Controlling the Critters

[Mike Force Team]

One feature not currently modeled in DCS is wildlife management on airfields.  Some common instances might be crocodiles on airfields in Florida, bird strikes at JFK in New York City, or polar bears on airfields in Alaska.  

I found an article created by the FAA, which is dated 2005.  While the publication is old, it still contains relevant information to controlling wildlife in or near airfields.

DCS, please add this feature or create a mod so we can use in creating missions.

Mike Force Team

2005_FAA_Manual_complete for Wildlife Management on Airfields on Nov. 19 2022.pdf

[razo+r]

Technically, controlling critters is present in DCS in form of the slider that enables birds in DCS.

And on the SA map there's the civilian traffic setting that also controls some animals appearance on the map.

 

[Kang]

Generally speaking, beyond the birdstrike probability slider, the only wildlife in DCS is cows places as part of the mission. Hardly requires much additional measures of control.

[razo+r]

21 minutes ago, Kang said:

Generally speaking, beyond the birdstrike probability slider, the only wildlife in DCS is cows places as part of the mission. Hardly requires much additional measures of control.

There are also seagulls on many maps and on the SA map whales, orcas and sheeps.

[Kang]

I wasn't ware of the additional wildlife on the South Atlantic. But... are they 'real'? I mean, are they just animated props that are technically terrain or do they have any sort of agency? Are they moving around on their own, giving the theoretical option of a collision?

[SharpeXB]

I can’t see why this matters. Seems like a gigantic waste of time and resources. 

Edited November 22, 2022 by SharpeXB

[=DROOPY=]

If you see animals inside the Airport Operations Area of a tower controlled airport, someone isn't doing their job. 

[razo+r]

12 hours ago, Kang said:

I wasn't ware of the additional wildlife on the South Atlantic. But... are they 'real'? I mean, are they just animated props that are technically terrain or do they have any sort of agency? Are they moving around on their own, giving the theoretical option of a collision?

In case of the seagull on various maps, they do fly around in a fixed pattern at a fixed place. They also do not have a collision model. 

As for the animals specific to the SA map, I know that the orcas also move around but are also tied to moving in a specitic pattern at a specific location. Probably, havent tested it, without collision model either. Not sure about the sheeps and other animals, but I can imagine they behave in the same way, since they are part of the civilian traffic setting. 

[cfrag]

5 hours ago, =DROOPY= said:

If you see animals inside the Airport Operations Area of a tower controlled airport, someone isn't doing their job. 

Still can happen  

null

[=DROOPY=]

Re read my post...  At no time did I say 'It could never happen...' In fact I agree...it happens... quite often at times. But if multiple animal vs aircraft collisions, at a towered airport, are a normal occurrence, or something as large and slow as the Walrus/Sea Lion/whatever it is in the photo you posted...are able to make it unabated onto an active runway, someone failed at doing their job. 

[Exorcet]

The whole civil traffic feature could probably use an overhaul at somepoint and include options for animal spawns. X-Plane randomly spawns wildlife across the map, so it's hardly unheard of in a flight sim.

I know "DCS cow" has gotten flak in the past, but things like wildlife are nice to have in enhancing scenery and immersion depending on the mission. However the downside with making them available only as static objects means that a mission maker has to go through the effort of manually placing them everywhere. Some automation would be nice to have in regards to this stuff. Of course it should also come with some user controls so as to not be completely random. Whether auto generated wildlife can penetrate airports and by how much should be a setting for example.

[Antix70]

We can't have troops and ground vehicles that follow very specifically designed paths, speeds, can't move around buildings and trees instead of through them or getting stuck on them, and you're worried about animals?

[79Au]

It would be cool if every airport had its own probability for bird strikes, but yeah it's "Digital COMBAT Simulator", not "airport wildlife manager 2022"  In my opinion there's plenty of bugs and stuff missing in the core of the game, like missing SAMs and the broken SCUD launcher. Or they could make vehicles that spawn  infantry under certain circumstances, if a convoy is attacked for example. (edit: with animations and doors opening)

Edited January 7, 2023 by 79Au

[=DROOPY=]

Well... What a coincidence:

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/plane-strikes-coyote-at-rdu-during-takeoff-faa-investigating/

 

Imagine if the aircraft that struck the coyote would have been anything smaller than a Cessna Citation. A catastrophic ending for the aircraft would have been highly likely. 

 

Edited December 1, 2022 by =DROOPY=

[snowman[FR]]

+1

[Mars Exulte]

This game would be as bloated and dysfunctional as Star Citizen if you guys were given half a chance.