FAQ and Updates

[Nasder]

Checking the information of the Sinai map within my DCS installation folder. (this one > DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\terrains) my Sinai folder is 55GB. There's probably some more in other folders, so I'd say that 55,2GB is a good estimate.

[tripod3]

25 minutes ago, Thx1137 said:

Huh? Yo saw wrong. According to the modules sale page, where you buy it and it lists its features. It says 55.2GB.

Very strange, when I see this page via steam app I see 120 - 350 Gb (in my lang localisation), but via browser and being logged out - 55 Gb (in original English localisation). Thanks!

[Nasder]

9 minutes ago, tripod3 said:

Very strange, when I see this page via steam app I see 120 - 350 Gb (in my lang localisation), but via browser and being logged out - 55 Gb (in original English localisation). Thanks!

I think this information contain entire DCS (from minimal to a wide collection of DLC). My entire DCS installation is 451GB.

[Silverado]

On 3/19/2023 at 3:58 PM, OnReTech said:

SAM and helipads icons:

 

Is it possible to turn this off?Having actual SAM sites already modelled is great, and markers make it easy to find for the mission builder. Unfortunately, they are also very easy to find for the players too, and knowing exact locations sometimes is a thing that mission builders will want to avoid

[MIghtymoo]

13 hours ago, Silverado said:

Is it possible to turn this off?Having actual SAM sites already modelled is great, and markers make it easy to find for the mission builder. Unfortunately, they are also very easy to find for the players too, and knowing exact locations sometimes is a thing that mission builders will want to avoid

 

I personally do not think there is a need to remove the SAM-locations from the map.

These SAM sites were well known IRL, as these were permanent constructions and easy to locate on satellite photos. The challenge is to know which of the sites are active and which are empty.

[Silverado]

44 minutes ago, MIghtymoo said:

 

I personally do not think there is a need to remove the SAM-locations from the map.

These SAM sites were well known IRL, as these were permanent constructions and easy to locate on satellite photos. The challenge is to know which of the sites are active and which are empty.

Today - yes, you can go to the Google Maps, locate them and use this info as you want. Make DCS map, for example. But that was not always the case, in 1973 and before Israeli Airforce lost a lot of planes simply because of the inaccurate info on the SAM site locations. I do admit, most of those losses were in Syria and closer to Cairo than most of the Sinai map SAM sites, but still. There wasn't always almighty satellites readily available.

And, while Sinai represents modern days, 1967-1973 and earlier were the most interesting years from the air combat perspective, and both sides relied mostly on the air reconnaissance than on the satellite images these days.

[MIghtymoo]

32 minutes ago, Silverado said:

Today - yes, you can go to the Google Maps, locate them and use this info as you want. Make DCS map, for example. But that was not always the case, in 1973 and before Israeli Airforce lost a lot of planes simply because of the inaccurate info on the SAM site locations. I do admit, most of those losses were in Syria and closer to Cairo than most of the Sinai map SAM sites, but still. There wasn't always almighty satellites readily available.

And, while Sinai represents modern days, 1967-1973 and earlier were the most interesting years from the air combat perspective, and both sides relied mostly on the air reconnaissance than on the satellite images these days.

Corona satellites were launched between 1959 and 1972 and played a significant role in mapping military ground targets. 

[Silverado]

3 minutes ago, MIghtymoo said:

Corona satellites were launched between 1959 and 1972 and played a significant role in mapping military ground targets. 

They weren't readily available even for the Israeli, let alone Egypt. 

[MIghtymoo]

28 minutes ago, Silverado said:

They weren't readily available even for the Israeli, let alone Egypt. 

Not going to start a big discussion here...

Israel received satellite intelligence from the United States during the 1970s. The United States and Israel have had a longstanding strategic alliance, and intelligence sharing has been an important aspect of their relationship. As part of this cooperation, the United States provided satellite intelligence to Israel, including imagery from its own reconnaissance satellites.

During the 1970s, Egypt did not have its own reconnaissance satellite capabilities. But it is believed that Egypt received satellite intelligence from other countries, including the Soviet Union.

[Silverado]

53 minutes ago, MIghtymoo said:

Not going to start a big discussion here...

