DCS: A-10 and the future

[zakobi]

I'm sure many of you are looking forward to the A-10 and all what will come afterwards, but i have some thoughts i would like to give some air.

 

As I said I'm looking forward to the A-10 and I'm planning to get a new PC around autumn, my question is: have anyone from ED talked about how often they'll try to update/upgrade their engine for the DCS series? I would like to play as long time possible online on the same machine.

[Feuerfalke]

I would like to play as long time possible online on the same machine.

 

 

Who doesn't?

 

In fact, I doubt it is ED's intention to demand a new PC generation for each release.

 

 

AFAIK there is no concrete timetable given for obvious reasons: Nobody knows what the future will bring. ;)

 

They wished for and estimated 9 months between the modules and a lot of people took the development time for granted, so I doubt they will give you a figure again.

It's extremely difficult to tell and there are too many people taking personal opinions as official obligation, so if I was ED, I'd fall back on "when it's done" to be on the safe side.

[zakobi]

Who doesn't?

 

In fact, I doubt it is ED's intention to demand a new PC generation for each release.

 

 

AFAIK there is no concrete timetable given for obvious reasons: Nobody knows what the future will bring. ;)

 

They wished for and estimated 9 months between the modules and a lot of people took the development time for granted, so I doubt they will give you a figure again.

It's extremely difficult to tell and there are too many people taking personal opinions as official obligation, so if I was ED, I'd fall back on "when it's done" to be on the safe side.

 

Yeah fair enough. hey... it's early 2010... What about those pics, wags? :D

 

 

 

Sorry... couldn't resist... :(

[Feuerfalke]

hey... it's early 2010... What about those pics, wags? :D

 

2010 isn't over, yet ;)

[EtherealN]

have anyone from ED talked about how often they'll try to update/upgrade their engine for the DCS series?

 

I guess that depends on what exactly you mean by "update/upgrade their engine". You should remember that there's more than one "engine" involved here: there's a graphics engine, sound engine and a simulation engine (TFCSE). As you may know, the sound part was completely replaced with a new engine with the FC2 release.

 

However, "upgrades" as such will most likely be a continuous thing, not something that happens as big revolutions. EB or Wags (can't remember who at this time) has stated in a few threads things to the effect that the most upgrades will be continuously implemented as small steps. Basically: each release is likely to have something new, but "revolutions" are unlikely.

 

More detailed A10C information than has already been released has been pushed forward slightly due to the initially unexpected extension of FC2 development time. My personal guess (and it is a guess, I have no specific information on that) is a month or two more.

[Mercury]

IIRC the first screenshots and video teasers will be around mid July 2010.

[zakobi]

What i'm mostly "concerned" about is that they require more and more of the computers as the engines get upgraded and patches are required to play online...

[EtherealN]

I'm not quite that concerned about that. An example would be the new sound engine: it is a lot more capable than the old one but runs in a separate thread - so even though this new feature technically requires more of your computer, it will be taking those resources from unused cores and thereby free up more clock cycles for the main thread. An awesome example of how you can get more features and increase performance at the same time. :)

 

Eventually things will progress to the point of requiring new hardware though, of course, but this should not be worse than the regular evolution of computer applications. If you are anything like me I believe you'll upgrade on your own initiative before it becomes a "requirement", and I doubt that DCS:BS for example will be evolved to the point of forcing you to upgrade from a computer than can run it today.

Edited April 13, 2010 by EtherealN

[zakobi]

I'm not quite that concerned about that. An example would be the new sound engine: it is a lot more capable than the old one but runs in a separate thread - so even though this new feature technically requires more of your computer, it will be taking those resources from unused cores and thereby free up more clock cycles for the main thread. An awesome example of how you can get more features and increase performance at the same time. :)

 

Eventually things will progress to the point of requiring new hardware though, of course, but this should not be worse than the regular evolution of computer applications. If you are anything like me I believe you'll upgrade on your own initiative before it becomes a "requirement", and I doubt that DCS:BS for example will be evolved to the point of forcing you to upgrade from a computer than can run it today.

 

My gaming pc still uses a Athlon 64 2800+ and an AGP GPU :doh:

[Feuerfalke]

What i'm mostly "concerned" about is that they require more and more of the computers as the engines get upgraded and patches are required to play online...

 

Actually I think the opposite is the fact.

 

New hardware offers new possibilities to increase realism in many aspects and deliver the necessary computing power, so developers make use of it.

