A Few Additions To Later Modules/Patches

[636_Castle]

I like to keep a list of smaller things I would like to see changed in DCS, so that I don't make an entire new thread for 1 minor thing, but instead, 3+ minor things. :)

 

Here's a recent compiled list I've produced.

 

Independent Lights - Currently, flashing lights in DCS flash at the same time. If you've ever seen strobe lights on in a formation of aircraft, or at night with traffic around you, all flashing aircraft lights blink at the exact same time, which isn't all that impressive.

 

Improved Aircraft/Airfield Lighting - To go one step further, on lighting - it's currently pretty ugly and artificial/X-Plane looking.

 

Compare: http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/1299/screen110623192555.jpg to http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dTJbujoY8GM/TsJQeGITQAI/AAAAAAAAAPw/3Ms5_NXB6Zo/s1600/mooney.jpg

 

Meaner Cockpit Sounds - I know it's a weird thing to ask, but often times simulator cockpits sound a little too pure, and pretty for my taste. Cockpits are loud, and violent sounding. Not these quiet, soothing environments where the only sound is a nice little whine of the engines. It's a combination of roaring, and wind.

 

Comparison videos:

 

8:02 of

video.

And

video.

 

Dynamic Ground Vehicle Damage - Just like aircraft have the ability to be dynamically damaged, I'd like to see ground vehicles have this ability too. Currently, ground target "kills" are based on triggers. You fire off a short burst of 30mm, and the vehicle is triggered to catch on fire, blow up, and turn black. I'd like to see vehicles be demolished, blown apart, and less scripted. I want to actually have to do a BDA, and see if the vehicle is truly destroyed or not, by looking at how incapacitated it is.

 

That's it for now. :)

Edited January 31, 2012 by 636_Castle

[636_Castle]

[Edit - Added more below.]

 

Dynamic Aircraft Mechanics - This is probably too much detail to ask out of DCS, but getting rid of the pre-planned aircraft and avionic behavior would be huge for the series. At this point - every engine start, and takeoff, is exactly the same. It removes the purpose of needing to watch the engine instruments. The engines will take the same exact amount of time to spool up, give the same exact readings, and perform exactly the same, every time they're used, unless there is a triggered failure - in which case there is no indication that the aircraft is struggling or showing signs of poor behavior. You do not need to listen to your aircraft, or take care of it, in DCS...which if changed...would separate DCS from the rest of the pack of simulators, and it is technically possible thanks to groundbreaking developers like A2A Simulations.

 

Hide Flight Controls - The ability to hide the flight controls, like the throttle and stick. There's several hidden controls in the A-10 cockpit for example, that are hidden beneath the flight controls. It's not always easy to lean in a funky way in a chair using TrackIR to be able to see these switches. It's not natural, and not the easiest thing to do, since TrackIR doesn't always behave realistically. In the real world, you simple need to cock your head to the side, or lean in your seat. With TrackIR, you sometimes need to slouch down in your seat, and behave a little more dramatically. It'd help streamline the simulator in my opinion, and keep people without TrackIR from having to memorize key commands.

 

Reverse Thrust - Please add reverse thrust animations to AI turbojet aircraft.

[Inseckt]

Hide Flight Controls

 

Wasn't there already a mod for this in an earlier version? IIRC it used the now unused three-point-switch next to the indexer light brightness knob.... Perhaps it's possible to reintegrate this mod. It's probably still listed in user files...

 

Edit: +1 for everything else....

[sobek]

Dynamic Aircraft Mechanics

 

This is already in the sim. The 'culprit' for the behaviour you see is that you start every mission with a factory new airplane, so to speak, however, the engines are simulated dynamically and will react in such a way to certain circumstances (e.g. full throttle flameouts can damage the engine, from which point on it will have higher EGT and therefore not reach it's rated power output).

 

Also, turbine engines are more resilient towards wear (longer TBOs) and mistreatment than reciprocating engines. On top of that, you have a control system that actively inhibits you from overheating the turbine, again, a safety measure that the unmanaged engines in A2A modules do not have. So IMHO, the comparison to A2A is not fully valid.

Edited January 31, 2012 by sobek

[winz]

Meaner Cockpit Sounds

You're spoiled by youtube videos, don't forget that pilots are wearing earplugs under those helmets.

Dynamic Aircraft Mechanics -

Fire up BS, disable EGG, and watch the show as you tore those engines to pieces :)

[sobek]

You're spoiled by youtube videos, don't forget that pilots are wearing earplugs under those helmets.

 

I agree, these sounds are so abrasive without ear protection, most people would consider them "wearing their ears out" even at low volumes.

 

You are however free to mod the sim with any sound you deem fit. :)

[636_Castle]

...

 

Thanks for the informative reply sobek. I guess the main thing I'm asking for, is for each ramp start and takeoff experience to be different, regardless of whether or not you've only just spawned and aircraft.

 

I like your point regarding turbine engines being resilient towards wear. I didn't mean to wish for obvious signs of wear on the aircraft, I only meant I'd like to see some variety or randomness in performance and behavior, since each aircraft is different in it's own way.

 

When I mentioned A2A, I was referring to the technological capabilities. :)

 

You're spoiled by youtube videos, don't forget that pilots are wearing earplugs under those helmets.[/Quote]

 

The only way ear plugs alter the sound of a cockpit, is by lowering it's volume. I didn't ask for a louder cockpit.

[sobek]

Thanks for the informative reply sobek. I guess the main thing I'm asking for, is for each ramp start and takeoff experience to be different, regardless of whether or not you've only just spawned and aircraft.

 

I think that EDs point is that they do not want to incorporate features that would ultimately culminate in that on some sorties, you would do the rampstart only to find that your plane has a failure and has to be grounded. I wouldn't write it off completely, though, maybe they will find a way once they move further towards a dynamic campaign.

 

 

The only way ear plugs alter the sound of a cockpit, is by lowering it's volume. I didn't ask for a louder cockpit.

 

If only!!! Earplugs damp very nonlinear (in the frequency domain), they attenuate high frequencies a lot more than low ones (in this case, this is good, because the ear has its highest amplitude sensitivity between about 1-4 kHz).

[636_Castle]

If only!!! Earplugs damp very nonlinear (in the frequency domain), they attenuate high frequencies a lot more than low ones (in this case, this is good, because the ear has its highest amplitude sensitivity between about 1-4 kHz).

 

Brain...no longer functioning... :noexpression:

 

I'll take your word for it. :D

 

Thanks.

[sobek]

Brain...no longer functioning... :noexpression:

 

They change the sound, 's all im sain' :D

 

Very much so, even.

[Cali]

Being in a real jet is pretty quiet, the ear plaugs and helmet do a very good job!