Request: Revamp of pilot character and decorations

[Home Fries]

While this is a comparatively low priority, I would like to see a shift from merely selecting a country and getting those medals in order based on cumulative score regardless of which missions/aircraft are flown. I don't mind sequential decorations when that is realistic, but I know in most cases decorations for valor are awarded for the individual act without consideration of previous decorations. Additionally, if I'm flying a campaign in the Ka-50 for the Russian Federation, I would rather get contextually relevant Russian decorations instead of a Silver Star because my character pilot is USAF.

 

I think Strike Fighters 2 has a brilliant way of hitting the subject. You are awarded decorations based on what air force you fly for during the mission, and those decorations are listed in reverse chronological order based on when you as a player in real time received them.

You can also see the nation/service flown with at the time, and the in-game date the medal was awarded. The in-game date may take on more relevance as DCS becomes even more chronologically diverse.

 

When you click on the awared, you get a write up of the aircraft and theater (the actual write-up is canned with fields for name, service, date, aircraft, and combat zone).

 

You may also notice that while the "pay grade" of the rank remains consistent for the character, the actual name of the rank is based on the service. The next screenshot shows "Goose" (my mod test pilot) as a First Lieutenant in the US Marines (First Lieutenant is equivalent to Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy):

 

To clarify, I flew one mission right after the other (back to back Medals of Honor), so the same pilot character had the same equivalent rank, but the rank displayed is appropriate for the nation/service.

 

And finally, a DFC award so you can see what another write up looks like:

 

 

TLDR: I don't expect a copy of Strike Fighters 2, but I think this is a great way to provide context relevant medals. If I fly a campaign for the Russians, I want Russian medals even though my main pilot is US.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Home Fries