DCS Features Wish List

[scudrunner]

(Touching on the above)

 

Read most of these posts to get a feel for what's going on, been shocked that I haven't been able to find anyone else that's noticed the big difference between DCS and, say, Jane's F-15/18: "Theater"

 

Janes did a great job of selling to you that you were part of something larger than yourself- which is something LOMAC/DCS have horrifically lacked.

 

Your flight would have dialogue with other flights, AWACS was a bit more interactive, your flight could join up with Wild Weasels/CAP escorts/foreign flights/etc... visa versa, you even heard different nationalities/accents. You were a small part of a large coalition.

 

Even the AI wingmen had a bit of personality. They'd get excited, show some emotion - scream for help- and when they were shot down- they'd report their position (even that they were ok and/or hiding from the enemy, etc). Meanwhile, the CSAR flight was already enroute (that YOU had called for over the radio).

 

After playing a lot of LOMAC lately, I've noticed how empty the missions are. There is no feeling of depth; it's your flight vs whatever targets are out there and then you're RTB.

 

CAS is disgustingly impersonal- who even cares if some column of trucks is blown up?

 

I remember hearing a weak, staticy radio urgent call for help in F-15 that made me slam that afterburner on to get to their aid ASAP. Would this happen in DCS? Not really if at all.

 

F-18 had a FAC system (and has one has mentioned JSTARS?) that would lead you to targets, and they'd have a dialogue with you that'd help you put bombs on target.

 

What's the point of having a CAS A-10 that can't even talk to the guys theyre designed to protect?

 

 

LOMAC/DCS radio commands are infant, and wouldn't be too extreme to revamp I'd imagine- but would add a HUGE bit of atmosphere to the game.

[SUBS17]

I agree there needs to be some changes to the radio:

1/ All flights on the same chanel should be heard including AI and MP. So when my wingman calls inbound to the Tower if I'm on the same freq I should hear the call and the reply.(like F4AF)

2/ Different freqs for each airfield, AWACs, tanker and packages.(like F4AF)

3/ In game voice coms that uses the freqs chanels like OF.

4/ Selection of voices for each player so players can have different accents when they make the radio calls OR add voice recognition.:thumbup:

 

Other changes that would make DCS much better:

Remove the player/client/AI selection from the ME. Instead make all aircraft addons installed in DCS have the slot spare for MP. If that slot is not filled be a player then automatically switch to AI where the AI skill level is predetermined in the ME. This should also work for campaign in MP.(like F4AF)

Mission briefing screen needs changes it needs a map view with zoom so players can check the flight plan in more detail prior to starting the mission. Also a reccon screen like F4AF would be cool too.

[SUBS17]

(Touching on the above)

 

 

Even the AI wingmen had a bit of personality. They'd get excited, show some emotion - scream for help- and when they were shot down- they'd report their position (even that they were ok and/or hiding from the enemy, etc). Meanwhile, the CSAR flight was already enroute (that YOU had called for over the radio).

 

After playing a lot of LOMAC lately, I've noticed how empty the missions are. There is no feeling of depth; it's your flight vs whatever targets are out there and then you're RTB.

 

 

You can add audio files for missions and some of the campaign missions do feature requests for help etc.

[pyates2104]

AWACS bogey Dope Nope....

 

Would be nice if an AWACS operating in your area would notify you of any bandits.... or you could ask it.....

 

"Magic 1-1, Charlie 1-1, request picture" yadayadayda

 

(and the Russian equivalent of course)

Edited August 25, 2009 by pyates2104
Diplomacy

[connos]

Mission briefing screen needs changes it needs a map view with zoom so players can check the flight plan in more detail prior to starting the mission. Also a reccon screen like F4AF would be cool too.

 

I would like to see this implemented. There is a way to do it throw the editor but it would be better in the briefing.

[connos]

Would be nice if an AWACS operating in your area would notify you of any bandits.... or you could ask it.....

 

"Magic 1-1, Charlie 1-1, request picture" yadayadayda

 

(and the Russian equivalent of course)

 

Yes that will be awesome.

