B52 re-skin still not released in this patch

[antiload]

The high-def re-skins for in game AI bombers was totted last year and they seemed almost completed in the 'beyond' trailer. Just wondering if this is something still being worked on or near ready for release. It would be great to see all the low-res stuff upgraded in game, especially any aircraft. 

[draconus]

It's not just reskin - it's the whole new 3d model, animations and textures.

[Silver_Dragon]

18 hours ago, antiload said:

The high-def re-skins for in game AI bombers was totted last year and they seemed almost completed in the 'beyond' trailer. Just wondering if this is something still being worked on or near ready for release. It would be great to see all the low-res stuff upgraded in game, especially any aircraft. 

ED has no show a re-sking. Has new 3D models made from scratch of B-52H, B-1B, S-3 and others.

B-52 AI On Develop:


B1-B AI on develp


Has part of the progress to rebuild all old AI from LOMAC / FC to actual DCS World quality standars.

[Northstar98]

Yeah, would be nice to know the status of them, same for the new S-3B. Though the B-52 and B-1 might need some work with regards to the bomb bay, I know that the B-1B has different adapters for certain weapons (such as the MPRL).

Though one thing that could (though I kinda doubt it) be a factor is ED seem to be depicting more modern variants of the B-1B and B-52H - both are being depicted with the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR pod. AFAIK, Sniper XR was fielded on the B-1B in the mid/late 2000s(?) and the B-52H in the early/mid 2010s. I wonder if ED has any plans to develop the weapons not currently present, but would fit them as depicted - namely the AGM-158A JASSM (B-1B & B-52H) and the ADM-160B MALD (B-52H). Perhaps that's one of the reasons for the delay (though I doubt it)?

Edited May 26, 2023 by Northstar98

[Silver_Dragon]

31 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

Yeah, would be nice to know the status of them, same for the new S-3B. Though the B-52 and B-1 might need some work with regards to the bomb bay, I know that the B-1B has different adapters for certain weapons (such as the MPRL).

Though one thing that could (though I kinda doubt it) be a factor is ED seem to be depicting more modern variants of the B-1B and B-52H - both are being depicted with the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR pod. AFAIK, Sniper XR was fielded on the B-1B in the mid/late 2000s(?) and the B-52H in the early/mid 2010s. I wonder if ED has any plans to develop the weapons not currently present, but would fit them as depicted - namely the AGM-158A JASSM (B-1B & B-52H) and the ADM-160B MALD (B-52H).

B-52 Sniper pod adapter on left wing has modeled on new 3D model.

And on the B-1B

On 2023 and Beyond video, show the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR pod hardpoint modeled.

Of course, ED dont show internal bay lauchers yet and B-52 weapon pylon system hardpoint, that require modeling after.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[Northstar98]

On 5/19/2023 at 12:13 PM, Silver_Dragon said:

Of course, ED dont show internal bay lauchers yet and B-52 weapon pylon system hardpoint, that require modeling after.

They've shown off WIP models of the B-1Bs MPRL (multi-purpose rotary launcher, which is the left-most model) and 2 variants of the CBM/SECBM (AFAIK the right-most one is a 10-store version and the centre is a 28-store version):

Edited May 26, 2023 by Northstar98
had the 28-store and 10-store the wrong way round

[Kang]

Funnily enough, what these 'new improved models' sadly have in common at this point is that they get announced, then get shown off in a newsletter a while later and then disappear into the nether, it seems. Don't get me wrong, I know it takes a while to do them, but... we went from the Newsletter of 'woah look at this soon-to-be released S-3 Tanker model' to the newsletter of 'Look at this B-52 model update we are now working on'. The FC2-era S-3 has been slated for an update for something like five years now.

I would love to see more updates on how they are coming along and I would certainly love to see them implemented someday, but I surely am not holding my breath at this point.

[SkateZilla]

There's more to replacing the AI Asset in the sim than giving it a pretty new external model.
The Model has to be animated, and Core Systems coded for the new animations.
Not to Mention the systems for the AI, 

The S-3, B-52, B-1 aren't going to be simple model swaps, they are in depth AI Assets.

[Kang]

13 hours ago, SkateZilla said:

There's more to replacing the AI Asset in the sim than giving it a pretty new external model.
The Model has to be animated, and Core Systems coded for the new animations.
Not to Mention the systems for the AI, 

The S-3, B-52, B-1 aren't going to be simple model swaps, they are in depth AI Assets.

Again, I don't want to take away from any of it, but at least parts of it beg the question: the difference is what exactly?

It isn't wrong to do it, but quite frankly I doubt anybody really needs high fidelity flight models for an AI B-52, that quite frankly spends most of its life in a mission going in a straight line. If one was to update an AI asset with improved modeling of flight dynamics, damage model and all the jazz, perhaps it would be a sane idea to take it to one of the assets for which it is a game-breaking issue and has been reported time and time again for years, like... a MiG-15 or so.

[SkateZilla]

Systems Modelling for the AI has nothing to do with the Flight Model.

