Combined Arms appreciation thread

[Callsign112]

I haven't opened DCS in more than a month now because of travel, but the break has allowed me to catch up on some of the DCS YouTube videos I've missed. More importantly, it has helped reaffirm my belief in the amazing potential and huge value that Combined Arms represents. As just a single example from the ever growing list of reasons why CA is that "MUST HAVE" download, the linked video of the Arleigh Burke class Destroyer does a good job at showing off the benefits of CA and what it brings to the "Digital Combat Simulator" table. I had also recently asked if ships were controllable in CA, and the answer is yes they are! 

 

The video gives a pretty good review of the systems modeled in DCS for this class of Destroyer, but anyone interested in just the action and how to control a ship in CA will want to start at about 1:03:00 in the timeline.

 

While the list of what needs to be added/updated/fixed in terms of ground/naval assets/capabilities is long to say the least, I thought a "Thanks" to ED for all the hard work it has already done on CA was in order.

 

 

 

[Rex]

The ships are incredible. They fully defend themselves as well as lob Tomahawk missles wherever you direct them.

 

IF anyone has not yet created a red/blue Naval battle group and had them go at each other from 50nm away, while cruising toward each other, I would highly recommend it.  There are 50+ missles in play and nary a single frame/second loss.   Pretty kickass damage model too onseveral of the ships.

 

Am I the only one that creates scenarios just to watch sometimes?

 

There's also a Chinese sub that dives, attacks, and defends itself. I think it's the 093.

 

I like CA a lot.  Most of the armored vehicles work quite well.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Rex

[Callsign112]

7 hours ago, Rex said:

The ships are incredible. They fully defend themselves as well as lob Tomahawk missles wherever you direct them.

 

IF anyone has not yet created a red/blue Naval battle group and had them go at each other from 50nm away, while cruising toward each other, I would highly recommend it.  There are 50+ missles in play and nary a single frame/second loss.   Pretty kickass damage model too onseveral of the ships.

 

Am I the only one that creates scenarios just to watch sometimes?

 

There's also a Chinese sub that dives, attacks, and defends itself. I think it's the 093.

 

I like CA a lot.  Most of the armored vehicles work quite well.

 

Add a couple of carriers in there to put some jets (clients) in the mix is always fun too. When we have the assets/planes to do aerial sea battles WWII style, it will bring the action that much closer. Makes for some really great videos, but the game play can be almost as good as Multi-player if you build it right. 

[Shadow KT]

Although I agree that CA has enormous potential and a lot of market value if done right for DCS, at least for ships, currently there are a lot of issues in regards to their controllability in CA.

They can work in an AI environment, where aircraft can spot them from hundreds of miles, but in a player vs player environment, they are borderline broken

[Callsign112]

Playing around with WWII Combined Arms to see the effects of the flak 88. The sound/flash when you fire a tank gun in Combined Arms is not too bad, but not so much so for the sound/blast of shells that land near you. At least this is what I thought until I saw the flak 88 in action!

 

 

Edited October 30, 2021 by Callsign112

[TobiasA]

I would love to see a gun stabilization in the leopard 2 though. The real thing keeps the gun pointed at 60km per hour offroad while you can't fire when going 20 in DCS.

But apart from that it is pretty awesome. I mean there is no other sim out there combining helos, fixed wing and ground units into one.

Edited October 31, 2021 by TobiasA

[Callsign112]

55 minutes ago, TobiasA said:

I would love to see a gun stabilization in the leopard 2 though. The real thing keeps the gun pointed at 60km per hour offroad while you can't fire when going 20 in DCS.

But apart from that it is pretty awesome. I mean there is no other sim out there combining helos, fixed wing and ground units into one.

 

Agreed, the vehicles are still in a pretty rough/unfinished state in terms of what is modeled. Infantry... well you kinda just have to leave them out of the equation for now.

But in terms of game play, whether you are a single player or a large group, CA really does add significantly to the experience. For me, CA has improved my single player game play immensely, but I think it was really designed with larger groups (MP) in mind where its unique features are multiplied by the dynamics of player vs player matches.

