2021 (and earlier) DCS Newsletter Discussion Thread

[bell_rj]

The links do work if you open them separately. I right-clicked on each image, copied the image link, and then opened it in a new tab. A bit onerous but it worked.

[S. Low]

"Aircraft Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In 2019 we made initial improvements to the dogfight AI that delivers more realistic and human behaviour, this also includes implementation of modern control theory Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and Incremental Nonlinear Dynamic Inversion (INDI) to all our AI aircraft in DCS in 2020. The new approach will extend flight envelopes and improve AI control quality and control response in mass and moment of inertia changes. In 2020 we will continue this effort, but also devote resources to improve other AI areas to include:

Beyond Visual Range (BVR) offensive and defensive behaviour

Formation keeping and correct use of external lights

Air-to-Ground attack maneuvers

Very-low level flight and terrain following

Defensive threat responses (SAM and AAA)"

 

Does the lingo in this paragraph mean that the new AI won't be UFOs anymore?

[Yoda967]

BLU-97 bomblets! Are we going to that level of fidelity on the JSOW-A now? And does that mean TLAM-D is coming soon?

[VDV]

BLU-97 bomblets! Are we going to that level of fidelity on the JSOW-A now? And does that mean TLAM-D is coming soon?

 

No.

[xvii-Dietrich]

 

Awesome video (again) ED. Really nice to see helicopters get a feature. The use of them on the carrier looks great and seeing them fly over tropical forests sets the mind racing. With the new Ka50 (and upcoming OH58, Mi24 and Bo105) there's a rotor world to look forward to. :)

 

Then, there's the 190 A8 paintschemes. And all the other updates too. This newsletter was definitely and inspiring one for me.

[Eldur]

Are the 190A-8 liveries made by the contest winners going to be part of DCS World eventually? If we "just" can download them ourselves, lots of people won't have them...

[unknown]

Nice to hear that you will take your time checking future updates internally for a longer time. :thumbup:

 

I wonder how long it will take before peaople are complaining that you need to long for patches because you test them.... :lol: SCNR ;)

[Gierasimov]

I like the destruction area in that screenshot. Really nice.

[BoneDust]

ED's Updated QA

 

Our updated process includes:

Longer internal QA testing and debugging.

Earlier external Beta Tester access to Release Candidates. How to become a Beta Tester. English & Russian links.

A new closed Eagle Dynamics dedicated multiplayer testing server. The invitations will be announced soon.

DCS Open Beta delivery.

Hotfix process (if required).

DCS Stable delivery.

 

This is a great move.

 

Better to have stability then rushed out; particularly multiplayer issues because it has an adverse affect on the many wings flying DCS. There are still many folks who are not receiving hostile raw radar paints online while other players do not have the issue, still seeing the occasional open canopy or folded wings, and with the latest iteration more crash to desktops and stutters. Still not able to run more than 2 servers, which is a step backward from the initial release. These points are not criticism, they are pointing out many outstanding issues.

 

Online wings want DCS to succeed; the potential is so great.

[diditopgun]

The release of an unstable Open Beta to our clients has taught us an important lesson, and we are committed to improving the QA before an Open Beta delivery.

 

Our updated process includes:

Longer internal QA testing and debugging.

Earlier external Beta Tester access to Release Candidates. How to become a Beta Tester. English & Russian links.

A new closed Eagle Dynamics dedicated multiplayer testing server. The invitations will be announced soon.

DCS Open Beta delivery.

Hotfix process (if required).

DCS Stable delivery.

 

Finally ! That's a very good news ! :cheer3nc:

 

(Waiting for the actions to follow the words.)

[ngreenaway]

Regarding kate's message in the newsletter today,

Why aren't such things posted here first, with other sites such as reddit linked to here, rather than the other way around?

You would think EDs own forum would and should be the primary source of information

[bart]

Good newsletter, sounds like a great plan to have a dedicated multiplayer testing server. Hopefully ED will get a bunch of players with all different spec rigs on the server but please don't forget to include some VR users on there too! Nothing worse than a good update being released for 2D that turns out a stutter fest for the VR folks!

 

Love that screenshot with the Spitfire. I'm guessing that's the Channel Map?

 

Looking forward to further updates as and when :thumbup:

Edited February 28, 2020 by bart

[rrohde]

Regarding kate's message in the newsletter today,

Why aren't such things posted here first, with other sites such as reddit linked to here, rather than the other way around?

You would think EDs own forum would and should be the primary source of information

 

Agreed. Sounds like a common sense approach. :thumbup:

[Birko]

"We will try to keep a schedule of 2-week iterations once the DCS World 2.5.6 Stable is released.

 

I have started posting development milestones on Reddit in the Hoggit community which you can read here. These will also be posted to our official forums.

 

I will continue to inform you about the progress of each project on our official ED forum.

Kate Perederko

Chief Operating Officer Eagle Dynamics"

[Foobee]

I recently re watched The Final Countdown (Nimitz, retour vers l'enfer), the A7-E looks damn cool methinks, I'm looking forward to read more on the development of that plane!

