[Poll] How do you primary play DCS? (Strawpoll)

[MikeMikeJuliet]

I voted for co-op v AI, although I might have voted PvP just as well... perhaps some intermediary options would be handy (like: 50/50 sp/pvp or 50/50 co-op/pvp)... There are players who play in more than one way. And By the 50/50 choices I don't mean exactly 50%, but "around half and half".

 

Say, you had every player play SP for around 55% of the time and co-op v AI the remaining 45%... the 45% is still a lot of time and effort that currently doesn't show in the poll. The result would just be "100% play mostly sp", which might technically be true, but the difference between the options is so small, that the conclusion should be "people play sp and co-op equally".

 

 

Regards,

MikeMikeJuliet

Edited July 19, 2017 by MikeMikeJuliet

[Mud]

I also voted for co-op vs AI, since it's my preferred way to fly. Unfortunately none of the members from my BMS squad are into DCS ... yet :joystick: Let alone the fact that many of them are currently busy with Elite Dangerous and ArmA 3.

 

So I'm mostly just flying solo and building missions.

 

Anyone lonely in the skies feel free to drop me a PM :)

 

Mud

[MegOhm_SD]

I usually fly Mp only...prefer human opponets but do fly MP vs AI when necessary.

However, I will occasionally engage SP in a Campaign.

Edited July 19, 2017 by MegOhm_SD

[Oceandar]

99% of my DCS time is in MP. I no longer have appetite in playing SP. Maybe later in the future when DCS has dynamic campaign I'd back flying SP

 

Sent from my A1601 using Tapatalk

[0xDEADBEEF]

99.9% MP, and I am quite certain if the announced MP improvement is finished, and lots of the starting hurdles are improved, a lot more people will move to MP. In my opinion, the excitement to match yourself against real opponent has no match to SP or PvE-MP.

[WinterH]

99.9% MP, and I am quite certain if the announced MP improvement is finished, and lots of the starting hurdles are improved, a lot more people will move to MP. In my opinion, the excitement to match yourself against real opponent has no match to SP or PvE-MP.

 

PvP, even if brought to a better standard, would be an "every now and then" activity for me. My main DCS focus will always be coop multiplayer and singleplayer, with some semblance of actual objectives, and strategy.

[dannyq8]

MP PVP, occasionally MP v AI with the 132nd.

 

As they say on election night "not all the votes are in" but at over 1,100 votes this poll is a bit of an eye opener.

 

I was always under the impression from various posts that ED considered SP to be the majority of their users. As PVP and CO-OP are both MP, and some aerobatic flyers too, its looking like its an even split between SP and MP.

[WHOGX5]

The time I spend offline is mostly just flying around without any hostiles, and/or practicing combat tactics and maneuvers. The few times I actually fly SP missions I only fly A-G mission, as I find the enemy AI to predictable and easy to beat in air combat. I remember back in F4: Allied Force when a Su-27 sent shivers down my spine as I knew I would have to fight tooth and nail to even have a shot at getting out of it alive. In DCS you only have to get close to the ground and the AI will do some stupid pull up and I can just shoot him right out of the sky. Just yesterday I was pondering whether to buy the M2000 or the F-5 so I pitted them against each other in a dogfight, both being the highest difficulty AI. They just flew vertical circles indefinitely. The Mirage didn't even use afterburners during the first half of the fight and after five minutes I just shut it off as nether party was either gaining or losing anything.

 

This might sound a bit like I'm just nagging about DCS but it was not intended that way, just trying to point out the flaws so our experience can be improved. The ground AI is a lot better which is why something like BlueFlag is perfect for me. PvE versus ground units, and PvP against aerial targets. The best of both worlds! :D

[Justificus]

100% SP

 

My schedule is just too chaotic for MP and many times my time is limited. So I fly when I can...

[DeepDrummer]

SP for me mostly until I get a new headset and learn to fly and takeoff and land better. (surveyed).

I tried to join MP at 4 am this morning but there wasn't much shaking in the WWII department which is all understandable. One unified version should help a bit.

I see a sudden building of interest over and above the norm.

Time will tell if I will enjoy MP. I am seriously hoping that I can't judge the multiplayers by multiplayers in other online endeavors. It DOES look like DCS folks have a bit more class than the norm as far as keeping internet nastiness under control. Time will tell.

[runny]

Just by viewing server populations it is easy to determine that a vast majority of players are single player.

 

How can you tell how many people are playing SP by looking at the number of MP players? Just because someone who downloaded the game isn't playing MP doesn't mean that he must be in SP. In fact, it's much more likely that they're not playing at all for whatever reason or combination thereof.

 

As far as the topic: I play 100% objective-based PvP missions. I never finished a campaign or a tutorial (IIRC because they were broken) and since it's faster and easier to learn from other people, I can't remember the last time I loaded into SP.

Edited July 19, 2017 by runny

[Vtec9k]

SP usually, but some MP PvP mixed in when the mood takes me. Would like to do some MP vAI but generally requires too much time and planning.

