The ability to pick and choose skins.

[Caveman655]

Would ED be able to set it up that we only have a single default skin installed for each of the aircraft in the game and let us pick and choose which ones we want to install the full skin collection for as a space saving measure. As a example I frequently fly the F-14, but don't own the F-4. So for me its a waste of nearly 12GB of space to have all the skins downloaded for the F-4. There is already a similar system in place for campaigns so how difficult would it be to set this up for skins?

[MAXsenna]

Would ED be able to set it up that we only have a single default skin installed for each of the aircraft in the game and let us pick and choose which ones we want to install the full skin collection for as a space saving measure. As a example I frequently fly the F-14, but don't own the F-4. So for me its a waste of nearly 12GB of space to have all the skins downloaded for the F-4. There is already a similar system in place for campaigns so how difficult would it be to set this up for skins?

Look up the threads requesting a livery manager, and give your voice/vote.
Cheers!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Northstar98]

I would definitely appreciate a livery manager to manage all of the liveries. It would be, in principle, identical to the module manager.

The repair and update utilities are already able to scan for and exclusively download those that are either absent or modified, so the underlying functionality is already present. I'm already able to delete liveries without issue, so that's not a problem - really it's more about being able to blacklist certain liveries from being redownloaded (hell, I'd be happy if it was a blacklist in a configuration file).

And no, before anybody chimes in about how liveries only represent a small amount of install size of storage space, that's completely irrelevant. Firstly, nobody can add $2 or whatever's worth of storage space, they can only free up space by deleting unwanted, unneeded and/or unused files. Secondly, why should users store files that they potentially don't use, don't need and don't want, even if they have lots of storage space (I still have over 400 GBs on a 1 TB drive that's solely dedicated to DCS World). Thirdly, how come we can manage whether or not 3rd party campaigns are installed, which also only represents a small amount of storage space and the total install size?

It's not even solely about storage space either - I've made fixes to some aircraft such that their liveries are sorted by country (an easy example is the MiG-21bis - I don't see why when I select USSR, the first livery that shows up is for Afghanistan and why I should have to scroll through a list that's nearly 10 times longer than it needs to be, just to find the half dozen or-so liveries that are actually appropriate for the USSR). While definitely less of an issue, I'm also not a fan of inconsistency, so I make my own edits to the names and orders as I see fit.

While it would be better if liveries were sorted as standard, I'm okay with making the edits myself. The problem is that they'll all be undone when an update or repair is done (so what I've done is copied them over to my user area, so I can just drag and drop them back in and delete the duplicates - though the updater/repair will also create a backup folder which contain any modified files/folders), while that doesn't take much time to do, it is something I have to do each and every time an update/repair is run and it's time that adds up. I'd definitely appreciate having a livery manager so that I only need to make edits once.

 

Personally though, should a livery manager be implemented (or livery managing functionality to the module manager be added), its default behaviour should be to do what happens now - i.e. all official liveries are downloaded and installed, such that only those wanting to change which liveries are installed need touch anything.

If this is going to be problematic in multiplayer, then official liveries could be something the integrity checker checks for, at the discretion of mission editors.

 

As MAXsenna alluded to, there was a larger thread on the topic, which can be found here, feel free to chime in there (though I assume this will get merged there).

[Irisz]

18 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Look up the threads requesting a livery manager, and give your voice/vote.
Cheers!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

He has not been interested in ED for 4 years, buy a bigger SSD. Meanwhile, they don't understand why DCS World is not so popular and why you have to aggressively push the marketing to buy something in the ED shop.

I can't find what you are talking about!

Edit: I found it in the meantime! Unfortunately, the topic is dead!

Edited May 26, 2024 by Irisz

[MAXsenna]

He has not been interested in ED for 4 years, buy a bigger SSD. Meanwhile, they don't understand why DCS World is not so popular and why you have to aggressively push the marketing to buy something in the ED shop.
I can't find what you are talking about!
Edit: I found it in the meantime! Unfortunately, the topic is dead!

Read your answer. Give the topic star ratings too!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Irisz]

1 hour ago, MAXsenna said:

Read your answer. Give the topic star ratings too!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

Thank you for your precious time and help sir!

[Beirut]

22 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

And no, before anybody chimes in about how liveries only represent a small amount of install size of storage space, that's completely irrelevant.

 

Liveries only represent a small amount of install size of storage space. That fact is completely relevant.

 

22 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

Secondly, why should users store files that they potentially don't use, don't need and don't want, even if they have lots of storage space. (I still have over 400 GBs on a 1 TB drive that's solely dedicated to DCS World)

 

Probably because the developers see this as a non-issue unworthy of their time. And as you still have over 400GB free on a 1TB drive that's solely dedicated to DCS World, this would appear to be a non-issue for you as well.

