We are under attack and assault.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

I don't know how else to put it. We are being bombarded with cluster munition of maps and random modules. F-100s, Mirages like croissants, IDF jets, F-4, F-15E, Mig-23, new maps. Its an overload. I am expecting some silly mods. A silly mod is a module, free or commercial, that is built to DCS high standards, but simming a platform that is only tangential or inappropriate to DCS. Like Yak-52 trainer. But many would still be excited.

Silly Mod ideas AN-2 'Annushka' biplane transport. First person infantry simulator for Combined Arms (maybe thats not a bad idea). STS Space Shuttle re-entry and landing simulator.  AI WWII Soviet armored train.  DCS: Pilatus PC-12/U-28

[cfrag]

I recommend you slightly reduce your mask's oxygen flow, and things should return to normal  

[sirrah]

15 minutes ago, cfrag said:

I recommend you slightly reduce your mask's oxygen flow, and things should return to normal  

Not being native English, I thought it was just me having a hard time understanding any of this 

[Peter5on]

All this modules, its all fine as long as buying them supports development of dynamic campaing, yet there is no info about it for a very long time, so just vote with your wallet

[upyr1]

9 hours ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

I don't know how else to put it. We are being bombarded with cluster munition of maps and random modules. F-100s, Mirages like croissants, IDF jets, F-4, F-15E, Mig-23, new maps. Its an overload. I am expecting some silly mods. A silly mod is a module, free or commercial, that is built to DCS high standards, but simming a platform that is only tangential or inappropriate to DCS. Like Yak-52 trainer. But many would still be excited.

Silly Mod ideas AN-2 'Annushka' biplane transport. First person infantry simulator for Combined Arms (maybe thats not a bad idea). STS Space Shuttle re-entry and landing simulator.  AI WWII Soviet armored train.  DCS: Pilatus PC-12/U-28

I say keep it going 

Edited August 26, 2022 by upyr1

[Badger1-1]

10 minutes ago, upyr1 said:

I saw keep it going 

So much democracy!

[WelshZeCorgi]

hopefully, with all the maps and modules coming out, if they keep this up, they'll basically stumble into proper module/map matching eventually. We'll finally have both the map and modules to recreate the Korean and Vietnam war by the end of this decade. 

[DmitriKozlowsky]

The most usefull, obvious, yet ellusive mod for DCS would be a mod that connects to Google Earth or MS Bing Earth, and allows flight ops anywhere. Now that would be worth good dollars.

And

A DCS mod that allows placement of roads, road flight strips, and ground infrastructure by user. Which would allow user to configure operations area to user's liking or update to reflect modern or no longer existing reality.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

14 hours ago, cfrag said:

I recommend you slightly reduce your mask's oxygen flow, and things should return to normal  

You think I am suffering from oxygen narcossis. OK. There are worse fates.

[Breakaway]

16 hours ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

I don't know how else to put it. We are being bombarded with cluster munition of maps and random modules. F-100s, Mirages like croissants, IDF jets, F-4, F-15E, Mig-23, new maps. Its an overload. I am expecting some silly mods. A silly mod is a module, free or commercial, that is built to DCS high standards, but simming a platform that is only tangential or inappropriate to DCS. Like Yak-52 trainer. But many would still be excited.

Silly Mod ideas AN-2 'Annushka' biplane transport. First person infantry simulator for Combined Arms (maybe thats not a bad idea). STS Space Shuttle re-entry and landing simulator.  AI WWII Soviet armored train.  DCS: Pilatus PC-12/U-28

To be fair a PC-12 would be awesome

[DmitriKozlowsky]

2 hours ago, Breakaway said:

To be fair a PC-12 would be awesome

U-28A only the most obscure fixed wing type in use in US military. Also some NATO and non-aligned services use it. Mostly for ELINT or VIP transport role. PC-12/U-28 is great module for MSFS , XPlane, and Prepare3D. For DCS?

[DmitriKozlowsky]

3 hours ago, Breakaway said:

To be fair a PC-12 would be awesome

If it doesn't shoot direct attack or long range guided munitions , it is inappropriate for DCS. IMHO. If we are going to split hairs, we can count infantry squad deployed from helicopter, or airborne jumpers as munitions. But that is questionable logic, IMHO.

Thus: Pucara OK, EMbr. A-29A OK, AC-47 Spooky OK. AC-130 Great!  Sherpa transport; questionable applicability to DCS, except as AI or static.  SHORTS Skyvan same as Sherpa. Player flown or player controlled inflight refueling. Except as AI, completely unnecessary in DCS. Flying a gas station and being a boom operator is vital in real world, but boring in DCS. Unless it is used for RW training and quals. But for that Prepare3D is used in aerospace & defense.      

