EA release video from 1:49

[BarTzi]

If done properly, this can be a useful, nice to have feature. 

However, it has to be well defined, meaning a few things have to be taken into consideration first:

1. Are pilots real entities outside the jets that can be interacted with or killed? 
2. Will it require changing the startup animation of most AI jets in the game to include pilots climbing into the cockpit?
3. Some pilots get assistance climbing into the jet and strapping in, will this be added too? 
4. What's the initial position of the pilot after spawning? If you think about connecting the briefing room feature and making people walk to the jets, consider the distance to the jet might be large in airbases that are not an aircraft carrier.

It's a "game" feature more than a "sim" feature (for this to be a sim feature multiple additions are required to make the walkaround meaningful) , so it has to be built with gameplay in mind. 

Edited Tuesday at 07:41 AM by BarTzi

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

Please, don't go that way.

Alrighty then.

Would *I* love such a feature? Yes!

Would *I* treat such a feature as more than a gimmick? Yes!

 

One of the drawbacks of the way we enter the cockpit now after clicking “Fly” on the briefing screen, is that you have no idea where are are parked in relation to the active runway. Sure, you can open the F10 map and find out that way, but with all the issues that has (overexposure upon re-entering the cockpit, VRAM usage) I’d rather not do that unless I *really* have to.

Perhaps this walk around will help in that regard

Edited Tuesday at 07:45 AM by Raven (Elysian Angel)

[draconus]

2 minutes ago, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

One of the drawbacks of the way we enter the cockpit now after clicking “Fly” on the briefing screen, is that you have no idea where are are parked in relation to the active runway. Sure, you can open the F10 map and find out that way, but with all the issues that has (overexposure upon re-entering the cockpit, VRAM usage) I’d rather not do that unless I *really* have to.

Perhaps this walk around will help in that regard

I don't think so. You can use mission planner before the start. Most realistic is of course the briefing info which should tell/show your starting position and how to move on.

[MAXsenna]

I don't think so. You can use mission planner before the start. Most realistic is of course the briefing info which should tell/show your starting position and how to move on.

Depends on the mission if MP is available, unless they change something.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[scitaborea]

I love to "eject" out of the warbirds on the ground and walk all around.  The controls are, of course, clunky but they work and I love the perspective.  A proper walk around feature with full body awareness, NO head bobbing, and proper controls would be a dream!

[draconus]

1 hour ago, scitaborea said:

NO head bobbing, and proper controls would be a dream

Lctrl+F11 and Shift+WSAD

[Major Corvus]

This sim is all about the immesion, so why wouldn't we want to walk around these icon aircraft before we figuratively strap into them? Especially in VR as you get the full scale of the aircraft, and yes maybe people won't do it every single time, but every now and then on those cold start early morning missions, I personally would love to walk around my aircraft and check it out.

This same feature works well in MSFS 2024, so as long as it's not a massive drain on dev resources, bring it on for me.  

[scitaborea]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

Lctrl+F11 and Shift+WSAD

The free cam is okay and I do use it sometimes, but I prefer the feeling of actually walking around. 

[Tom Kazansky]

I would want to walk around my aircraft after a fight. Walking over to my wingmen's would also be interesting.

There are a lot of things simulated in DCS that you don't watch every time, extending and retracting landing gear, flaps, deploying a drag shoot, ejecting, pilot animation,... but when you've seen it and you know it's there, it brings a higher level of immersion.

Walking around aircraft could add to that a lot, imho.

[draconus]

37 minutes ago, scitaborea said:

The free cam is okay and I do use it sometimes, but I prefer the feeling of actually walking around. 

Then you need natural head movement, otherwise you'll feel just like artificial cam.

[OmasRachE]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb Major Corvus:

This sim is all about the immesion...

Maybe its not? Maybe its just about joining a PvP Server, make some cool dogfights, die in furball and rejoin again. Not my kind of sim, but obviously some if not the most like it that way.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

6 minutes ago, OmasRachE said:

Maybe its not?

If you're talking about the actual purpose of, yes it is. More so, DCS is intended to be a digital museum - that's coming straight out of the horse's mouth.
People can use it for Team Deathmatch and free-for-all, and that is their right.

 

8 minutes ago, OmasRachE said:

if not the most

No, only a minority, and probably even a small minority since there's also the mil-sim community with their own squadrons that only fly on their own server. But those people don't make clickbait youtube videos so they'll get much less exposure from the general public.

[Miro]

Yes, ED, Please bring this feature! Heatblur buyed me with announced walkaround for Phantom, i'm little dissapointed they don't bring this feature, yet... i left Civilian flight sim 2020 for Civilian flight sim 2024 because of walkaround, I'm no longer a plane, I'm an avatar that can get on and off at will, and this has a very positive effect on immersion.

[Ironhand]

On 9/19/2025 at 7:02 AM, Weta43 said:

No comments on the FP pilot entering the aircraft in the MiG-29 EA release video from 1:49

?

 Similar to the tease they did about 20 years ago for the Flanker. I might even still have the video on an old hard drive somewhere.

Edited Wednesday at 07:25 PM by Ironhand

[Bucic]

To anyone dismissing the feature please watch Bunyap's walkaround/familiarisation series. He had one at least for the F-5E (original release). Engage the extended attention span and try to feel the flow. I'd Shirley use it with VR every time I have an even slightly unusual loadout. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Bucic

[YoYo]

Will I be able to bomb the other team's pilots sitting in the canteen in MP? 

[twistking]

I would love such feature. Starting the mission outside of the aircraft and being able to do a walkaround would be super immersive.
Also getting out of the pit after a mission to inspect the battle damage you've taken would be cool. Or maybe you walk to the runway to see your buddies land after a MP sortie...
Would also gel well with the super carrier...

Proper animations for climbing into (and out of) the cockpit would be icing on the cake, but even if it would just fade to/from black would be ok, if that would significantly simplify the development of such a feature...