Can't believe it took me so long to find this!

[Zenra]

Wow! I cannot find words to describe how I feel about Black Shark.

I am going to have a lot of questions, but right now the foremost one in my mind is, “Where have you guys been hiding?!?!?”

 

I am a long-time flight sim enthusiast and especially of military sims going all the way back to at least Falcon AT. Work has been really busy lately so I’ve been away from my beloved Falcon 4.0 for a few months, but went online to see what the Open Falcon guys have been up to, upgrade to the latest, etc., and get a few missions in now that I have some time again.

 

But, trolling the forums I see a reference to “DCS Black Shark” – hum, don’t know what that is, so I do a bit of searching and find the DCS website and start reading. Sounds pretty cool, I think, must be somebody’s dream project that will never come true. But wait, what’s this? It’s for sale?? Can’t be real – must be some watered down, bug-riddled third-rate try at a new combat sim. But man, does it ever look cool… So I venture into the forums, and soon start thinking I must be dreaming. And then I found the manual – all 534 pages of it! Then I started dis-believing again – NO sim could really do all of this. Then I found the Developer’s Journal videos – incredible! Could it be? Could it?? Could it really be true???

 

When I got home from work last night I tore the credit card from my wallet, purchased, downloaded and installed. Still disbelieving that this thing could actually be all it appeared I anxiously loaded the program, activated and went into the tutorial missions. The next thing I knew it was midnight, I hadn’t eaten and the dog was begging for her “evening” walk. I just cannot tell you how happy I am that I found this, great job DCS!

 

I still cannot believe Black Shark has been out for over a year and it took me until now to find it – I must be working too hard or something –

OK, enough of that – first question: I downloaded the PDF manual before installing, and see that after installing I have PDF manuals in the doc folder as well. The manual I downloaded is named DCS-BS_Manual_EN.pdf and is 534 pages. The main manual installed with the game is named DCS-BS_Flight_Manual_eng.pdf, is 383 pages and has a file date of 8 Dec 2008. Can anybody tell me if one is more up to date than the other? Has there been a manual update since the 1.0.1c patch?

 

Thanks and, and especially DCS – I thought I would have some time on my hands, but with Black Shark that’s all over now. :cry:

 

Zenra

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Welcome to the world of DCS! :thumbup:

[connos]

Well said man, welcome to this awesome community. The surprise you fell when you learn about the game is exactly how I fell when I first found out about BS.

 

By the way the company behind the game is ED and not DCS so great job ED. :P

 

About the manual I don't know. Some other guys in the forum will answer your question. I use the big one.

Edited April 30, 2010 by connos

[EtherealN]

Welcome to the community. :)

 

On manuals, the bigger one is the newer one. It can also be purchased spiralbound if that's your cup of tea - sometimes being able to browse the manual without alt-tabbing is worth a lot. The update was made for that printed manual.

[Zenra]

Thanks, all, for the welcome, information and correction:

 

Thanks Eagle Dynamics!

[amalahama]

The next thing I knew it was midnight, I hadn’t eaten and the dog was begging for her “evening” walk.

 

Haha keep BS box away of your dog or one day you'll come it across torn up and bitten :D

 

Welcome dude!!

 

Regards!!

[WindWpn]

Also be sure to check out the Mods directory and recommendations! Really takes BS to a new level, even beyond stock BS!! Great stuff!

[Xjikz]

The biggest part is not to find us, but it's to know that we exist :beer:

[crazyeddie]

Now is the time to sell your TV, all of your children and any pets that might need feeding from time to time ... and welcome !

[Pilotasso]

ZENRA, soon youll be able to fly the Ka-50 in a human controlled world because it will be made multiplayer compatible with another SIM of the same developer: LOCKON FLAMMING CLIFFS 2.0 adding to the complexity.

 

The only down is that this other SIM is not so in depth as DCS or Falcon, and might not be what you want from a hardcore jet SIM but you will get tremendous DACT soon whatever you keep on the KA-50 or decide to fly all other 8 fighters along with it.

 

You might want to make a mental note on this: the developers are going to release an A-10C (yes you read right: ceee) version of DCS later this year, and they will work on more planes in years to come, possibly even an F-16 (among others). So keep yourself tuned :)

 

Cheers.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Pilotasso

[sofie_59]

havent read your long post, but you are velcome to this neiberhood!

[159th_Falcon]

Welcome to the community Zenra.

Make sure to look at the following tweak guide for an even better game experience.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=49434

 

And oh, in case you like to fly in a squadron, i could advice http://www.159thgar.com

We fly the SU33 and SU25T from flaming cliffs 2 and of course the KA50

[Bucic]

Welcome, Zenra!