The Systems modelling allows the aircraft controlled by the AI to function as it should properly,

If they just replace the model, then you'd still have DCS AI using the B-52 and B-1 like a F-15 and not flying or utilizing systems.

The New B-52 and B-1B AI assets will also have capabilities upgrades over the old ones just by looking at the screenshots.

S-3 As well.

Adding a new or replacing an old AI asset is not as simple as replacing the 3D Model.

[draconus]

2 hours ago, Kang said:

...perhaps it would be a sane idea to take it to one of the assets for which it is a game-breaking issue and has been reported time and time again for years, like... a MiG-15 or so.

Are you trying to bump the FM bug report for the MiG in an unrelated wishlist thread?

[SkateZilla]

5 hours ago, Kang said:

If one was to update an AI asset with improved modeling of flight dynamics, damage model and all the jazz, perhaps it would be a sane idea to take it to one of the assets for which it is a game-breaking issue and has been reported time and time again for years, like... a MiG-15 or so.

Flight Model related issues have nothing to do with 3D Modelling or Systems Modelling. 

[Silver_Dragon]

On 5/19/2023 at 3:19 PM, Northstar98 said:

They've shown off WIP models of the B-1Bs MPRL (multi-purpose rotary launcher, which is the left-most model) and 2 variants of the CBM/SECBM (AFAIK the right-most one is a 28-store version and the centre is a 10-store version):

 

I mean seeing them in operation, that's big words.

[Silver_Dragon]

@KangDCS World 2.8... you can see perfect the diferences... intent compare the day with the night, and new 3d models near to a level of a pilotable module.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Silver_Dragon

[AngelAtTheTomb]

They're beautiful models, sure. Making them work properly is a lot of work, sure.

 

But it's also fair to be frustrated with the pace of development. ED has got to find a way to direct more resources to the core sim OR to make acceptable compromises on quality. A pretty good B-52 five years ago would have been better than a beautiful B-52...someday?

 

A thriving sim ecosystem requires an ecosystem. The AI part of the game has been neglected for a very, very long time, after being the source of some sketchy business decisions (WW2 Unit Pack anyone?), and that memory is going to take more than three (again, very pretty) models to overcome.

[Kang]

11 hours ago, Silver_Dragon said:

 

 

 

 

@KangDCS World 2.8... you can see perfect the diferences... intent compare the day with the night, and new 3d models near to a level of a pilotable module.

 

 

 

My point exactly, they look amazing but sadly are relegated to being in trailers, where they have been shown off quite a while ago. Anyway, I feel I have spoken my piece.

[twistking]

On 5/24/2023 at 1:52 AM, AngelAtTheTomb said:

A pretty good B-52 five years ago would have been better than a beautiful B-52...someday?

Very much agree. With this pace of development it will take 50 years at least to update all AI models.
Some of the AI added in the last years (SU-34) still lack even the simplest damage model. ED has to either put more rescource on those core things, or they have to rethink their extremely high standards: I think the AI models from the DCS 1.0 area still hold up pretty well today in normal gameplay. The obvious problem are the models from the old Flanker area.
In all the missions i fly there are at least a couple of units whose amount of polygons i could count on my hands...

Edited May 25, 2023 by twistking

[AngelAtTheTomb]

It also seems like the model update priorities are pretty illogical. B-1, a unit most players are never going to see, except maybe taxiing past on the tarmac? High priority, internal weapons modeling, 110% effort.

 

SH-60, a unit that every carrier mission will have several of, right next to the player? Nope, the Minecraft model from 1993 is fine.

 

The pace of full-fidelity pilotable models is faster than AI aircraft. What?

 

If I could wave a magic wand, the priority would be:

1. AI "adversary" aircraft. Su-17/22, MiG-23/27 (RAZBAM's won't be out for another five years at this pace), MiG-25. JH-7, J-11.

2. Realistic 2000s/2010s NATO AI and carrier models. AI SH/MH-60, Viking, Super Hornet, EA-6B, CH-53, V-22. We would see these up-close all the time and their inclusions would allow much more realistic missions.

3. AI Cold War. No shortage of choices. With F-4 and Vietnam coming, it's going to need a ton of AI models to make it remotely realistic. So will Kfir/Sinai.

4. Ground equipment. Always more ground equipment.

5. Airlift. C-17, A-400M, C-5, C-141.

6. Bombers.

Edited May 26, 2023 by AngelAtTheTomb

[RichCotte]

Well, I for one, love the idea of flying escort or just getting up close to the BUFFs, so wish they looked better.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

On 5/26/2023 at 3:04 PM, AngelAtTheTomb said:

If I could wave a magic wand, the priority would be:

Personally I'd put the older player-flyable aircraft on the top of the priority list: Huey, Mi-8, the various FC3 aircraft, MiG-21, ...

[Gunfreak]

2 hours ago, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

Personally I'd put the older player-flyable aircraft on the top of the priority list: Huey, Mi-8, the various FC3 aircraft, MiG-21, ...

Yeah old helicopters, the Mig 15 and F86, the F5(which apparently will get some sort of update on ED time(so mabye within 5 years)