 

ED is no exception to this development, but IMHO their simulations are not that much increasing in demand from release to release. Instead, most problems people have with performance in simulations is because they expect a simulation to stress the same computer parts a shooter or RPG does and that is simply a mistake.

On the other hand, offering different levels of details doesn't mean you have to upgrade your PC to use the maximum level, but that you can adjust your game to the PC.

[EtherealN]

oh...

 

Afraid to say you might be in trouble then. :(

 

EDIT: Wow, come to think of it, my previous stationary machine was actually the very same processor with an AGP GeForce 7800 (6600 on original purchase). You just sent me into nostalgia-land. :D

[zakobi]

oh...

 

Afraid to say you might be in trouble then. :(

 

EDIT: Wow, come to think of it, my previous stationary machine was actually the very same processor with an AGP GeForce 7800 (6600 on original purchase). You just sent me into nostalgia-land. :D

 

I'm planning to upgrade soon so it might fall with DCS: A-10, it's more that i'll like to keep my pc as long as possible ;)

 

My current is like 5+ years. :D

 

But yeah, it seems like it only can get better as we saw it with FC2. The techniques and software being more efficient and optimized.

[EtherealN]

Check PM, I sent you a few upgrade suggestions that should be affordable.

[zakobi]

Check PM, I sent you a few upgrade suggestions that should be affordable.

 

Thanks, i've been looking a bit on it ;)

 

Anyways, i think the subject have been discussed and i don't think there's more to bring on the matter.

[jctrnacty]

 

But yeah, it seems like it only can get better as we saw it with FC2. The techniques and software being more efficient and optimized.

 

I must Agree with Zakobi, BS was a excellent example of well optimized game. It was running smooth since day 1, never had a problem with it. No optimizing patch was necessary.I Still dont know how is it with FC2(waiting for DVDversion) but i´ve heard its running better than FC1.12.

[claud]

9 months was a nice wish.. that said I think each installment should not be more than 2 years apart.. 2 years is more then enough to add new aircrafts.

 

I dunno has it been 2 years since KA-50?

[EtherealN]

9 months was a nice wish.. that said I think each installment should not be more than 2 years apart.. 2 years is more then enough to add new aircrafts.

 

I dunno has it been 2 years since KA-50?

 

You realize that TFC/ED also makes military products, not just commercial ones? Those take time too. ;)

[Feuerfalke]

I dunno has it been 2 years since KA-50?

 

Almost... :)

[zakobi]

You realize that TFC/ED also makes military products, not just commercial ones? Those take time too. ;)

 

Can't they just port them? at least that's what we are seeing many other companies are doing. :music_whistling:

[EtherealN]

If the government ordering them says they can.

[claud]

Can't they just port them? at least that's what we are seeing many other companies are doing. :music_whistling:

 

wait are you telling me that the same guys that makes the military sims makes the civilian ones? cause if that is true then how the heck did they come up with the 9 months in the first place?

 

besides i dont want to hear excuses :D 2 years is more then enough ;)

[EtherealN]

They "came up" with the 9 month figure through analyzing the workflow and deciding what they want to do that they believed should be possible at that time.

 

They then made the terrible mistake of actually telling people about it, which is a bit of a whoopsie since forum users have a tendency to interpret words like "we hope to release one aircraft every nine months" as "we swear, on our honor, coffee habits, borsjt and new volga automobile that we will release one aircraft promptly each nine months, so help us God"... ;)

 

Btw: http://www.simhq.com/_air13/air_440a.html

:)

[Feuerfalke]

Can't they just port them? at least that's what we are seeing many other companies are doing. :music_whistling:

 

Interesting. What other company do you know that makes military simulations and releases them just ported to customer-PCs?

[bfeld]

Interesting. What other company do you know that makes military simulations and releases them just ported to customer-PCs?

Feuerfalke, don't you know this "Alien vs Predator" simulation? Almost every wise country prepares their military for the future, when the fight against the most deadliest creatures in space will start (although there are at minimum 3 years between their game modules). ;)

 

Cheers, Torsten

Edited April 14, 2010 by bfeld

[Feuerfalke]

Feuerfalke, don't you know this "Alien vs Predator" simulation? Almost every wise country prepares their military for the future, when the fight against the most deadliest creatures in space will start (although there are at minimum 3 years between their game modules). ;)

 

Cheers, Torsten

 

LOL - true!

 

How could I forget about that one! :doh: