who is really familiar with the game and community tried to create weekly events (very organized) that everyone (Single or Squad) could join. This events could be PvP or CO OP, player slots would depend on the power of the server and someone could create and prepare the missions, with already selected slots to which people would have to sign up.

 

I hope I made myself clear, english is not my main language.

[Falcon_S]

...

We should ask: Why did we lost that things?

 

Right.

 

...Why all the old squadrons you named are gone, I don't know ...

 

Basically most the reasons similar to yours. At first I thought that they needed time to adjust but it takes too long, so...

[Falcon_S]

@ Ndest

 

Don`t worry, you will find something for you. And don`t get the wrong understand this topic, we talk about how as it was before.

[hannibal]

 

I miss all of this. And you guys?

 

What we get against the said:

 

1. More and more lone wolfs
    
   
2. No more events
    
   
3. Anyone flying to himself, silence on the server, a few words on chat...
   

 

Many old FC fans will agree with me. :helpsmilie:

 

this is so true. every year i come back to DCS only to end up playing 2-3 weeks because i get on and no one is playing cohesively.

last night there was 20+ people on the 159th server.... i jump on their teamspeak and 0 people are on.

 

HOW SAD.

 

i miss hyperlobby lol

 

i hope when DCS moves to a dedicated server maybe this will change.

i think most players hate persistant stats, but it kinda gave me an incentive to play, i remember keeping track of my ground kills on the panthers server back before DCS-- lomac days

[Falcon_S]

Yeah, hyperlobby, there was good fellowship. Instead we got senseless server browser.

 

...

i miss hyperlobby lol

...

 

Added HL on the list :)

Edited June 22, 2014 by Falcon_S

[karambiatos]

this is so true. every year i come back to DCS only to end up playing 2-3 weeks because i get on and no one is playing cohesively.

last night there was 20+ people on the 159th server.... i jump on their teamspeak and 0 people are on.

Always hate that, and its a reoccurring theme across all servers, 20-30 people on a server, join the TS, a ghost town, real sad.

[csper]

I missed so so muchh! Especially BSS was awesome! When I was with 141 we were going to ships of red side and we sank all of them :D

 

And HL was great platform for communication and friendship. I hope ED to make a new system like this.

 

Also most of my old friends left cause of fps decrease and Flaming Cliffs versions..

Edited June 22, 2014 by c@sper

[hannibal]

we have steam. i wish the had some kind of social networking component to this as related to DCS

 

the steam client has voip also

Edited June 22, 2014 by hannibal

[Mustang]

I don't know how best to say this but, i guess we have to remember just how long ago this all was, it was a different time when we were all younger and it was a different scene altogether - the people and the vibe was just different, it's hard to explain.

 

I think some of this is down to life, getting money/job, getting a partner/married and other things ruining MP, i dunno i feel as if i'm rambling on - it's something but i can't put my finger on it.

[hannibal]

we need to appeal to fresh meat lol. i hope the upcoming oculus rift will bring more ppl into the dcs scene

[Blooze]

What I have found is that there are many that think that someone should knock on their door and try to convince them to come out and play instead of being proactive and seeking out the groups that are still flying good coop missions with coms and enjoying it on a regular basis. I have posted many an invitation with very little response. Maybe it's because there are so few that fly the study sims and my group doesn't include the FC3 aircraft. Beats me. Many seem to have the attitude that a multiplayer server should be an entitlement that comes with the package and fail to realize that it is only though the voluntary efforts of community members that they are available at all. I'm not going to dwell on the past but rather continue to enjoy this sim every day as usual.

[159th_Viper]

It's dat Netcode..........killed him dead! :gun_rifle:

 

Oh well, hopefully things will improve and we can relive the 'Glory days. Click on the following links for a trip down memory lane :)

 

 

 

 

RED FLAG 03

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 07-04

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 07-05

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 08-01

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 08-02

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 27/09/2008

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 09-02

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 10-01

 

L.O.C.E.R.F. 10-03

 

 

[gregzagk]

I

I miss all of this. And you guys?

 

What we get against the said:

 

1. More and more lone wolfs
    
   
2. No more events
    
   
3. Anyone flying to himself, silence on the server, a few words on chat...
    
   
4. Closed server browser
   

 

Many old FC fans will agree with me. :helpsmilie:

 

I think there are always different views on this depending on when you start dealing with something like a Flight sim in our occasion.

 

You won't have the same enthusiasm after so many years and then you only remember the good times from the past and not some of the same problems we deal with today (like technical problems, arguments ,cheating etc ) .

Finally you miss the events that take place now.

 

For example there is now :

 

-An online dynamic campaign every Sunday between squadrons : http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=125160

-A PvP event next Saturday : http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=125536

-An upcoming online PvP campaign that is still WIP

-There were online campaigns some time ago and will be again in the future : http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=120452

-Many events between squadrons but you have to be a squadron member to know about them.

-There are still 24h servers with great missions and it depends on you if you will have a nice time in them.

 

So what I want to say is that everyone of us think that has a top moment in which we meet people, make friends through flight sims and eventually after that will think that everything after this moment is not so good.

 

It's normal in my opinion.

