Ability to choose skin in multiplayer.

[Legioneod]

For as long as I've been playing DCS online I've always wanted the ability to pick my skin for my aircraft but instead I have to choose from a pre-selected list chosen by the server owner. This isn't bad but it limits my ability for customization and identity.

 

I propose a system like Rise of Flight (great ww1 flight sim by the way), where you pick a plane and then you can choose from a list of skins for that plane.

The way Rise of Flight does it is they have skin packs with a ton of skins, you don't have to download the skin packs unless you want to use them, if you don't download them you'll just have the default skin.

 

DCS already has a good stepping stone to add the ability to select skins, sense they already have the ability to customize your load-out and fuel amount all they would have to do is add another list in the same screen that allows you to select your skin.

 

The sins that are in the game would be up to the server owner, so they could create their own skin-packs that people could download and use instead of dcs devs having to create the packs.

This would also open up the door for players to have their own custom skins in the server (if the server owner is willing to add it)

 

Another more simplistic way you could do this is like war thunder where players can customize their skin but only they can see it(kinda boring and pointless in my opinion)

 

I know this isn't a major thing but I don't think it would be too complicated to add in-game and it would give pilots a feeling of uniqueness (also squadron skins)

[Kayos]

+1

I've posted about this before but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears.

[Legioneod]

+1

I've posted about this before but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears.

 

That's a shame, it's a great feature and I think players would benefit from it. Hopefully they hear this time, just gotta keep the thread goin I guess or get people interested.

[Buzzles]

It's a nice to have, but there's a lot more functional features that need to come first.

 

Besides, I'm sure someone will point out planes don't get repainted in 30 seconds when sitting in a parking spot :)

[Legioneod]

It's a nice to have, but there's a lot more functional features that need to come first.

 

Besides, I'm sure someone will point out planes don't get repainted in 30 seconds when sitting in a parking spot :)

 

That's why I said it's not a priority, and they could always make it to where you choose your skin in the spawn menu before your aircraft spawns for "realism sake" (thats what rise of flight does) and if they really want to point out thats it s not realistic, I can point out a few unrealistic things that are already in-game:)

 

I know most players probably don't care but coming from rise of flight, I always liked having my own identifying marker on my aircraft, it would also be nice to be able to have our own squadron skins in multiplayer for when you fly with friends.

Edited April 30, 2016 by Legion

[Sweep]

Two things that I'd like to see with that:

 

1) Mission option (enable/disable in-game repaint)

 

2) Unit specific option and/or override (enable/disable in-game repaint for this unit/group)

 

If something like that could be done, I'm all for it!

[QuiGon]

-1

 

Why should a pilot be able to choose his aircraft skin? That sounds pretty odd to me. The aircraft skin (or rather camouflage/paint) is determined at higher levels than the pilot, which are represented by the mission designer in DCS.

[Eddie]

It would be a massively useful feature, especially for Sqns/Wings etc who have custom skins for each pilot. Having to place one aircraft per member means not all airfields are big enough.

[Legioneod]

It would be a massively useful feature, especially for Sqns/Wings etc who have custom skins for each pilot. Having to place one aircraft per member means not all airfields are big enough.

 

This is exactly my thinking and why I feel it would be put to good use.

[Legioneod]

Two things that I'd like to see with that:

 

1) Mission option (enable/disable in-game repaint)

 

2) Unit specific option and/or override (enable/disable in-game repaint for this unit/group)

 

If something like that could be done, I'm all for it!

 

Not sure I understand what you mean, but my thinking is that it would be up to the server owner to add the skin or not and maybe each skin could only be in use by one layer at a time? that way you don't see exact copies of the same aircraft.

[Legioneod]

-1

 

Why should a pilot be able to choose his aircraft skin? That sounds pretty odd to me. The aircraft skin (or rather camouflage/paint) is determined at higher levels than the pilot, which are represented by the mission designer in DCS.

 

Like I said, it's the mission designer/ server owners choice on what skins are in the server.

He can always set rules/ restrictions on what skins are in the mission. He could always make it ti where there is only 1 squadron skin or something.

