New map

[Buzzles]

Barring the creation of maps by anybody not being a partner, what is the maximum map size DCS can handle? Infinite to the point of chugging along at 2 FPS with 64 GB RAM or is there another limit that the engine itself is has? Just so we have a rough estimate..

 

One way of implementation would be that the map will be streamed into a capped amount of memory and old data will be disposed of (aka garbage collected).

 

In theory, that allows for infinite map sizes at constant performance. Well, maps as big as your hdd anyway, or as big as someone cares to make it.

 

Obviously, I have no idea how ED have implemented it, and the above does have performance overheads.

[IAF_Phantom]

I think there are two types of mods, professional and amateur, each with their own levels of professional complete mess , etc.

The ED decisions is the correct one for the professional group.

The amateur mod has a different motivations - it is built as a learning process (as a way of building the abilities to get to the professional level) or part of a community activities.

The community activities don't care to much about the quality of the texture accurately replicated terrain and such, they are looking at the playing and campaign on the map and flying and fighting in it.

The IL2 SEOW effort is a good example, most maps had a very general resemblance to the photorealistic from Google earth. But they had the playability to have an amazing campaigns. The maps eventually got better and better and the modders got better and better to the point when then can become professional level.

Personally, I want to make a map and have some crazy idea's for them for campaigns with combined arms and helicopters and attack aircraft -

but without tutorial s or tools there is no chance of me knowing what skills and data sources I would need to learn or need to find someone for the team or to try learn them.

I started looking into almost three years ago and started building the map with the old tools and got stuck not having the global mapper and 3ds max to continue. The level of professionalism needed currently makes it impossible for amateurs to join. Not all simulators are like this I will not go into examples.

At this stage I would not be interested in going pro, just to make a nice community mod to fly with my squadron and campaign on...

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Boberro]

Other companies like Valve has no problem with content creation for example CS, Half-Life ect.

Everyone does make what one wants.

The Community decides whether it is worth downloading and playing created map or just leave it be to die.

 

If I want to create 5km x 5km map with 10 objects inside "my world" for my own purposes why should I be forced to show skills as this kind of map does not require any?

[Fri13]

I find it as well strange that we can't have tools to create the content that we could show to ED.

 

I totally agree that maps shouldn't be possible be exported than just for testing per machine ID (DRM). And when wanted to release maps, it should all go trough ED and they do it.

 

So they can get possible maps out, community can at least try and then DCS gets good ones released/sold that ED approved.

 

I would like to do some maps from 50x50km size to 150x150km size, but if I need to proof the results before I can even see tools and test those out, it is a circular reasoning not to give those to anyone.

[Grimes]

It would be nice to have a middle ground between becoming a full fledged 3rd party to develop terrain and no access to tools/export. My interest in the tools is simply from a hobbyist perspective, I simply like messing around with any creative tools that are an extension of the games I play. It very much encompasses a range of "lets see how this works" to "I want to make and release something with these tools" depending on my level of interest. Without the access to even a limited version of the toolset the choice is pretty much made for whether or not I'd attempt to apply for access. And that's a problem because it prevents efforts from snowballing into something bigger at your own pace. Think about it, no public tools means no public forum section for people to ask questions and help each other out with said tools, which means no interaction between potential terrain builders, which ends up with nobody coming together to work on a common project. You literally can't start small and let a project grow, you have to start off with what many might think of as the end game (3rd party status) which is an extremely daunting prospect.

[NineLine]

A limited version would take development time, I think they have bigger fish to fry right now...

[VincentLaw]

A limited version would take development time, I think they have bigger fish to fry right now...

This I understand. There is a lot of big stuff coming up in DCS. Hopefully at some point in the future if their plate is a little cleaner and 2.0 and EDGE are more mature the decision will be revisited.

[NineLine]

I sorta think its what Ilya was talking about during the WWII kickstarter, so who knows, maybe its been kicked around, but all I know is right now, its full or nothing.

[vicx]

Is this the best resource on the mapping or is there something better out there?

http://en.wiki.eagle.ru/wiki/All_about_land

 

OK I'll share what I'd like to see.

 

I'd like for ED to release a version of Caucasus map without any structures on it. Then a community effort with some public tools could repopulate the map with better looking assets. We wouldn't need all the tools for this ... just a subset.

Edited November 9, 2015 by vicx

[vali_grad]

I think we mostly all could agree that if things where more open like other developers in regards to this the community and possiblilities would be endless. Nothing wrong with modding id say the more terrains the better, we definately need something better than the lame two maps aka nevada and current old one. How about Afghanistan and Iraq as they are more legitimate to conflicts these days, or even better Eastern Europe

 

so you're ready to donate a lot of cash and fill papers with signatures for supporting the devs ? don't throw harsh words on people that actually build awesome stuff from SCRATCH ! remember that !

they have a target, a railway with little movement left or right, they can't just throw content at commenters because they want it now, it takes time and money in advance .