Thanks ED!

[Mikkall]

As a baseline, I've been at this Flight Sim/Game/Whateveryouwannacallit thing for a long, long time. Done it all since about 1989. MP/SP, WW1 through Modern. There's not a Flight Sim out there I haven't at least taken a look at. So....

 

 

>>>>>>Thanks ED, for DCS World<<<<<<< No really. This thing, and you guys, ROCK!

 

You guys have done a superb job. Nothing compares! I just finished a flight on a MP server in the Hornet that was pure joy. Simple stuff, a little bombing, a little bangin away at air targets. Pretty run of the mill, almost boring stuff really, and then I got a "Bingo". Figured I had plenty of go-juice so I went about quickly finding some targets on which to waste my remaining ammo. Found some, and as luck would have it they weren't tooooo far out of the way back to the Carrier. Got the targets and headed home, 100nm or so.

 

 

At around 50nm I started looking real hard at my fuel. "Hmmmm... no sir, I don't like it". It's amazing how much faster those little numbers tick off when you're worried about it. Not being really good at figuring times and distances regarding fuel, I decided to dispense with the cool, manly Case I recovery. No, gas was getting scarce fast, so I decided to go Full Lame'O and fire straight in from way the hell and gone out back. As I approached the CV, I got that gut feeling that something wasn't right. I'm totally concentrating on getting into the right position... quickly glancing between the Carrier, the Donut, and the fuel readout (which wasn't good, nope). I had a quick look at the HSI/TACAN (set to 5) and saw something odd. The TACAN marker wasn't in front of me. At all. You know that weird confused feeling when you see something that ain't right, but should be right? I had that, hard. Then the aha moment! I suddenly realized I was lining up on the wrong boat. "You GOTTA be kidding me!" Whatever I WAS lining up on was trailing the Carrier a little ways off starboard. I don't know... 3 or 4 miles maybe? At some point between "Gotta" and "kidding", I think I saw 250 roll by on the fuel indicator. I can't really remember the sequence of distances and amounts of fuel, but I was in Big Trouble. I knew only 2 things, I had >>one chance<<, and >>I SUCK at this<<.

 

So I had a climb a bit and wiggle the little Hornet over to a this-will-have-to-do spot. Got lined up best I could and TRIED to get things somewhere in the same universe as "good enough" and went for it! I do keenly remember chancing a quick look at my fuel somewhere between 300ft and 200ft alt (err, or so) and it was at a cool "50". Ho-Lee-$$$$. I totally expected everything to go dark, then black any second. But, :) I hit the deck! A little early but I hit it and even caught a wire (I did NOT care which one). Then, as a started to ram the throttles forward, I ran outta gas BEFORE the wire stopped me. THAT was Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome!

 

 

Thanks ED. You're on it! :pilotfly:

[MikeMikeJuliet]

I do agree DCS has done a lot of things right. And even with all its faults it has give a lot pf players ton of hours to enjoy. As of late I have been seeing a lot of long time pet peve bugs and "festures" changed for the better...

 

 

..but... how the heck does ED being ED constitute to you having a good time with poor fuel planning skills, good sir? :D

 

PS. I know many of us like to point out the flaws in our beloved sim and make a lot of noise about what and how things should be fixed... but in the end DCS is in many regards in a state now compared to what it was two years ago that I'm not sure I even believe. This is pretty much everything I ever dared to hope from a sim when I flew LOMAC ten years ago and in many things much more.

 

Sims in general have made a spectacular return to the spotlights in the last years.

 

Regards,

MikeMikeJuliet

[Simicro]

Me too, I want to take this opportunity to thanks once again ED!

 

I only realize today :doh:that with 27 years old, it is probably the 'oldest' simulation company still in operation. It means something... :thumbup:

 

The simulator progress over time is remarkable. And so is the flourishing ecosystem: aicraft 3rd party developers, and since a couple of years campaign 3rd party developers...

 

Let's not forget the fantastic community to which ED is well connected. I think we are lucky to be informed very regularly via different media: website, forums, FB, Twitter, Youtube, weekly newsletter, etc.

[Hornetjock]

I agree guys - it was a no-brainer for me when I saw Normandy, the Spitfire MK IX and the missions. I read J E "Johnnie" Johnson's Wing Leader when I was about 13. Now I fly his aircraft in every detail. Almost daily.

[Mikkall]

Well...

 

FWIW, Eagle Dynamics has for the most part... done what was once talked about (and I saw as a dream to come true).

 

Anyone remember Janes USAF? The CD (was it before DVD?) the game came on had a presentation of sorts that talked about these big, big plans "they" had for creating a Combined Arms, Theater (if not Global) environment Sim. The concept sounded great but then some idiot bean-counter-in-a-suit somewhere decided to let EA step in and kill it all. (Not EA's worst sin but, right up there). That was in the late 90's. And here's ED doing it. LOMAC was awesome in its own right. And honestly, everything ED has done in between, I've been more than happy with. I can put up with minor technological absences and glitches for decades... as long as they keep with the progress, I'm happy. And NOT because there is no real alternative. :D

[MikeMikeJuliet]

Indeed. And remember: talking about bugs and annoying features for decades - the annoying zoomout was removed lately.

 

For those that believe that some issues remain forever unadressed

[Spudknocker]

Nice story there! Really gotta pay attention to that fuel gauge and use afterburner SPARINGLY! haha!

 

I wanted to take this chance to really thank ED as well! I am unfortunately away from being able to play DCS for the next month and I am already having withdrawl symptoms!

 

Similar to your story, below is my favorite video I've made for DCS World, 12 Hornet strike in multiplayer deep into Iran to hit a heavily defended Airfield with NO RESPAWNING... You can hear the players (and my) voices getting more strained and tense as we approach and hit the target and then get jumped by F-5's, F-4E's and MiG-21's on the way home when we are all low on gas!

 

That mission for me is a shining example of how awesome DCS World can be!

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Spudknocker

[Dispatch]

Have a great Summer and Enjoy your Vacations.

You deserve it.

 

 

Keep up the Great Work

 

 

~