sheepdog700 Posted February 13, 2022 Posted February 13, 2022 Yoooo... I just got my first PC... Maingear Vybe - Ryzen 5800X, RTX 3070, 32gb RAM. I bought this PC for DCS. I've been wanting to move away from console for a looooong fucking time! I'm glad it's here. I also ordered a Gladiator NXT, TM TWCS throttle and Trackir. My plan is to download the F-16 and learn that for now. A couple more days and my setup will be here and I'll be logging in for the first time. So what should I do next? I've been reading chucks guides on F-16 cold start and takeoff... but what about getting good graphics settings or figuring out what controls to bind to my stick and throttle? I don't have rudder pedals at the moment. There are so many videos and <profanity> out there i don't know where to start or what's legit and what's not. This is my first PC so I'm still learning the ins and outs of PC stuff also. Should I download Open Beta or release version? Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!
Art-J Posted February 13, 2022 Posted February 13, 2022 (edited) Open Beta version always gets new stuff first, ie. new module releases, new features, new fixes... but... also new bugs and glitches, unfortunately. But that's what it's for - here players are supposed to find and report bugs that slipped through development team's hands. Release version is a somewhat more fleshed out / polished (not THAT much more, mind you, it still has a crapton of bugs in itself too), but lags behind Beta with aforementioned good stuff releases. Sometimes for a couple of weeks, sometimes for more than a month. Pick your poison . If you're into multiplayer, I believe most popular servers run Open Beta, so that's a factor to consider. Whichever version you install, go to "Doc" folder and take a look at 2020 Manual located there. Should help you familiarize with DCS basics and answer many initial questions. In a similar manner, whenever you install an aircraft module, it also has a "Doc" folder located in \Mods\aircraft\[module name]\ and that's where you'll find that aircraft's official manual as well (though unofficial Chuck's guides are excellent starting point indeed, it's good that you found them). Edited February 13, 2022 by Art-J i7 9700K @ stock speed, single GTX1070, 32 gigs of RAM, TH Warthog, MFG Crosswind, Win10.
draconus Posted February 15, 2022 Posted February 15, 2022 (edited) On 2/13/2022 at 1:38 AM, sheepdog700 said: I don't have rudder pedals at the moment You'll probably use the rocker switch in front of your TWCS. For graphics settings just start with default presets and make tweaks from that. Many users just use the openbeta and don't report enything - it's not mandatory. Some of the beta versions become release one day and that's all to it. Edited February 15, 2022 by draconus Win10 i7-10700KF 32GB RTX4070S Quest 3 T16000M VPC CDT-VMAX TFRP FC3 F-14A/B F-15E CA SC NTTR PG Syria
Dscross Posted February 28, 2022 Posted February 28, 2022 Sheepdog, You don't need rudder pedals if you have the Gladiator. (It's my spare stick, so I've got a bit of time with it.) For the F16 you can bind all sorts of stuff, or just the basics, it's up to you. Personally when i get a new plane/ helicopter in dcs or a new joystick or button box or whatever, I start with the basic bindings then I move on from there based on what i use most and what buttons, etc I have available for binding stuff. The Basics for the F-16 are probably the Data management switch ( a four way, put it on your stick). this tells the jet which screen you want to action, called SOI, or Sensor of interest. It does other stuff as well, but you've read the manual. You'll need it. Second, you'll need the Target Management Switch, or TMS. Put this on your stick as well. This locks targets, puts your targeting pod into point track, and controls the dogfight modes radar just for starters. IT's a mandatory. The front right button on your stick you should bind as "NWS/ Missile step" (Nose Wheel Steering). It will turn on/off the steering of the front landing gear, and once in the air and your gear is up, it changes between missiles and such. Again more in the manual. You'll need something to control the throttle, and the radar curser (look under axis commands I can't remember the exact name for the binding). Bind the "CAGE/ UNCAGE" and the FOV toggle. Of course you'll need the weapons release, and on your stick you can bind first and second stage triggers. There is loads more of course, but that should get you started. Good luck, and welcome to DCS. If there's anything we can help you with, stop by the AIN discord here. https://discord.gg/WyJWTnhTkB you might want to check out the chuck's guides on the F-16, they are a great resource. here's that link. Chuck’s Guides – DCS F-16C Viper | Mudspike
CBStu Posted March 3, 2022 Posted March 3, 2022 I am a fan of the 'just jump in and start flying' process. DCS has 'instant action' missions one of which is 'free flight' or similar. You start in the air flying along at 300 or so. Start with that. Get familiar w/ the L Shift - R key combination. No matter what mission you are in, when you get screwed up, hit those keys to Re-start. There are many missions in the free Caucuses map that comes w/ the game, more that come w/ a specific plane, and more that come w/ each new map that you buy. Learn about the pause and active pause buttons. While learning something new I use them a bunch. Pause stops the whole game so you can check something. Active pause stops your plane but everything else keeps moving and all your cockpit buttons remain active. So you can change a setting while active paused. There is also a key combination that will get you to your web browser after you hit pause. I do the same but have my screen set up so I can see the buttons across the bottom one of which is my browser. So I hit pause go to the web or Chucks Guide, look for my answer, back to DCS to make a change. One suggestion- remember this is FUN. So, if you get frustrated w/ something, drop it and go to another mission that you enjoy. Try not to shut down DCS unhappy.
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