[Sweep]

Two things that I'd like to see with that:

 

1) Mission option (enable/disable in-game repaint)

 

2) Unit specific option and/or override (enable/disable in-game repaint for this unit/group)

 

If something like that could be done, I'm all for it!

 

Not sure I understand what you mean, but my thinking is that it would be up to the server owner to add the skin or not and maybe each skin could only be in use by one layer at a time? that way you don't see exact copies of the same aircraft.

 

I'll try to explain a little bit better:

 

So my first request would be a generalized mission option to enable or disable repaints overall...So you could decide if people could repaint their aircraft or not without doing number 2: An option per aircraft to have in-game repainting enabled or disabled.

 

I think having both options would be nice and give both mission designers and players as many options as possible.

 

Hope that helps! :thumbup:

[CHSubZero]

+1

[SharpeXB]

There are a lot of nice skins made for DCS. It's a shame they can't be used in mp.

[Legioneod]

I'll try to explain a little bit better:

 

So my first request would be a generalized mission option to enable or disable repaints overall...So you could decide if people could repaint their aircraft or not without doing number 2: An option per aircraft to have in-game repainting enabled or disabled.

 

I think having both options would be nice and give both mission designers and players as many options as possible.

 

Hope that helps! :thumbup:

 

I think I get what your saying. You just want the option to disable the ability to change skins?

And you would like to be able to choose what aircraft are able to be repainted or not?

[Legioneod]

There are a lot of nice skins made for DCS. It's a shame they can't be used in mp.

 

One of the main reasons I would like this, granted it would still be up to the server owner on what skins are in the server, but at least it would open the door to custom skins in mp without having to be the owner or part of their group or clan..

[Slazi]

Essential feature. Custom skins are a waste of time until they are automatically downloaded by clients.

[probad]

i guess im the only one not keen on seeing dcs turn into the reno air races.

[Legioneod]

i guess im the only one not keen on seeing dcs turn into the reno air races.

 

What do you mean? players would still be limited in what they could choose, the whoever runs the server is in control of the skins and can choose what skins are allowed or not. I don't see much of a problem

[Bounder]

+1

[snowsniper]

Essential feature. Custom skins are a waste of time until they are automatically downloaded by clients.

 

:thumbup: +1

 

unfact it could be a heavy download.

some Mig 21 skin could be up to 35mo. if there are a lot of special skin in a mission, client should automatic download it and it could be a blast.

 

in IL2 first, only nose art could be downloaded for allow every MP to see personal nose art, that was a nice feature.

[Eddie]

Downloading from the client/server would be great, but I think for practical reasons just having the ability to select from skins installed on both the client and server would be the best option. At least until DCS can permanently cache/store missions & skins etc. so downloads are once only rather than every time you connect to a server.

[WHOGX5]

There should be a base skin in MP that doesn't have any markings apart from the country your flying as. Then you could have your own custom nose art, tailnumber, name under canopy, wing/squadron markings, etc (if the server host chooses to allow it.) and have it be automatically downloaded when you join a server. Then you wouldn't have to download huge files with complete skins, only these small decals and texts. And as probad said, i don't want the reno air races with hello kitty f-15s. Just having a distinguishable aircraft in mp would be nice. :D

[Legioneod]

There should be a base skin in MP that doesn't have any markings apart from the country your flying as. Then you could have your own custom nose art, tailnumber, name under canopy, wing/squadron markings, etc (if the server host chooses to allow it.) and have it be automatically downloaded when you join a server. Then you wouldn't have to download huge files with complete skins, only these small decals and texts. And as probad said, i don't want the reno air races with hello kitty f-15s. Just having a distinguishable aircraft in mp would be nice. :D

 

That would be cool, but I still want the ability to have fully custom skins, that way I can have my own squadron skin.

I also don't think you have to worry about having hello kitty or reno air races because it would be up to the server owner to add it, if he only wants realistic skins then their will only be realistic skins.

I'm not saying players should be able to create their skins on the fly and just use them without anyone permission. The skin would have to be approved by the owner and then the owner would have to add in. The server owner has all the control on whether it is in the server or not.

[carss]

+1

 

I was about to post this very thing myself