 

I'd love to see a bunch of "game" bugfixes though, lots of minor issues with missions, campaigns or general AI features that need sorting out and would make a much more enjoyable game.

[Pizzicato]

Totally SP here.

[philstyle]

I am a little surprised... 1300+ votes, with just under 30% saying that they primarily play multiplayer PvP.

So, that's 400 odd players.

 

 

Given the abysmal populations on servers recently, I wonder what's up with this group?

Are they split over DCS 1 and 2, is that why it feels like nobody is online these days?

[Bearfoot]

As PVP and CO-OP are both MP, and some aerobatic flyers too, its looking like its an even split between SP and MP of the people participating in this survey

 

Fixed that for ya!

 

While the same can be said of any survey, usually there are procedures/mechanisms to account for the non-representativeness of the survey respondents, or the survey respondents themselves are carefully chose to be representative of the community.

 

Reason that I think this survey's numbers do not line up or are representative of the community?

 

Because we know there are, what, several thousand? several tens of thousands? several hundreds of thousands? copies of DCS out there in the wild, yet on any given day/night there are typically what, fewer than a few dozen people online? Sure, sure, we can say that not everyone plays 24/7, so a random snapshot of the server players at any number of time would be a serious underestimate. But even if you take a snapshot at its peak and, say, multiply by 24 * 7, you get something in the few thousand range, and THAT is not only probably a serious overestimate, it nowhere accounts for the tens/hundreds/? of thousands of known DCS players.

[Bearfoot]

I, too, have been curious as to the actual MP community size. I think the best way to get at this is tedious, but, while not perfect, will at least get us within the ball park: someone has to logon on the hour, every a hour, for a week, in stable, beta, and alpha, and note the identities of people online. This will obviously miss some folks who play less than an hour and slip between the gaps, or folks who play less than once a week. And it will double count folks who play under different usernames. But, as I said, it will get us in the ballpark.

 

Now, how do we get a measure of the SP community? Easy: everyone else!

 

How do we know how many "everyone else" are? Ah, that, is tricky. I think ED has a handle on this --- sales, update download connections, etc. And pretty sure ED will not share! Perhaps, though, we can take forum size as a rough indicator? IIRC, it was in the ~50-60K range?

[philstyle]

Interesting stuff Bearfoot;

I've noticed that there are around 25 to 30 servers up in DCS 2.0 quite regularly. However, I also noticed that for at least half the times I check them, all but one or two are empty.

I would suggest that there is certainly NOT a drought of servers. However server owners should have a think about whether they are providing something that people want to play on. All of these servers are costing somebody (whether it's just power + internet, or more [i.e. dedicated machine rentals etc]).

 

DCS multiplayer doesn't need more servers right now. It needs playres to populate what's already there, OR to provide assistance/ tips for the people who have servers already to improve them.

On the other hand, we're all beholden to ED as well. The Normandy map itself is hamstrung by some strange (awful) design decisions. The assets stil need fleshing out, and MP overall for the warbirds is hampered by the poor damage models.

The persistence of two versions of DCS doens't help either.

My main questions are around timing - how long before coherency can be bought to the DCS offering? Is it worthwhile continuing to fiddle about the edges of an incmplete package? I thought the move to Wednesday updates might signal the start of a more regular improvement process, particularly for the WW2 map and assets.. but it seems I was wrong.

As it is, the player-base seems to leap at each new, disconneced module which seems to only fuel the status quo. I've certainly decided not to buy anything more moduels until I am confident that there is a coherent environment in which to enjoy them. But given the hype over the F18, I'm not convinced the wider player base will learn. I expect loads of people to buy the F18, fly it offline for a few weeks then largely abandon it (something I've done with the F86 and Viggen modules!)

[dannyq8]

MP PVP, occasionally MP v AI with the 132nd.

 

As they say on election night "not all the votes are in" but at over 1,100 votes this poll is a bit of an eye opener.

 

I was always under the impression from various posts that ED considered SP to be the majority of their users. As PVP and CO-OP are both MP, and some aerobatic flyers too, its looking like its an even split between SP and MP.

 

Fixed that for ya!

 

Originally Posted by dannyq8

As PVP and CO-OP are both MP, and some aerobatic flyers too, its looking like its an even split between SP and MP of the people participating in this survey

 

While the same can be said of any survey, usually there are procedures/mechanisms to account for the non-representativeness of the survey respondents, or the survey respondents themselves are carefully chose to be representative of the community.

 

Reason that I think this survey's numbers do not line up or are representative of the community?

 

Because we know there are, what, several thousand? several tens of thousands? several hundreds of thousands? copies of DCS out there in the wild, yet on any given day/night there are typically what, fewer than a few dozen people online? Sure, sure, we can say that not everyone plays 24/7, so a random snapshot of the server players at any number of time would be a serious underestimate. But even if you take a snapshot at its peak and, say, multiply by 24 * 7, you get something in the few thousand range, and THAT is not only probably a serious overestimate, it nowhere accounts for the tens/hundreds/? of thousands of known DCS players.