 

I have less than 300GB free on a 1TB drive that's dedicated solely to DCS World and it's certainly a non-issue for me.

 

22 hours ago, Northstar98 said:

Thirdly, how come we can manage whether or not 3rd party campaigns are installed, which also only represents a small amount of storage space and the total install size?

 

You can manage whether or not 3rd party skins are installed.

[MAXsenna]

 
You can manage whether or not 3rd party skins are installed.

Will you ever see the light?
I agree with you that for the two of us, disks space is irrelevant and cheap. While for others it isn't. Wouldn't a livery manager that connects directly to the user files something you would just love?
Cheers my friend! Hope your weekend was great!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Northstar98]

2 hours ago, Beirut said:

Liveries only represent a small amount of install size of storage space.

There are some modules that only represent a small amount of install size/storage space (some are even smaller than liveries), yet there's a manager for those.

Same for the campaigns, they're also small, representing a tiny fraction of the install size, yet there's a manager for those as well.

2 hours ago, Beirut said:

That fact is completely relevant.

No it isn't, because as established, this exists for modules and campaigns. Some of the former are even smaller than liveries and the latter is also only a small amount of space too. Clearly how large the files are has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not a manager should exist for them. Rendering this fact completely irrelevant.

It also isn't relevant, because even if I have storage space (and I do), why should I store files I don't need, want or use? That can be deleted without consequence?

Storage space also isn't the only possible reason either - like I said, I make fixes to the description.luas for liveries. So it's doubly irrelevant.

The fact that someone like me, who has lots of storage space is advocating for a manager, should tell you just how irrelevant the storage space argument is. It's puzzling how you don't see that.

2 hours ago, Beirut said:

Probably because the developers see this as a non-issue unworthy of their time. And as you still have over 400GB free on a 1TB drive that's solely dedicated to DCS World, this would appear to be a non-issue for you as well.

I take it you didn't read the part where I said that this isn't solely about storage space? I take it it's not the only thing you didn't read.

And true to form, completely failing to answer why I should store files I don't want to store, don't need to store, don't use and won't face any consequences if they're removed.

So I'll ask again, why should I store files I don't want, need or use, that can be deleted with no consequence to myself?

Edited May 26, 2024 by Northstar98

[Northstar98]

27 minutes ago, Beirut said:

You can manage whether or not 3rd party skins are installed.

???

[MAXsenna]

???

RCtrl+A, then RShft+Del I guess.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Beirut]

1 hour ago, MAXsenna said:

Will you ever see the light?

 

I require guidance to reach the promised land. 

 

1 hour ago, MAXsenna said:

I agree with you that for the two of us, disks space is irrelevant and cheap. While for others it isn't. Wouldn't a livery manager that connects directly to the user files something you would just love?

 

Not a big deal for me, to be honest. 

 

1 hour ago, MAXsenna said:

Cheers my friend! Hope your weekend was great!

 

So far. Speaking of seeing the light, off to repent in an hour. I'll put in a good word for you. 

[Slippa]

7 minutes ago, Beirut said:

 

I require guidance to reach the promised land. 

 

 

 

Don’t we all .

[Beirut]

1 hour ago, Northstar98 said:

So I'll ask again, why should I store files I don't want, need or use, that can be deleted with no consequence to myself?

 

Then delete them. Problem solved.

 

You're welcome. 

[MAXsenna]

 
So far. Speaking of seeing the light, off to repent in an hour. I'll put in a good word for you. 

Much appreciated!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

Don’t we all .

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Northstar98]

29 minutes ago, Beirut said:

Then delete them. Problem solved.

Wrong.

Problem not solved:

On 5/25/2024 at 1:27 PM, Northstar98 said:

[..] it is something I have to do each and every time an update/repair is run and it's time that adds up. I'd definitely appreciate having a livery manager so that I only need to make edits once.

[Beirut]

1 minute ago, Northstar98 said:

Wrong.

Problem not solved:

 

If you have the time to post here, you have the time to adjust the files to your liking. 

[Slippa]

Deleting stuff I don’t want, need, etc. etc isn’t a problem really for me.

I wouldn’t mind a livery manager though either .

[Czar66]

DCS modules could offer 2 or 3 mandatory to have liveries based on camouflage pattern on the installation for multiplayer purposes. And these being highlighted on the livery selection. Example: USAF grey(very versatile)/silver or RUS blue/silver + Desert scheme for desert and mediterranean areas  + Green/Brown for tropical, tundra (maybe?) or dense vegetation areas. Among these, would be the already implemented real life liveries.

The rest would be managed through a module manager of the likes. But... for those who opt out would be missing a lot in immersion on campaigns and even on multiplayer as the liveries would default to the former mandatory ones depending on the camo.

