DCS: Afghanistan FAQ

[BIGNEWY]

Trial version users are not seeing detail terrain at the airfields in the southwest region. 

Users who own Afghanistan should be ok, when I test my end the high detail areas at airfields look correct. 

 

[Hotdognz]

4 minutes ago, BIGNEWY said:

Trial version users are not seeing detail terrain at the airfields in the southwest region. 

Users who own Afghanistan should be ok, when I test my end the high detail areas at airfields look correct. 

 

Thanks for the reply, im seeing good detail at the airports

[C3PO]

Hi ED - Afghanistan map is BEAUTIFUL!

Slight issue with the speed that ground textures load when in the air, but apart from that extremely impressed.

[Flia]

Yes.Same here.I very like Afhan map. And i cannot wait for remaning 2 other parts.

[NineLine]

Added a new section to the FAQ:

What does Early Access, Features and such mean for Terrain and how does it compare to Aircraft modules? (ADDED)
We have noticed some confusion on what Early Access means for a terrain, especially one being sold with the possibility of owning only 1 or 2 parts. Features on a Terrain can be described as things like Airfields, Cities, POI's and such. Saying the SW portion is mostly feature complete it's for these types of objects and areas. What it doesn't mean is that those areas are necessarily done in layout or textures, all these things can change during Early Access. 
This also goes for textures, for example, some have pointed out areas where highly detailed abruptly bump up against low detailed areas. Even in the SW regions, this is still very much WIP. The challenge of doing a huge map like this is maintaining a reasonable size and performance. The idea here is to get the most out of the high-detail areas for all 3 areas, then go back and see how much we can push those medium-detail areas you would see between High and Low areas. If we were to complete the SW area before the others and push it to max levels before the other 2 areas were in, we run the risk of having an unmanageable sized map, or one with poor performance, and would require us to go back and pull some detail out. 
This is a very new way of doing a map, along with one of the biggest and most detailed maps to date, there will be some growing pains and it will look rough in places at times. We appreciate all those who are willing to continue on this EA with us, and we look forward to all your feedback and reports on the map!

[IceyJones]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb NineLine:

...The challenge of doing a huge map like this is maintaining a reasonable size and performance. ...

going forward, is ED considering streaming tech for maps? Like MSFS does, but with the high quality of DCS maps down to ground level? MSFS breaks apart with going low....

[Tom P]

Hoping ED adds a mission editor feature to level x amount of terrain so we can place fobs/cops on the hills.

[skywalker22]

 Awesome video of this country:

 

[VXE-6]

I have the full purchased map, and when I log in now it says offline mode and only Afghanistan is disabled...

null

Edited July 26, 2024 by VXE-6

[mattjonesgr9]

Will there be some uk assets added at a later date such as infantry, jackal and mastiff vehicles please ? P

[Gunfreak]

35 minutes ago, mattjonesgr9 said:

Will there be some uk assets added at a later date such as infantry, jackal and mastiff vehicles please ? P

And the viking/BvS10

 

[fhvn4d]

Looking at the east, and generally on the map as a whole, I noticed no real FOBs are added. I see major air bases but thats about it. Specifically, I was wondering if FOB Shank, in Logar Province was going to be part of the sim. There were some fairly famous battles in wanat/logar province, namely the shootdown of Extortion 17. Any lists out there that I missed? 

 

[BaikaL_RUS]

Так кто нибудь ответит на мой вопрос в начале беседы? Афганистан для любых типов, кроме Ми-8?!

 

[dino1984]

Having issue with map view - it is all blue, both in mission editor and in-game map view.

Is it known issue and is there solution?

This is Steam version.

[TKhaos]

9 minutes ago, dino1984 said:

Having issue with map view - it is all blue, both in mission editor and in-game map view.

Is it known issue and is there solution?

This is Steam version.

Make sure you are running it in MT mode (Play MT Preview) as it's a known issue with ST.

Check your AV for quarantined files.

Run Verify Files

and while your at it make sure you got Microsoft Viscual C++ 2015-2022 (x64) Build 14.40.33810 installed.

[dino1984]

Launching in MT solved problem, thanks.

[coughlinjon]

Is the full Afghanistan map currently available to fly (regardless of the low detail regions), or is *only* the SW portion of the map rendered in the sim right now?

If I purchase the full Afghanistan module, can I load and fly over low detail areas in the East today like the White Mountains bordering Pakistan?

