Discussion on WW2 content

[Shibbyland]

I came to DCS from one of ED's competitors who focus on WW2 flight sims. All I can say is, DCS stands head and shoulders above them (at least for me). Unfortunately, despite really wanting to make DCS my sole sim given it has both WW2 and modern combat, I just can't get into the WW2 stuff.

 

I own Normandy, the assets and a number of warbirds all of which I like. But it just doesn't mesh together very well. It seems with each aircraft released, the content on a whole is watered down rather than enhanced. For example, the Mosquito looks fantastic as does the P-47 but it seems in future to get the benefit of those aircraft you'll need the channel map. The Normandy map still hasn't really come into its own and a lot of us will already own that. So the price starts to sky rocket not just in terms of buying modules, assets, maps and campaigns but the hardware to store it on. The files are massive so to constantly be uninstalling and reinstalling because you can no longer fit maps takes so long.

 

I just wondered what everybody else's thoughts on this were. I didn't buy the P-47 despite really liking it and I probably won't buy the Mosquito because the WW2 content is just not consolidated into a workable package at a reasonable price. Just my thoughts on it, obviously others will feel differently.

[Callsign112]

I am not really sure what you mean by "mesh together", but nothing is saying you can't use the Mosquito/P-47 on the Normandy map. I bought both maps because it really helps expand my options in terms of mission building, not to mention any on-line servers I might want to join, but if you own Normandy then go ahead and enjoy using it.

 

So I don't agree with your statement regarding the benefit of the Mosquito/P-47 being confined to the Channel map. When the WWII version of the Marianas is released, you will be able to use them there as well if that is what you want to do.

 

 

[rayrayblues]

12 hours ago, Shibbyland said:

I came to DCS from one of ED's competitors who focus on WW2 flight sims. All I can say is, DCS stands head and shoulders above them (at least for me). Unfortunately, despite really wanting to make DCS my sole sim given it has both WW2 and modern combat, I just can't get into the WW2 stuff.

 

I own Normandy, the assets and a number of warbirds all of which I like. But it just doesn't mesh together very well. It seems with each aircraft released, the content on a whole is watered down rather than enhanced. For example, the Mosquito looks fantastic as does the P-47 but it seems in future to get the benefit of those aircraft you'll need the channel map. The Normandy map still hasn't really come into its own and a lot of us will already own that. So the price starts to sky rocket not just in terms of buying modules, assets, maps and campaigns but the hardware to store it on. The files are massive so to constantly be uninstalling and reinstalling because you can no longer fit maps takes so long.

 

I just wondered what everybody else's thoughts on this were. I didn't buy the P-47 despite really liking it and I probably won't buy the Mosquito because the WW2 content is just not consolidated into a workable package at a reasonable price. Just my thoughts on it, obviously others will feel differently.

 

I don't fully understand what you're saying about WW11 stuff, but I did catch what you said about  "the hardware to store it on".

It sounds to me as if you are running out of drive space. It happened to me back in May.

 

My current install is 214Gb and it's not going to get any smaller. I haven't bought anything in several months,

but my size on disc is up by about 30Gb and it goes up a little with every update. I have all maps except for Nevada.

You will (we all will) eventually have to buy a larger drive to store it on. New drives are not cheap. 

Amazon.com: SAMSUNG (MZ-V8V1T0B/AM) 980 SSD 1TB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology : Electronics   is $130.00

Mine is dedicated for DCS. My OS is on a separate drive. 

I have 14gGb of mods & scripts and I also moved my Saved Games folder over (to make room on my C drive) for a total of 450Gb.

 

 

DCS takes up a lot of space and it won't be long before a dedicated drive (at least 500Gb) will be a minimum requirement.

I lost a lot of work last year due to Covid so I understand about budgetary concerns. Sometimes you just have to "bite the Bullet"

I'm just glad that I had enough room on my credit card.

 

Edited September 20, 2021 by rayrayblues
typo

[71st_AH Rob]

I use the Normandy map 95% of my flying.  I try to use the Channel Map but there just is not a lot you can do with it.  Of course in Single Player there has been a bit of a shift of focus to the newest map but there is still not much you can do with the Channel map or with DCS WWII in single player at all.  There is no need to restrict yourself to the Channel map for the P-47 or the Mosquito, in fact the Mosquito is better suited to the Normandy map,  the Channel map is just too small to make long flights on.

 

Single player content is very sparse in DCS WWII and I get most of my flying in MP on Storm of War.  It is of course not much fun with a poor connection but I find I get my moneys worth of entertainment from it.  For single player with lots of repeatability there is Dynamic Combat Engine by MBot, it has been modified and missions like https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3311299/ provide a great environment.  The main thread for it can be found here:

 

The only other alternative is to roll up your sleeves and dive into the editor or go online which are both options you find impractical as you have explained.  I hope you find a way to get more enjoyment out of the modules you have already purchased while we wait for ED to build a comprehensive environment with enough AI assets that we are not forced to pit 1943 era RAF aircraft against the rare 1945 Luftwaffe birds.

 

[Mogster]

Yes, the Channel map looks nice but it really is tiny.
 

Taking off in the Spit from Biggin it’s surprising how quickly you can reach the bottom of the map.

