1.5 and 2.0 Merge ETA?

[proletariat23]

Here here I originally purchased through Steam and then wanted to support the game so I got the Nevada range and a few modules but I would really like to see both the Steam cd keys and the pre-purchase or early access keys Honored in some type of happy medium at some future point because as it is now the community is splintered and it's not that big of a community begin with moreover I don't feel like it's right ethically to punish people's game inconvenience especially those who are supporting early access to materials at completion prices but why do I know

[Coxy_99]

Here here I originally purchased through Steam and then wanted to support the game so I got the Nevada range and a few modules but I would really like to see both the Steam cd keys and the pre-purchase or early access keys Honored in some type of happy medium at some future point because as it is now the community is splintered and it's not that big of a community begin with moreover I don't feel like it's right ethically to punish people's game inconvenience especially those who are supporting early access to materials at completion prices but why do I know

 

Do what i did and just move to standalone, Cant wait to see 2.5, Must be close to a merge.

[Rangi]

Do what i did and just move to standalone, Cant wait to see 2.5, Must be close to a merge.

 

Definitely close, depending on your definition of close of course. ;)

[NineLine]

Here here I originally purchased through Steam and then wanted to support the game so I got the Nevada range and a few modules but I would really like to see both the Steam cd keys and the pre-purchase or early access keys Honored in some type of happy medium at some future point because as it is now the community is splintered and it's not that big of a community begin with moreover I don't feel like it's right ethically to punish people's game inconvenience especially those who are supporting early access to materials at completion prices but why do I know

 

Its generally limitations in what Steam offers and can handle that restricts things like early access. Not that ED is trying to limit any one group.

[cichlidfan]

I would really like to see both the Steam cd keys and the pre-purchase or early access keys Honored in some type of happy medium at some future point

 

The reason you can't use ED purchased keys on Steam is Steam's doing not ED's. Steam is the one that decided to no longer accept ED purchased keys.

[Slick Fork]

Correct, any new map can be merged into the 2.X install... the merge requires the Caucasus map, and other things be buttoned up for 2.5.

 

Hmmm, ok. makes sense technically that's the way it would go I suppose; but at the very least then I would hope that this is indicative that 2.X will be moved out of alpha sometime VERY soon as they will now have TWO paid maps that people have dropped cash for that are still in alpha. Technical issues aside it's a good way to frustrate people.

[Buzzles]

I'm glad the Normandy map is pretty much done.

 

Updated Caucasus and the 2.5 merge cannot come soon enough.

[NineLine]

Hmmm, ok. makes sense technically that's the way it would go I suppose; but at the very least then I would hope that this is indicative that 2.X will be moved out of alpha sometime VERY soon as they will now have TWO paid maps that people have dropped cash for that are still in alpha. Technical issues aside it's a good way to frustrate people.

 

Believe it or not, no one is more frustrated than ED right now, they are not wanting to prolong all these installs anymore than they have to.

[Slick Fork]

Believe it or not, no one is more frustrated than ED right now, they are not wanting to prolong all these installs anymore than they have to.

 

I don't doubt it at all, and I'm typically one of the ones who chimes in on the side of patience with ED.

 

That said, I'm really kind of torn about Normandy I bought NTTR over a year ago thinking it had been in Alpha for ages already and it couldn't be much longer. As much as I've been Jonesing for a new map to fly around on, I was really hoping that at the very least the platform would've moved to beta before I was asked to plunk another $70 CDN down.

 

I do appreciate the constant development and push for improvement, it's something I haven't seen in any other game I own. But - there are no other games/Sims that I have where I've sunk over $500-$600 once I tally up all the modules. ED has received a substantial chunk of my gaming budget.

 

I say all this as someone who has no clue about software development. I'm confident ED is doing their best and will release as soon as they are able, doesn't mean we don't get to be a little frustrated and impatient ourselves. We're human too.

[NineLine]

doesn't mean we don't get to be a little frustrated and impatient ourselves. We're human too.

