Stable version vs beta - What to do?

[Otonabee]

Guys, currently playing with Stable version. Problem is can't play the new Syria map or Raven One Campaign as the stable version is not up to date with any new modules/terrains/campaigns. So thinking of deleting DCS off my machine and re-downloading the Beta version. Question is... will all my previous purchases/modules still be there? Secondly, is the Beta version full of bugs or is it decent? Appears the stable version is so far behind? Any thoughts.

[fatboy]

My thoughts are just be patient and wait for them to come to stable.I know it's hard I'm on stable and want to play the Raven campaign and fly the syria map but Open beta has problems and it always will that's the nature of open beta. It will be flyable and then a patch will drop and it may or may not end up broken. But bugs will always come with a patch just the severity differs. That can be very frustrating especially if you are doing a campaign or you are into multiplayer missions with friends and all of a sudden your multiplayer missions no longer work and you just can't fly them.

 

If your ok with the bugs and maybe not being able to play until a fix comes out then go for it open beta will have all your modules on it so that's no worries . But be very careful to save any files you need especially joystick and keybind profiles you have as well as logbook and settings etc. Because losing them would suck especially if you have to rebind all your aircraft ( i have a lot of aircraft and have forgot to save my keybinds and had to do them all over again and that is frustrating ) You can find guides on how to change between versions and what you need to save etc on the forums. In a perfect world and we all had heaps of drive space then just install both so you have the best of both worlds. Anyway i hope this helps . Best of luck Cheers.:thumbup:

[QuiGon]

Guys, currently playing with Stable version. Problem is can't play the new Syria map or Raven One Campaign as the stable version is not up to date with any new modules/terrains/campaigns. So thinking of deleting DCS off my machine and re-downloading the Beta version. Question is... will all my previous purchases/modules still be there? Secondly, is the Beta version full of bugs or is it decent? Appears the stable version is so far behind? Any thoughts.

No need to reinstall anything. You can just update your current Stable to the Open Beta (all your modules and settings will remain unchanged):

This! It's been like this between the OB and the stable release branch for many years now. It's not something new. You can always manually switch between the two branches using the updater with the following command:

OB -> Stable Release: DCS_updater.exe update @release

Stable Release -> OB: DCS_updater.exe update @openbeta

More info can be found here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=114030

[sirrah]

Fwiw: I personally prefer to use the OB version because:

 

1. It makes me able to contribute and "help" ED improve DCS (by reporting bugs)
   
2. I don't have to wait for new goodies
   

 

Sure, sometimes things that worked before, get broken after a patch.. But the remaining 95% of DCS still works and can be fully enjoyed. Sometimes you might need to just switch aircraft and have a bit of patience until the next hot-fix. No big deal really

[Dav IRL]

Stick with stable, it’s performance is way better.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DthFrmAbv]

Well, first of all that "stable" thing is kind of a misconception when talking about DCS.

After all, "stable" is nothing but a former Beta relabeled as "stable". By no means "stable" is stable in DCS.

 

If you want to have the latest stuff, even if it only partially works, go with OB. If you prefer stuff a bit more stable (no pun intended) stick with the "stable" release.

 

I personally(!) switched to OB a long time ago. It hardly ever is less stable than "stable" and the in this thread meantioned performance issues I never saw (VR only here).

[Furiz]

Question is... will all my previous purchases/modules still be there?

 

 

All your purchased modules are bound to your account, not to your game install, so where ever you log with your account, be it your friends computer with installed DCS or your new install of DCS you will always have access to your modules,

you will have to download them again if you install new copy of DCS be it beta or stable, or if your friend doesn't have them installed.

[ngreenaway]

Appears the stable version is so far behind? Any thoughts.

 

Up until last week, stable and OB were the same exact build, so no....stable is not far behind. I'd expect a stable update soonish

 

These aren't the dark days of the 2.5.6 rollout where stable got no love for 6 months & OB got broke and broker with each passing week

 

Stick with stable, you'll be bombing Syria soon enough

[kengou]

I find no reason to be on stable. Stable has bugs. Beta has bugs. Serious, gamebreaking bugs are the only ones that don't make it to the stable build. And they've honestly been rare in the beta build. I've never had a time in DCS that I couldn't play due to a broken patch on the beta build. Once or twice in the last few years I've delayed updating because a new patch broke one feature in one plane or something, so I just played on the previous patch for a couple days until a hotfix came out.