[-Painter-]

Rotor-effects on the ground environment (besides the existing effect on some dirt/dust offroads)!

 

It would be great, if the wind the rotor-blades produce would had effects to the surrounding:

- effect on the trees, grass

- effect on the smoke (smoke from explosions and the orange smoke from WP-Marker)

- effect on leaves and garbage-sheets of paper

 

Example:

Apocalypse Now - Helicopter Attack- Kilgore

(minute 9:39 | 9:49)

Edited August 25, 2009 by -Painter-

[joey45]

now that is asking to much....

[Eddie]

Proper air traffic control implemetation for airbases that will actually vector multiple aircraft into landing, and not allow one aircraft to take the runway if another is landing etc.

[ruprecht]

carrier ops wishlist

 

Keep your pants on, I know that there's been no mention of this as a development priority, just thought it would be fun to brainstorm some features that would be desirable in DCS: Carrier Ops.

 

Aircraft:

 

I know loads of people are going to want the F/A-18E or SU-33, but finding data on them might be more difficult than with older aircraft. What about an A-6 Intruder? Carrier capable, ground attack role similar to the SU-25, might be easier to find data on it than some of the more modern aircraft?

 

Carrier:

 

It would be great IMHO to simulate the hustle and bustle of a flight deck, with realistic surface movement control, elevators, radio work etc. The boats in LOMAC are quite sterile in that regard (observation not criticism).

 

It would be great for the carriers to come pre-equipped with themed scripts for flight ops, so that the mission builder sets a sliding scale for flight activity which is generated by the engine, rather than having to manually set up flights. So it could be anything from "quiet training day" where it's just you in the pattern, to "high alert" where there's a movement every 60 seconds and you have to slot into the traffic.

 

Also an intelligent carrier would be great, responding to weather and wind by changing direction as required. Turbulence and "burbles" from the island would be interesting too.

 

Radio work would be an important part of the sim, with approach calls, terminal guidance and a LSO calling you in on final and waving you off if necessary. Some sort of voice control integration would be superb here, if you could respond to paddles using voice commands? Hey, I can dream :)

 

Anyway that's my thoughts. Interested to hear what others think. I for one would spend days just shooting circuits in all sorts of weather if the above ever came true! Never mind the mission aspects!

[joey45]

Ark Royal, F4Ks and Buccs and I'll be happy like a pig in smelly stuff. Bring on the [what was] mighty F.A.A.

[vrv]

F-14D. Once they are able to get the two pilot system going of course. Give Joey a Buccaneer so he will stop complaining (jk <3) and the world will be happy. The A-6 / EA-6 has been a favorite of mine. She is a beauty and would be great to fly with CAS. But again the multi-pilot system would have to be created.

 

Contrary to what others say Carrier Ops have to be made. ED would be able to help out the people still playing Janes F-18, add another epic part to DCS and give us the Tomcat. She won't fly again except under the Iranian flag but virtually it would be a dream. The F-18 would be perfect for its multi-role capability and overall popularity. But Data on the F-18 would be difficult but not impossible. As for the F-14 you could find a few over at Fightertown that are set up I think (other places also). You can google and find millions of pictures of the cockpits + a few walk-around books (of course I own them :P),ect.

[ruprecht]

add another epic part to DCS

 

This is partly what I was wondering about. I think (and obviously ED know their business better than me) that there's less commercial/military benefit to the specific aircraft types as there is to the aircraft roles. So rather than focusing on a Ka-50 sim, they focused on a combat helo sim and chose the most appropriate aircraft for that role. For the next module, they decided on fixed-wing CAS first, and the A10C second as the most sensible choice within that role.

 

So the question becomes: what next? As a scenario, high fidelity carrier ops is an untouched market (though possibly for good reason!). Is that more appealing than multirole land-based fixed wing, where the market is already flooded? Or more so than another combat helo, the Apache? I don't know, but I hope so (as much as I'd love to try the Apache, I'd take carrier ops first in a heartbeat). If high fidelity carrier ops is decided as a scenario, do you go attack, fighter or multirole? Multirole would seem to be the obvious choice for flexibility, which leans to SU-33 or F/A-18 as the "people's choice".