 

Amen, goes for all of us :) Well... not so much for Wags, I have talked to him lots, but he may still not be human :D

[Konovalov]

It appears MOST of the muscle is being used to get Normandy out the door so that may lend to SOME resources being pulled away from Caucasus yet delaying it.

That is the feeling I have got. I switched off DCS end of last year because I was becoming tired with the constant changes on multiple installs and at time the negative effects that some changes had to certain modules or on that particular DCS install. I am happy to wait until the DCS 2.5 merge occurs before I commit to purchase any new modules. I would be very surprised, albeit pleasantly, if the merge arrives before June this year. For me the most important and pressing thing I am after from DCS is the merge. Then from there I hope to see a stable base from which current modules are finalized and running as advertised along with promising new modules not to mention also new campaign content. But that's just my opinion. I believe the future is bright for DCS, just need to hang in there I guess.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Konovalov

[OnlyforDCS]

You have to remember that ED is a business first and foremost. Secondly they are in the business of making a niche product in a niche almost non-existant hobby environment. The heyday of flight sims is long gone. Thankfully they are making sort of a comeback resurgence in the WWII arena first and foremost, with some quite popular arcade and even a few advanced sims. The original plan was to focus on the merge first, Normandy second. ED chose to change that around to take advantage of the resurgent popularity of WWII sims. Another thing to consider is that we now have four study DCS level WWII modules and probably quite a few more in development, but no proper theatre to effectively use them.

 

For all of these reasons I believe it was more logical for ED to push Normandy out of the door first, even though it will lead to a delay of the merge and probably numerous technical issues down the road, from a purely business perspective it makes the most sense. We just have to hang in there.

 

I think I speak for everyone when I say that the 2.5 merge will probably the best day ever in the long and ardous development of DCS both for us customers, and for the developers themselves.

Edited March 13, 2017 by OnlyforDCS

[Konovalov]

I think I speak for everyone when I say that the 2.5 merge will probably the best day ever in the long and ardous development of DCS both for us customers, and for the developers themselves.

 

 

Agree 100%.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dav IRL]

Hi all,

 

Title says it all really, when are we going to expect a merge of the various versions of DCS?

 

Thanks ion advance

 

We will definitely see the merge within a few years.

[Wags]

As Sith has mentioned, no one wants to complete the merge more than us. Supporting multiple versions is a nightmare for us. However, before we can do so, we need to fully update the Caucasus map from the T3 to the T4 map standard. Additionally, we feel it urgent to improve some of the effects, specifically the explosions (nothing worse than seeing a beautiful video and then have it ruined by dated looking effects).

 

With the Normandy map wrapping up, we can re-focus on updating the Caucasus map and getting that much closer to a version merge.

 

We regret that this has taken so long, but we first had to support the DCS: World War II Kickstarter backers that have already waited a long time.

 

Lastly, once the merge does happen, we can then offer more products on Steam such as the new maps and campaigns that are reliant on them.

 

Thank you for your patience everyone.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Wags

[Red Dragon-DK]

Thx for the update Wags :thumbup:

[upupandaway]

Thx for bringing this project to life after its rough start

[Richard Rodgers]

Hi guys, looking good with the Normandy stuff. Well done.

 

I am hoping that Wags or someone will have some sort of answer to the following.

 

I am part of a group that have a dedicated flight DCS flight server that is both for our use and public use. Currently with the three versions of DCS (1.5, 1.5 beta and 2.0) we are able to have all three running at the same time on our server. This is absolutely fantastic as it gives loads of options throught the week.

 

When everything is brought up to the same T4 standard and all running under the 2.5 banner what will be the options for people like us as DCS community server hosts?

 

Obviously I understand that for a pilot to see and asset pack stuff, they will have to have them installed locally as well. No issue with that.

 

Once the flight server is running 2.5, will ALL maps be active at the same time so that we could have missions created that allow people to fly on the same server but in different parts of the DCS world or will it be a case of only ONE map will be able to have active at a time?