 

Thanks, didn't need fixing though, just for you not to cherry pick which bit you would like to quote. "not all the votes are in" :thumbup:

[Flogger23m]

I mainly play SP. I used to play co-op against AI, but cannot figure out how to host a server anymore, and neither of us could figure it out. Back during FC2 we could host servers and have 3-4 random people join and we'd have PvP skirmishes. That was very fun. Now there are too many planes/eras, not as many people seemingly playing online, and I can't figure out how to host.

 

I did play on aerobatic servers about a year or more back though, and it was very fun just messing around and flying with random people.

 

My play style is very casual and I mostly play the FC3 planes. Strongly considering getting the M2000C (I made a skin for it after all!) and slightly considering the Viggen. F-5E would also be nice as I made the UK F-5E livery (it is in the game officially, place an F-5E for the UK and fly it if you wish!) but I don't own it. My main reasons I have not picked them up:

 

- Playing offline only is fun, but I tend to gravitate towards FC3 planes for killing AI. More weapons and all that, as I find the friendly AI is slacking. Harder to co-ordinate with them.

 

- Time. I don't get much time to play DCS. Forget about an organized, strict co-op session. I don't get much time to fire up the game, period.

 

- Again related to time, but they're all so complex and unique control wise I forget the functions if I don't play a DCS module in 2-3 months.

 

I do greatly enjoy the MIG-21, but I don't even bother with the radar and just use heat seeking K-13 and R-60s. :joystick: KA-50 is also fun when I am not suddenly loosing control for a reason I do not understand. :D

Edited July 20, 2017 by Flogger23m

[Johnny_Rico]

MP vs AI (its great flying with other human players working together)

Its very satisfying swooping in behind a friend who has got a fighter on his tail and saving his ass by smiting the enemy plane

 

1.5 has more servers online because you do not need to pay to host a client only server, with 2.1 you have to buy NTTR x 2, with Normandy you have to buy Normandy + assets pack x 2

[MikeMikeJuliet]

As it is, the player-base seems to leap at each new, disconneced module which seems to only fuel the status quo. I've certainly decided not to buy anything more moduels until I am confident that there is a coherent environment in which to enjoy them. But given the hype over the F18, I'm not convinced the wider player base will learn. I expect loads of people to buy the F18, fly it offline for a few weeks then largely abandon it (something I've done with the F86 and Viggen modules!)

 

Do you realize that the F-18 already has a coherent environment to play in, where as the F-86 does not... and the Viggen is not widely known, nor is it working properly in a couple of cases...

 

People won't abandon the Hornet, because it is the first modern full fidelity true multirole fighter ever in the game, and it has a lot of contempopary aircraft in DCS already: F-15, A-10A and C, MiG-29 variants, Su-27 and 33, Su-25T, BlackShark, Mirage...

 

The only thing Sabre has to play with is MiG-15...

 

 

Back on topic,

If ED has come about saying most of their consumers are SP players primarily, I don't see a reason to question their statement... They do know their sales numbers and the amount of online players, we do not.

[philstyle]

People won't abandon the Hornet, because it is the first modern full fidelity true multirole fighter ever in the game, and it has a lot of contempopary aircraft in DCS already: F-15, A-10A and C, MiG-29 variants, Su-27 and 33, Su-25T, BlackShark, Mirage...

The only thing Sabre has to play with is MiG-15....

 

 

 

Yes, you are probably (hopefully) right... which just goes to add more weight to the argument that module development should take into account the "coherency" of the flying/ playing environment.

[dannyq8]

What has sales figures got to do with player count?

 

You can't buy DCS multiplayer on it's own, it comes packaged with SP. How does anybody know how many people play single player, you cant quantify that by sales.

 

I know 2 people who bought into DCS, never played MP but have now given up playing altogether, do they still count as SP's?

 

I know someone else that bought it purely for MP, and that means he also bought SP, does he count as a SP?

[philstyle]

What has sales figures got to do with player count? You can't buy DCS multiplayer on it's own, it comes packaged with SP. How does anybody know how many people play single player, you cant quantify that by sales. I know 2 people who bought into DCS, never played MP but have now given up playing altogether, do they still count as SP's?

I know someone else that bought it purely for MP, and that means he also bought SP, does he count as a SP?

 

I think it's possible to make some broad assumptions, based on sales figures. But you are right, the data is incomplete, and one would have to do some broad magic with the stats-wand.

If there really are 50,000 copies of DCS out there then that doesn't really tell us anything at all about the active player base. DCS 1 came out years ago. Copies sold to someone who played the A-10 for 6 months, then stopped, 5 years ago should not be considered part of the active player base. I have plenty of "copies" of games that I no longer play.

 

ED constantly tell us that the majority of their customers are single-player only. I've never seen the figures, so I don't know. In the absence of good data, I think the straw-poll is actually a decent way to get a flavour. I would assume that a large proportion of the active player-base visits the ED forums once a month or so. . .

[kunterbunt]

Eagle dynamics would be able to see who of the known accounts is still buying new modules.

Not sure if the updater will login. It would be the best way to identify who is using which version.

It would probably be not a big thing for them to scan the internet for any servers and protocol number of logged in users?