But I for sure see a strong community here with mission building ,scripting and organising events and with present and upcoming features that we couldn't imagine in the past .

 

 

EDIT :

What I have found is that there are many that think that someone should knock on their door and try to convince them to come out and play instead of being proactive and seeking out the groups that are still flying good coop missions with coms and enjoying it on a regular basis. I have posted many an invitation with very little response. Maybe it's because there are so few that fly the study sims and my group doesn't include the FC3 aircraft. Beats me. Many seem to have the attitude that a multiplayer server should be an entitlement that comes with the package and fail to realize that it is only though the voluntary efforts of community members that they are available at all. I'm not going to dwell on the past but rather continue to enjoy this sim every day as usual.

 

+1

[Falcon_S]

Wow, nice reminder Viper! :thumbup:

 

@ gregzagk and Blooze

 

I appreciate it and I agree. But that our old time is unforgettable and what kind of events it is showed is by the pictures of Viper.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Falcon_S

[ebabil]

agree here. i used to have much more fun in fc 1.12 days as a former =TuAF= pilot. i can hardly find time to fly online. beside i don't have the dcs version of FC. i have only a-10c and huey.

maybe i will make a fresh start with dcs:f/a 18, who knows..

[carrollhead]

I don't think the community has gone exactly, more like we've split up into small groups and mostly keep to ourselves.

 

There are too many reasons to post for this, and they've all been raked over in this forum enough times! The question is, what are we all going to do about it?

 

We have to get that sense of friendship, and cheerful rivalry going again if the multiplayer scene is going to make a turnaround.

 

A while back, I suggested a public teamspeak that could serve as a lobby for everyone. It was't met with much enthusiasm, because most of the server owners and squads run their own (which is fair enough). I still think it's a good idea though - players connect to one TS and then move to the relevant server channel (which could me managed by the servers owners I reckon) - everyone playing is in the same TS and they would "bump" into each other a lot more. People could easily password "their" channels if they wanted private areas. It would help to get us all together a bit more though.

 

I would happily set this up BTW - so I'm not looking for money from people.

 

It's a start I reckon - we really need to get people playing together more than anything else! :)

Edited June 22, 2014 by carrollhead

[159th_Viper]

What we need, as a bare minimum, is a lobby akin to the old Hyperlobby. That and a stable netcode that can handle 60+ people for missions lasting 4+ hours.

 

Then and only then will we see the beginnings of a return to the days gone by.

 

Oh yes, did I mention the absolute necessity of a return of the Crimea? :D These Scoot, Shoot and Roost missions do not do the SIM justice.

[Falcon_S]

What we need, as a bare minimum, is a lobby akin to the old Hyperlobby. That and a stable netcode that can handle 60+ people for missions lasting 4+ hours.

 

Then and only then will we see the beginnings of a return to the days gone by.

 

Oh yes, did I mention the absolute necessity of a return of the Crimea? :D These Scoot, Shoot and Roost missions do not do the SIM justice.

 

+ for life

 

I thought and Crimea mention in the list of nostalgia, but I was hoping he'd be back with the new terrain :)

 

Crimea - Go to list ;)

[MTFDarkEagle]

What we need, as a bare minimum, is a lobby akin to the old Hyperlobby. That and a stable netcode that can handle 60+ people for missions lasting 4+ hours.

 

Then and only then will we see the beginnings of a return to the days gone by.

 

Oh yes, did I mention the absolute necessity of a return of the Crimea? :D These Scoot, Shoot and Roost missions do not do the SIM justice.

+1.

 

'Dem good ol' days :) :pilotfly:

[Pilotasso]

I know I stopped flying online due to the permanent beta status of this SIM, some argue it isn't beta anymore but truth is that some basic features like flight models and missile sensor modelling and trajectory/waypoint generation have been left in crude WIP status for the longest time.

 

I will be back but Im not holding my breath until the minimum conditions are finally met, and I believe others are in the background waiting like me as well.

[Boberro]

Well I played it and remember those days. Really great memories and nice events. There was one based on 169th... about 100 people, insane amount. Been proudly assigned to AWACS escort in Su-33 :) Succesfully fulfilled my job as same as rest of the team. We defeated dirty capitalists :D

 

HyperLobby was nice too, sometimes it was really funny to read messaged between folks like "you moron" for killing someone on ground :D

 

Now there is emptiness, something has been lost. Perhaps people grew up, finished school, studies, started families and went own way.

But ED didn't help much, ServerBrowser is a pile of crap, no VoIP, no chat app and plenty of other things.

Not mentioning insane DCS requirements for the level of GFX it offers.

[Falcon_S]

:D Uh when I remember chase to PILOTASSO but the old fox was hard to catch in mesh with no way out but when we catch him - he always be a trophy. And c r a z y Cool_T and his ninja attacks from our back :megalol:

[Ktulu2]

I don't know how it was before, but hardware requirements are so high, that in the already reduced population wanting to play REAL sims, than they need to have a decent computer... I just finished high school (Québec), but this year after discovering dcs, I literally asked ALL the boys of my program results : 4 or 5 had a somewhat decent computer, none were wishing to play... I hope this will change in CEGEP, but I doubt it :/