Israel received satellite intelligence from the United States during the 1970s. The United States and Israel have had a longstanding strategic alliance, and intelligence sharing has been an important aspect of their relationship. As part of this cooperation, the United States provided satellite intelligence to Israel, including imagery from its own reconnaissance satellites.

During the 1970s, Egypt did not have its own reconnaissance satellite capabilities. But it is believed that Egypt received satellite intelligence from other countries, including the Soviet Union.

While that's technically true, there are two caveats there:

- Corona satellites relied on a film dropped from the satellite and picked up on its way to the ground once pr twice per satellite, so it isn't very quick, and at the frontline a lot can be changed between drops

- Again, for some reason both Israeli and Egypt (including famous MiG-25RB flight twice a month) heavy relied on aerial reconnaissance, both high and low altitude, and for the mapping of the SAM sites too, and IAF suffered a lot of losses when trying to attack these sites without recent reconnaissance flights over them. So I cannot imagine that satellite data, if available, was enough.

[MIghtymoo]

30 minutes ago, Silverado said:

While that's technically true, there are two caveats there:

- Corona satellites relied on a film dropped from the satellite and picked up on its way to the ground once pr twice per satellite, so it isn't very quick, and at the frontline a lot can be changed between drops

- Again, for some reason both Israeli and Egypt (including famous MiG-25RB flight twice a month) heavy relied on aerial reconnaissance, both high and low altitude, and for the mapping of the SAM sites too, and IAF suffered a lot of losses when trying to attack these sites without recent reconnaissance flights over them. So I cannot imagine that satellite data, if available, was enough.

True, I was talking about the physical infrastructure (bunkers, revetments, buildings etc) which are permanent.
Not to determine if the sites were actually active.

Same applies to the Sinai-map. It only shows physical and known locations and not if they are active (that would be a whole different thing).

Edited June 19, 2023 by MIghtymoo

[Minsky]

18 hours ago, Silverado said:

Is it possible to turn this off

There seems to be no other way to implement these icons than making them part of one of these layers:

So, unless ED would allow us to save layers visibility with each mission, I highly doubt it.

[Silver_Dragon]

On 6/16/2023 at 9:26 AM, YoYo said:

Few AI could be nice. Its a not a big problem, but more AI = means more fun especially when it comes to aviation AI (from 1956, 1967, 1973 period, Israel / Egipt). Just idea.

For example, developer of map of part of Australia is working on AI for his map too, its not a part of DCS yet:

 

 

Check Six Simulator has build a AI assets team, and a aircrafts module team with use the SDK (Standard Develop Kit) as RAZBAM, M3 and Dekka. Has work outside of all maps development by the map team with use the TDK (Terrain Develop Kit).

[PunchOut]

any plans to add Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan?  Area is already covered in the map, the air base is just not modeled/created.

[oibafx]

On 6/26/2023 at 3:48 PM, PunchOut said:

any plans to add Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan?  Area is already covered in the map, the air base is just not modeled/created.

It would really be amazing to get a US base in the area

[Fran11player]

Has it been mentioned already the fact of considering the addition of the King Faisal AB?

We don't have any Saudi Arabian AB while it's Air Force is one of the most powerful around the area, and also suits perfectly the Strike Eagle

[Stratos]

I requested bases on Jordania and S.Arabia several times, fingers crossed.

[Silver_Dragon]

17 minutes ago, Stratos said:

I requested bases on Jordania and S.Arabia several times, fingers crossed.

I think this is outside the territory and scope of the map itself. Similar to what is happening in Syria, which has not expanded into central Turkey, eastern Iraq or southern Israel.

[Stratos]

11 hours ago, Silver_Dragon said:

I think this is outside the territory and scope of the map itself. Similar to what is happening in Syria, which has not expanded into central Turkey, eastern Iraq or southern Israel.

Excuse me? Both Jordania and Saudi Arabia are in the middle of the map. Tabuk is there with its huge air base. So no, that makes no sense.

[Minsky]

39 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Both Jordania and Saudi Arabia are in the middle of the map. Tabuk is there with its huge air base.

No, not really: better half of Jordan and like 95% of SA, including Tabuk, are outside of the detailed area. And you don't want a major airbase on the edge of said area, to avoid another Biggin Hill.

The more airfields the merrier, of course. But expanding the already defined and budgeted detailed area is a huge step.

