Cold War 1947 - 1991

[Alpenwolf]

32 minutes ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

Red fixed wing pilots have mostly left the server. Dobs and I are flying Red a lot more often just to have someone to shoot at. Occasionally, if we spend a few hours seeding the server some Red Air will show up but it cannot be relied upon. I have no clue what could possibly bring them back.

The many restrictions, limitations, never using the same module/unit on both sides (for both IFF and "authenticity" reasons), the emphasis on using comms and rely on teamwork are all as one package of features (among other secondary features) a major aspect of this server, especially, years ago when I started hosting; Less servers back then and most were more or less following the same protocol. On top of that, including a "risky" module like Combined Arms and wrap most missions around it. And that's only due to the fact that the ground warfare is simply part of... war. Hence the various tournaments and encouraging players to get it and test it out. You know, hoping for developers to revisit the module one day and polish some of its surfaces.

I'm not saying other servers were/are bad or anything. That's everyone's different taste in things and the variety of servers these days gives everyone a place to be. For instance, you can't say Pizza is not tasty and frame that as a general opinion. It's your own taste. PERIOD! And those who have been around me for a while know how much I don't care about what others do or why they do it.

In DCS, I kind of found my place in the virtual world of sims/games and I wasn't even looking for one. Then I created my own niche with the MiG-21 and the F-5 being its main modules (after working for quite a while with ACG_IronJockel) hoping to attract enough players who share the same approach towards this great simulator. The best I might add! Yes, simulator, and I treat it as such and prefer to share it with only those who see it as such.

Over the last years of hosting I've always been adding and removing features or making things "harder" in the missions while paying attention to players' feedback. All that to get to a place where players can still have fun without getting bored with fanatic realism as some call it. I had to stop at some point and never push any further. I had to give up and give in many times and just as much players of the Cold War community had to as well. I couldn't implement everything I wanted and players couldn't agree on everything I had, so we ended up meeting in the middle. A common ground that I was trying to get to, where everyone (or most actually) is happy with what they got and able to live without some of the features they'd love to have (you can't have everything and please everyone, so I never bothered about the latter). And that's when the server's become what it is with the standard features it has.

Now, talking about bringing players back. I've always said this: One day there will be a new and a different generation of players in DCS that will certainly approach this simulator (or game?) differently. And quite often such a change scares off some OG's of not just DCS, but any game. It's like a company or a brand that is known for something and one day they change a few features to attract more customers (which is very legit from a product provider's point of view), so they end up gaining more and new followers/players/customers/etc. on the cost of losing older ones, who then end up reminiscing the good old days and wishing for things to go back to what they once were. Well, they're not That's the nature of things and DCS is just one example.

That being said, I'm never ever changing any of the major features of any of my missions to get anyone attracted to the server. I don't use social media and I'm not interested in having followers or numbers or likes or whatever is out there in that regard. I simply love DCS the way I do and had many players like me throughout the years with whom I've shared many beautiful and intense sessions. If I'm outdated or my missions don't attract the new waves of new DCS players, who think of my missions and server rules to be too tough or too whatever, so be it. And that's not me being stubborn, as some say, but simply me wanting to enjoy DCS the way I want to enjoy it. That's all there is to it, mate, and I understand your concern.

The server is still online and is still running. For how long? Who knows... That's something not very foreseeable.

 

God bless you all!
Fly safe!

[GeneralMav24]

Would be unfortunate to see the server go after such a long time. Its hard to fill a niche that requires players to do more than just use the weapons, actually communicating and planning stuff is somewhat hard to do with random people

[Volator]

I think now that the horde has moved on this server has actually become more enjoyable lately. It is also getting better with the new Cold War modules. Empty is not good of course, but "full" also has certain downsides. 

 

*Edit*

23 players on at 20:30 UTC. Not bad, nothing to worry about.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Pilot Ike

[MMI_Grim]

@crate cap
The Hawk sites are not a problem for me. Lots and lots of manpads are whats not much fun.
I think its quite ok to build a defence with focus, but just spaming out manpads and ammo trucks not so much.

