DCS Update | Afghanistan Early Access | F-16C The Gamblers Campaign

[Graphics]

 

12 July 2024

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, 

At last we made it. Once again, please accept our apologies for the delayed release of the 2.9.6 version of DCS which includes our new Launcher, DCS: Afghanistan map, DCS: Supercarrier features, Flaming Cliffs 2024, several new campaigns, and much more. Please update now and enjoy! Check out the Flaming Cliffs 2024 video here and for those of you who own Flaming Cliffs 3, you can upgrade to FC2024 for only $9,99 for the coming month, thereafter the upgrade price will increase to $14,99. Thank you. 

Afghanistan has been one of the most important combat theatres of the past half century with the War on Terror and the Soviet operations of the 1980s. Few war zones have ever seen more A-10C, AH-64D, F-16C, F/A-18C, CH-47F, OH-58D, Mi-24P, Mi-8MTV2, and Su-25 action than here. Afghanistan offers a highly varied landscape consisting of vast deserts, towering mountains, and lush river valleys. The initial release is focused on the southwest region of the country and includes regions around Kandahar and Herat. DCS: Afghanistan is now available, don’t miss our biggest and most detailed map to date. Watch the trailer and enjoy!

The DCS: F-16C The Gamblers Campaign by Baltic Dragon, developed in collaboration with John ‘Rain’ Waters from the Afterburner Podcast, is now available on the DCS eshop and Steam. Also in the latest update are two more exceptional new campaigns. Check out the details below!

Please remember that the DCS Summer Sale is coming to a close soon, so don’t miss up to 50% savings on most of our aircraft, terrains, important add-ons, and campaigns. The sale ends on the 14th of July at 15:00 GMT.

Thank you for your passion and support.

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

 

DCS 2.9.6

Available now!

The latest version of DCS contains an impressive range of new products and features, enhancements, and fixes. A notable addition is the DCS: Afghanistan map! Also included are the new Launcher, the Air Boss deck for DCS: Supercarrier, Flaming Cliffs 2024, and three new campaigns.

Flaming Cliffs 2024
Flaming Cliffs 2024 is designed for new virtual and veteran players looking to expand their collection. In addition to the existing Flaming Cliffs 3 aircraft. F-15C, A-10A, Su-27, J-11, Su-33, Su-25, MiG-29, and MiG-29S, FC2024 now includes three new aircraft: F-5E, F-86F, and the MiG-15bis. It can be purchased as a full product for $59,99 or as an upgrade for Flaming Cliffs 3 owners for only $9,99. This special launch price will be available for the upcoming month, thereafter the upgrade price will increase to $14,99. If you haven’t already seen it, check out the launch trailer!

New Campaigns

• DCS: F-16C The Gamblers Campaign by Baltic Dragon
• DCS: UH-1H Worlds Apart Stormfront Campaign by Low Level Heaven
• DCS: AH-64D The Four Horsemen Campaign by Fight’s On Simulations

DCS Key Updates

• The DCS Launcher allows players to configure and manage DCS before DCS start up as well as during the DCS runtime. 
• In addition, we have completed a new multiplayer interface which greatly improves respawn functionality by providing dynamic spawn points along with the ability to select spawn locations directly from the mission map. These dynamic respawn slots have been added to allow more flexible mission join management. 
• SAM units are smarter now, and based on their skill level, can turn off their radars and reposition if they detect an incoming anti-radiation missile.
• Several new ground units have been added such as the MRAP, M1A2 SEP3 and MaxPro.
• AI and System Enhancements
• AI systems now include more realistic target detection based on alert status and ability to scan area.
• Combat landing options for helicopters have been added.
• Various bug fixes and enhancements across the DCS Core and many modules. 
• The T72B3 tank and others are now available for you to control. 
• The update includes better AI ground unit pathfinding and engagement behaviours.

Graphics and Mission Editor
Graphics have been improved with detailed terrain rendering and new material for fields and towns. Various fixes and enhancements have been made to the mission editor, map interactions, and static object handling.

Weapons Updates
Several weapons, including the AIM-7E/E2 and AIM-9X, have received performance tweaks and bug fixes. Improvements have also been made to other missiles, rockets, and bombs.  The WWII Assets Pack has also seen updates to the Wurzburg radar. 

2.9.6 is a huge update that includes a long list of fixes and enhancements to DCS: F/A-18C, DCS: F-16C Viper, DCS: F-14 Tomcat, DCS: F-4E, DCS: AJS-37 Viggen, DCS: AH-64D, DCS: Mi-24P Hind and DCS: UH-1H Huey. For a full list of all the latest updates, please read the changelog.