P3 Orion, P-8 Poseidon, similar: OK but as with in-flight refueling, long range anti-ship and ant-sub is high endurance and boring. But since those platforms can fire Mavericks, Harpoons, and drop bombs its OK for DCS: Multicrew.

ELINT/EW  this aspect of warfare is inappropriate for DCS as direct user controll and accurate simulation. #1 problem is that its all highly classified. Even stuff 50 years ago is still highly secret. As 'emulated' AI its OK, or emulated user control like we have right now. U-28 is used for ELINT and communications relay, a background task. Vital in real world. Not practical in DCS.

I see DCS expanding to Multi-Domain warfighting simming by offering naval small high speed craft. High speed small missile boats, tactical highspeed light hydrofoils, perhaps a small low crew SSK as possible expansion of DCS into water domain. Technical mil term is Full Spectrum thus DCS: Full Spectrum. 

[DmitriKozlowsky]

And yet another sandbox with a coastline is offered. Australian territory with Timor Sea. Geopolitically, makes sense. A viable potential operations area on showdown with PRC. Looks very much like Nevada and Musandam Peninsula in PG. Sand, some highlands, elevated terrain, littoral zones, urban area (much appreciated). 

 

[MAXsenna]

You don't get it do you? Or you don't want to.  

Some 3rd parties starts "small" to build experience, to build what they really want. What's it up to you Just don't buy it! 

[Bremspropeller]

C-130 or bust.

This module alone would have so much potential, like advanced logistics, multicrew and multiple possible side-missions to the transport main-role (SAR, Tanker, Spectre, ELINT, Harvest Hawk, Combat King, etc.*). Dude, I'd even go Hurricane Hunting in a Herc if DCS could provide those weather-conditions.

The U-28 or several King Air mods would be nice, too, but I think the single most interesting module right now - interms of added potential - is a C-130. A C-130 module would probaly only depict one or two subvariants, but those alone would quite bump the game up to a new, more immersive level.

___

*many of those special missions would be classified, though

 

[Fangs Out]

Exactly, if we are going for non combat modules, I'd Pay for either, 1. either a C-130 module as you said. Or 2. an Ch-47 module. Both have Spec ops, SAR, Gunships, Transport, and are pretty cool in there own rights. As you mentioned, the C-130 has more missions is it could perform, Compass Call and Spooky being the coolest in my opinion. The Chinook on the other hand has a decent possibility for campaigns and missions, as the Chinook was used to transport troops, cargo , logging  ,Disaster relief supplies. And in some circles, used to transport workers in Petroleum and logging Circle. 

To My knowledge , Anubis made a really good C-130 module and then was picked up by ED, so maybe they have a Herc Mod in the works 

+1

[upyr1]

23 hours ago, WelshZeCorgi said:

hopefully, with all the maps and modules coming out, if they keep this up, they'll basically stumble into proper module/map matching eventually. We'll finally have both the map and modules to recreate the Korean and Vietnam war by the end of this decade. 

I expect Korea would come out before Vietnam if some developer showed some interest. 

[MAXsenna]

1 hour ago, upyr1 said:

I expect Korea would come out before Vietnam if some developer showed some interest. 

They are both coming. My bet is that ED wants to do it themselves. Will probably be announced when the engine can handle "more stuff" and we're on a sphere. 

[DmitriKozlowsky]

I am eager to check out Kola Penninsula map, as it appears, that developers have used sat photos as ground textures. I will keep saying that the most usefull map module that potentially be deployed to DCS is one that connects DCS to Internet Google Earth, MS Bing Earth, or USGS, or NGA Earth databases . Allowing some level of operations, even if free flight only, at any place on Earth. With obvious blurred exceptions due to government's regulatuions.