Blue will always have advantages with an dedicated CGI in mike delta and dedicated sam truck in miccara. And thats ok, nothing to worry or do about.
Maybe sometimes something like that will come up for red.

EDIT: I fly both sides btw

EDIT2: Alpens server is by far the best for me.

Edited February 3, 2022 by MMI_Grim

[Raviar]

On 1/23/2022 at 9:15 PM, Alpenwolf said:

The many restrictions, limitations, never using the same module/unit on both sides (for both IFF and "authenticity" reasons), the emphasis on using comms and rely on teamwork are all as one package of features (among other secondary features) a major aspect of this server, especially, years ago when I started hosting; Less servers back then and most were more or less following the same protocol. On top of that, including a "risky" module like Combined Arms and wrap most missions around it. And that's only due to the fact that the ground warfare is simply part of... war. Hence the various tournaments and encouraging players to get it and test it out. You know, hoping for developers to revisit the module one day and polish some of its surfaces.

I'm not saying other servers were/are bad or anything. That's everyone's different taste in things and the variety of servers these days gives everyone a place to be. For instance, you can't say Pizza is not tasty and frame that as a general opinion. It's your own taste. PERIOD! And those who have been around me for a while know how much I don't care about what others do or why they do it.

In DCS, I kind of found my place in the virtual world of sims/games and I wasn't even looking for one. Then I created my own niche with the MiG-21 and the F-5 being its main modules (after working for quite a while with ACG_IronJockel) hoping to attract enough players who share the same approach towards this great simulator. The best I might add! Yes, simulator, and I treat it as such and prefer to share it with only those who see it as such.

Over the last years of hosting I've always been adding and removing features or making things "harder" in the missions while paying attention to players' feedback. All that to get to a place where players can still have fun without getting bored with fanatic realism as some call it. I had to stop at some point and never push any further. I had to give up and give in many times and just as much players of the Cold War community had to as well. I couldn't implement everything I wanted and players couldn't agree on everything I had, so we ended up meeting in the middle. A common ground that I was trying to get to, where everyone (or most actually) is happy with what they got and able to live without some of the features they'd love to have (you can't have everything and please everyone, so I never bothered about the latter). And that's when the server's become what it is with the standard features it has.

Now, talking about bringing players back. I've always said this: One day there will be a new and a different generation of players in DCS that will certainly approach this simulator (or game?) differently. And quite often such a change scares off some OG's of not just DCS, but any game. It's like a company or a brand that is known for something and one day they change a few features to attract more customers (which is very legit from a product provider's point of view), so they end up gaining more and new followers/players/customers/etc. on the cost of losing older ones, who then end up reminiscing the good old days and wishing for things to go back to what they once were. Well, they're not That's the nature of things and DCS is just one example.

That being said, I'm never ever changing any of the major features of any of my missions to get anyone attracted to the server. I don't use social media and I'm not interested in having followers or numbers or likes or whatever is out there in that regard. I simply love DCS the way I do and had many players like me throughout the years with whom I've shared many beautiful and intense sessions. If I'm outdated or my missions don't attract the new waves of new DCS players, who think of my missions and server rules to be too tough or too whatever, so be it. And that's not me being stubborn, as some say, but simply me wanting to enjoy DCS the way I want to enjoy it. That's all there is to it, mate, and I understand your concern.

The server is still online and is still running. For how long? Who knows... That's something not very foreseeable.

 

God bless you all!
Fly safe!

your server, your missions are the best for the last 5 /6 years as I am flying in it. keep it up

[Skyracer]

On 12/31/2021 at 4:43 PM, Alpenwolf said:

Fuel tanks at Nalchik in what mission? Phone Booth? If it's Phone Booth, well, you hardly travel any long distances to really need them. Nevertheless, you find them at the main airbase, Mineralnye Vody.

 

No need to speculate any further this pretty much sums it up. Why? To discriminate the blue side?

