Less empty world

[Johnny Dioxin]

May have been mentioned - there's so much here now and in other similar threads, it's easy to miss and takes a while to check every thread.

 

I'm talking about the post-apocalyptic style world we fly in, insofar as there is nothing going on unless it has been specifically made to do so by the mission author.

 

AI planes doing circuits, for example. When I tune in to the local ATC channel, hearing those aircraft seeking clearances etc. If I see a flight, being able to find their comms on my radio and listen to it.

 

Cars, people, animals etc. just the tip...

 

Yes, it takes time, yes it takes PC resources, but other sims have managed it to some extent. The DCS World is too sterile and dead.

 

We need it in all maps - not just future ones :)

 

EDIT: I would pay for one or more add-ons to include such things in the sim!

[aceviper]

In other flightsims the most important element of the feel of flying is severely lacking and sterile to boot.

In fsx for example the seagulls around the coast dont hide this.

DCS imho is in a very good state at the moment and the future is very bright.

[ZaltysZ]

Cars, people, animals etc. just the tip...

 

Civil traffic: cars, trucks, trains, buses have been in DCS for long time already. In fact, they were available even in DCS predecessors. Were they removed in 1.5?

[159th_Falcon]

Civil traffic: cars, trucks, trains, buses have been in DCS for long time already. In fact, they were available even in DCS predecessors. Were they removed in 1.5?

 

No they were not, and i believe the trains even follow there real life train schedule.

At least they did way back in the days of LOMAC.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=30235

[Brisse]

You can add civilian ground activity in the settings. That includes cars, lorries and trains. You can even choose the density of civilian activity.

[ebabil]

civil traffic should be much more realistic and it is also a fps killer

birds at seasides and some animals in forests would be great but .. you know there are lots of things to be sorted out. i don't think this is a top priority in this stage

[Johnny Dioxin]

Indeed. A car or two every ten minutes or so isn't exactly making it believable.

 

This is a topic for people to say what they would like to see and that is what I have posted.

 

Unfortunately there are too many people who just like to disagree or know better.

 

It's a sterile environment - as are most flight sims - but not all are as bad. For example, when I start up and taxi out in Falcon 4 BMS, the textures may be lacking, but the airfield is alive with action. The radio is busy and I have to wait my turn at the holding point.

 

Just a small, single example of what would make things better. I'm not saying they should be in tomorrow - but I would like to see them at some point before I am too old and withered to enjoy them (which isn't that far away).

[Skjold]

I would agree but as OP said himself it takes resources from the simulator that could be used for other things. Civilian traffic already do exist, and u can get it up to fairly high amount of traffic but it will tax your system badly and no MP mission designer that is sane will use that amount of traffic becouse it will make it close to unplayable.

 

I've seen a couple of multiplayer missions use it, and my FPS went from a solid 120+ to a solid 20-30. It is just not worth the trade off, in my book.

 

You also have to take into consideration that "those other sims" have way more simplistic calculations for flight models etc that reduces the overall strain on your client or the server as a result and those extra resources saved from low quality FM's can be used to generate civilian traffic.

 

Like pretty much everything in modern sim's, it seems like we have to choose between apple and oranges. Can't have both.

[Yurgon]

Well DCS is kind of a sandbox. It's up to you and the mission designers what you make of it.

 

I agree it would be nice if there was an option to include and maybe even roughly configure civil air traffic, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

 

As I recall it from the preview videos, road traffic in the NTTR map is much more dense than in the old map, so you should definitely check it out once it's released.

[Monkatraz]

I think ground units are fine, they don't use much resources (compared to other sims, oh god) and they drive around like they should.

Due to the way missions work in DCS, there isn't really a "free flight" mode like there would be in FSX. You could consider instant action to be this I suppose. If DCS ever added a plain free flight mode it would be nice to see planes and helicopters flying around.

[Johnny Dioxin]

I agree with points made here - but what I said still stands about the world not being very active and that if someone is prepared to find a way and make a mod or add-on that adds these things without adding significantly to the load. I would definitely be prepared to pay for it.

 

Thinking of FSX - there are several commercial and freeware packs that add AI traffic to the sim. I would pay for that in DCS World and I'm sure many others would, too. In a way, it would be easier in DCSW because you wouldn't have to stick to RW timetables.

