DCS: Black Shark - Q&A **READ FIRST!**

[Deigs]

Firstly, thanks guys for the new videos. I’m a big fan of DCS and have wanted to download Glowing Amraam’s ‘Edge’ for a few months now. Cheers for the high resolution video.

 

I only have 2 questions because the Q&A has answered all I could think of.

 

1. In the new Low Land Tiger Meet video "LLTM Preview", you have some cool monitors all linked up through what I’m guessing is a Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital display device, but that cool massive touch screen… What is it? Can you buy it? Is it easy to set-up? I have never seen one before in a PC videogame set-up.

 

2. I understand that The Fighter Collection has been playing with the A-10’s for military training purposes, and will be transferring some of that cool technology to Digital Combat Simulation for the next installment for DCS: A-10. Knowing full well that you are busy with Black Shark finalization for the immanent release date; can we get an A-10 screen shot, any news at all on this A-10 part of the series?

 

Thanks guys. Keep up the good work.

[Wags]

So - the campaign system can have a (any?) number of stages, with a (any?) number of missions to each stage, and the missions withi a stage can be assigned a probablilty of being chosen by the game when selecting a mission from that stage - Yes?

All good :-)

There's no built in ability to set probabilities for individual units appearing within a specific mission though is there (as through the LMR utility)?

The new mission 'files' are zipped bundles with the actual mission & other supporting file inside. - Do you know if the 'mission' part of the archive is still closes enough in structure to the old LO files that a utility based on LMR could be used to randomise them ?

 

1- Yes, the user can determine the number of stages and number of missions per stage. Depending on how the goals are set up, the player can progress to the next stage, stay in the same stage with a different mission, or fall back to the previous stage. Also according to goal states of the mission, the user can define which missions within a stage could be activated.

 

2- You CAN set units/groups appearing as a defined probability. You can also set units to appear according to other triggers like a unit getting destroyed, a unit moving into a defined area, after a set period of time, etc.

 

There is zero reason to use LMR in DCS.

[EagleEye]

1. In the new Low Land Tiger Meet video "LLTM Preview", you have some cool monitors all linked up through what I’m guessing is a Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital display device, but that cool massive touch screen… What is it? Can you buy it? Is it easy to set-up? I have never seen one before in a PC videogame set-up.

 

Hi Deigs,

these monitors are linked up trough a homebuild device. He is not using Matrox technologie.

From what I remember the touchscreen was a normal TFT display with a touchscreen overlay (http://www.touchscreens.com/products-addon.html) build together. You can contact the forum member urze. He is the constructor of the monitor setup (http://www.leftside-limited.com/index.html)

In my company we are using these overlays with laptops. We removed the frame around the overlay and screw it together with the laptop screen inside the laptop screen frame. You can`t see this "fusion" from outside. There is only the controldevice which hangs outside of the screen on a usb cable, which itself is pluged in a usb port.

[EvilBivol-1]

2. I understand that The Fighter Collection has been playing with the A-10’s for military training purposes, and will be transferring some of that cool technology to Digital Combat Simulation for the next installment for DCS: A-10. Knowing full well that you are busy with Black Shark finalization for the immanent release date; can we get an A-10 screen shot, any news at all on this A-10 part of the series?

A couple of cockpit WIP screenshots were released during last year's E for All:

http://www.simhq.com/_commentary/all_037e.html

[192nd_Erdem]

Just some questions from the top of my head:

 

1)Are there any changes to damage modelling of ground units?

2)In multiplayer, can we share our waypoints or markings between Ka-50's via ABRIS on the fly?

[Avimimus]

1)Are there any changes to damage modelling of ground units?

 

I heard that ground units will have different hemispheres (eg. top, side, rear) which will have different vulnerabilities. There is also a degree of randomisation (ie. identical hits might not produce identical results). There are also improvements on warhead modeling (I think angle of impact??). I have no idea about the ability to disable, immobilise or suppress units.

[Avimimus]

have been itching to ask this question for some time now :thumbup:

 

Regarding the A-10A, I believe it is planned as the next addon to the DCS series. They can't model the A-10C without permission because they have confidential information on it and they want to be sure that nothing is leaked <- thats the connection between the two.

[EvilBivol-1]

Nice job Acedy and Avimimus, you are correct on all counts. I would only correct you on the warhead modeling, which is simply better blast-radius modeling (so that, for example, a MANPAD unit will no longer require a direct hit to be destroyed).

