2021 (and earlier) DCS Newsletter Discussion Thread

[Northstar98]

4 hours ago, MPalmer said:

Quote from the newsletter "Check out the Tinian Island In Development Screenshots."

 

I'm i missing something...I only see 3 pic's and they look nothing like the ones in the newsletter...

 

it's the Aguijan island...by the looks of google is not populated

 

Yeah the shots in the newsletter seem exclusive to it.

 

I don't know, maybe they forgot to add it to the screenshots?

Edited February 12, 2021 by Northstar98

[Furiz]

News today made me smile ;D

Edited February 26, 2021 by Furiz

[Northstar98]

It sure did for me too, that clouds shot on the Marianas map (?) looked phenomenal.

[schurem]

Re. the new clouds, I have but one gif to say:

 

[VampireNZ]

On 2/7/2021 at 2:27 AM, Northstar98 said:

 

Fits perfectly with the Phantom and Tomcat, as does the Forrestal, Vietnam era, pretty iconic aircraft...

 

 

 

The only thing we are missing for the Vietnam era is....Vietnam, still. 

[Silver_Dragon]

2.5.6 Jump to Stable (2.7 has more near). More data about Marianas map, but not info about Mosquito or Hind

[Repth]

At this point I would assume it's safe to say we won't see any modules released until after 2.7 hits beta and maybe after it's first stable build. That being said, the new screenshots of the Marianas map look awesome. Can't wait to fly over that in rainy conditions with the new clouds. 

[ebabil]

It's strange that no news about hind or release of 2.7 

[Pride37]

3 minutes ago, ebabil said:

It's strange that no news about hind or release of 2.7 

Well, not for the Hind, but for 2.7 release there was an obvious hint:

 

"We would like to inform you of a longer than usual update cycle commencing now in the lead up to 2.7."

 

So my guess is: in 3 weeks at least...

[Northstar98]

I'm very much looking forward to the Marianas map, I've got a fair few ideas already, plus it's something very different to our current maps (and finally a modern map that isn't mostly desert).

 

And yeah, I'm anticipating 2.7 to be released (with the Mosquito maybe being released at the same time) at the end of March, 24th at the earliest with 31st being maybe more realistic.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Northstar98

[bart]

29 minutes ago, ebabil said:

It's strange that no news about hind or release of 2.7 

 

Even stranger I find is that there was nothing about the Mosquito again. They have talked extensively about the Hind, but the last time (and the first time I believe) they talked about the Mosquito in any detail was the newsletter on 13th November last year. Now considering it is/was slated to be their first product to be released in 2021 it seems a bit.....lacking to say the least?

 

Considering - Quote "The Mosquito is planned to be released into early access by the end of the 1st quarter of 2021." they will be starting to run out of time soon. Especially if 2.7 will most probably drop on Wednesday 31st March (my non-educated guess!), they will have their hands full with that release I would think. So not much time left to squeeze in the release of the Mosquito by the end of Q1. I wouldn't have thought they would release a new module at the same time as 2.7 either, so the only other thing in the mix is it sadly looks like a delay on the Mosquito....

 

Some official "hint" would be nice though

Edited March 5, 2021 by bart

[Silver_Dragon]

Not bad if Wags start to show some video on the future about Mosquito, Marianas, new weather, clouds and Supercarrier addons

[Eldur]

7 hours ago, Pride37 said:

Well, not for the Hind, but for 2.7 release there was an obvious hint:

 

"We would like to inform you of a longer than usual update cycle commencing now in the lead up to 2.7."

 

So my guess is: in 3 weeks at least...

