The Rookie Thread

[Luigi Gorgonzola]

Multiplayer flights are automatically saved but as far as I know SP tracks aren't.

Not at client side. At least, all my tracks in "Saved Games\DCS BlackShark 2\Tracks\Multiplayer" originate from sessions that I hosted.

[rockstar13]

Hi Guys.

Looked in users/saved games and the only folder there is a demo folder.

Now if i start Black Shark (version 1 by the way) if i go to replay then i can watch

the trak,so it must be saved somewhere i think.

 

David

[Luigi Gorgonzola]

Sorry, I assumed BS2. In BS your last flown missioin track is located in the "Temp" folder of your BS1 installation path, e.g. "C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\Ka-50\Temp"

[rockstar13]

Hi Luigi.

Had a look in the temp folder as you said and the folder is empty,could i be doing something wrong when saving the trak, i click the save trak button in the debriefing window,give it a name like first eject,it has a default file path and click save,but can not find it anywhere! not even in the default file path.

 

David

[Luigi Gorgonzola]

That's weird. I did a brief testrun with BS1 today to check the file locations.

 

Ah, I see BS1 offers the "Tracks" folder of the BS1 installatioin path as a default file path. May be you don't have the permission (by Windows) to write into that folder? That would explain the missing track file... My installation is on a different drive (E:\) than Windows so it doesn't conflict with the default Windows file and folder permissions.

[rockstar13]

Looks like i am going to do some searching to find out if there is a way to change the permissions in win 7 as i am the only user i thought i already had administrator permission.

 

David

[Bucic]

Multiplayer flights are automatically saved but as far as I know SP tracks aren't.

 

Not at client side. At least, all my tracks in "Saved Games\DCS BlackShark 2\Tracks\Multiplayer" originate from sessions that I hosted.

 

Sorry, I assumed BS2. In BS your last flown missioin track is located in the "Temp" folder of your BS1 installation path, e.g. "C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\Ka-50\Temp"

 

Let's establish some facts (please correct me if I'm wrong!)

1. in BS 1 you could find the most recent track in the Temp folder in the game folder
   
2. ...including multiplayer clientside (regular player's) sessions
   

 

Now, personally I'm not a big fan, to say the least, of applications roaming with their stuff all over my disk drive as the whole Documents and Settings organization in Windows sucks, topped with frivolous approach of many developers. I doubt we can convince ED to go back to the old files layout but if these changes haven't been properly documented that would be really amateurish. Are you guys sure the directories of player's interest are not listed in the GUI manual?

Edited December 21, 2011 by Bucic

[GGTharos]

The devs are following the multi-user security conventions for Windows 7. I'm sorry, but you're completely wrong to call anything amateurish in this case.

 

Now, personally I'm not a big fan, to say the least, of applications roaming with their stuff all over my disk drive as the whole Documents and Settings organization in Windows sucks, topped with frivolous approach of many developers. I doubt we can convince ED to go back to the old files layout but if these changes haven't been properly documented that would be really amateurish. Are you guys sure the directories of player's interest are not listed in the GUI manual?

[Bucic]

The devs are following the multi-user security conventions for Windows 7. I'm sorry, but you're completely wrong to call anything amateurish in this case.

You misunderstood me. I'd call lack of proper documentation re the changes in directories layout ammateurish, if that's the case. I specifically highlighted that 'keep your files in the program installation folder' is my personal preference, and nothing more.

Edited January 9, 2012 by Bucic

[GGTharos]

Ah, my mistake, sorry.

[rjsagel]

NEWBIE QUESTION-GAME OR SIM

 

Hello,

 

What is the difference between the KA-50 Game Mode and the KA-50 Sim Mode?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ron Sagel

[Bucic]

Hello,

 

What is the difference between the KA-50 Game Mode and the KA-50 Sim Mode?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ron Sagel

The answer is clearly laid out in the GUI manual. Pleaser refer to it. If you intend to spend some time with DCS BS enjoying its main advantage, realism, do not use the 'easy mode'.

Also Sticky: Rookie pilots - Quick Intro

[Griffin]

A couple of questions that arised while flying the BS2 since a long time.

The first picture shows a big difference between Shkval and HUD range. The laser is quite fresh there and I'm definately in range. I don't remember seeing this before.

 

 

 

The situation in the second pic kept bugging me for the whole RTB leg. After killing all targets I switched to NAV mode, all weapons off, laser off, datalink cleared etc but I still get target queing symbology on the HUD. I remember having this in BS1 also and no switch flicking cleared it. I didn't try to turn off any systems though but cycled through different NAV and TGT modes and used my Shkval too but the symbology was stuck.

 

[Luigi Gorgonzola]

Regarding the second pic (target symbology) - did you do a reset?

 

10. “СБРОС” (Targeting mode reset) button. To the cease targeting and return the HUD to the navigation mode' date=' press this button. [bACKSPACE']

 

For me, this usually helps.

[Griffin]

Yes that's the first thing always and I reset everytime I did something.

[Luigi Gorgonzola]

Yes that's the first thing always and I reset everytime I did something.

Strange, I always was able to return the HUD to normal by resetting the system.

[Shootist]

Just bought the game and am finding it totally foreign to me as opposed to A10. I downloaded some very blurry, non interactive movies for training but am wondering if DCS supplied some interactive tutorials to get me up and running.