It would probably be more suitable to a paid expansion a la Normandy 2.0, or to a midlife upgrade a la Cyprus if your map sells really well.

[Silver_Dragon]

5 hours ago, Stratos said:

Excuse me? Both Jordania and Saudi Arabia are in the middle of the map. Tabuk is there with its huge air base. So no, that makes no sense.

The problem here is that many believe that the high detail areas of the map expand to the edges and that is not the case. In fact, OnReTech has already commented that the Sinai map is "feature complete" and they are moving towards a new map.

It is not the first time we see requirements towards "I want Buenos Aires and Santiago de chile" in South Atlantic or "up to the German border" in the channel map. We saw the same situation in the Caucasus, with a certain air base in northern Turkey, which was never added. I understand that there are people who want more gameplay and want to expand maps indefinitely, but this regional map is still limited by the map technology and we might have to wait until the "spherical earth" technology, to see more and more terrain and airbases.

Edited September 29, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[ThorBrasil]

On 9/29/2023 at 9:10 AM, Silver_Dragon said:

In fact, OnReTech has already commented that the Sinai map is "feature complete" and they are moving towards a new map.
 

 

As far as I know the map is not complete. There will still be two more phases. Currently the map needs a lot of improvements and if it isn't finished I wouldn't buy another map from them.

On 7/14/2023 at 7:30 AM, OnReTech said:

Hello dear friends and pilots.

*The roadmap has been changed regarding the 3rd phase of the project, the wishes and feedback of users have been taken into account. According to the plan, we have already completed 2 phases of the project, the 3rd phase remains. But we are introducing an additional phase that includes unique objects and several airfields.

Roadmap

Phase 3

1. Fixing bugs from users and beta testers (more than 100) - in progress
2. Airfields 15 pcs: Added 2 airfields: Sharm_El_Sheikh_airport, Ramon_International_airport. - in progress.
3. Unique objects and architectural monuments, industrial facilities - more than 100 pieces (Cairo, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Petra, Eilat, Tel Aviv and etc.)- in progress. 
4. More detailed zones of new airfields, places under unique objects.
5. City textures - improvement, garbage cleaning.
6. Rocky coastline.
7. 2 types of acacia bushes for the south of Israel.
8. Village fence models.
9. New more realistic seabed texture.
10. Parking for f35 for Israeli airfields.
11. New type of the helipads and improved scenes for them.
12. Night illumination of unique objects.
13. Upgrading the Pyramids of Giza and the tombs around the pyramids (as in the preview video).
14. Trees on mountains in Israel.
15. Addition of military installations of Egypt (northern and southern camp).
16. Improving ground textures (adding more color variety).
17. Raster charts - the user has already been made available for free.

 

Phase 4

*preliminary, subject to change

1. Addition of airfields that were not included in phases 1-3 - typical airfields of 1-2 types
2. Working out rocks in unique places, Ramon, Petra, etc..
3. Additional unique objects not included in phase 3
4. Bugs and improvements that constantly come from users

 

Timeline

*preliminary, subject to change

Phase 3 - end of November (testing). Mid-December - update phase 3.

Phase 4 - Q1 2024

 

!!! Thank you for your support and patience.

Some new map models:

 

 

[mwd2]

Did we have in the months since the EA-Release any ingame updates from the map? Can't remember any.

Also i missing a lot of signature buildings of Jerusalem.

 

I am sorry, but at the moment i can't recommend to buy the map to my squadron members.

[ThorBrasil]

1 hour ago, mwd2 said:

Did we have in the months since the EA-Release any ingame updates from the map? Can't remember any.

Also i missing a lot of signature buildings of Jerusalem.

 

I am sorry, but at the moment i can't recommend to buy the map to my squadron members.

And truth! Your opinion is the same as that of many people. The map appears to be in a rush to launch and needs a lot of polish. I bought Sinai because I imagined that Israel would be extremely detailed, but I was disappointed. Currently the best map is still Syria, but it has many years of development. I believe that Sinai will reach the same level if it is not abandoned. I still have faith in the developers and I know they will do a great job! I still believe they will improve the map a lot. Especially for those who fly by helicopter.

[PLUTON]

I hope they will listen to you and make the map of Sinai a map for us and not just for them