Edited September 18, 2024 by coughlinjon

[Yurgon]

2 hours ago, coughlinjon said:

Is the full Afghanistan map currently available to fly (regardless of the low detail regions), or is *only* the SW portion of the map rendered in the sim right now?

The entire map is available to fly over right now. This is what Kabul looks like in DCS 2.9.7 (obviously the textures get very mushy when getting closer to the ground):

2 hours ago, coughlinjon said:

If I purchase the full Afghanistan module, can I load and fly over low detail areas in the East today like the White Mountains bordering Pakistan?

Yup. This screenshot is looking eastward towards Pakistan:

[coughlinjon]

38 minutes ago, Yurgon said:

The entire map is available to fly over right now. This is what Kabul looks like in DCS 2.9.7 (obviously the textures get very mushy when getting closer to the ground):

Yup. This screenshot is looking eastward towards Pakistan:

You rock! Thank you so much

[Victor3]

I actually flew a Viper from Kandahar to Bagram and back a couple of weeks ago, was able to land and take off at Bagram. Didn't look great, but it was there.

[YoYo]

On 3/28/2024 at 9:18 AM, BIGNEWY said:

 

DCS: Afghanistan and DCS: Southwest Afghanistan are now available for pre-purchase and are planned to enter Early Access in June 2024.

The vast and varied landscape of DCS: Afghanistan will provide a stunning environment in which to experience some of the most important conflicts of the past half-century. The entire map of Afghanistan and small portions of neighbouring countries will be available, showcasing our latest map technologies at a superb level of detail and fidelity. 

You can pre-purchase the full map of DCS: Afghanistan with a special 30% discount at $48.99 during the pre-purchase phase. The early access release price will be set at 20% off ($55.99) until the final release.

In addition to offering the whole map as one purchase, and given the immense size of the territory, we have also divided the map into three regions each available for individual purchase: DCS: Southwest Afghanistan, DCS: East Afghanistan, and DCS: North Afghanistan. Each regional map gives you access to the entire Afghanistan map but grants the highest level of detail for that region only. Regions will be released in approximately three-month intervals.

The southwestern region is the most complete today and will be released first. Today, you can pre-purchase DCS: Southwest Afghanistan for $23.99. The release price in June 2024 will be set at $29.99.DCS: East Afghanistan and DCS: North Afghanistan will be offered for individual purchase as and when they are ready, later in the year. There will be no pre-purchase price for these, which will be set at $29.99 each. If you wish to gain full access to these at release and wish to lock the best price, we recommend that you purchase DCS: Afghanistan now during the pre-purchase phase.

A purchase of DCS: Southwest Afghanistan makes the entire map flyable in single-player and multiplayer, but only the southwestern region will be at the highest level of detail once the map is complete.

This FAQ should answer the most common questions you may have.
 

*I Want the Whole Map in High Detail*

Excellent! Nothing changes for you and this will be like every map you have bought in the past. You need to purchase DCS: Afghanistan.

At the release of Early Access, you will have access to the whole map, but only the Southwest region will be in high detail and the others will be in low detail. Once the East region is ready, you will also see this in high detail. Once the North region is ready, you will also see this in high detail.
 

*Why Is the Map Available As Individual Sections?*

Please understand that this is one map, and you can buy the whole map in exactly the same way as you can with any other map. If you buy DCS: Afghanistan, you will have the whole map in high detail once each region is complete.

However, if you do not want the whole map and are only interested in a specific region, you have the option to buy only that region. If you do this, you will still have access to the whole map, but only the region you wanted will be in high detail, and the other regions will be in low detail. This is ‘Southwest’, ‘East’, and ‘North’.

The reasons for offering the split regions are:

1.      Allows a lower entry price if users want to fly one region only.

2.      Everyone is able to fly the map sooner. The regions of the map are being completed in stages with Southwest ready first, then East, then North. If we waited until the whole map was ready in high detail the Early Access release date would be much later.
 

What Does DCS: Afghanistan Offer?

This Afghanistan map includes the rugged mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush, the vast deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, and the many green fertile valleys and river basins of the region. Efforts have been dedicated to accurately portraying the unique cultural and urban features of Afghanistan. This involves recreating cities like Kandahar and Herat, with special attention to landmarks, infrastructure, and architectural styles like the blue mosque of Herat. 