The channels for Viggen is still fugged up!

I dont understand why the f-16 aka mig killer is not here. Just limit the thing to aim 9Ls only. Remove all the pods, D-link and so on. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Skyracer

[=475FG= Dawger]

23 minutes ago, Skyracer said:

 

I dont understand why the f-16 aka mig killer is not here. Just limit the thing to aim 9Ls only. Remove all the pods, D-link and so on. 

 

The F-16C Block 50 present in DCS was not introduced during the era Alpenwolf's server is focused on. 

[rogorogo]

vor 15 Minuten schrieb Skyracer:

No need to speculate any further this pretty much sums it up. Why? To discriminate the blue side?

The channels for Viggen is still fugged up!

I dont understand why the f-16 aka mig killer is not here. Just limit the thing to aim 9Ls only. Remove all the pods, D-link and so on. 

 

ahem.. are you ok?
What is the purpose of this unnecessary and inflammatory typing - showing not only quite the lack of basic manners but also blatantly ignoring simple facts.

The F-16 in DCS has - unlike the F-5 with incorrect components - the same problem the AJS-Viggen has (which i just blew up in 25 seconds ago btw.. before there is any more "us" vs "them") in being not an AJ-37.
DCS has a "somewhat F-16 C as a module, that is Block 25 to 52, with the very first plane of Block 25 having its service trials in mid 1984.

The Cold War F-16, or the "Mig-Killer" as you refer to (up to the 29A) as thought out by the "Light Figher Mafia Thinktank" a certain Mr Pierre Sprey claimed to be a major part of (both of which is only true to some gradient but still the most meritable claim of Mr Sprey at least) was the F-16 A and maybe B, that is Block 1 to 20.

Just because they look the same on the outside does not change the fact that they are VASTLY different airframe in capabilities, avionics, armaments, turbine, everything - including the AJS.

That is like comparing the Saab Draken of ye olden times with the flying antiques show of the Austrian airforce (until the Eurofighters that can only VFR and always be the used ones delivered as the stopgap until the fresh ones came off the line that will be paid for nonetheless.. but that is a different and quite fascinating story) - just because they look the same does not mean they are the same...
And any late 50s and 60s Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaken pilot would have quite salivated about the gunsight optics and TC alone...

So please.. before making such divise blanket statment, educate yourself at least on Wikipedia level.
Alternatively there is a server where such toxicity and things like "meta" and other things are quite encouraged... but that is "Cold War" in name only...

And I am only typing this because I seem to remember that you have been told exactly this, about this module, by someone else before.. at least once.

[reichenwald]

It’s happening

https://youtu.be/rQuBI70CbNI

Edited January 25, 2022 by reichenwald

[Admiral_ZIPANGU]

The Blue side will enter a new era this year...

PHANTOM FOREVER

[reichenwald]

Just wait until the Flogger releases

[Skyracer]

16 minutes ago, Admiral_ZIPANGU said:

The Blue side will enter a new era this year...

PHANTOM FOREVER

Cant wait, to be demolished by some MIG-21 pilot!

 

[rogorogo]

just leaving this here... 

 

[MMI_Grim]

Alpen will jump from joy.

[Admiral_ZIPANGU]

It is not in the distant future, but this year. Later this year, air combat on this server will become more exciting.
In my country, the F-4EJ/EJ Kai was retired last March. I am sure I will be flying in my country's Liveries. My dream is expanding.

[Get_Lo]

If the F4 beats the MiG-23 to release, REDFOR might be in for a roller coaster... F5, F1, and F4 vs MiG-21 and 19. We might have to donate them the F1 once the F4 gets released to hold them over until the 23 arrives. ofc this is very far away.

[The_Tau]

At least some missions. Like we can simulate Iran-Iraq War, thats literally our current Alpen's Cold War Meta in RL ;). Total War in 80s with limited weaponry with diverse types of targets with MiG-17 (soon™), 19, 21, 23(maybe?), 29, F1, Su-25, Mi-8, 24, gazelle, even L39 (!) vs F-5E, F-4, F-14A, UH-1s, AH-1s (Cobraaas pls!)