 

Well the release cycle has been ~ once a month, basically every 4 or 5 weeks. The last real update (not counting the campaign mission fixes with the .1, .2 and .3 versions) was released on Feb 17. If they actively state we have to expect longer release cycles, I wouldn't see anything less than 6 weeks TBH. That being said (and since there won't be an update "in the lead up to 2.7" anymore, unless some more campaign fixes roll in), the earliest possible When'sday for a release would be the last of March, just hitting the prospected "by end of Q1" timeframe. Unless, for that matter, they do calculate in some weird heavily classified "quarters" based on their fiscal years which is pretty common in business, and just mind boggling, to be honest. But I don't expect that to be the case here, so I'll take ED's release date Qxes as actual calendar quarters. In the end, it could very much be April already when we'll get the new clouds. But well, it's a massive milestone, a big game changing update - even while eagerly waiting for it, I can live with it being a bit longer in the oven if it has to.

[Skysurfer]

I do wonder how this new cloud system will affect existing missions and campaigns since it's template based and not set in the ME like regular clouds (to my understanding). I hope it can be easily applied or automatically translate to those existing missions.

[Northstar98]

2 hours ago, Skysurfer said:

I do wonder how this new cloud system will affect existing missions and campaigns since it's template based and not set in the ME like regular clouds (to my understanding). I hope it can be easily applied or automatically translate to those existing missions.

 

Even if it doesn't, I doubt it would take much effort to just select the appropriate template or redo the weather - unless the mission requires dynamic weather.

 

Obviously if we do get controls such as initial vs forecasted weather (with maybe a user definable interval) and/or different weather in different parts of the map) then mission editors will have more work to do.

Edited March 6, 2021 by Northstar98

[unknown]

13 hours ago, Skysurfer said:

since it's template based and not set in the ME like regular clouds (to my understanding)

I thought that it works like the current static weather templetes in the ME, you just select one of your liking - summer, hot, clear sky / autumn, rain storm....

[REDEYE_CVW-66]

That would be my understanding as well. Roll down menu with different presets in the ME.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Given the amount of existing SP content, it would be silly to implement the new cloud system without backward compatibility in mind... I seriously doubt there's going to be an issue.

[Corvine]

The newsletter is up! While I was expecting more variety in the cloud settings depicted in the screenshots, I'm excited about the planned updates to WW2 warbirds, esp their damage models and propellor animations! I'm hoping they get rid of the sudden propellor standstill whenever you nose down into the concrete. Having the things slow down, even if fairly rapidly, would be far more realistic, I think.

[VTJS17_Fire]

I hope, the focus won't be cloud templates, but a realistic weather panel. Sounds, ED focuses on simplification on that subject, what would be not my favorite choice. We'll see ...

[unknown]

1 hour ago, VTJS17_Fire said:

I hope, the focus won't be cloud templates, but a realistic weather panel. Sounds, ED focuses on simplification on that subject, what would be not my favorite choice. We'll see ...

They already said that the implementation will come in several stages. From the January 8th newsletter:

"The wait is almost over, and the new clouds for DCS World will be introduced in the 1st quarter of 2021. In addition to being visually stunning, the new clouds will block visual and optical sensor line of sight and be synchronized online. We will initially release the new cloud system with an array of weather presets that will cater to most mission building scenarios. Later in the year, we will update the Weather Tool in the Mission Editor that will allow finer control of the clouds with a dynamic weather system based on a more advanced meteorological engine."

[Ala12Rv-watermanpc]

and still no release date for 2.7?

[unlikely_spider]

3 minutes ago, Ala12Rv-watermanpc said:

and still no release date for 2.7?

I think they were waiting for just one more person to ask.

[bart]

8 minutes ago, Ala12Rv-watermanpc said:

and still no release date for 2.7?

 

Or any info at all on the Mosquito FB Mk VI, which it being the prize in the P-47 livery contest, I would have thought today would have been a great time to mention the old girl...

 

However at a guess I would say the Mosquito won't surface now until after 2.7 drops as this update is going to have new prop animations included in it, and what better way to show off these animations than to release a twin prop aircraft shortly after their introduction!.

Edited March 12, 2021 by bart

[Northstar98]

The release date is the end of March at the earliest - that'll probably the 31st, which is a wednesday.