 

But I'd still love to see an Intruder, Tomcat or even a Skyhawk :)

[ruprecht]

Oh and can we please have Australia added to the list of coalitions? As much as I love my Canadian cousins, it just ain't the same!

[GGTharos]

Your reasoning is quite flawed ... the A-10C came about because the USANG commissioned that project and permitted data transfer to the entertainment product: DCS.

 

No one really knows what the next module might be as we don't really know whose contract ED might be taking on next, and for what.

 

DCS modules, for now, come solely as a result of military-commissioned projects ... not according to some idea of 'what role should be do next and what aircraft should be pick for it'.

 

Oh and ... the Su-33 isn't multi-role. It has precisely one, single role: Defend the fleet from ASW/ASuW aircraft. That's it. Period. ;)

[ruprecht]

Thanks for setting me straight GG, with your usual tact and diplomacy! I guess then that given the limited number of nations that operate carriers, we are unlikely to see anything on the carrier ops front any time soon.

[GGTharos]

Sarcasm will earn you nothing but my appreciation! ;)

 

(But ... seriously, hasn't the above been mentioned often enough?)

[ruprecht]

Sarcasm will earn you nothing but my appreciation!

 

Then I shall consider myself thoroughly appreciated :D

 

(But ... seriously, hasn't the above been mentioned often enough?)

 

Re the Ka-50 and A10C, you're probably right. I guess I missed the discussion. Re carrier ops, I dunno, has it been discussed at length?

[GGTharos]

Carrier ops will happen if some navy were to order a carrier ops sim from ED - or well, a carrier based aircraft sim, I guess. :)

 

The other possibility I can think of is, if ED somehow didn't have a military contract they might look around to see what the community wants next, what they want to do, and potentially what is easiest for them todo, find some balance and go at it that way. But without military contracts, fidelity might be reduced, and I don't think ED wants to do that with DCS.

[Huckle]

Hmmm.

 

I'd read that it was easier/more cost effective for ED to model stuff they had a military contract for, but I hadn't seen in black and white that it was the deciding factor. Ouch, this changes my expectations considerably. :cry:

Still, looking forward to A-10 anyway.

[vrv]

I need to give that CO on the frigate a call....he owes me a favor.

[Dropbear]

Go for arcade mode. With such option you won't play online where others have realistic laser limitations.

 

I have no desire to play in arcade mode. I simply wish for their to be an option to stop the burning out of the laser after 10-20 minutes of use.

 

I'm sorry if this offends you so, but such is life.

[ruprecht]

Mission designers can enforce all sorts of realism options to ensure a level playing field Poko. There's no reason why an infallible laser option couldn't be enforced off for multiplayer if it came to that. Why not include it? Not everyone plays PvP.

[VMFA117_Poko]

I have no desire to play in arcade mode. I simply wish for their to be an option to stop the burning out of the laser after 10-20 minutes of use.

 

I'm sorry if this offends you so, but such is life.

Real life is such where BlackShark's laser burns out, I'm sorry too. Simply learn to live with that. It is only a matter of proper use. Don't forget to turn it on and off just like signal lights in a car when you turn on a crossroads or change a lane. Do you think about it? No, you do it automatically.

[SUBS17]

Carrier ops will happen if some navy were to order a carrier ops sim from ED - or well, a carrier based aircraft sim, I guess. :)

 

The other possibility I can think of is, if ED somehow didn't have a military contract they might look around to see what the community wants next, what they want to do, and potentially what is easiest for them todo, find some balance and go at it that way. But without military contracts, fidelity might be reduced, and I don't think ED wants to do that with DCS.

 

Maybe someone will make a 3rd party addon with carrierops I think it would be cool if someone like VRS were to do an addon for DCS it would rock probably out sell all the other addons combined as SuperHornets are cool.:thumbup: