SOME BUGs and OPINIONS so far

[wiewla]

GENERAL

-Long voice-over messages are often interrupted by other (frequently automated messages from DCS) and cannot be heard in their entirety.
- Often some text lines don’t match the voiceovers. I think there are many more inconsistencies than mentioned below, but I didn’t check line by line. This is a shame since the text is very useful for non-native speakers.
- It would be helpful if the text followed a standard format as in other campaings, starting with: "NAME: 'Text...'" as it would make it easier to distinguish who is speaking what. Right now, it’s quite a mess.
- The brieffing and Kneebords seems to be inconsistent and lacking of information to better understand how to react on threats and what and when we are suppose to do in given situation/mission. (This is not my first campaign btw. I got a fresh forum account but I'am not new to DCS) This also include lack of knowledge on how to menage our Flight; When are they scripted and when should we command them, as thoes actions seems to be often mixed. And also what command too use fe. in Mission 4 to order them firing HARMS.

Here are some bugs/opinions  from MISSION 2 nad 4 i noted;

M2

- No wingman voice (sadly, we don’t know her callsign yet — maybe just "yet"): "FOX 2!" - "I've got one, splash" - from the YouTube trailer. Also, no "GUN! GUN! GUN!" voiceover from the trailer. Instead:
- The "regular" DCS audio takes over (e.g., AWACS BRAA calls and WINGMAN 2 communications with the default male voice).
- F-15Cs bump into each other (1 and 2, while 3 and 4 are merging/ghosting in to one plane as they can't collide.) and fall from the sky while following the tanker (tested 3 times in a row).
- Bombs do not hit targets? => No single hit or fire at the AFB at return time.
- If there are four F-15Cs (excluding the fact that two of them collide), why don’t they assist in attacking the bombers?
- Damaged bombers land on the main island (intended?).
- Bombers shot with a gun drop all ordnance, making it very easy to disarm them before they reach their target. Perhaps AWACS should detect them later, so the mission has more strategic depth and makes more sense. (just my opinion)
- Wrong text line at departure: audio says "uniform 3," but the text displays "victor 3."
- In the next mission, we fight two flights of 3x J-11s (or J-15s, not sure) who are CAPing without any specific purpose other than violating airspace. Yet, the bombers are making their run with no escort whatsoever so we can hunt them like ducks .

Anyway, my 1st and 2nd points feel like the saddest ones here

MISJA 4

- Well it is a mess but looking on forum this is already known
- There are eight F-16Cs instead of four, as the briefing states. Each of my wingmen and I have a clone for some reason.
- "The CAP flight does not seem very interested in engaging the bandits; even so, I doubt they would be able to handle six fighters. All they really do is perform doom-diddly-doodly maneuvers, fire one AMRAAM, and then either get hit or decide it's time to RTB. (I know it is only AI but i didnt write the scenario) 
- There is another obvious text/voiceover mistake with lane number 29L instead of 24L, which was probably sent incorrectly to the voice actor, as he read it with this error.
- No HMCS (shoudn't be here still after Mission 3 ? ) 

 

Ill try too update this post along my journey with this campaign. Nonetheless, I like the mission setting, nicely done starting procedure and overall feel. I hope there aren't as many issues further on  . And I love to have a female wingman   

Edited January 27 by wiewla

[SorelRo]

Thanks for the feedback, there's a lot of things that you put there, that shouldn't be. I'll try to tackle them one by one. First question, do you use any mods? 

[wiewla]

RedK0d for clicable FC3 planes. Olympus (not active) Tacview (sometimes) besides that no mods, pure game (I play on steam. ) Ill be in touch if you need. And will list you some more as i progress. 

Edited January 24 by wiewla

[wiewla]

GENERAL 

- Kneebords are a mess DEP and ARR sometimes it say "24L" usually: "06L" in mission2 it just say "4" - usually 24R have active lights but the ATC say only "24", So where to land ?

MISSION 4 

- I think the ATC say turn right 340 after DEP but all the planes are heading about 020 as always. It is unclear for how long should i keep 340 and why ? 

MISSION 5 

- No text from ATC - "turn left 020 after DEP"
- CAP again did nothing (no single shot) praudly prepared to landing with full loadout while J-11s was shooting: to them!, fallowing me to AFB and kill the tanker and my wingman along the way xD 
- it would be so nice to have a note : Order your wingaman to "Engage Mission and Rejoin" as we need to guess it and check if this works.
- No HARM codes mentioned in Kneeboard 
- We have given 3 times DMPI with SP data to fiddle around but clearly emphasizing in the mission objectives that the targets are located at the airport or including a reconnaissance slide would likely be much easier to understand.
- SP2 is described @ 15000 while SP3 beeing just next to it (2NM) is @ 30000 not very clear this flight plan.
- lets assume it is 30000 how to climb then ? My beloved wingmand girlfiernd died from lack of fuel in ms 2nd playthroud after slow 10* climb to 25000 at WP2 (in the 1st she was shot down by J-11 while preparing to land) 
- Our pilot reffers to F15Cs escort as "4" but there is nowwhere to be found that Thier flight lead will be "4" 

MISSION 6 

- After firing the ammunition, the F-15s followed the transports directly into the SA-10 circle. My flight, despite descending to the deck under my command (Rejoin), were flying too high or performing pointless maneuvers (I know, AI), and they were also wiped out. Those who survived (1x16 + 1x15) crashed due to lack of fuel, leaving me to land alone:(. Despite having learned from experience and approaching as well as climbing slowly without requiring afterburner use and catching me up by them during the flight.