For owned modules: Livery manager for the extra liveries, but most of the users will be installing all the liveries and then some on the user files anyways. There I was before owning the F-14 complaining about the 15gb liveries for a plane I didn't bought. After that, there I was downloading an extra 3gb of liveries for the bird.

For not owned modules: A livery manager for the extra liveries outside the required ones that would be used on multiplayer based on type of pattern the other player chosen.


Maybe better yet: A livery manager connected to the ED user files page directly without discarding the current user files page from access. But that's me dreaming.

Edited May 26, 2024 by Czar66

[Northstar98]

9 minutes ago, Beirut said:

If you have the time to post here, you have the time to adjust the files to your liking. 

On 5/25/2024 at 1:27 PM, Northstar98 said:

While it would be better if liveries were sorted as standard, I'm okay with making the edits myself. The problem is that they'll all be undone when an update or repair is done

I am fine with making edits and adjustments myself. It doesn't take much time to make them the once.

But, because there isn't a livery manager, any edits get overwritten, so they need to be done over and over again.

So the time adds up and adds up.

If there was a livery manager, not only could I choose what I install, but it would also mean that any fixes I decide to make only need to be made once.

I don't think I can make it any clearer than that.

 

Let's see if an analogy will help you out (probably not because you won't read it). Let's pretend for a minute that DCS, when an update or a repair is run, resets your controls and settings back to their defaults.

You probably don't have a problem with setting your controls up and setting your settings how you desire, but you probably would if DCS kept resetting them back to their defaults each time it was updated and repaired. This is, at a fundamental level, is no different whatsoever.

Imagine then that you ask for a way to make your changes to the controls and settings permanent and to not to be reset each time and I come along and tell you "If you have the time to post here, you have the time to adjust the files to your liking."

11 minutes ago, Slippa said:

Deleting stuff I don’t want, need, etc. etc isn’t a problem really for me.

That's absolutely fine - you're perfectly entitled to not care about things that I do. I recognise that this issue is quite minor and niche in the grand scheme of things, but that isn't an argument against it's inclusion.

I definitely appreciate you not arguing against it though, for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

9 minutes ago, Czar66 said:

DCS modules could offer 2 or 3 mandatory to have liveries based on camouflage pattern on the installation for multiplayer purposes. And these being highlighted on the livery selection. Example: USAF grey (very versatile) / RUS blue/silver + Desert scheme for desert and mediterranean areas  + Green/Brown for tropical, tundra (maybe?) or dense vegetation areas. Among these, would be the already implemented real life liveries.

Well, I'm fine with default behaviour being as it is now - i.e. install everything. Then if users wish to opt out for whatever reason, they can do so.

9 minutes ago, Czar66 said:

The rest would be managed through a module manager of the likes. But... for those who opt out would be missing a lot in immersion on campaigns and even on multiplayer as the liveries would default to the former mandatory ones depending on the camo.

Well, the only thing I'll say here is it should be up to the user what's more important to them. Being able to manage their liveries how they like or having greater immersion in campaigns/multiplayer etc.

It's fundamentally no different to people who run mods that fail the integrity checker - they need to decide what's more important to them - playing with mods, or playing on servers where the integrity checker is enabled.

[Czar66]

5 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

Well, the only thing I'll say here is it should be up to the user what's more important to them. Being able to manage their liveries how they like or having greater immersion in campaigns/multiplayer etc.

 

That's what I advocate for the most and why I mentioned a livery manager on that format. But also, the user choice can't alter multiplayer camouflage usage. Example, having only silver or white livery for MiGs against a forest background.

[Slippa]

6 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

I definitely appreciate you not arguing against it though, for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

I’m just sharing my opinion. You seem to be looking for an argument with someone that I neither need, nor want, nor blah de blah .

I’d use a livery manager if there was one. There isn’t yet but I’m not gonna get my knickers in a twist over it .

[Northstar98]

14 minutes ago, Slippa said:

I’m just sharing my opinion.

I wasn't being sarcastic - I genuinely do appreciate you sharing an opinion without being obstructionist for the sake of being one - the rolling eyes face wasn't intended for you. I appreciate that this is probably something only the minority cares about, that's perfectly fine.

[Northstar98]

31 minutes ago, Czar66 said:

But also, the user choice can't alter multiplayer camouflage usage. Example, having only silver or white livery for MiGs against a forest background.

Are you talking about some way of enforcing livery installation in multiplayer? Because I recognise that under certain circumstances, it might be useful to enforce liveries be installed/unmodified. In that case, I would certainly be open to having them be something the integrity checker checks for, at the discretion of the server owner or mission designer.

[Slippa]

^ Fair enough  - the internet n all, no worries.