 

I'm not saying any other sim has it all - I think all modern sims lack this sort of atmosphere of flying and operating in a busy world. Part solutions are available, but it's no one thing, it's several things. It would be great and set DCS World apart if it were to incorporate some of them.

 

Probably never happen, but it is something that I would like to see at least attempted if not ED then by 3rd party.

 

I know it is supposed to be coming, but the first thing that will make a difference is an improvement to that poor ATC we've had for so long.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Brixmis

[Fuzzysham]

I was going to create a new thread but I did a quick search for "alive" and this thread popped up with my long standing concern about DCS. The DCS world feels pretty barren and sterile. It is a fantastic sim and it does many things very well but it is lacking life. There isn't much radio chatter and the radio chatter that is there is very stiff and cookie cutter sounding. I've watched so many videos of pilots in action and there is just something missing in DCS. I feel like all voice acting needs an overhaul and radio sounds need to be improved. It's hard to explain. It simply doesn't feel like you are part of a bigger world with other things happening around you. What things that do happen around you feel very robotic in nature.

 

It is probably a sin to mention it on here but I feel like the other F-16 sim that shall not be named does it better and makes the world feel more alive. Yes some of it is pretty cheesy and it is an old sim but it generally isn't repetitive and feels random like you are part of a larger world.

 

I don't expect DCS to get any significant changes like this but it sure would be nice to add that extra touch of authenticity. I constantly find myself going back to the other sim because I need a dynamic world that feels alive. Playing DCS for too long begins to feel like FSX/P3D with weapons. Still, I love DCS and it is my favorite sim.

[msalama]

Well there's a mod floating around here somewhere that adds random air traffic to AFs of your choosing. Can't remember the name of it just now, though, but I think it's still available regardless. Search and ye may find ;)

 

EDIT: Although no telling if it works in v1.5/2.0. You'll just have to try I suppose...

Edited December 4, 2016 by msalama

[Worrazen]

Because the space is so vast and open it may look like such.

 

All those moving objects would add a lot to draw calls also.

[Neldrion]

It is very tempting to imagine the future, where DCS is so filled with life on airports and AI are everywhere doing their thing with a very low performance overhead and realistic behaviour.

 

But I guess this future is far ahead :( When also you look at other sims, the time where all this is is possible, is not today :(

[Ironhand]

Well there's a mod floating around here somewhere that adds random air traffic to AFs of your choosing. Can't remember the name of it just now, though, but I think it's still available regardless. Search and ye may find ;)

 

EDIT: Although no telling if it works in v1.5/2.0. You'll just have to try I suppose...

I believe this is what you're referring to: Random Airtraffic Script.

[msalama]

That's the one, thank you! And said script actually comes in handy for a mission I'm working on ATM, so thank you again for digging it up :thumbup:

[Nu-NRG]

Multiplayer?

[Weasel]

It would also be my biggest wish to have more traffic and some ground staff. It would be great if ATC tell us we have to wait because of much traffic or after taxing we have to wait as other plans are landing or taking off. Maybe with DCS 2.5 we get more traffic :thumbup:

[cichlidfan]

I honestly would not care if the other aircraft were modeled. i would just like to see them on radar, or reported by the ATC guys. The on the ground details would be nice, but seriously, how long are you going to be on the ground.

 

Unless you cold start in a parking slot, you should not be seeing anyone nearby until you land and even then, they won't be standing on the runway.

 

Yes, it very cool to run your aircraft off of the runway and to a proper parking area. However, resources are limited and I would rather see them spent elsewhere.

[bkthunder]

I agree with all said, and yet you guys have to realize that DCS is just lacking the infrastructure to create something like this at the moment.

AI traffic and ATC are just the icing on the cake, and in other sims are made possible by:

 

- rendering system with a bubble (= doesn't render everything, but just units that are in range)

- AI

- ATC

- Dynamic campaign engine

 

So, don't hold your hopes too high, 'cause until at least the first 3 items on that list are done, I don't think we're going to see any AI traffic and busy frequencies.

[gospadin]

As I understand it, BMS implements the bubble by essentially treating all outside-the-bubble AI encounters as a simple statistical roll of the dice, to simplify processing.

 

I don't believe the DCS engine is capable of this (yet) but it's an essential element to keep large-scale campaigns with lots of AI units playable on a PC. If you're attempting to simulate everything accurately, even to "just" an SFM level, that'll never scale to thousands of air and ground units.