-I'm also waiting for ED to allow AI unlimited fuel, but until then, it's on the campaign creator to ensure this won't be an issue. As it is not in other campaigns i played (mostly) . 

==

Sorry, I know I’m more annoying than Bitching Betty, and that not everything I mention here is a bug, but also behaviors caused by our beloved DCS AI. However, I’m writing this to draw attention to certain issues (and hopefully find solutions and workarounds) that occur during missions. In my opinion, since the campaign is set on a free map, it should be as clear and user-friendly as possible, as it might attract many new players.

Edited January 27 by wiewla

[SorelRo]

Thanks for all this, not forgotten, just takes some time to go through all this. But you know how it is with our beloved DCS, from one update to the other AI does something else, completly  

 

[wiewla]

MISSION 7 

Regarding burst altitude, since it can currently only be set via fuses in "Rearm and refuel" (which isn't obvious (especially for newcomers)), I'm letting you know that the current default setting of 1500 is too high. The bomblets are drifting with the wind, making accurate hits very difficult (it's more of a guessing game)especially when doing a quick pop-up at the wrong angle. I don't envy the residents of those houses .  I think it should be set by the crew chief to 900, which is the current minimum. Aside from not being able to score a hit on multiple tries before i figured it out, I really liked this one. 

Yet again we are getting DMPI - SP data on Kneeboard but it is already set to SP3 just the ALT is 30000 instead of 62ft. Easy to change if you know the jet. but... 

 

Edited January 29 by wiewla

[wiewla]

MISSION 8 (+screenshots)

• Flying with NVGs at daytime.
• Audio triggers are a mess. When I fire, Wingman speaks. When She fires, Bogey speaks.
• The yellow wheel cart looks like it has fallen it to ditch
• Spacebar to winchester info too short (it popups in the middle of the fight)

MISSION 9 (+track)

• Watch in the jet shows the wrong time  .
• Mission progression triggers are problematic. I had to manually kill the last infantryman to begin the rescue operation as F15 didn't hit the guy.
• No ATC communication at arrival and landing, scripted nor automated (@250.10 UFH) (seems like in some mission it is muted (like in tihs one) but in some not like in M8)

Tacview-20250131-222226-DCS-F-16M9.zip.acmi

Edited January 31 by wiewla

[wiewla]

MISSION 13

-As they dispatched a few helicopters with my crew chief, parts, and a loadout woudn't be nice of them to also take my JHMCS  
-As the ships take 0% damage, i think there is no explosion on impact, just a water splash, which is a bit immersion-breaking, but they sink after a few seconds as intended.

MISSION 14
-Uzi 3 destroyed all targets more or less when my pilot gave the order to fance in. The HARMs were already on their way by then.
-HARM codes are not on the kneeboard, so you have to refer back to the briefing to set them.
-The sudden SA-5 threat is also eliminated almost immediately after appearing.

So there is really not much to do in this mission; it plays pretty much by itself.

MISSION 15
-Target locations are in the middle of the woods on the wrong island O_O.

=====

I'm done with this campaign, and I felt more like a beta tester than a final client. I don't think it should be priced equally to the FI-LO WOS or GAMBLERS campaigns, which are prepared with much greater attention to detail, carefulness, and overall better planning and writing.

-I liked the fact that the action is just a few minutes after the start and there isn't so much flying just for the sake of flying, as is common in other campaigns.
-The voiceover was also good, but mixing it with default DCS communications, especially in the case of our female wingman (as I guessed in my first post, we are not to be blessed with knowing her callsign, or, in fact, any other character's), was not enjoyable.
-I liked the scenario and setting, although it was a bit scattered to me. I guess mainly because of bugs and inconsistency.

-I liked the diversity of weather and night/day missions, but there is really no fun in seeing just a black screen for an hour, especially after two similar full-black missions, so I believe it might be better set up with a full moon to add some light and image to it.

-I didn't like the documentation at all, as it is lacking, disorienting, and not really handy or useful.
-Text messages should be revisited, corrected, and organized, as they are confusing and often not synced with the voiceover.
-I believe there is more to correct than the things I pointed out in my post, and that it doesn't feel like a finished product (as I compare it to other campaigns I've played).

I hope for it to be updated and upgraded so maybe I'll revisit it someday, as the missions were quick and light to play.

But really, I believe it should be more user-friendly and better organized, as it might be a target campaign for new F-16 pilots, and if they aren't familiar with DCS and how it works, what the quirks are, and what is allowed with AI, well, it will be tough for them, and sadly, in my opinion, off-putting.

Well, I guess that's it.
I had fun, but I'm also kind of unfulfilled.

 

EJECT! EJECT! EJECT!
BYE BYEEEEEeeeee...... ! 

Edited February 14 by wiewla