 

Please note that you're dealing with a simulator so advanced that in many ways the only thing you can do to make it better is... for you to get the best controls you can (rudders, joystick, throttle, TrackIR).

[Zenra]

Welcome, Zenra!

 

Please note that you're dealing with a simulator so advanced that in many ways the only thing you can do to make it better is... for you to get the best controls you can (rudders, joystick, throttle, TrackIR).

 

I use the TM Cougar for Falcon 4.0 - I presume some sharp cookie has programmed a TMJ file for Black Shark and will take a look around, but if anybody have recommendations...

[PedroTheGoat]

I use the TM Cougar for Falcon 4.0 - I presume some sharp cookie has programmed a TMJ file for Black Shark and will take a look around, but if anybody have recommendations...

 

I just got my X-52 in the mail a week ago and am LOVING it with Black Shark.

 

I've always used crappy joysticks though... So it's a HUGE step up for me.

 

:joystick:

[Speed]

Hmm.. you must not visit many forums or sim websites. DCS is quite well publicized. But I can understand how some Falcon 4 people were caught a little off guard on DCS. Alot of Falcon 4 fans had long ago dismissed ED as a developer of "arcade" games, so when word of DCS finally began to spread, it caught some of those folks off guard. While I am a big Falcon 4 fan, I don't care who makes it or what their previous games were like, if a realisitc modern combat sim is made, I'll buy it :)

[norm]

Wow! I cannot find words to describe how I feel about Black Shark.

“Where have you guys been hiding?!?!?”

 

Zenra

 

See that rock over there, ya, that one, turn that over...

[slug88]

Zenra, if you haven't already, make sure to download the latest DCS patch from this website. I believe that's why the manual in the install directory is smaller than the manual you downloaded.

[Cornbread]

Welcome aboard!

 

TrackIR is a must, especially with the 6DOF cockpit. I also use CH pedals. I don't think I could go back to the days before I had either....

[ZQuickSilverZ]

Ha Ha it sure didnt take long for a squadron to try to pick you up did it? Honestly though 159thGAR (Guards Aviation Regiment) is a good squadron with history. 104th Phoenix is a great squadron to. I myself am with Warhawks. Check those 3 out there all good choices.

[EvilBivol-1]

Welcome Zenra and thank you for the nice feedback. Hope the sim gives you many hours of fun to come.

[PoleCat]

Welcome to the fold Zenra. A unique club of finnicky bastards are we. Always room for one more.:thumbup:

 

Out

[Moa]

Ha Ha it sure didnt take long for a squadron to try to pick you up did it? Honestly though 159thGAR (Guards Aviation Regiment) is a good squadron with history. 104th Phoenix is a great squadron to. I myself am with Warhawks. Check those 3 out there all good choices.

 

Thanks for recommending the 104th Phoenix ZQuickSilverZ. We have an excellent BlackShark Academy - to get through you'll need to be truly dedicated so it is not for everyone (casual gamers).

 

The entire community is great with very few exceptions and all the squadrons and players cooperate a great deal outside the online tournaments (inside, well that's war!). I hope you get a great deal of enjoyment from this wonderful sim (and Flaming Cliffs 2, which you ought to also consider).

[miguez]

Welcome to the team of crazy people we all are Zenra, glad to have you. Lots of reading ahead for you, as most problems have been found and either reported or solved here in this very forum, it's a great tool for those "I wonder what..." questions.

[Zenra]

Ha Ha it sure didnt take long for a squadron to try to pick you up did it? Honestly though 159thGAR (Guards Aviation Regiment) is a good squadron with history. 104th Phoenix is a great squadron to. I myself am with Warhawks. Check those 3 out there all good choices.

 

Definitely interested in checking out some squadron/MP action once I climb up the learning curve a bit. I had a lot of fun a year or so ago doing MP with Falcon 4.0 RV/FF/OF, depending on versions and who was flying. It's great to see such a community here, and a choice of squadrons and training options.

 

@CornBread: I've looked at Track IR a few times and have not bitten yet, but BS looks like it will be the one that makes me cave. I am impressed with all the options supported for different cockpit views, but trying to do all that from the KB is hard to imagine while trying to fight.

 

I am patched to the latest and working my way through the manual, tutorial flights and Developer's notes videos. I watched the "Leading Edge" sample training video, too - an impressive piece of work, and really shows off the depth of systems simulation in BS. Was this "series" ever extended? I did a search but did not find reference to any follow-on sessions.

 

I am working on a Cougar TMJ for this, but I have to believe someone else must have already done one by now - does anybody here use teh Thrustmaster Cougar with Black Shark, and if so, do you know of any program files available for download that I might start with?

 

Thanks again for all the great welcome messages - Black Shark is really something, and the more I read and try the more impressed I become - great work!