 

Southwest Afghanistan

Available in the latest DCS version

Afghanistan, often called the “crossroads of Asia” is a landlocked country located at the intersection of Central and South Asia. It shares borders with Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. 

Historical Significance
In the 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in “The Great Game” between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia, both of whom sought control over Central Asia. 

Later, the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) highlighted the strategic importance of Afghanistan in the Cold War geopolitics. The rugged terrain also played a pivotal role in the resistance mounted by Mujahideen fighters against the Soviet forces. 

Post September 2001, Afghanistan became a central theatre in the Global War on Terrorism, leading to a prolonged conflict involving the United States and NATO forces, who aimed at dismantling terrorist groups whilst stabilising the region. 

Operational Challenges
Operating in DCS: Afghanistan presents unique challenges due to geography, climate and socio-political dynamics. The combination of high altitude environments and limited infrastructure requires adaptive strategies from foreign military forces and highlights the importance of local knowledge and alliances. 

Key features:

• 14 airfields including: Bost, Camp Bastion, Chaghcharan, Dwyer, Farah, Herat, Kandahar, Maymana, Zahiraddin, Faryabi, Qala i Naw, Shindand, Tirinkot, Zaranj
• Improved clipmap technology
• Improved Field and town materials

The Afghanistan map is highly detailed with fields, cities, towns and thousands of smaller settlements. We implemented a new method of collecting, processing, importing and exporting data are being OSM type data, as well as determining surface types from satellite images, which are processed, optimised and vectored for subsequent implementation into the terrain module.

You can purchase only the DCS: Southwest Afghanistan region offering you a 471’381 km2 area and 12 highly detailed airfields or the full region 1’449’216 km2 terrain which will be offering 28 highly detailed airfields, check out DCS: Afghanistan.

 

F-16C The Gamblers

Campaign by Baltic Dragon

The Gamblers campaign was developed by Baltic Dragon and John ‘Rain’ Waters, a former Viper Demo Team pilot, member of the 77th Fighter Squadron, and host of the Afterburn Podcast. In 13 varied missions, you will relive some of the sorties that Rain and his squadron flew during their deployment to Syria, as well as some of the other most iconic moments of the allied involvement within the theatre, including the Battle of Raqqa in 2017, the US TLAM strike against the Shayrat Airbase, and the standoff between US forces and the notorious Wagner group, which is now known as the Battle of Khasham. This campaign also introduces a new, more immersive way of interacting with the environment using the HOTAS. DCS: F-16C The Gamblers Campaign by Batic Dragon. 

We hope that this vast DCS 2.9.6 update is to your satisfaction. Please rest assured knowing that we are carefully monitoring the initial feedback of the DCS: Afghanistan, as well as the brand new Flaming Cliffs 2024. We look forward to your comments.

Thank you again for your passion and support, 

Yours sincerely,

 

[kerlcat]

Thank you and nice highlights. It is indeed a comprehensive upgrade and not fail our expectations. My shopping list gets longer… which is good thing :-).

Meanwhile still anxiously looking for core performance improvement especially the Vulkan. Any plan to release in near update like version 3.0?

[Tango3B]

Well, when I look at all the negative comments on the patch, I actually feel compelled to say a few words about the whole thing. I think I'm pretty lucky, because I have absolutely no problems with the current patch. Everything is running great, but the new slot implementation in multiplayer still needs a bit of work. The same goes for the Afghanistan map. Yes, of course, the map was a bit rough when it went into EA. But first of all, it's Afghanistan and the map is anything but bad. I have really good performance on the map, even when I'm flying the F-4E in a pretty intense mission from Kandahar. The same goes for the Apache on the same map. The lighting effects are also great. What is quite negative, however, are the transitions. The transitions between urban areas and what follows are sometimes very borderline. They urgently need to be worked on. The sand dunes near Kandahar should also be looked at more closely. But overall I can't really say anything too negative. It certainly is a patch with great features. The launcher is great, I like it. The SA map has had a great update, Kola with the new winter textures is incredibly beautiful. The radar updates for the F-16 and the F/A-18 are pointing in the right direction. Sure, we still need the promised part 3 of the radar update...but I at least see the good will to move things forward. What can I say, sure, there are a few negative things we can talk about in this patch. Basically, though, I see the necessary step forward. And it's exactly this step that counts. Thanks to the ED team for that and above all, have a nice weekend everyone here...

[T.Power]

Nobody has mentioned the new lighting engine with specular flaring, new rain drops that stream up my hind window and as a Radeon owner the huge GFX buff as I now have no trails/image retention and higher FPS!

[=DROOPY=]

I have to agree. I waited to say something, because ...well... with everyone having issues, I didn't think it would be well received.