 

 

 

Not only does beta get new features sooner it also gets bugfixes sooner. Just install beta.

[nessuno0505]

I have both installed, but I own just a few modules and the ssd space is reducing, so I'm thinking to keep only one; if the new updates policy is what it seems (slow open beta updates and quick move on stable), then I'll keep only stable, because the day in which the open beta has a blocking bug and it takes more time to move on stable, with the open beta you are unable to play or limited by serious bugs, while with the stable you keep playing. But it has not been long ED claimed to have switched policy, so I'll wait another bit before choosing what to do.

[QuiGon]

I have both installed, but I own just a few modules and the ssd space is reducing, so I'm thinking to keep only one; if the new updates policy is what it seems (slow open beta updates and quick move on stable), then I'll keep only stable, because the day in which the open beta has a blocking bug and it takes more time to move on stable, with the open beta you are unable to play or limited by serious bugs, while with the stable you keep playing. But it has not been long ED claimed to have switched policy, so I'll wait another bit before choosing what to do.

You can very easily just switch between Stable and Open Beta at any time with a single console command:

This! It's been like this between the OB and the stable release branch for many years now. It's not something new. You can always manually switch between the two branches using the updater with the following command:

OB -> Stable Release: DCS_updater.exe update @release

Stable Release -> OB: DCS_updater.exe update @openbeta

More info can be found here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=114030

Not sure why people make it such a big decision to go either Beta or Stable. I only have a single DCS installation and switch it between Beta and Stable as needed. :dunno:

[BuzzU]

Some of it depends on what planes you fly. If you're flying EA planes that get a lot of updates you'll be frustrated on stable because you'll see the updates OB are getting and you have to wait for them. Sometimes it's a long wait.

 

Both versions will have bugs. The difference is the stable version won't have the serious bugs that can crash your system.

[PickleMonster]

Well, first of all that "stable" thing is kind of a misconception when talking about DCS.

After all, "stable" is nothing but a former Beta relabeled as "stable". By no means "stable" is stable in DCS.

 

 

Yes. This is how it works in most software release cycles with a beta test phase. A beta is for testing new features before it hits stable. When the software is stable enough it gest moved to stable. Stable has never been nore never will be a guaranteed bug free experience.

 

 

 

For OP, it's entirely up to you. Think about how you deal with bugs. If you don't react well to them, OB is not for you (and that's okay). With ED's new monthly release schedule (approximately) you're more likely to see a stable release a week or two later, usually after a hot fix.

[Cowboy10uk]

Not had stable installed now for many years. OB works fine, and to be honest I’ve not found it any less Stable than the Stable build anyway.

 

So for me anyway, I see no point of stable.

 

Go OB and get the modules on time.

[Notso]

Guys, currently playing with Stable version. Problem is can't play the new Syria map or Raven One Campaign as the stable version is not up to date with any new modules/terrains/campaigns. So thinking of deleting DCS off my machine and re-downloading the Beta version. Question is... will all my previous purchases/modules still be there? Secondly, is the Beta version full of bugs or is it decent? Appears the stable version is so far behind? Any thoughts.

 

NO, you won't lose any of your purchased modules. They are tied to your DCS account, not the install itself. So if you wipe out one and start over, you will be asked to log into your DCS account and they will all be available again.

 

I'm actually running both Stable and OB and rarely use the Stable anymore. I'm not seeing much of a difference in terms of bugs. There are some bugs in both. Nothing that is a show stopper. OB tends to get new features about 2 weeks ahead of stable, sometimes longer. Most of the MP servers require OB, so if you're into that - OB is the way to go. My suggestion is if you are only an SP player and are not interesting in trying out new features immediately or don't want functions that you've already learned how to use to change as rapidly- then stay on Stable. But OB is perfectly playable and not as buggy as many of the vocal complainers make it out to be