 

Also thanks for the dev report, +1 to what ngreenaway said (edit: I read the newsletter too quickly :music_whistling: "I will continue to inform you about the progress of each project on our official ED forum" :thumbup:).

 

Enjoy the week-end!:pilotfly:

Edited February 28, 2020 by Foobee

[Santus]

Now that it has also been announced by ED...

Can we please have a Flyingiron simulations forum sections here so I can dwell in there and call it home...!

 

Thanks! :)

[hanab]

"We will try to keep a schedule of 2-week iterations once the DCS World 2.5.6 Stable is released.

 

I have started posting development milestones on Reddit in the Hoggit community which you can read here. These will also be posted to our official forums.

 

I will continue to inform you about the progress of each project on our official ED forum.

Kate Perederko

Chief Operating Officer Eagle Dynamics"

 

Happy to see the « two more weeks » iterations as official statement.

 

It’s a good news but i think it’s better to see the result before to be satisfied !!

[BlueAngel]

I'm sorry to say, Kate Perederko.

 

 

But reading that 2010 list of requirements for Beta Testers, if you are still aiming for an invitation only model, then it will never be an eclectic and representative group. It's just "the buddies" system that troubles me, invalidating almost all other aspects listed.

 

You should allow candidates with proven capabilites to apply to beta testing, not searching the forum for the biggest poster or most active lurker.

 

PS: I'm not applying here. I just feel this supposed "merit" system listed by Wags would forever condition me if I wanted to become a Beta Tester. I'm just not a forum lurker at all, no matter how much experience and know-how I could bring to a testing team.

[ngreenaway]

 

I will continue to inform you about the progress of each project on our official ED forum.

Kate Perederko

Chief Operating Officer Eagle Dynamics"

 

Well, her original post was done on reddit about a week or so ago, I'm saying this should've been the default outlet from the beginning

 

That being said, I would hope and encourage more posts such as those

[lxsapper]

Well what can I say very surprised in a very good way by today's new's letter. Well done ED, I can only suppot you in comunicating more in this way. Some things in the Reddid milestone tread are not leave me a bit disapointed for now (No it's not that F-16/F-18 are sharing the same team), but when there's expectations there's always bond to be some disapointment. And this new move to be more transparent is definitly a step in the right direction.

Again, Well done ED.

[Outlaw24]

Regarding kate's message in the newsletter today,

Why aren't such things posted here first, with other sites such as reddit linked to here, rather than the other way around?

You would think EDs own forum would and should be the primary source of information

 

I agree, one would think important news like this would be on DCS/ED forum first, it struck me as a very unusual.

[71st_Mastiff]

I'm sorry to say, Kate Perederko.

 

 

But reading that 2010 list of requirements for Beta Testers, if you are still aiming for an invitation only model, then it will never be an eclectic and representative group. It's just "the buddies" system that troubles me, invalidating almost all other aspects listed.

 

You should allow candidates with proven capabilites to apply to beta testing, not searching the forum for the biggest poster or most active lurker.

 

PS: I'm not applying here. I just feel this supposed "merit" system listed by Wags would forever condition me if I wanted to become a Beta Tester. I'm just not a forum lurker at all, no matter how much experience and know-how I could bring to a testing team.

 

for every plane or module they should have a few outside beta testers with various systems, they need to decide how far they want to support older systems too ( when its to old, its just that to old), (at least 3 outside testers per plane or module), just like the way their doing it at IL 2 Greatest Battles, They have in house testers, QA testers, then it's sent to us outside testers before release. This is also their outsourced developers for maps and planes. as the same ED is doing.

 

invest in better server dispatch and better internet services for such support.

 

an average turn around is once every 3 weeks.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Mastiff

[Haptor]

Lets start by saying that I really appreciate the huge effort at transparency that is shown in Kate Perederko's reddit post. This is outstanding. Not only the post but the fact ED listen to us, its costumers, and discloses openly its strategy and problems just because we feel disinformed. Kudos to that,

 

 

But I wouldnt be honest if I didnt say that I feel dissapointed to see some long time awaited features still put into the inactive list, more than a year after the early access launch of F18. For me, it is mainly aircraft AI, ATC, FLIR, AG radar..

 

 

We cannot complain anymore about not being properly informed, and perhaps this is the way it has to be in this bussiness and with this legacy code as a base. But for me (I have no clue about professional software development) things are coming too slowly, sometimes pacing up (it seems) but some other times the rate of new updates and fixes seems to drop a lot and I desperate. Looking at the remaining "to do list" makes me wonder how long it is gonna take.. That is where my feeling of frustration comes from...

 

 

Thank you ED very much for listening and finding some time to take care of us. I will continue to wait and hope...

[reptile92]

Fully agree. The QA process is key to leverage customer experience.

[ivo]

so will we get updates every two weeks? This fact does not convince me too many modules never finished, also the desire to extend the audience of alpha testers only leads to confusion (yes alpha tester because the game will always be in beta).