Insurgent Asset pack

[Devil 505]

With the Chinook coming out, Kiowa, and already having the Syria and Sinai map, when are we getting a proper insurgent/terrorist AI pack?  I know I am beating a dead horse but is there any details on the future of ground AI assets, specifically for the time periods and regions we currently have? 

I would like to see some Al Quida, Isis, Hamas units along with maybe some different vehicles.  Proper detailed weapons such as RPK's, AK's, and RPGs. This is a must for the Rotor pilots.  Especially when the Kiowa comes out and is working tandem in multiplayer with the Apache.  We need proper enemies.

The same could be said about period specific allies including US Army troops in appropriate uniforms, special operation command to include Sela and SF AI units, and even Marine Marsoc and Airforce PJ's. We need some love on the ground to flesh out what is coming and what we already have.  Really hope to hear back on this one.  Seem like this topic has been running silent for years and eightball is the only one who has made a mod.  Not knocking it but it does not do justice to what we need in DCS.  Better than nothing, but looking forward to seeing some better AI units on the ground.

[sirrah]

As much as I'd love to see these units added, in my opinion AI and static units dlc asset packs would be a bad way forward for DCS.

 

Sorry for potentially turning this wish into yet another "asset pack discussion". Everybody can wish whatever he/she wants of course, but as a DCS enthusiast (and wishing for DCS to further improve), I just feel the need to express my personal opinion regarding this wish

[FlankerKiller]

2 hours ago, sirrah said:

As much as I'd love to see these units added, in my opinion AI and static units dlc asset packs would be a bad way forward for DCS.

 

Sorry for potentially turning this wish into yet another "asset pack discussion". Everybody can wish whatever he/she wants of course, but as a DCS enthusiast (and wishing for DCS to further improve), I just feel the need to express my personal opinion regarding this wish

Nothing is free. 

[sirrah]

32 minutes ago, FlankerKiller said:

Nothing is free. 

Well, in its base, DCS World is..

 

Trust me mate, I'm well aware that work should be paid.

But imho, adding these kind of assets, should be part of DCS's general development plan, instead of creating an unlimited amount of dlc's (I mean, only this "insurgent dlc"? An "improved AI 3D models" dlc? Or why not a dlc for every wish that passes on this forum?).

 

How ED run their development stategy and how they ensure a steady income to provide for all these improvements we're seeing with every update, I do not know. If it would help speed up progress on additional assets (like mentioned by the OP), I'd gladly pay more for flyable modules. But asking money for AI assets that the community uses to create content/ missions from, will scatter the already quite thin MP community.

[FlankerKiller]

I disagree. One there has never been an improved Ai DLC. But you cannot tell me that in a community where each module cost the better part of $100 probably more in the future, where users are spending at least several hundred dollars on computer and hardware just to fly that paying for an asset pack is to much. New maps don’t divide the community. New aircraft don’t divide the community. Why would a reasonably priced asset pack divide the community? 

[sirrah]

5 minutes ago, FlankerKiller said:

I disagree. One there has never been an improved Ai DLC. But you cannot tell me that in a community where each module cost the better part of $100 probably more in the future, where users are spending at least several hundred dollars on computer and hardware just to fly that paying for an asset pack is to much. New maps don’t divide the community. New aircraft don’t divide the community. Why would a reasonably priced asset pack divide the community? 

New maps (and the SC module) do divide the community. Though with the currently "limited" amount of maps, this effect is minimally noticeable at the moment and/or we simply got used to it.

You can't deny, that when 50 more asset packs (or maps for all that matter) are added, that would for sure cause less and less populated servers (even with a steadily growing player base, there will never be enough players to fill all those different servers).

The World map (ambitious as it is) ED talks about, will prevent further MP community scatter.

 

Payware flyable aircraft modules don't split up the MP community, as most of the larger online servers allow everyone to fly whatever they want (some obviously choose a specific era like ww2, cold war, etc).