 

I'm glad to see that regular forum members have become well-enough informed about the product to be able to answer detailed questions on their own. :)

[EvilBivol-1]

* The last few pages have been pruned again.

[nscode]

Is speed of sound modeled, meaning that there is a delay between seeing a distant detonation, and hearing it?

In FC I've only noticed this with aircraft explosions, where there is a fixed delay.

[Flyby]

with regard to the Grahics engine

 

I am including a link to a "conclusion" to a test of video cards from over at HardOCP. It relates to my continuing search for the right system upgrade. Will the DCS Black Shark benefit more from memory capacity and bandwidth, or from faster shader performance. I know it's basically an older engine, but that will change in future iterations, iirc. I'd like to build a system that I can expand into (either SLi or Crossfire). Any ideas? Here's the link: http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ4OSw5LCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==

Flyby out

ps hope you enjoy the read.

[Boberro]

Searched this thread but seems nobody asked about:

 

Q: Will there be a good multiplayer player's management, I mean easy to kick, that we don't have to kick 50 times coz this person enters again and again...., ban method, and filters example if you have ping above 100 you won't enter or 3 TK and you are automatically kicked or banned?

[EvilBivol-1]

Is speed of sound modeled, meaning that there is a delay between seeing a distant detonation, and hearing it?

No, the speed of sound is not modeled in the sound engine.

I am including a link to a "conclusion" to a test of video cards from over at HardOCP. It relates to my continuing search for the right system upgrade. Will the DCS Black Shark benefit more from memory capacity and bandwidth, or from faster shader performance. I know it's basically an older engine, but that will change in future iterations, iirc. I'd like to build a system that I can expand into (either SLi or Crossfire). Any ideas? Here's the link: http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==

Flyby out

ps hope you enjoy the read.

Unfortunately, I don't think we can give you much in the way of advice, especially for core engine updates in the future. Right now, we can only make recommendations for Black Shark - and even those are unofficial at this point. Because Black Shark uses the same core graphics engine, think of similar requirements, but a couple of notches higher, given the increased poly count in most scenes (cockpit, dense cities and higher poly terrain mesh) and larger textures. CPU, RAM (system and video) and bandwidth are probably more important for Black Shark. For the future, however, we can't say yet.

Q: Will there be a good multiplayer player's management, I mean easy to kick, that we don't have to kick 50 times coz this person enters again and again...., ban method, and filters example if you have ping above 100 you won't enter or 3 TK and you are automatically kicked or banned?

The multiplayer interface has been redesigned for Black Shark, but it will not yet feature the kind of flexibility you are asking about. Like the rest of the product, more powerful multiplayer functionality will be developed gradually. For example, a dedicated server option is something ED would like to implement in the future.

[BBQ]

I've been looking at the navigation systems--and had another question: I'm now aware that there are two seperate indicators on the HSI--one for NDB's, and one for the INS/ABRIS system. I wondered though--where is the range displayed to the current waypoints? I'm assuming its the number on the top left corner of the HSI--if I recall, on the F16, that number is the DME, which I know, isn't on Eastern a/c. However--is it some other sort of range indicator? And if so--is it the range to the NDB, or to the INS/ABRIS waypoint?

[bogusheadbox]

You cannot get a range information from NDB or standard VOR signals, only from DMEs and if the aircraft has the proper equipment. NDBs only tell you the relative bearing to their position. If a range to an NDB is shown then it had to be calculated by other means, for example using your GPS coordinates and the known coordinates of the NDB.

 

You can also dial in two NDB's, Draw a line on a map and where they intersect is where you were 5 seconds ago :smilewink:

 

Acedy is right. NDB's don't provide range.

[BBQ]

so what is that number in the upper left of the HSI? I couldn't see it that clearly in Wag's video--but I did notice it was scrolling/moving through numbers as he changed NDB's or waypoints.

[Wags]

That was range to waypoint, not NDB.

[BBQ]

That was range to waypoint, not NDB.

 

Ah, thanks. What about the numbers in the upper RIGHT corner?

[Rhino4]

@ Dostoevski: Wouldn't that be heading to waypoint?

 

ALSO: I have a question for anyone that knows...

