Newbie, couple of simple questions

[Frank67]

Hi,

 

My name is Eric.

After 30 years of flying Microsoft flight sims (4.0 till FSX and Prepar3d) and Falcon 3 and 4, i'm in for a new start in a combat sim.

Today i downloaded DCS but did not yet install it.

I began to read the forums trying to get a good start. But that was a little to much info for me, so i narrowed it down for myself to 3 simple immediate questions:

 

My main question is: Where to begin with this hobby?

 

1. Steam or Standalone?

2. It seems to me it's not the right time to yet install the version i downloaded today because i read a lot of post about newer versions coming up soon (1.5 or 2.0?)

3. If i decide to go ahead (cause i can hardly wait) and do install the standalone version i downloaded today and i buy say the A10, can i later switch to Steam with all this installed or do i have to start all over again?

 

If there are any answers to my questions i hope you don't overload me with tons of info, cause i'm a little confused from reading all the forum posts already, so please give it to me in small chunks. I know simulators so i hope i have some basic understanding of terms but maybe DCS is totally different so again, please go easy on me.

 

Greetings Eric

[EngineerFalcon]

To answer your question about DCS 2.0, I doubt waiting for it would be the right idea - It's not going to come out in a week :)

 

 

Regarding Steam, the main thing is that the Steam version of DCS will only accept license keys bought from Steam, and not from the DCS store. Meanwhile, the standalone will accept keys from both stores, which means you can profit from sales from both sources. But you can always add the standalone to your non-Steam games if you like to have the overlay.

 

DCS is a lot of fun, and I hope you'll enjoy your time here ! What aircraft are you planning to learn first ?

[S3NTRY11]

To answer your question about DCS 2.0, I doubt waiting for it would be the right idea - It's not going to come out in a week :)

Though technically true, that feels a little misleading.. DCSW 1.5, which is a major shift for DCS, is imminent (by the end of this month).

 

Having said that, I don't think there's too much wrong with OP installing the current version to become familiar with the ecosystem.

[Frank67]

@EngineerFalcon Thanks for your answer and i think it will be the A10 and the F15.

@S3ntry11 Thanks for the answer. Sounds to me i can go ahead with the standalone installation and update to 1.5 when it's due.

 

Maybe in the future Steam will also accept license keys from the DCS store? Then we can have best of both worlds.

[Jona33]

@EngineerFalcon Thanks for your answer and i think it will be the A10 and the F15.

@S3ntry11 Thanks for the answer. Sounds to me i can go ahead with the standalone installation and update to 1.5 when it's due.

 

Maybe in the future Steam will also accept license keys from the DCS store? Then we can have best of both worlds.

 

Unlikely, it used to work like that but Steam stopped accepting DCS store keys a while ago. I doubt they'd switch back now.

[Slazi]

Agreed. Very unlikely. I have all my modules on Steam for the convenience. It's all down to preference.

 

Definitely give the SU-25T a shot. It's fee, but it's an amazing aircraft.

[QuiGon]

Hello and welcome to DCS :)

 

Technically DCS 1.5 (and later 2.0) will just be a normal update (a big one though) for DCS. It will first arrive for the beta version, so if you want to get your hands on it as soon as possible, I would recommend to install the beta version. Both versions are available in the download section: http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/

 

Right now both versions are the same (MP compatible), but when a new update arrives, the beta version will be updated first, so they'll differ from each other for a while until the patch gets its public release. It'll work like that for DCS 1.5/2.0 too.

 

You can use the DCSupdater to easily switch between versions as you like:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=114030

 

It is also possible to install the beta paralell to the normal version.

 

I hope that wasn't too confusing :book:

[GurbY]

Welkom hier!!

 

As stated above: don't wait, and install the version that has your preferences. I like the Steam concept, but running the standalone. Just because. Matter of what you like.

 

If you're in for a really, really big challenge, and not afraid of studying and reading manuals: buy the A10C. O, and the Mig21. And let's not forget the UH-1. Or the Ka50... FC3 also fun... (de keuze is reuze!!)

 

And after flying FS.. (which I did too, from the start of the Bruce Artwick edition) you will be surprised about the realistic flight modelling in most aircrafts!!

[piXel496]

1+2 = Standalone. take the beta, that will update automatically into version 1.5

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/beta/

3. = You might be comfortable with Steam in general, but there is no gain in using it for DCS, or is there?

 

Start with one plane. The A10C is your best choice (it is modelled as completely as possible)

A tip. the Virtual Aerobatic server (online) is a freeflight no shooting and with many friendly mature aces and beginners.

 

See you online. Cheers,

 

 

 

 

.

Edited September 7, 2015 by piXel496
a10C not A10A...

[Frank67]

Thanks for all answers, some good tips! I installed the standalone version and the A10C and the F15.

I don't have the beta installed but that's okay, i'm a rookie in DCS and have to learn a lot, maybe by the time i've learned enough the new version (1.5) comes out, i'll install it then, i'll take my time, no hurry.