 

But I don't want to derail the OP's wish any further from my end. I shared my opinion and I respect yours @FlankerKiller 

[upyr1]

20 minutes ago, FlankerKiller said:

I disagree. One there has never been an improved Ai DLC. But you cannot tell me that in a community where each module cost the better part of $100 probably more in the future, where users are spending at least several hundred dollars on computer and hardware just to fly that paying for an asset pack is to much. New maps don’t divide the community. New aircraft don’t divide the community. Why would a reasonably priced asset pack divide the community? 

The reason new ac don't divide the community is because you don't need to buy the new AC to face it in combat on your favorite server. Asset packs on the other hand do require that you own them to connect to a server that uses them. If we at least had a filter I don't think it would be as big of a problem.  This is the reason I want land and naval modules. 

[FlankerKiller]

Assets are not that expensive. I highly doubt there would ever be 50 asset packs. Of course, I also highly doubt we will ever see improved infantry, or any kind of insurgent infantry, other than what we already have. Maybe if people are willing to pay for it, it would happen. there are some really good mods out there. That’s probably the best forever. Going to get in the best way to increase the amount of assets just for the community to do it themselves maybe if people who can produce high-quality mods can submit those mods to ED then maybe. but I just don’t think Eagle dynamics has the time and with no income coming in to do it the money to produce various ground assets to match the maps and  aircraft that we have. NOTHING IS FREE. 

Edited October 10, 2023 by FlankerKiller

[upyr1]

22 hours ago, Devil 505 said:

Proper detailed weapons such as RPK's, AK's, and RPGs.

This is necessary for any Redfor infantry. 

[Stackup]

8 hours ago, FlankerKiller said:

NOTHING IS FREE. 

Except of course DCS: World, which is in fact free and marketed as such.  From their own website:

Instead of asset packs, I say they should just make the base game $60 or something and actually upgrade all the models for every asset they've ever put in the game and work more on the core of DCS instead of just new aircraft modules.  That way they can make money without making and selling new aircraft and can actually focus on additions to the base game like more and better assets like ships, AI aircraft, infantry, ATC, the world map, etc.

[draconus]

4 hours ago, Stackup said:

Instead of asset packs, I say they should just make the base game $60 or something and actually upgrade all the models for every asset they've ever put in the game and work more on the core of DCS instead of just new aircraft modules.  That way they can make money without making and selling new aircraft and can actually focus on additions to the base game like more and better assets like ships, AI aircraft, infantry, ATC, the world map, etc.

Fortunately there are no plans to change the system of DCS being free with paid DLC. ED do what they do best and it shows - the player base and DCS is growing. The map and aircraft devs can't suddenly jump to making assets just because a few terrorist skins and technicals is not enough for some players. More AI assets are planned, old ones are being replaced, the core is in the works all the time (mostly MT, Vulkan, DLSS atm), ATC is in plans, so is world map, DC engine and many more. It's not so easy as throwing more money, hiring hundreds of employees and the software is quickly done, then sold successfully and customer base grows 1000-fold. We're the niche, don't forget.

Edited October 11, 2023 by draconus

[Devil 505]

Really did not want to see this turn into a thread about paying or not.  Pretty simple, if you dont want to pay, do not buy.  If you want something better than the base game, pay to have it. If you think it should be free, learn to code, design and develop it for all of us.

Back to the real topic, do people want these AI assets as much as I do? I have a sneaky feeling something is in the pipe ED will talk about with CA being worked on and the new character movements, but it has been radio silence for a while on that front.  I was hoping someone from ED might jump in and throw us a bone.  If not, I would love to see some third party love on the AI packs for modern day conflicts. 

[upyr1]

15 hours ago, Devil 505 said:

Really did not want to see this turn into a thread about paying or not.  Pretty simple, if you dont want to pay, do not buy.  If you want something better than the base game, pay to have it. If you think it should be free, learn to code, design and develop it for all of us.