Ground equipment T-55s 62s vs Chieftans and M60s, SA6s vs HAWKs.

Crazy

shame that we dont get Iraq map...

Edited January 26, 2022 by The_Tau

[Alpenwolf]

I've never ever watched a DCS trailer and was so surprised and speechless. And I'm for sure not the type to ever be speechless!

The Cold War 1947-1991 server will embrace the Phantom, hug it, kiss it, drool all over it and never let go!

Godspeed, Heatblur!

[Alpenwolf]

Server News:

Operation Phone Booth has been updated. Here's the change log.

- In addition, the weather has been changed. It's now snowy, cold, partially clouded, foggy and turbulent.
- The mission is currently online, therefore, the update will be included next time it goes online.

Updating more missions is on the way, just bear with me, please. Family and work come in between.

 

Operation Search & Destroy:
The mission kicks off this Friday, 28.01.2022, around 1900 zulu.

[Apok]

1 hour ago, Alpenwolf said:

I've never ever watched a DCS trailer and was so surprised and speechless. And I'm for sure not the type to ever be speechless!

The Cold War 1947-1991 server will embrace the Phantom, hug it, kiss it, drool all over it and never let go!

Godspeed, Heatblur!

Alpen...they borrowed nozzles for that video. Whole thing is not in dcs.

But they sure know how to hype.

[rossmum]

21 hours ago, Get_Lo said:

If the F4 beats the MiG-23 to release, REDFOR might be in for a roller coaster... F5, F1, and F4 vs MiG-21 and 19. We might have to donate them the F1 once the F4 gets released to hold them over until the 23 arrives. ofc this is very far away.

F-4E has no lookdown and isn't much of a BFM monster. I would suggest people manage their expectations severely... the Phantom is going to be a worse dogfighter than the F-5 in the horizontal, and its advantages in the vertical against an early 21 largely cease to exist against a 21bis. Its load factor limitations in air to air config are even lower than those of the F-5. As the server meta is already very heavily skewed towards low altitude, the Phantoms are not going to have a very fun time in air to air combat. They'll be fantastic bomb trucks, though. Red will not need the F1 (and the F1 itself is likely going to be a lot less than people are hyping it up to be as well, though I don't have performance figures I can trust for it, so that's just a guess right now).

I have doubts on a 2022 delivery for the Phantom, but we'll see. I've learnt never to trust DCS release dates, especially third party ones.

As for the reds... we haven't had many of our usual GCIs on for some time, mainly because they've moved on from DCS or just shifted focus to other eras within it. It can make it frustrating and so probably not as many of them are bothering to turn up. Unfortunately experienced and committed GCIs are few and far between, but the population still gets back up there once a few red regulars hop on and it'll flow back over time I think.

Anyway, what I came here to post... please do not use the tac commander role unless you are actually moving ground units. I know most of you guys in the thread don't need to be told, but I'd like to repeat it just in case. The other day I had to kick someone for sitting in a tac comm slot while neither being on comms nor using it to advance the ground war, and it isn't something I particularly enjoy doing and it wastes everyone's time. If you just want to GCI or drive a single unit around, use JTAC, that's what the slots are there for.

[rogorogo]

I would hope that people and fellow digital fake pilots are exited for what the F-4E (with agile eagle retrofits) is and for what it is not.

It will finally be a correct dancing partner/match/adversary for the Mig-21.

It has capabilities, character and limtiations..

It also is an era and period correct asset according to the Q&A, explicity stating for once that the DMAS version will be a separate airframe within the same module, next to the agile eagle retrofit airframe.

It is in character a BFM brute (maybe even the last of them), it mainly thrusts, and accidentally also flies and thanks to the nosejob is also can pew-pew, a transitionary aiframe. 

But so is the 21, just with a different concept (fe far heavier GCI reliant).