High-resolution satellite imagery has aided authentic terrain textures and details, while aerial imagery has been used to enhance the accuracy of individual areas. Special focus is being given to the detailing of terrain features, including rivers, roads, vegetation, rocks, small stones, ground clutter and geological formations. The terrain presented is a representation of modern Afghanistan, most closely matching the years between 2008 and 2010. The map has been developed to offer gameplay that spans the many eras of combat in the region.

This is our most ambitious map yet and the sheer size, diversity of the terrain, and complex topography of Afghanistan have presented technical challenges, pushing the boundaries of our map-making technologies.  Performance optimization and development is ongoing, allowing the map to look good at both low and high altitudes.

The illustration below details the size of the whole map, and shows how it has been split into three distinct regions:

 

The regions have been divided in a way that offers maximum gameplay and re-enactment potential. The highest level of detail in each provides greater detail of terrain textures, a highly detailed road network, enhanced city scenes, airfield scenes, unique objects and cultural monuments, as well as improved texturing to a variety of buildings, vegetation, static cars etc. Please note that airfields are only planned within the borders of Afghanistan. There are currently no plans to add airfields from neighboring countries.

• DCS: Afghanistan (total) Area: 1449216 sq km
  28 Unique highly detailed airfields
• DCS: Southwest High Detail Area: 471381 sq km
  12 Unique highly detailed airfields
• DCS: East High Detail Area: 320529 sq km
  12 Unique highly detailed airfields
• DCS: North High Detail Area: 443199 sq km
  8 Unique highly detailed airfields

The highest level of detail for each region is only available with a purchase of each of the individual region products (Southwest, East, North), or with a purchase of DCS: Afghanistan. Regions that have not been purchased will be flyable but will display a lower level of detail.

Please note: The low vs high res areas will be analogous (similar) to what we have with Normandy 1944 and Normandy 2.0 Upgrade option.

What Is Included in DCS: Southwest Afghanistan?

 

The image above shows the area that is included in high detail with a purchase of DCS: Southwest Afghanistan. The entire DCS: Afghanistan map will be flyable at launch but is still under development.

DCS: Southwest Afghanistan will receive some updates post-release but will for all intents and purposes be feature-complete. This region includes 12 highly detailed airfields: Kandahar, Herat, Bost, Camp Bastion, Chaghcharan, Dwyer, Farah, Maymana Zahiraddin Faryabi, Qala i Naw, Shindand, Tirinkot, and Zaranj.

The southwest region is currently the most complete and will be released first. The second region to be released will be the Eastern region and finally the Northern region.

Please keep in mind that even if you purchase only one region, you will still be able to play online across the whole map with your friends and in your favourite servers, but the non-purchased regions will display lower detail.
 

How Much Will It Cost?

Early adopters in the pre-purchase stage will enjoy special discounts. The pre-purchase phase is planned to end in June 2024 with the Early Access release of DCS: Afghanistan and DCS: Southwest Afghanistan.

	Pre-purchase	Early Access	Release
DCS: Afghanistan	$48.99	$55.99	$69.99
DCS: Southwest Afghanistan	$23.99	N/A	$29.99
DCS: East Afghanistan	N/A	N/A	$29.99
DCS: North Afghanistan	N/A	N/A	$29.99

DCS: East Afghanistan and DCS: North Afghanistan will not receive pre-purchase nor early access pricing. Please kindly note, that the pricing above may be subject to change.
 

How Do I Purchase DCS: Afghanistan?

Pre-purchase DCS: Afghanistan in the e-Shop, here.
Pre-purchase DCS: Southwest Afghanistan in the e-Shop, here.

Pre-purchase is not currently available on DCS Steam Edition. We are doing our best to offer Steam users identical pre-purchase options for both DCS: Afghanistan and DCS: Southwest Afghanistan as soon as possible.

After early access , we will include DCS: Afghanistan in the two-week Free Trial Program on the e-Shop. The product will then be available for download via the in-game module manager for you to try before you buy. The Free Trial programme extends to most DCS modules; look for the ‘Trial’ button in the e-Shop for participating modules.
 

What Happens if I Buy the Map Regions Parts Individually?

While purchasing the whole DCS: Afghanistan map in one go will grant you a significant discount, you may wish to purchase only an individual region if you have a particular interest in that region only. 

By purchasing individual regions, you are curating the areas of the map that you wish to see in high detail. This option makes the map more accessible for those only interested in specific areas or are on a budget. Purchasing any of the individual regions will still give you access to the whole map in low detail. 

