Mk-82AIR - What am I missing?

[Yellonet]

I've been trying to drop some Mk-82AIR bombs and trying get the ballute to deploy, but every time they just fall like regular LDGP's. From what I could read in the manual it should be enough to select tail or nose and tail fuse to get the ballute to deploy, and if you select nose fuse only they will fall like regular LDGP's. But when I try selecting tail fuse only I get a "Invalid fusing option" (or something like that) and when I use the N/T option it just works like a LDGP.

Obviously I'm missing something, but what?

[Focha]

Did you save the option on the DSMS? I say this because sometimes I forget to save the option.

 

Regards.

[Wags]

Beta, not completed.

[JIMJAM]

Kinda related to bombs but I have dropped some of the big boys often hitting within 50 yards of exposed infantry and they are uneffected. Tough men or weak weapon one or the 2.

Now some objects,trucks ect may start smoking and eventually blow up but if you are anywhere near a 1000 pounder you are going to be bits and pieces not just get your sun glasses knocked off!

[159th_Viper]

Beta - W.I.P.

[Moa]

Just being a pedant here (sorry about this) - but a piece of software that is still having features implemented is technically in the "alpha" stage (still in development). This is the definition pretty much the rest of the industry uses (I know of no exceptions to this - these are the names the big developers seem to use, including giants like Symantec who I'm currently doing contract development for, but some other player [aside from ED] may re-define these in a "non-standard" way).

 

Once all features have been *fully completed* and initial bug testing performed the software leaves "alpha" and becomes "beta". A few more obscure bugs are expected at this stage.

 

After "beta" bugs have been fixed and checked for regression the software becomes a "release candidate". No bugs are expected, but sometimes very obscure bugs are found at this stage.

 

Once the release candidate has its bugs removed (and checked for regression) the software version is "release" or "general availability".

 

So, from a general "software industry" point-of-view the A-10C is currently actually in "feature-frozen Alpha" stage development. Calling it "beta" at this time is actually confusing for people who are used to something a bit different.

 

I have no problem with this, the Alpha-stage availability, and neither should anyone else who chooses to participate in this bug-hunting programme - since it is great to have it available at this stage and help contribute to finding issues and the state of the product has been telegraphed clearly before purchase.

 

So, I hope that clears up some of the terminology for software development for those who weren't aware of it.

Edited October 9, 2010 by Moa

[nscode]

Alpha - in house test

Beta - test that includes third parties

 

The point in time when you freeze a feature set is dependent on the life cycle model used. Those are the terms as per software testing theory. The ones getting people confused are people from the industry.

Edited October 9, 2010 by nscode

[Lio]

I doubt its really any adobted standard when something is alpha or beta.

Is there a IEEE- ISO standard or something similer on it?

 

Anyway its pre-release i think most is just happy they get to play the thing ASAP, even in its current stage is very very much playable. I have not had a single crash yet other then when ALT tabbing out from Full Screen mode.

[Feuerfalke]

There is no absolute rule for this, but a common guideline:

Alpha = Features are being added.

Beta = Featurelock, implemented things are being polished, completed and tested.

[Moa]

Did not mean to derail thread - merely meant to clarify (which is why some people are getting confused that features are still in development, but as I also said, this should not be a problem).

 

With regard to definitions:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#Beta

 

"Beta" is the software development phase following alpha, named after the Greek letter beta. It generally begins when the software is feature complete. [Moa: "feature complete" means complete, not 'mostly finished', or done apart from textures or polish etc. - i have to remind myself of this when reporting my own software development progress, that "feature complete" means it should pass all functional tests/requirements but not 'non-functionals' (optimisations) or exotic bugs].

 

Hence when some users hear "beta" they think "feature complete apart from full bug testing" as this is how the big companies in industry use that word. ED can use whatever word they like, I'm just trying to put out there that the use of this specific word has connotations that are confusing some users. It may be helpful to ED and associates to re-consider when this specific word is used - mostly it may help the very busy testers, developers, and Wags from having to endlessly explain to confused users that features are not actually implemented in the "beta" (which is perfectly fine, just contra to common industry usage).

 

A phrase like "end-of-development testing" might help to head off some of the questions that people think they're "beta" testing instead. If this is not helpful then cool, that's all I'm trying to be, but please be aware that the choice of word may be some factor in the "open beta" testers misjudging the scope of what is ready for reporting on. Cheers.

Edited October 9, 2010 by Moa

[Yellonet]

Beta, not completed.

Thanks! It was starting to drive me crazy :doh:

I was kinda hoping it was the sim and not me ;)

 

Did not mean to derail thread - merely meant to clarify (which is why some people are getting confused that features are still in development, but as I also said, this should not be a problem).

 

With regard to definitions:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softwar...ife_cycle#Beta

 

"Beta" is the software development phase following alpha, named after the Greek letter beta. It generally begins when the software is feature complete. [Moa: "feature complete" means complete, not 'mostly finished', or done apart from textures or polish etc. - i have to remind myself of this when reporting my own software development progress, that "feature complete" means it should pass all functional tests/requirements but not 'non-functionals' (optimisations) or exotic bugs].

 

Hence when some users hear "beta" they think "feature complete apart from full bug testing" as this is how the big companies in industry use that word. ED can use whatever word they like, I'm just trying to put out there that the use of this specific word has connotations that are confusing some users. It may be helpful to ED and associates to re-consider when this specific word is used - mostly it may help the very busy testers, developers, and Wags from having to endlessly explain to confused users that features are not actually implemented in the "beta" (which is perfectly fine, just contra to common industry usage).

 

A phrase like "end-of-development testing" might help to head off some of the questions that people think they're "beta" testing instead. If this is not helpful then cool, that's all I'm trying to be, but please be aware that the choice of word may be some factor in the "open beta" testers misjudging the scope of what is ready for reporting on. Cheers.

I understand what you're saying.

But just to be clear, I don't share your exact interpretation of the beta stage of development, and when creating this thread I did not - and I still don't - consider this DCS beta anything but feature complete.

As I understand it, all the features have already been decided on, it's just that not all of them are completely functional yet.

The "feature" of dropping Mk-82AIR's is clearly in the sim, it's just that it isn't working 100%, so, tuning or fixing this already implemented feature is different than for instance adding a completely new feature in the beta stage that wasn't decided on in the Alpha stage.

[Yellonet]

Anyway, is there a list of features not yet functional?

If there is it would spare some of my hair :lol:

[159th_Viper]

As I understand it, all the features have already been decided on, it's just that not all of them are completely functional yet.

The "feature" of dropping Mk-82AIR's is clearly in the sim, it's just that it isn't working 100%, so, tuning or fixing this already implemented feature is different than for instance adding a completely new feature in the beta stage that wasn't decided on in the Alpha stage.

 

Exactly!

 

Anyway, is there a list of features not yet functional?

If there is it would spare some of my hair :lol:

 

Start reading the dedicated sticky threads in the Open-Beta forum ;)

[Yellonet]

Start reading the dedicated sticky threads in the Open-Beta forum ;)

Thanks, I guess I should have checked there... :idiot:

[Raz_Specter]

beta, to me means somethings may not work or are broken :)

 

Say no more :)

 

Mithandra