Minor ship changes

[Northstar98]

Hi Guys,

 

Right, I know ships haven't exactly been the forte of DCS and I can't expect them to be something with huge priorities as far as ED is concerned (well maybe not until the planned F/A-18C Module anyway), but I have 2 very minor suggestions for ships in DCS (My wishlist for ships is actually fairly sizey without things like "add more ships" - but all of that can come later).

 

 

* If you look at any ship in single player and then slow time down, you will notice that the RADARs, some launchers, even some weapons etc moves in a very jittery fashion, do the same for a ground based RADAR platform (one of the better modeled ones) and you will notice it's nice and smooth - just like it should be (for those with the keener eyesight RADAR jitteryness for ships is actually very noticeable even without slowing time down, the effect is the same for flags etc).

 

* Changing how ships are selected/how they behave in the Mission Editor, this is really split into 2 categories: Firstly, the majority of ships are listed by what that actual ship is called (Carl Vinson, Oliver Hazard Perry, Moskva, Molniya etc) Instead rename them based on their class - SLAVA class, Tarantul-3 class, Krivak-2 class, Kuznetsov Class etc). I've noticed that the Oliver Hazard Perry is actually the USS Rentz looking at the exterior model model and not the USS Oliver H. Perry (although that being said in this case the ship class and it's actual name is the same).

 

 

I've also noticed fleets not staying in the same formation after turning, instead of the whole formation turning, each individual ship just turns around (So if the formation at a heading of 090 degrees roughly looks like this > when the ship group turns north, (so the formation should be this shape ^) instead, it retains this shape > but now each unit is now facing north 000.

 

It would also be good to have more advanced waypoint actions for ships such as restrict weapon usage, hold, set callsign, set frequency etc.

 

 

Obviously these things are only very minor, small animation changes, changes to the ME, ship group behaviour and ship advanced waypoint actions.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ollie

Edited November 15, 2015 by Northstar98

[AG-51_Razor]

Ollie,

 

I am all over anything ED can do to upgrade their fleet of ships! I wonder though, if the jittery radars isn't because they are on a moving object, as opposed to a stationary platform on an airfield?

 

As for the formation changes, I have seen them change direction and they (4 screening destroyers around a carrier) all try to speed up to regain their original position in the formation. But what you describe is actually a RL formation change used by the US Navy at least, where all the ships in the formation execute a course change while in their respective position in the formation. This is referred to as a "CORPAN" (sp?) and is mostly used when a rapid change in direction of the fleet is necessary, as in the case where a CV needs to turn into the wind to recover some aircraft and then will have everybody turn back to the original course as soon as the last plane is aboard.

 

For my personal wish list, I would like for the ships to leave a little longer, and better defined wake that can be seen for several miles away.

 

I would also like for the Weather tab in the Mission Editor to include a choice for a "sea state" setting. As it is now, the pitch and roll of the ships are entirely dependent on the wind velocity. So, if you want to see the carrier deck really do some dancing around, you have to set the wind speed up to unrealistic levels. That's about it for now. I am confident that ED will continue to add to the fleet and improve things but these two are at the top of my list :pilotfly:

[Silver_Dragon]

Actually, except some models update in DCS: W past versions, all ships into the simulator will require a compete reconstruction and as you say, proper classification, otherwise, none of DCS: W ships has never implemented AI naval tactics for defensive or offensive operations, lack completely of some defensive and offensive systems, physics, or proper animation or functionality.

 

Personally, I think never will see improvement of sea ships tactics or functionality (except some improvement to a hypothetical carrier upgrade (never confirmed), to made more realistic naval aircraft on carrier operations.

 

The big problem as DCS: W was never oriented to sea environment, and actually, DCS: W has only a air combat simulator. I bid never will see improvement into DCS: W series that level or implications to get realistic on ships or sea environment. Actually, ED has none plans to implement them and the DCS: W engine has no capable to simulate none of sea environment (on surface or subsurface).

Edited December 3, 2015 by Silver_Dragon

[AG-51_Razor]

Well, THAT was encouraging! LOL!

[Northstar98]

Well, THAT was encouraging! LOL!

 

Indeed - sad though, especially when the SLAVA class was revamped and the Taruntul-3 class (the American ships, while revamped could do with some minor improving, specifically to the Phalanx CIWS and 5" naval gun.

 

Whilst I'm aware that DCS is way more of an air combat simulator rather than anything else - why even bother to add ships in the first place - even specifically combat vessels with multiple weapon systems such as the SLAVA class, especially since its major facelift. And more to the point - what's the point of spending ages developing navy specific aircraft and even maps perfect for a sea environment (F/A-18C, Su-33, Straights of Hormuz, Black Sea) when the naval environment is in need of a huge overhaul of literally everything (weather, sea states, water interaction, ship behaviour, ship models, underwater (we already have, albeit awful looking wholey non-functioning submarines). Especially when DCS advertises Air, Sea and Land Combat environment - we have the air, we nearly have the Land, but literally next to no Sea - sure I can understand priorities and this is only a wishlist but still it should be something to consider - even if only the current ships get upgraded and no more is added for the time being would be a huge leap forward.

 

Regarding what you said about ship formation changes - it would be nice to see in that case options for how ships to behave in formation, and also options for default formations.

 

As for RADARs, the RADARs on SAM systems is still smooth - even when moving.

 

Cheers,

 

Ollie

Edited December 13, 2015 by Northstar98