[Bucic]

No interactive ones.

[BigBANGtheory]

I finally got around to using my 2nd monitor (19" 1280x1024) and successfuly got the Shkval and ABRIS being displayed, but I would like to ask the more experienced pilots....

 

...is it better to use more of the display for the Shkval or the ABRIS?

 

Obviously its a balance but would you recommended 50/50 or 65/35 split based on how useful it is to see detail?

[71st_Mastiff]

more on the schvall as you'll use that more

[Sunjammer]

Hey all

 

I've been flying the A-10 for a while and enjoying that a whole lot; Picked up the TM Warthog set and a trackir5, and have been playing some multiplayer flights. I really dug in deep in DCS A-10.

 

But I bought Black Shark when that was released, but that game was a brick wall to me. Now, being used to DCS A-10 and having more hardware to assist me, I decided to buy the BS2 upgrade and see if I didn't have better luck.

 

Upsides: I have a much better understanding of what "standard" gauges in a cockpit mean now, and also have a better understanding of startup procedures and dependencies, so getting around the startup, which was a long arduous learning process in the A-10, has been very smooth now with that prior knowledge.

 

But holy crap if flying this thing isn't unpleasant.

 

So, naturally, I know that a) I'm bad at it, and b) I'm bad at it. I really want to improve, and especially after learning how to use the Shkval and HMS together (Man, if the A-10 had an HMS...).

 

The issues I have are simple, I think; I feel like I always fight the autopilot, and I never have a good sense of the trimmer. Having to re-center the stick every time I trim exacerbates this issue; I keep wishing i had a way to trim the cyclic with a hat...

 

So, some questions regarding the trimmer/AP :-)

 

1. What is the best procedure for applying the rudder from an auto-hover if I wish to laterally align with a target? Right now i'm finding it is actually easier to use the Shkval and turn-to-target than to perform this manually.. The AP always wants to return to the same angle "stored" when AH was engaged, so the procedure as I understand it is to hold the trim, rudder to the desired angle, and release the trim. This gives moderately good results, but tends to throw the trim off in some way. It feels "dirty".

 

3. On the topic of the rudder; Is it normal for the helicopter to want to turn laterally even with no rudder applied? I feel like the #1 reason to trim for me right now is to keep the chopper from turning to the right during level flight. Actually: I'm not CRAZY to want to use the rudder a lot, am I?

 

2. Is it normal to constantly feel like the nose wants to go up or down way more than I intend it to? I'm using really small cyclic movements but still I get into situations where I'm trimmed into a corner and I have to reset it or slam into a mountain, and ALWAYS when I reset the trim in such a situation, I better have the cyclic hard forward, or the chopper is going to invert backwards.

 

If I were to sum up all my issues, it's that it feels like everything I want to do is attenuated, and everything I don't want to do is accentuated: Nose goes too far, bank doesn't go far enough. I feel like I'm in a constant argument with the helo. As a result I can't really manage anything resembling truly controlled flight. It's maddening.

 

Any pointers on good ways to practice arguing with the AP, since that's apparently a big part of flying this thing?

[Bucic]

Hey all

.

.

.

For now

BS Auto Pilot description and operation

[bluepilot76]

 

Any pointers on good ways to practice arguing with the AP, since that's apparently a big part of flying this thing?

 

Hi, if your new to it or not enjoying the AP functions then try using FD instead, it will give you a much more conventional control that feels a lot more natural to many people. It does mean you will have to fly the thing rather than letting the AP control trajectory, but it feels very natural and is easy to cope with the simple BS systems whilst being hands on with the chopper.

 

Come back to the AP later or on long boring cross country legs where you can enjoy its benefits.

 

Thats what I does.

[Bucic]

Hi, if your new to it or not enjoying the AP functions then try using FD instead, it will give you a much more conventional control that feels a lot more natural to many people. It does mean you will have to fly the thing rather than letting the AP control trajectory, but it feels very natural and is easy to cope with the simple BS systems whilst being hands on with the chopper.

 

Come back to the AP later or on long boring cross country legs where you can enjoy its benefits.

 

Thats what I does.

Please stop recommending practices against standard operating procedures to rookies.

[Bushmanni]

Official standard procedures don't work for everyone because of many reasons including controller hardware issues and as such it's not helpful to keep other ways of doing stuff secret. Knowledge of the official way is important though.

 

Helicopters have a natural tendency to not fly exactly where the nose points when flying straight forward. Even if the co-axial design reduces this tendency in Ka-50 it will still want to fly a bit sideways. You need to either sideslip a bit or fly with a bit of roll angle.

 

At slower speeds when the helicopter is flying sideways it has a tendency to turn it's nose to the direction of movement. Change of speed and direction will change the forces affecting the chopper and requires a re-trim to keep the nose direction. While autopilot will compensate for this it has limited authority.

 

Increasing collective or forward speed both affect pitch up tendency positively. Changes in either one require re-trim to keep the nose from pitching up or down. You can also use this to aim rockets more accurately by making the last small adjustment in pitch angle with collective instead of cyclic.

 

Learn to stay coordinated in turns and you will find the chopper much easier to control. Also learn to use the AP even if you like to fly with FD on as employing weapons effectively requires you to not be able to fly manually all the time.

Edited February 4, 2012 by Bushmanni