 

In lock on, when viewed externally, the pilot's head (in an su-27 for example) will only move left or right. It will not move up and down. Has this been changed in BS? I ask because of a new video I recently came across called "Extended CUT" in which a pilot sitting in a jet looks up and around as his canpoy closes. If this has been changed, will I be able to see someone's head moving up and around in multiplayer?

 

P.S. It should be noted that Evil said that the video contained footage from both LO and BS as well as visual effects not included in the game. I only ask because I am not sure which of these I saw when I watched the pilot move his head (BS or special effects of some type).

[EvilBivol-1]

I've been looking at the navigation systems--and had another question: I'm now aware that there are two seperate indicators on the HSI--one for NDB's, and one for the INS/ABRIS system. I wondered though--where is the range displayed to the current waypoints? I'm assuming its the number on the top left corner of the HSI--if I recall, on the F16, that number is the DME, which I know, isn't on Eastern a/c. However--is it some other sort of range indicator? And if so--is it the range to the NDB, or to the INS/ABRIS waypoint?

As mentioned, the range indicator shows range to the selected waypoint in the INS. The ABRIS calculates range independently useing sat. navigation. Note, because the INS and the ABRIS function independently for navigation, it's possible that different waypoints are selected in the two systems. The HSI is always tied to the INS.

 

There are three indicators on the HSI used for navigation - the RMI needle, the Desired Heading pointer and the Desired Track Angle arrow. The RMI needle is slaved to the ADF and points in the direction of the transmitter (note, the ADF can be slaved to the R-800 comms radio as well). The Desired Heading and Desired Track Angle are used to line up on the selected waypoint and line up on the course line to the waypoint.

 

P.S. It should be noted that Evil said that the video contained footage from both LO and BS as well as visual effects not included in the game. I only ask because I am not sure which of these I saw when I watched the pilot move his head (BS or special effects of some type).

The pilot's head moving around was one of those clips from neither Lock On or Black Shark. :)

[Slayer]

SLI support

 

Hi My question is:

 

Will DCS work with SLI and or Crossfire systems? Are you working with Nvidia and AMD on this so we can use our high end systems to full advantage?

 

I ask because it really doesn't work in LOMAC without glitches.

[BBQ]

Hi My question is:

 

Will DCS work with SLI and or Crossfire systems? Are you working with Nvidia and AMD on this so we can use our high end systems to full advantage?

 

I ask because it really doesn't work in LOMAC without glitches.

 

The FAQ has a little info about specs/future support, but not much:

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/index.php?end_pos=718&scr=default&lang=en

[EvilBivol-1]

Will DCS work with SLI and or Crossfire systems? Are you working with Nvidia and AMD on this so we can use our high end systems to full advantage?

I'm not aware of any changes to the current engine in this regard, so I think it's safe to say no, at least for now.

[Rhino4]

I've searched everywhere I could think of and no answers could I find, so here it goes:

 

1)Will campaigns be playable cooperatively online in BS?

2)If not, is this planned for future releases of DCS?

3)Has the mission editor been "edited" to allow multiple clients in a single flight?

 

And another one I just thought of but haven't searched for, so feel free to be mad if it's already been answered:

 

4) Will the player be able to point his/her shkval targeting system at a specific point on the ground using global 8-digit grid coordinates via the abris or INS?

5) If so, will the player also be allowed to input elevation data on the specific point he/she wishes to target?

(ie: target is at a specific grid coordinate and a specific elevation above msl)

[EvilBivol-1]

1)Will campaigns be playable cooperatively online in BS?

No, but...

2)If not, is this planned for future releases of DCS?

Yes, hopefully with the A-10, but no promises. As mentioned before, both the ME and the campaign system (like the rest of the sim in general) will continue to expand as DCS evolves.

3)Has the mission editor been "edited" to allow multiple clients in a single flight?

Not yet, but it is also planned. The ME does already feature separate briefings and mission goals for the coalitions. In MP missions, each side can have its own briefing and success evaluation.

And another one I just thought of but haven't searched for, so feel free to be mad if it's already been answered:

 

4) Will the player be able to point his/her shkval targeting system at a specific point on the ground using global 8-digit grid coordinates via the abris or INS?

No such function exists on the real aircraft, so no.

5) If so, will the player also be allowed to input elevation data on the specific point he/she wishes to target? (ie: target is at a specific grid coordinate and a specific elevation above msl)

See #4.