[StevanJ]

On 9/20/2021 at 3:06 AM, Shibbyland said:

I came to DCS from one of ED's competitors who focus on WW2 flight sims. All I can say is, DCS stands head and shoulders above them (at least for me). Unfortunately, despite really wanting to make DCS my sole sim given it has both WW2 and modern combat, I just can't get into the WW2 stuff.

 

I own Normandy, the assets and a number of warbirds all of which I like. But it just doesn't mesh together very well. It seems with each aircraft released, the content on a whole is watered down rather than enhanced. For example, the Mosquito looks fantastic as does the P-47 but it seems in future to get the benefit of those aircraft you'll need the channel map. The Normandy map still hasn't really come into its own and a lot of us will already own that. So the price starts to sky rocket not just in terms of buying modules, assets, maps and campaigns but the hardware to store it on. The files are massive so to constantly be uninstalling and reinstalling because you can no longer fit maps takes so long.

 

I just wondered what everybody else's thoughts on this were. I didn't buy the P-47 despite really liking it and I probably won't buy the Mosquito because the WW2 content is just not consolidated into a workable package at a reasonable price. Just my thoughts on it, obviously others will feel differently.

The gameplay has quite alot of issues. And the warbirds are never free of bugs.
But if you can look past that, then yeah. We have a pretty decent Flight Sim. I say Flight Sim, because the Combat isnt there yet.

Which i guess is what you mean.
Were missing ALOT of content for the Warbirds, The Asset Pack, is a tenth of the Assets we actually need, and from the sounds of things, were a long way off getting what we need.
If you dont mind utilising the old LOMAC/modern assets, then you can create a sort of fun gameplay that works.
Its not ideal, and its gets a bit uninteresting. Once youve mastered bombing, and dogfighting- its time to enter the Mission Editor.

If you can get into the game, then the warbird modules, are always looking for good content creators, and building missions is a skill for a good story teller.

Id hold off on the Channel map for now, weve WW2 Marianas coming, and unless the Channel is expanded, then its not worth the cost, vs Normandy.
The Channel is the better looking map, but i took off in the Mosquito yesterday for the first time, and it wasnt long, before id reached the end of the otherside of the map.
It was then i kinda wished we'd get an expansion.
 

Edited September 21, 2021 by StevanJ

[_Hoss]

On 9/20/2021 at 7:23 AM, rayrayblues said:

 

I don't fully understand what you're saying about WW11 stuff, but I did catch what you said about  "the hardware to store it on".

It sounds to me as if you are running out of drive space. It happened to me back in May.

 

My current install is 214Gb and it's not going to get any smaller. I haven't bought anything in several months,

but my size on disc is up by about 30Gb and it goes up a little with every update. I have all maps except for Nevada.

You will (we all will) eventually have to buy a larger drive to store it on. New drives are not cheap. 

Amazon.com: SAMSUNG (MZ-V8V1T0B/AM) 980 SSD 1TB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology : Electronics   is $130.00

Mine is dedicated for DCS. My OS is on a separate drive. 

I have 14gGb of mods & scripts and I also moved my Saved Games folder over (to make room on my C drive) for a total of 450Gb.

 

 

DCS takes up a lot of space and it won't be long before a dedicated drive (at least 500Gb) will be a minimum requirement.

I lost a lot of work last year due to Covid so I understand about budgetary concerns. Sometimes you just have to "bite the Bullet"

I'm just glad that I had enough room on my credit card.

 

 

 

$130.00 bucks is pocket change compared to the amount of money you need to spend on RAM 32Gb, and a good GPU, $1,000.00 to $1,800.00.  to get the fps on these maps with all the objects and terrain details.  I have a 1TB M.2 SSD I only put games on, and since it loads straight to the MB onboard chip instead of the Sata ports, it's much faster loading to the RAM and CPU, GPU... I have my OS on another SSD (going to Sata port) and a HDD for backup storage.. You can never have too much storage. My DCS is only 185Gb, I have two installs of the "Other" Sim regular and beta that take up another `150Gb of space.... I'm really glad I have that M.2 SSD now. 

[rayrayblues]

On 9/21/2021 at 7:22 PM, 352nd_Hoss said:

 

$130.00 bucks is pocket change compared to the amount of money you need to spend on RAM 32Gb, and a good GPU, $1,000.00 to $1,800.00.  to get the fps on these maps with all the objects and terrain details.  I have a 1TB M.2 SSD I only put games on, and since it loads straight to the MB onboard chip instead of the Sata ports, it's much faster loading to the RAM and CPU, GPU... I have my OS on another SSD (going to Sata port) and a HDD for backup storage.. You can never have too much storage. My DCS is only 185Gb, I have two installs of the "Other" Sim regular and beta that take up another `150Gb of space.... I'm really glad I have that M.2 SSD now. 

 

I just added NTTR and my game folder is up to 289Gb. With my Saved Games folder and a backup of my mods folder, I am up to 446Gb on this drive.

All of my other games are on a separate drive and like you, my OS is on a Samsung EVO 860 SATA drive. Everything runs smooth.

I recommend this kind of setup to everyone.

 

Prices are insane now. My card was $279.00 when it was released 3 years ago and now it's $1399.00, yikes! That's almost 5 times the original price.

I'm sure glad that I bought it when I did.