HAPPY 10th YEAR ANNIVERSARY BLACK SHARK!

[BaD CrC]

So I was looking at my orders history and realized my first purchase was Black Shark 1 on Dec 14th 2008.

 

BS1 came out a bit earlier actually for the Russian customers but I haven't seen anything on ED's side to remember the birth of what will become DCS and what is still today the best PC based consumer market helicopter simulation (in a large sense, including the other choppers that followed).

 

So, let's just have a thought for this milestone in PC flight simulation. I am still flying the shark and I love her, even after ten years of relationship. Yes, sometimes she shows her age and new bugs are showing up updates after updates, but I heard ED is buying her a lifting so she will look young again. So maybe they still love her too? :cry:

[Steel Jaw]

The first DCS module I bought, good times.

[Yurgon]

1.0.1c. Pretty sure that was my first version of the Black Shark, and shortly after I got it, 1.0.2 came out with a whole bunch of new features.

 

Of course, years later, when the A-10C hit the beta, it was too bad they weren't multiplayer compatible. And the DirectX 9 engine started to show its age. And the Black Shark was already in dire need of a cockpit overhaul. After all, the OAT gauge never worked. :music_whistling: :smartass:

 

So hooray for DCS World, and online compatibility between all modules. And then DCS 1.5 with DirectX 11, wow! And then DCS 2.5 with an entirely reworked Caucasus map and yet another massive graphic engine upgrade.

 

What a ride. And it's been a joy to be along for it. ;)

 

Happy Birthday, Black Shark!

[MTFDarkEagle]

Happy birthday to the Black Shark!

 

This was my first introduction to serious flight simulation.

Started flying LOMAC and Flaming Cliffs well before BS was out.

 

I saw a video from Glowing Amraam about some strange Russian helicopter... This one:

I wanted to fly something like that... I wanted to be able to fly it as well as in that video..

Then BS came out. Oh my god did I struggle... But it captured me in ways I couldn't imagine. It sucked me into the depths of serious flight simulation and I spent hours and hours flying the damn thing.

 

Then the A-10C came, and it's incompatibility in MP was an issue.

Roll on DCS World, and (online) compatibility with FC, A-10C, and the KA-50.

My wet dreams were coming true. Flying online with my squad in multiple aircraft.

 

Tonight in its honour I'll give the Shark a good run-out :)

Edited January 8, 2019 by MTFDarkEagle

[Looney]

Happy Birthday to my first high fidelity helicopter sim which took me leaps and bounds into the world of high-class flight simming. Thank you and here's to antoher 10 years, cheers!

[Lixma 06]

Damn.

 

Don't blow out the candles....they're the only working lights in this thing!

Edited January 8, 2019 by Lixma 06

[Mango]

This module changed flight simming for me forever. I bought it mostly because there was very little else on the market besides original IL2 and FSX, but it opened a whole new world of the study simulation that I never thought possible!

[mvsgas]

I was in Korea at the time, had to get the Russian version because my IP. That was interesting since I did not speak a word of Russian. Learning the ABRIS was so difficult since I had to learn to read Cyrillic and understand basic words. I still learn it and had lots of fun. Still do, just not fly enough to stay current.

[HiJack]

So I was looking at my orders history and realized my first purchase was Black Shark 1 on Dec 14th 2008.

 

BS1 came out a bit earlier actually for the Russian customers but I haven't seen anything on ED's side to remember the birth of what will become DCS and what is still today the best PC based consumer market helicopter simulation (in a large sense, including the other choppers that followed).

 

So, let's just have a thought for this milestone in PC flight simulation. I am still flying the shark and I love her, even after ten years of relationship. Yes, sometimes she shows her age and new bugs are showing up updates after updates, but I heard ED is buying her a lifting so she will look young again. So maybe they still love her too? :cry:

 

Awesome. I was 6 months after the release but the Ka-50 has been a very good friend to enter when all other modules failed. Always some good mission you have not flown or even campaigns revisited. Just awesome! You don't find this much fun in any other sim/game out there! Even commanding the wingmen's around is a special treat! And here they usually work/do as told. Good job ED and we all hope for some more love on the Ka-50 in 2.5 :thumbup:

[Flingwing]

I was late to the party. Glad Black Shark was still here. Here's to another 10 years.

[Scofflaw]

10 years and I'm still a terrible BS pilot.

[EagleEye]

Happy Birthday Black Shark!

Can´t believe it`s 10 years since I visited the Low Land Tiger Meet in 2008 just to see BS there before it´s release.

[71st_Mastiff]

love the shark!

[kaltokri]

Happy Birthday.

 

 

Yes she has some bugs and a littel face lift would be nice.

 

But remember, she wears the little black one for us whenever we want. ;)

[SonofEil]

This video right here was my introduction to DCS and it blew my friggin mind almost eleven years ago:

 

 

I was getting pretty fed up with MSFS and the sterile aircraft and terrible performance (even with a fairly high end rig for the time). While sort of surveying the flight sim landscape for alternatives I found this video. I was unaware of the Ka-50’s existence so the sinister look and dual rotor setup intrigued me first.

Then the wind blew.

I’d never seen a demo like that for a consumer sim and instantly knew that this company took its physics seriously. Hell, it’s still a fantastic demo today.

The day DCS: Black Shark came out - almost a year after Matt’s demo tease - was the last time I ever touched FSX or any of its subsequent offshoots. There was just no going back.

Thanks TFC, Eagle Dynamics and crew!! Happy Birthday!

Edited January 28, 2019 by SonofEil