 

If 2.5 will only be able to have one map running at a time, is there any way that we would be able to run 3 instances of 2.5 on our server so that we could then effectively have all three maps running at the same time and pilots could join whichever session they require?

 

Any input would be welcome. Thanks guys

 

Richard

[QuiGon]

ONE map will be able to have active at a time?

This.

I don't know if multiple instances of DCS can run on the same machine simultaneusly.

[Buzzles]

If 2.5 will only be able to have one map running at a time, is there any way that we would be able to run 3 instances of 2.5 on our server so that we could then effectively have all three maps running at the same time and pilots could join whichever session they require?

 

Why don't you try it now?

 

Multiple instances should work, I've certainly had OB and Release running (at the menu) at the same time.

 

Obviously that's using multiple installs though, but they're all simply controlled by the dcs_variant.txt file.

 

You can just replace the variant name with a custom string (and make sure the folders match in the main dir and in the /users/Saved Games/DCS.xxxxxx bit) and you should be good to have multiple installs of the same version.

Ask the testers, I know they all have more than 3 installs of DCS, often a clean version and a modded version of each branch.

 

Probably needing to set different ports in the network.cfg file too.

[DoctorStrop]

 

If 2.5 will only be able to have one map running at a time, is there any way that we would be able to run 3 instances of 2.5 on our server so that we could then effectively have all three maps running at the same time and pilots could join whichever session they require?

 

Any input would be welcome. Thanks guys

 

Richard

 

There is a mod where you can have 2 DCS instances running, one in ME, and one viewing the map being created...

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=149769

 

Maybe this can point you in the direction you need.

[Richard Rodgers]

Thank you Buzzels. I will give that a go when I get five mins.

 

Does seem like a possible method though.

 

Will look at that map Doctor

[SkateZilla]

that would use ALOT of memory, running 3 versions side by side.

[Richard Rodgers]

that would use ALOT of memory, running 3 versions side by side.

 

 

We already have three versions running on our server at the same time. Okay, they are 2.0, 1.5 release and 1.5 beta and all seems good with that as it is now.

 

I guess that due to DCS 2.0 having the T4 graphics engine it will be more memory hungry than either 1.5 versions so if we are able to get three instances of 2.5 running side by side, each using a different map I can see that we may be using more memory than current, but until we are able to try it no one really knows what the drop is likely to be, if any.

 

Currently our DCS servers are consistently near the top of ED's server list as regards ping rate so we must be doing something right with the setup so I guess it will be a suck it and see situation once 2.5 is released. I have all fingers crossed.

 

It may well be that this plan will not work and all server hosting groups will be stuck with using one map at a time, which really would be a step back as regards opening up DCS multiplayer to the wider community once the new maps are released.

 

Lets wait and see what comes out in the wash though

[Zimmerdylan]

That is the feeling I have got. I switched off DCS end of last year because I was becoming tired with the constant changes on multiple installs and at time the negative effects that some changes had to certain modules or on that particular DCS install. I am happy to wait until the DCS 2.5 merge occurs before I commit to purchase any new modules. I would be very surprised, albeit pleasantly, if the merge arrives before June this year. For me the most important and pressing thing I am after from DCS is the merge. Then from there I hope to see a stable base from which current modules are finalized and running as advertised along with promising new modules not to mention also new campaign content. But that's just my opinion. I believe the future is bright for DCS, just need to hang in there I guess.

 

I believe that DCS has got a bright future also. But I think that in the short term, it's going to get much rockier and harder before it gets better. They've bitten off an awful lot for anyone to chew and it's just now starting to come down to the wire.

I'm battening down the hatches for a stormy year or so of bugs, updates, and frustrations due to the both of them. Although most of us here know and understand the nature of this beast, it doesn't make it any less frustrating when we get into the the eye of the storm.

We all really appreciate you ED, and we tend to forget the 100 good days when we have a few bad ones. It's human nature I suppose.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Zimmerdylan