There are many large groups of people running private servers who design their own missions. Anyone fitting this category that doesn't use CA is missing out on what is probably the single most effective tool for creating the most rewarding and intense missions in DCS World.

There are other SIMS/arcade games that try to combine air/land/sea game play, but not at DCS World level. That doesn't mean DCS is perfect, just that its developers seem to have the right outlook on how to do it IMO.

[TobiasA]

vor 16 Minuten schrieb Callsign112:

Agreed, the vehicles are still in a pretty rough/unfinished state in terms of what is modeled. Infantry... well you kinda just have to leave them out of the equation for now.

But in terms of game play, whether you are a single player or a large group, CA really does add significantly to the experience. For me, CA has improved my single player game play immensely, but I think it was really designed with larger groups (MP) in mind where its unique features are multiplied by the dynamics of player vs player matches.

There are many large groups of people running private servers who design their own missions. Anyone fitting this category that doesn't use CA is missing out on what is probably the single most effective tool for creating the most rewarding and intense missions in DCS World.

There are other SIMS/arcade games that try to combine air/land/sea game play, but not at DCS World level. That doesn't mean DCS is perfect, just that its developers seem to have the right outlook on how to do it IMO.

I have probably not yet really used CA. I'm almost only interested in jumping into vehicles like AD or probably doing JTAC some day.
The potential of CA is huge, and it has just begun.

[Shadow KT]

On 10/31/2021 at 3:39 PM, TobiasA said:

I would love to see a gun stabilization in the leopard 2 though. The real thing keeps the gun pointed at 60km per hour offroad while you can't fire when going 20 in DCS.

But apart from that it is pretty awesome. I mean there is no other sim out there combining helos, fixed wing and ground units into one.

 

Disable platform shake from the special options.

[Callsign112]

Very happy to have received the last update. While the recent additions to the WWII Assets pack keep adding to its value, they also really help add to the combined arms capabilities of DCS WWII. All four additions are very nicely detailed, including beautifully modeled effects.

The Wespe doesn't only go BOOM, its also a lot of fun to use.

What's missing to complete the new units are crews, above ground fortifications, and destructible ammo crates/supplies. It would be nice to be able to place ready-made fortifications (sandbags) that fit each of the field/AT guns, as well as ammunition supplies in the mission editor to complete each emplacement.

For the Wespe, and WWII tanks in general, the bino view you get with the "B" key should be replaced with an appropriate binocular view for WWII. For vehicles like the Wespe/Elephant, it would also be great if we had something that could assist more for ranging targets like scissors binoculars. At the moment, the commander is able to range find using a laser even though it is not accurate. 

It would also be nice if Combined Arms could be made a little more WWII friendly. Like for example, the JTAC feature is very cool and one of the modules best features, but it would be nice to see the feature also make it into WWII. Instead of a JTAC marking targets with a laser, Commanders in vehicles like the Wespe relied on forward observers using radio/phone lines. Could this functionality be added to the command menu for WWII?

Excellent update ED, thanks!

 

[TobiasA]

Am 8.11.2021 um 18:52 schrieb Shadow KT:

Disable platform shake from the special options.

Problem solved. Thanks a lot!

[Callsign112]

Just an example of how anyone can use the Tactical Commander slot with fog-of-war turned on to create some very interesting game play even in SP mode.

 

 

[Callsign112]

As a DCS Combined Arms user, I know that Ai logic and path finding can be a real challenge at times, but I have also noticed that a lot of the problems I encounter are the result of me simply not knowing how to do something, or what to expect. Taking into consideration things like distance between way points and their direction have helped a lot in terms of getting Ai units to do/go what/where I want. Its also nice to know that we can make large formation battles consisting of numerous groups of vehicles, and the Ai logic assigned to each group stays intact even as the battle progresses and units get destroyed. 