But my overall experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I play exclusively in VR. I had no mods or even extra skins installed when I updated this morning, if that matters.

I have a Pimax Crystal, and other than a bit of shimmering on some structures on the Afghanistan map on my first flight, I have encountered very little issue since. I started DCS at about 0830L today and, with the exception of a lunch and a couple of bathroom breaks, I've been playing/flying. Its now going on 1830L. It's been so enjoyable, I put my yardwork on hold.

I did reload the Community A-4E-C mod and had a few bumps when I flew a 2V2 against them in the Tomcat, but even that sorted itself out. I really dig the new launcher as well...even wish I could fill my monitor screen with it.  

I fully admit, I was borderline aggravated at ED, after the F-15E debacle, and then the forum blowing up because I *perceived* that we just got handed a complete trainwreck called an update. 

Well..I was seriously mistaken. I'm not a ED fan boi by any means, but for me and my experience today, I no longer feel stupid for dumping loads of cash into this form of entertainment.  Well done ED. Well. Done. 

 

Edited July 13, 2024 by =DROOPY=

[draconus]

Impressive update I must say, thx

Finally features added to SC, HB got back to Tomcat updates, many DCS core improvements, some seem to be taken straight out of wish list, even CA grows with vehicles added to control though it's painful to watch the interior when driving Maxxx.

[LuseKofte]

On 7/13/2024 at 10:59 PM, T.Power said:

Nobody has mentioned the new lighting engine with specular flaring, new rain drops that stream up my hind window and as a Radeon owner the huge GFX buff as I now have no trails/image retention and higher FPS!

Well I have not that kind of rig. I noticed my mi 24 and Mi 8 got darker in the settings I use due to shadow.  I do not blame the update , just my old rig

[Gunfreak]

Except for my disappointment in the quality of Afghanistan down low, even in the high fidelity areas. 

I'm looking forward to all the major improvements. Will take weeks to go through it all. Everything from winter on Kola, to new missile smoke etc.

[Gunfreak]

5 minutes ago, Schlingel mit Kringel said:

What is this for example Just found it on Syria map next to a ground unit (in ME).

 

It means it's on uneven ground.(so you know you've just placed an SA-2 that would have fallen over in real life.

[rob10]

43 minutes ago, Schlingel mit Kringel said:

Makes sense  It is next to a SAM sitting close to the shore. Should probably move it a bit

And I believe the 1st number is what the actual current angle of the unit is and the number in brackets after is the maximum allowed.

[Archangel44]

38 minutes ago, rob10 said:

And I believe the 1st number is what the actual current angle of the unit is and the number in brackets after is the maximum allowed.

You are correct.

A very cool feature when placing ground units.

[Ramstein]

yay desert...

[Hammer1-1]

isnt there like a 3rd party mod that allows you to see the terrain in 3D while you make the missions?

[Sindar]

No one is interested in the problems with role selection on MP servers? Is everything fine?

[BIGNEWY]

1 hour ago, Sindar said:

No one is interested in the problems with role selection on MP servers? Is everything fine?

All feedback and issues are being looked at currently. We will hopefully have a patch once we have enough issues resolved. 

thank you  

[T.Power]

On 7/15/2024 at 10:06 AM, LuseKofte said:

Well I have not that kind of rig. I noticed my mi 24 and Mi 8 got darker in the settings I use due to shadow.  I do not blame the update , just my old rig

You really are testing the limits of DCS by choosing rotors on an old rig.  I own every rotor apart from the Kiowa and primarily fly the Hind, they're all resource hogs, stay clear of the Apache but the Gazelle is very CPU friendly if you ever plan on purchasing more mods.

[Sindar]

4 часа назад, BIGNEWY сказал:

All feedback and issues are being looked at currently. We will hopefully have a patch once we have enough issues resolved. 

thank you  

Thank you so much for your response. Many players have already panicked: popular MP servers are empty. Let's be patient and wait.

[Gunfreak]

7 hours ago, T.Power said:

You really are testing the limits of DCS by choosing rotors on an old rig.  I own every rotor apart from the Kiowa and primarily fly the Hind, they're all resource hogs, stay clear of the Apache but the Gazelle is very CPU friendly if you ever plan on purchasing more mods.

Huey is also very kind on the FPS.

[T.Power]

1 hour ago, Gunfreak said:

Huey is also very kind on the FPS.

Very true.

[Mistermann]

On 7/16/2024 at 3:40 PM, Hammer1-1 said:

isnt there like a 3rd party mod that allows you to see the terrain in 3D while you make the missions?

https://www.patreon.com/DcsWebEditor