Thank you!

[IamSparticles]

I used to be an avid combat flight sim enthusiast, back in the day when they were thick on the ground (Falcon 3.0/4.0, Jane's everything, EF2000, etc). When LOMAC came out, I bought it, but my computer at the time was a little under-powered, and all I had for a controller was a Saitek X-45 that never worked very well. I had to turn the graphics way down to make it playable, and I was constantly fighting the calibration on my HOTAS. I played for a couple weeks, then never again. Basically, after that I stopped keeping up with the hobby.

 

But recently, I got the bug to try it out again. I found a copy of F4 Allied Force and a used TM Cougar with pedals on Craigslist. It took a few evenings of tweaking to get everything working. Then I was having fun, but was finding the technology behind Allied Force to be somewhat dated (which is fair, since the engine is now about 13 years old) and buggy. Then I found DCS A-10C on Steam last week. Wow. I'm blown away by how incredibly beautiful it is, and how well everything works. It's a blast to just fly around and enjoy the scenery. The level of control over the systems is a little mind-boggling, but the training missions have at least got me to the point where I can fly into combat without feeling completely lost. Though it would be nice if there were some more training scenarios for things like communication with other packages and FAC.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for helping to re-kindle my love for combat flight sims. Now I just have to convince my wife that I need a TrackIR for Christmas :thumbup:

[cichlidfan]

Welcome!

 

There are plenty of people here who can tell your wife, because you do need a TIR. Christmas is too far away though...

 

...looking at calendar...

 

...you need it as a present for UN International Day of Peace! Thats on the 21st of this month!!:D

[Evil.Bonsai]

I've found, with regards to training, is that watching everything you can find on youtube really helps. Check the 'screenshots and videos' sub-forum for missions posted on youtube. Especially this guy: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=77202

 

Also, as I've seen it said, don't try to learn everything at once. Concentrate on learning each system separately. Start with weapons first then start on the more complicated systems. I'm about to setup a simple mission with several JTAC callouts, with static groups, then use some of the techniques RodBorza uses in that link above.

 

And then practice, practice, practice. :)

 

Me: F19 Stealth Fighter, Falcon3, Tornado, EF2000, Longbow, Longbow 2, Faclon 4.0. Geez, I remember when Microprose TEASED about doing an A10 in the Electronic Battlefield series. Been waiting ever since.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Evil.Bonsai

[EtherealN]

Also, as I've seen it said, don't try to learn everything at once. Concentrate on learning each system separately. Start with weapons first then start on the more complicated systems. I'm about to setup a simple mission with several JTAC callouts, with static groups, then use some of the techniques RodBorza uses in that link above.

 

I totally have to +1 that one. :)

Not sure I agree with going weapons early, and I'd make the additional point that it's good to focus on one weapon type at a time. Mavericks are fairly easy to learn, so master them, then figure out dumb bombs in CCIP and CCRP along with familiarising yourself with DSMS profile settings for them, and then graduate to JDAMs - but here you'll probably benefit if you've taken some time to study waypoints, markpoints, SOI and SPI first - and finally LGB's. Essentially though - learn a system, then repeate it several times to make sure it "sticks". Saves a lot of frustration later. (You should have seen me when we were first given some code to test, was confusion all over the place whenever I failed to heed my own advice :D )

 

And welcome to the forum Sparticles. Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions about anything. :)

[IamSparticles]

...you need it as a present for UN International Day of Peace! Thats on the 21st of this month!!:D

 

LOL. Actually, my birthday is next week. But between purchasing the Cougar setup and attending PAX a couple weeks ago, I've about exhausted my spousal karma. So the TrackIR will have to wait.

[EtherealN]

If you have a webcam, you do have the option of using FreeTrackNOIR. It's a free software package that reads your face, and ED released the tracking API a while back allowing the FreeTrack developers to get direct support for it.

 

I haven't used it myself, so I can't compare it in quality to TrackIR (I'd suspect it would be slightly less good, mainly through a webcam having a lower refresh rate and possibly smaller view angle than a TrackIR unit), but free is free. :)

[supraman2turbo]

Welcome!

 

There are plenty of people here who can tell your wife, because you do need a TIR. Christmas is too far away though...

 

...looking at calendar...

 

...you need it as a present for UN International Day of Peace! Thats on the 21st of this month!!:D

 

Using a holiday of peace for a toy for a game about war....I like it.

[EtherealN]

Strictly speaking, you can use the toy for many things, inlcuding civilian simulators and as a handicap aid - there is a version of TrackIR used as a computer interface for people who are paralyzed neck-down. :)

[supraman2turbo]

Strictly speaking, you can use the toy for many things, inlcuding civilian simulators and as a handicap aid - there is a version of TrackIR used as a computer interface for people who are paralyzed neck-down. :)

 

You are so ruining my joke....so harsh to the noobie

[EtherealN]

My ambitions to be an evil overlord would go to shame if I didn't ruin at least one joke per day. :D

[kylania]

I, for one, welcome our new EtherealN overlords!