I'm linking a couple of videos showing some of the things I've learned while exploring the CA feature set, and how I am able to improve my experience using it.

 

 

[Colonel Akir Nakesh]

CA is tons of fun, especially in DCS Liberation on the base capture turns! 

[Cerulean]

I just picked this up today, as it was on sale and I had about $8 in ED miles points.  I think it'll be a fun new perspective on sim play.

[Callsign112]

13 hours ago, battlegear2099 said:

All so what do you think of this might be little long but go with it , none has done it for some reason or even tried it,  seems we all want this for combined arms  VR badly based on feedback I have been reading and I know what I want out of the CA dlc is its not cutting it for me in VR now  , and I not be waiting for ed to do it,  if ever I expect they show no signs,  we will all be old and grey and playing holigrams computers in a rocker the time ed gets to it,  will they ever get they act togther with the ground game prob not any time soon , years down the road when there no more aircraft dlc lol.  So I cant buy it, so I desided to try and make it a mod for VR  tanks, mostly but not required,like WOT, steal beasts meets M1 tank platoon in VR combined,  what do you think about the idea of a tank mod that took a mission slot and not just a map click drive ugly 2d projections hurt your eyes in VR lol , like a aircraft!! you play first person in cockpit,  still in combined arms, you still could command the normal AI team in game/from air and on the map for jtac or battle commander etc,  the rest of game stays the same I hope or the plan at first then it will become its own mod .  this is just adding a player tank that you can sit in and play with systems on the inside, sights in scope( prob holes or camera mounted inside/outiside)  if and when I figure out how researching other mods code for more complex .  plan  play outside ontop of the turrets standing in the hatch with machine gun or 50 k in hands (leap motion test planned got mine orrdered be here tommrow!!) and well prob be adding other stuff thats missing now , like a working smoke screen counter measures on the sides of the vehicle, custom livereries/decals, current weapons selections with pylon mounting in the mission editor.   so basicaly a ground aircraft with no wings and grippy tires , mufflers  with a fully functional or partical functional at first 3d cockpit(clickable or animated is planned later) when I figure out what ever is needed, and anything can be added with versions and the projects advanced and my time permits.  so the basics add a extra player tanks / entry.lua,  added mounted cockpit dll/ gm instead of fm or use the default drive systems if its not in the dll, not sure yet.   so use current  tank shapes or new shapes/textures/using same systems lua scripts at start for systems. like most of the mods of aircraft  mods depended on pay dlc cockpits not this since there are none, so this all new.  so all built from scratch by me , I have  just only just desided to do this and started with learning the  parts I need ,  looking at other aircraft cockpit systems code for dll, seeing how it can be applied to a tank cockpit model.  looking at 3D and images for refrences for placment and size for the tank and  cockpit basic tests planned this month.  the mod basic  a renamed tank with a new cockpitbase.dll  and cockpit ne/old shapes for a new player tank with correct player station positions.  first a basic protype is planned,  the current 2d systems scripts/screens/dialogs panels allready in the dlc will be displayed in the cockpit/outside the cockpit maybe shapes added and so not on the 2d panels windows they are removed from view or moved inside.  anyhow thats the plan I am working on, dont know if it will work 100% , going to dust off my 40 years of programmng skills/ 3D modeling  and my knowlege of dcs  try my best, plan will do the M4 sherman type first since its basic ww2,  and work my way to a modern tank with  battle computers , lazing etc , side smoke launchers for air cover and add flares counter mesures becaus I can , the M1 abrams and since  I am from Canada so the Lepoard's 2/ Lav's etc lots of armour and vehicles  types will be done if all goes good with the first ones. I expect this will take allot of my computer and VR time and I plan on adding my own modern tank design, I expect or why do this at all right .  , for now I hope it just cockpits i have to make in 3D and  only own a Oculus VR set so I expect  it  should not mater for others since it not 2D placement, I plan on using the shapes already in dcs combined arms  at first later my own so it not depend on CA,   anyhow I will post the progress on here. and my own place  on FB . it wll be allot of work and only just started using 3d models I have for the placement and here some images just because there tanks and m1 Abrams 3d one I am using for sizing of the cockpit , so dcs needs the armored cavalry, armoured core, battle beasts, iron horse's of death or steel beasts, metal gods and battlegear or really for the reds are sardiens in a can if ah64's and A10's have any say on my missions and server ;).  glory to Ukraine!!.  also if anyone can some good images of the inside of tanks I am looking for good images for modeling like modern tank books, I have lots of of ww2 ones,   but for modern I  am searching on google for images , torrents,  blue prints and pdf's ebooks.  