Back to the real topic, do people want these AI assets as much as I do? I have a sneaky feeling something is in the pipe ED will talk about with CA being worked on and the new character movements, but it has been radio silence for a while on that front.  I was hoping someone from ED might jump in and throw us a bone.  If not, I would love to see some third party love on the AI packs for modern day conflicts. 

That is what happens when the words asset pack appears in a thread. The key is to simply ask for the assets and then let ED figure out how to do it. As I stated earlier some of the requests notibally the infantry needs to be done anyhow and since most of the maps leave one with the impression the DCS is the desert combat simulator 

Edited October 12, 2023 by upyr1

[Devil 505]

It is not that I disagree with what you are saying.  It would have been nice to see insurgents come with the Syria map, in fact at one point I thought ED said they were making them.  After we got a couple technical trucks with guns in the back of the pickup, it seemed to end there.  I was hoping for actual insurgent units.

The goal of this post was to 1. see if ED might comment on future units such as these, and 2. see if the interest was there to purchase a Middle East asset pack if DCS had no plans to make them.  I agree with you that it makes it a pain for some people who do not have the finances to buy an additional asset pack, but ED simply cannot make this stuff for free.  Another thing to look at is the WW2 maps. DCS went the route of adding the asset pack for that because of all the time and hard work that went into the details for those assets, and they are still adding to it today.   

To be honest, name one flight sim that has actually included high fidelity ground units and Infantry with it along with the base sim.  It has not been done, at least not to the standards of ED. I know you could probably debate IL-2 because they have Tank Battles, but here again, the ground units come as a separate module, and you pay a lot for it.  For the quality and realism we expect to see out of ED, I would expect to pay them for the hard work they put into it.  To ask for a large asset pack for free with a base map is not financially sound.  

On 10/11/2023 at 9:14 PM, upyr1 said:

That is what happens when the words asset pack appears in a thread. The key is to simply ask for the assets and then let ED figure out how to do it. As I stated earlier some of the requests notibally the infantry needs to be done anyhow and since most of the maps leave one with the impression the DCS is the desert combat simulator 

 

 

[Stackup]

7 minutes ago, Devil 505 said:

To ask for a large asset pack for free with a base map is not financially sound.  

I don't know about large packs, but some developers have already added free asset packs to the base game.  Razbam did a South Atlantic asset pack, Deka did a Chinese asset pack, Heatblur was planning all 4 Forrestal carriers plus the AI A-6E, KA-6D and a J-35, and then we have the WWII Pacific Assets pack from M3/ED that should be coming with either the F4U or WWII Marianas map.  Or maybe that one wil be paid like the one we already have from ED, who knows at this point. 

So it's not out of the realm of possibility for asset "packs" to be added for free.  None of the currently released items I mentioned even requires you to own anything but the free DCS download.  Another thing is how realistic do you really need these insurgents to be?  Humans are pretty small in terms of looking at them through T-Pods or out the window so they don't necessarily have to be the most highly detailed assets ever, unlike a tanker aircraft that's rather large and you spend a lot of time looking at it.  There are already insurgent units in DCS (yes I know they don't look that great or fit the middle east and they still have the old janky animations) and infantry is on the list of things to be updated so expect the units we currently have to be updated.  Of course anything they do will take 2 weeks^TM...

[Devil 505]

On 10/12/2023 at 10:17 PM, Stackup said:

I don't know about large packs, but some developers have already added free asset packs to the base game.  Razbam did a South Atlantic asset pack, Deka did a Chinese asset pack, Heatblur was planning all 4 Forrestal carriers plus the AI A-6E, KA-6D and a J-35

You sir have put me in my place! This is a good call.  I forgot about these and I own all of the ones that are released.  I am not 100% sure what magnitude will do at this point either with the WW2 stuff.  I feel like they will release everything all at once, but I feel like we will get charged for the carrier.  In an interview, they said they were wanting to do deck crew for the carrier, but it might be a little harder with WW2 stuff.  We shall see.

[Looking Glass]

Agreed - more enemy ground assetts like troop with skins for Isis, Al Queda and other factions would be great.

The newly added Scout vehicles are superb!