[Laurius]

Hi IamSparticules,

 

Welcome to you here. As said above, the best is to go progressively, concentrating on one thing at a time (May be landing first :music_whistling: ?? ). Personaly, I spent a lot of time on the training missions. Then I skiped to the SP ones included with the sim (the Easy, Medium, Hard ones). After I downloaded missions from here (there is bunch of good ones) but still need to go with MP mode, which will come at some point.

Nevertheless, don't forget to check also those Wiki links :

 

http://en.wiki.eagle.ru/wiki/Main_Page#DCS:_A-10C_Warthog

 

http://dcswiki.com/index.php?title=DCS:_A-10C_Tutorial_Collection

 

You will never get lost here

 

Cheers

[Franky__]

LOL. Actually, my birthday is next week. But between purchasing the Cougar setup and attending PAX a couple weeks ago, I've about exhausted my spousal karma. So the TrackIR will have to wait.

 

Ohh, mate. You might have given a second thought on that Cougar you bought. There is a fancy new toy developed for this very sim called Hotas Warthog. The price is a little steep but once you had it you dont want to use anything else anymore :joystick:

[EtherealN]

An alternative approach though: tell the wife that hey - you didn't go for the uber-expensive TM Warthog HOTAS, so you saved money for the TrackIR! :D

[IamSparticles]

Ohh, mate. You might have given a second thought on that Cougar you bought. There is a fancy new toy developed for this very sim called Hotas Warthog. The price is a little steep but once you had it you dont want to use anything else anymore :joystick:

 

Oh, I know about the HOTAS Warthog. But I'm a cheakpskate. The reason I'm just buying a Cougar now is because I couldn't justify shelling out the big bucks when it originally shipped. I picked this one up off a guy that just upgraded :D Hell, he's probably on these forums somewhere. I got it cheap, and he threw in his old TM Elite rudder pedals (I think he got the Saitek one's with toe brakes). He took good care of it, and it works perfectly. The only thing I haven't figured out is a good solution for a boat switch.

[cichlidfan]

...good solution for a boat switch.

 

Don't switch, stick to airplanes!:megalol:

[supraman2turbo]

My ambitions to be an evil overlord would go to shame if I didn't ruin at least one joke per day. :D

 

I understand Lord EtherealN. All Hail Lord EtherealN

[shagrat]

I understand Lord EtherealN. All Hail Lord EtherealN

 

At least he has a reputation to keep :music_whistling:

[KaspeR32]

I understand Lord EtherealN. All Hail Lord EtherealN

 

What kind of lord doesn't even have any new, interesting information about patches/release dates/new DCS modules?

[nemises]

(the kind of lord under an NDA :P)

[Wolf Rider]

An alternative approach though: tell the wife that hey - you didn't go for the uber-expensive TM Warthog HOTAS, so you saved money for the TrackIR! :D

 

 

Nailed it :) ... The reverse "I saved $120 on this new dress/ these shoes were on sale" approach :lol:

 

 

 

Learn to start up, take off and land, navigate and communicate, first up... make sure you're on top of getting to where you've got to get to, getting around whilst you're there and then getting back to base, after that the fun starts with threat avoidance, and weapons systems

Edited September 7, 2011 by Wolf Rider

[dunadan]

I have a better holiday for you to go for - International Talk Like A Pirate Day is September 19th, and it even works with the product!

 

'Honey, get me a Track-IaRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!'

[kylania]

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

 

'Honey, get me a Track-IaRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!'

 

:doh:

(Ok, I admit it, I laughed. heh)

[Evil.Bonsai]

0.o

 

 

/also use Cougar. Boat switch for me is the dogfight switch. China hat is IFF hat down/up. Sadly, my Cougar has issues with IFF right and Speedbake FWD (early model with misaligned speed brake switch). For some reason these two switches interfere with each other's signal, so I leave the IFF l/r blank and just use the speed brake fwd. Comms I do with keyboard. Downloaded aprofile here somewhere. I believe it was called Viper's Cougar profile or something like that. I did make a few changes after download, though, to account for my HOTAS' setup/functionality. Use RANGE for zoom and ANT for rudders.

Edited September 8, 2011 by Evil.Bonsai

[IamSparticles]

I'm using the profile by "Speedbrake". It has the radio/IFF hat set up as the coolie hat. Dogfight switch is the China hat. Speedbrake switch is... speedbrake. It doesn't have anything set for the range/ant axes.

 

Hmmm... maybe I'll use the Range knob for the boat switch.

 

*UPDATE* - That actually worked really well. I used a digital axis assignemt, and applied to boat switch operations to the various regions of the knob. Also, depressing the knob is now my VHF1 transmit key.

Edited September 8, 2011 by IamSparticles