And neither of which could thus far be actually utilized, because DCS as a product makes it extremely difficult to provide the proper scenario cage for it.
As long as the battlefield cannot be populated as it would be technically possible (cough.. waypoint mentality vs background LOS/proximity globes with dormancy, multicore, authoritative services aso aso aso aso aso) paired with approach legs that are 150 seconds (none of which is anyones "fault".. that are necessities by product realities and by human nature and time allocation of he limited good of me time), it wil always be extremely difficult to encourage a proper experience organically.

If there were proper means available (which - again - technically would have been possible for almost a decade by now) teamwork would also not be far more relevant because of the lack of fixed hotzones but by also breaking up any altitude centroids by sheer neccessity and diversity. But that is not the case, and will not be for quite a while longer.

Put the tendency of "airquaking", "gamer mentality" and "meta" ()  as a sprinkle on top and there is a steep task for anyone trying to provide a diverse loop-scenario and era experience in DCS MP. Not helped by the fact that Eagle themselves is culturally.... "special". Lest we forget that they favour and cater creatures that in surprising uniformity regularly effluviate statements (on audio, on video, in typing) like "I don't care about missions 'n stuff, I just wanna shoot at things "  while pretending the opposite with their servers whose proxies enact hardcore crowding-out playerbase-mining despite being lowest-denominator arenas (nothing wrong with that - for those that seek this loop, it is the perfect environment for loop fulfillment and should exist) at peak social media cringe (adtults with the right to vote vyying for the adoration and worship by the underage and the intellectually minor ). But this janiformity has always existed and was always enacted, only the medium applied and the methodology iterates (again, human nature.. not good or bad.. it just is a reality).

So yes, in outcome you will still see tigers bunnyhop around, with their wrong RWR array and many other things - but at least not-only tigers with a sprinkle of smoerebröd-ufo.. 
I mean, just a few days ago I flew around in my Viggen, since for once numbers allowed me to do so. I had completely forgotten how it works (and no, I never press "E", it is the button for w***s) and it did end accordingly (as if it ever would not ).

But I did come across a Mig-29 (A, I hope). It had me long tracked on EO (as it should), in lookdown, and did a proper single pulse IFF check (as it should, and since I know who it was I would have excpected no less  ).
Single.pulse.IFF.check... and my RWR went chirp-chirp. and I not only knew what was going on and where but looking there had me not only visually aquire but also enjoy the steamy cloud of impending doom by launch transition (note2self: you may want remember to bring the CM pod when going sightseeing without a customized datasette... you absolute r***d ).

Which shows how great the AJS is - but the AJ would have not insta-processed this information this way this quickly from a single.pulse.IFF.check.

But again, as the Phantom (later maybe a naval module as per Q&A) will be available as an era and period correct item, there will be also those that will just enjoy the fidelity - from 2025 onwards.
And suitable, period-correct, fidelic modules are one step to encourage players to play the scenario, to enjoy the unique aspects of the era and the airframes visceral experiences and limitations. They also help shift out-scope loops to organically take place closer or withing the scenario.

And maybe one day Eagle might introduce practices and methodology in PM, franchise standardization and product for market game-design (and as a combat flight simulator DCS very much is a gaming product by industry and character), apart from sensibly populating their playable asset scope - and it only took them 15 years to understand that and that actual sales sells more in numbers and profit, while creating retention and seeding expansion, and also accept the fact that PvA is the future, for everything, and "gamemasters" (if a product provider defaults and offhands that role to its consumers) need systemic and proper tools and tools to set boundaries for what the product can do.. not wonky hodgepode by lua.
And then we can all enjoy DCS even more. DCS and world peace ;).

[Skyracer]

Maybe update the server?

[Alpenwolf]

15 minutes ago, Skyracer said:

Maybe update the server?

Done.

[MMI_Grim]

4 hours ago, Skyracer said:

Maybe update the server?

Maybe improve your tone while asking someone to tweak something on his free to play server ...in his sparetime?