Cheers all

Battlegear2099  

 

 

 

Wow, sounds ambitious. I would say this is likely a one-man project measured in years as opposed to months, but this would be one of the rare times I actually hope to be proven wrong.

Regarding modeling the inside, I think your efforts would be better spent getting good working models of tracks, damage, armor, gun with accurate view ports at each station. For the commander, this would mean the cupola and the open hatch view with and without bino's.  

[Callsign112]

15 hours ago, battlegear2099 said:

ya I expect I will be busy all year on this, should be allot of fun one man gang project, I plan on having somthing playable driveable as soon as I can just tests, prb the plan is less than a few months for just a basic one tank test or weeks even maybe, to see if its even possible. Also plan on adding also a crew or and or playable infantryman is the goal like arma3 like ,stuff its missing for the ground that I think can be added based on what I know and for now is needed in VR to compliments the air and i dont think ED will ever do it,  as its not realy somthing there intrested in, it looks like to me.  I do think this is allot less work than a jet or helicopter mod , I plan on doing a air mod later after this project, and well this project content is also going to be moved into my own VR military game project in the end so it have dual purposes for me, so not so much just for DCs or CA. 

 

  

 

LIke I said, your efforts would be better spent getting good working models of tracks, damage, armor, gun with accurate view ports at each station  

[Callsign112]

Well sometimes the roads less traveled are the most scenic.... I thought bringing playable infantry to DCS was a really nice touch though.... Good luck!

[Silver_Dragon]

9 hours ago, battlegear2099 said:

ya I am working on cockpit mockup first and then test on the M1 in dcs after that if I do have to make a whole new tank I know after the simple basic test.   I am having hard time finding all the information for that, no 3d models I have in my collection, no internal at all just hollow should have expected that I guess.  just images from google, will have to do I guess,  And even looking at old m1 tank platoon II game, crew stations in game images and few othe tanks games from 90's gave me some more , I think I have I enough images to start to create a moch up in turet  for the M1 internals and will add more as I find the info,  so close up images, of the mesh round cage, seat/chair locations, view ports and optics locations and close up images, and bunch of battle computers , misc power boxes and  panels, cables, wires  etc for the 4 crew, so I think I can put the puzzle together.  I still looking on the net for more info like  blueprint for dimensions, but I will prob most guess and estmate based on the M1 tank models , and not allot of pdf books I found not even janes book of tanks. the hunt goes on. 

 

 

@battlegear2099 @Callsign112 The actual problem about a "tank module with cockpit", has been the missing dlls into DCS World code to add them. Actually none vehicles include CA has a "cockpit" as a aircraft / helo, and the last vehicles with interiors (the updated BRT-82/80) has only detailed 3D external models.

On fact, we can build a internal cockpit as a aircraft with your controls, screens and and switches, but how integrate on a vehicle into DCS? same situation with playable infantry on CA, that has hardcoded.
 

Edited June 12, 2022 by Silver_Dragon

[Callsign112]

On 6/12/2022 at 9:32 AM, Silver_Dragon said:

@battlegear2099 @Callsign112 The actual problem about a "tank module with cockpit", has been the missing dlls into DCS World code to add them. Actually none vehicles include CA has a "cockpit" as a aircraft / helo, and the last vehicles with interiors (the updated BRT-82/80) has only detailed 3D external models.