Those who purchase one region will not receive discounted pricing if they subsequently wish to purchase other regions. To enhance the detail of the map, additional regions may be purchased separately, as and when you wish.

Those of you who purchase DCS: Afghanistan as a whole will have the exact same access as another user who would purchase all of DCS: Southwest Afghanistan, DCS: East Afghanistan, and DCS: North Afghanistan individually.

Can I Fly with Friends or on Servers if We Have Mismatching Regions of DCS: Afghanistan?
Yes, you are all flying the same map and will be able to fly together without issue but the detail that each of you sees will differ. Remember that by purchasing individual regions you are curating the areas of the map that you wish to see in high detail. Those who purchase the whole map will see the whole map in high detail as and when each region becomes available and receive updates during the Early Access phase.

Will I Have Multiple Maps if I Purchase Individual Regions?
No. All purchases give access to one map and individually owned regions dictate what you see in high detail within that map. If, for example, you own both DCS: Southwest Afghanistan and DCS: East Afghanistan, you will see both of those regions in high detail and only DCS: North Afghanistan will be in low detail.

How Might Missions and Campaigns Be Affected by the Individual Map Regions?
If you are flying in a region where you do not have access to the highest level of detail, it may be that the creator of that mission or campaign references a world object you are not able to see. Otherwise, there will be no effect.

Will DCS: Afghanistan have Winter Textures? (ADDED)
Not at release, but is planned for later on after the Early Access Launch. 

If I only own 1 part, will I still see and be able to use airfields on parts I do not own? (ADDED)
Yes! Once the entire map is complete and if you only own 1 section, you will see the entire map, and the airfields in those unpurchased sections will be there and usable in the sim, including the ME. You will still see trees and buildings in these areas as well but in low-detail LODs.

What does Early Access, Features and such mean for Terrain and how does it compare to Aircraft modules? (ADDED)
We have noticed some confusion on what Early Access means for a terrain, especially one being sold with the possibility of owning only 1 or 2 parts. Features on a Terrain can be described as things like Airfields, Cities, POI's and such. Saying the SW portion is mostly feature complete it's for these types of objects and areas. What it doesn't mean is that those areas are necessarily done in layout or textures, all these things can change during Early Access. 
This also goes for textures, for example, some have pointed out areas where highly detailed abruptly bump up against low detailed areas. Even in the SW regions, this is still very much WIP. The challenge of doing a huge map like this is maintaining a reasonable size and performance. The idea here is to get the most out of the high-detail areas for all 3 areas, then go back and see how much we can push those medium-detail areas you would see between High and Low areas. If we were to complete the SW area before the others and push it to max levels before the other 2 areas were in, we run the risk of having an unmanageable sized map, or one with poor performance, and would require us to go back and pull some detail out. 
This is a very new way of doing a map, along with one of the biggest and most detailed maps to date, there will be some growing pains and it will look rough in places at times. We appreciate all those who are willing to continue on this EA with us, and we look forward to all your feedback and reports on the map!

More sources of information:
DCS: Afghanistan CasmoTV and Wags interview


We are truly thrilled to bring this monumental map to DCS that will allow you to explore and experience a region that has been so important to the late 20th and early 21st century.

Thank you all for your trust, passion and support. We look forward to your feedback and suggestions.

Please ask any further questions you may have below as comments.

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

Updated Maps: New Map

Previous Map

 

Hello!

I have a question about this: 

Quote

Regions will be released in approximately three-month intervals.

because there is no information in the newsletters. Theoretically 3 months have passed - July, August and September, so there should be another Region for the whole map. Is there any news if it will be in the October patch?

[ThorBrasil]

48 minutes ago, YoYo said:

Hello!

I have a question about this: 

because there is no information in the newsletters. Theoretically 3 months have passed - July, August and September, so there should be another Region for the whole map. Is there any news if it will be in the October patch?

I have this doubt too! Another thing. ED should not release the Iraq map until Afghanistan is 99% finished. The right thing to do would be to focus on just one map and when it is finished, release another. If the Iraq map comes out this year, I will wait until the Afghanistan map is finished to buy the Iraq map.

[petsild]

Hi,

I will also ask about the promised progress after three months.

[Tom P]

Yeah I haven't touched this map since launch...

I have a group of about 30 players that all bought this and are in the same boat. 

Edited October 3, 2024 by Tom P

[Gunfreak]

Honestly, they should spend a year finishing the south east part of the map.