Edited August 28, 2022 by DmitriKozlowsky

[cfrag]

11 hours ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

I will keep saying that the most usefull map module that potentially be deployed to DCS is one that connects DCS to Internet Google Earth, MS Bing Earth, or USGS, or NGA Earth databases

While I do see the potential in those, there are still a couple of open issues here:

• Data rate and resolution. Today, for low-level flight, Google and MS earth are still way too low for that. Take a DCS helicopter, and fly at 20 ft. Then do the same in in Google or MS (you can use a game SDK to do that, plug-ins are readily available). The big advantage of DC S is the slow & low-level flying is at least tolerable, heads and shoulders above what's currently doable in Google and MS-based databases. This will change, of course, so here's looking to the future
• Historical missions - Those map DB are fairly recent (not older than, say, 10 years. How do you set up missions for the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s? That's where all the modules are. The presence of landmarks, and other visual distinct objects/artifacts (highways, hydro dams and lakes, large factories or facilities) - all that stuff would be visible when it shouldn't - or missing when it should be there. Since the source material (map data) is constantly evolving, this is going to be a constant headache. 
• General AI issues - how do you get your mission's AI to deal with maps that do not have the required meta data available when accessing the world DB? In DCS, the game knows that a building is a building - fe every single building on the map. For 99% of the data streamed from these DB that is not the case
• Licensing issues may also be a factor. Accessing these DB isn't free for commercial purposes, and ED sure as hell are a commercial venture. They'll be expected to pay.

So, yeah, I'd love to have DCS be able to access the entire world, or have ME access the entire world, and then work that map segment for a cool mission. It'll be a few years, and I agree that this is the future for some exciting new play modes in DCS (I'd love to create a helicopter rescue mission based on my home town).

[DmitriKozlowsky]

18 hours ago, cfrag said:

While I do see the potential in those, there are still a couple of open issues here:

• Data rate and resolution. Today, for low-level flight, Google and MS earth are still way too low for that. Take a DCS helicopter, and fly at 20 ft. Then do the same in in Google or MS (you can use a game SDK to do that, plug-ins are readily available). The big advantage of DC S is the slow & low-level flying is at least tolerable, heads and shoulders above what's currently doable in Google and MS-based databases. This will change, of course, so here's looking to the future
• Historical missions - Those map DB are fairly recent (not older than, say, 10 years. How do you set up missions for the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s or 80s? That's where all the modules are. The presence of landmarks, and other visual distinct objects/artifacts (highways, hydro dams and lakes, large factories or facilities) - all that stuff would be visible when it shouldn't - or missing when it should be there. Since the source material (map data) is constantly evolving, this is going to be a constant headache. 
• General AI issues - how do you get your mission's AI to deal with maps that do not have the required meta data available when accessing the world DB? In DCS, the game knows that a building is a building - fe every single building on the map. For 99% of the data streamed from these DB that is not the case
• Licensing issues may also be a factor. Accessing these DB isn't free for commercial purposes, and ED sure as hell are a commercial venture. They'll be expected to pay.

So, yeah, I'd love to have DCS be able to access the entire world, or have ME access the entire world, and then work that map segment for a cool mission. It'll be a few years, and I agree that this is the future for some exciting new play modes in DCS (I'd love to create a helicopter rescue mission based on my home town).

My answer to all three is that I  do not know.  I'add one more issue. Shadows. Sat images have burned in shadows at time of exposure.  Perhaps a blend between GB DB and DCS during flight at low altitudes. Which of course would bring us back to lack of entire Earth DB by DCS. But that maybe an acceptable compromise. Or a theater jump between two adjacent theaters. Normandy and Chanel, for example. Marianas and upcoming Australia & Timor Sea .Edge jump from Sinai and Syria theaters as those overlap a little where modern day State Of Israel. But that may not be feasible.

Edited August 29, 2022 by DmitriKozlowsky

[Kang]

Just imagine the horrors of running a mission somewhere at the edge where that map would wrap around. The DCS world is still flat, isn't it?

[DmitriKozlowsky]

On the contrary, DCS maps have a curvature. Apparent at high altitude. Unless DCS uses some lens distortion trick.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

On 8/27/2022 at 5:17 AM, Bremspropeller said:

C-130 or bust.

This module alone would have so much potential, like advanced logistics, multicrew and multiple possible side-missions to the transport main-role (SAR, Tanker, Spectre, ELINT, Harvest Hawk, Combat King, etc.*). Dude, I'd even go Hurricane Hunting in a Herc if DCS could provide those weather-conditions.

The U-28 or several King Air mods would be nice, too, but I think the single most interesting module right now - interms of added potential - is a C-130. A C-130 module would probaly only depict one or two subvariants, but those alone would quite bump the game up to a new, more immersive level.

___

*many of those special missions would be classified, though

 

C-130 is a bit large. It is designed to be flown as 4 man crew. Pilot alone cannot fly it. May I suggest a more appropriate modern transport that is simmable for DCS is C-27J Spartan and its gunship variant.

[Bremspropeller]

10 hours ago, DmitriKozlowsky said:

It is designed to be flown as 4 man crew. Pilot alone cannot fly it.

Exactly. That's the appeal. In a game it can realistically be operated by two people.