On fact, we can build a internal cockpit as a aircraft with your controls, screens and and switches, but how integrate on a vehicle into DCS? same situation with playable infantry on CA, that has hardcoded.
 

Yeah I hear you, but I think there must be a sort of lost-in-translation thing going on here. I think it is obvious that the OP is either trolling, or has very unrealistic expectations. If you go back and read the posts, it should be clear that the OP isn't talking about a mod, he seems to be talking more about the desire to create a whole new game/SIM.

Edited June 15, 2022 by Callsign112

[battlegear2099]

, wow shot down before I could even take off, so I will end my part in this discussion now, lessons learned.  I prob post some progress I make if any on YouTube or Facebook in near. Future. 

Bg.

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by battlegear2099

[Callsign112]

On 6/15/2022 at 9:44 AM, battlegear2099 said:

, wow shot down before I could even take off, so I will end my part in this discussion now, lessons learned.  I prob post some progress I make if any on YouTube or Facebook in near. Future. 

Bg.

 

 

OOOOOOOps! Yeah I get how that comes across, sorry. I think your ambitions are great, but bringing playable infantry to a game that has no framework inplace for it would be like making a new game IMO. I really didn't mean to offend you, but there is an awful lot of trolling in on-line forums. I was actually very impressed with your initial discussion, and wish you success.

[battlegear2099]

On 6/16/2022 at 10:33 AM, Callsign112 said:

OOOOOOOps! Yeah I get how that comes across, sorry. I think your ambitions are great, but bringing playable infantry to a game that has no framework inplace for it would be like making a new game IMO. I really didn't mean to offend you, but there is an awful lot of trolling in on-line forums. I was actually very impressed with your initial discussion, and wish you success.

ohh no problem just humor, ya trolling lol to old for that nonesense, I am still working on it or researching mostly whats been done before and what gunnerheat  in game engine unity3d newer models saem controls as wot,  and they dont have internal cockpits views , its still the same point of view thats in CA now but with no 2d scripted systems images with better graphics , and optics take over the whole screen with key toggle, and it looks like not VR  supported yet or ever.  so thats latest tank sim ,so not found any VR designed tanks sims but whats in my head, that's what in dcs already is just broke for vr.  the user mods like the brit one Scimitar tank is the best mod out there now that seems tobe the norm, step up from ed's CA old now.   I have some simple mod tests planned to see if custom gm cockpit systems dll linked with conenctors to custom tank cockpit added is possible and two more workable system or not.   I still say yes it be possible but ya will require working proof.  I am questioning the idea now would it even be better than current view full systems, sitting on top, floating above tank to drive or sit inside, look at screens you have close to your face, since thee views are take less of the screen up? , and you pop out of hatch, optics take over whole screen in gunnerheat with none of that, would being inside the tank add any extra value if you just going to switch to full optics screen views yes or no opinion? And there are issues with current old tanks models, not having any view holes for optics positions to even see out i see in game ,so might require new .ed body models with holes for iron view slots for old tanks or just whole screen  masked views are better, just need modified lua's , I will look at that later, now I am just working on my own test concept tron looking proto-tank+added cockpit tests to see .  fyi: dcs's api has allot of functions used in aircraft/cockpit mods , but ya depends on how much is accessable to me and time to do it and not locked away in ed paranoid made encrypted dlls for some reason is beyound me lol ,  on the infantry player front , there are .ed anim files of fully 3d animated infantry and country soliders on missions as AI most know this, but they shoot weapons, reload, run, drop to kness, lay flat or prone and rag doll impact deathskey/collision/lod's/ frame anims etc, standard fps stuff not great looking 90's lol.  Thats is in its world entities # number database in the Bazar world to use.  so I am looking into testing that to see if its avatar-able, as a fp view player, require a simple mod testis planned , and looking at other misc ground user mods like dino park, but ya so I am still looking into  all of this in my spare time  so no updates , just plans, that and other projects and then real life priorities.  ya cheers no harm. 

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by battlegear2099