Complete Noob, please help

[Flyersfanpei]

ok so I am new to PC gaming and new to FlightSims. I bought this thinking I would enjoy it. So far, just a ton of frustration.

 

First of all I am using a laptop with no numpad. So this is a minor keybind issue, but I can get around that. Really i have 2 issues for now.

 

1). When in training mode there is no speech, just text. Not a big deal, but I can't help but think something is wrong when the text tells me if I have trouble hearing him to lower my world/cockpit sounds to 50%. Been there, done that...nothing. Still I have other ambient sounds in the game.

 

2)It tells me to hit space when ready. That doesn't seem to do much at all, but if i wait a few seconds then the guide arrow points me to the bottom right hand corner. I cannot figure out how to look around the cockpit. Once by pressing a multitude of button combos, (I don;t know which ones), I was able to free look with my mouse and saw the button I was supposed to hit, but couldn't get back to a "click" mode. If I could just get past these small issues, I'm sure this is a great simulator.

 

Please help.

 

Thank you.

[BigfootMSR]

What version of the game are you running? There was an earlier version of the game that had some speech issues. I would make sure you have the latest version. As for the looking around the cockpit, those keys are mapped to the num pad keys. You will need to rebind them to something else to be able to look around....

 

I would seriously look into getting a joystick to fly this simulator though.

 

As far as the space bar key, the mission designers put a small delay into the triggers to keep the speech from talking over the next step. You need to wait until the speech stops before pressing the space bar.

[rss0900]

your not running the latest game version most likley, I did this too. It will require you download and install minimum of version 1.2.2.7122.

 

Looking around the cockpit is done with the number keys on your numberpad of the keyboard, 12346789, 5 to center.

[EvilBivol-1]

LALT+C toggles mouse look more on and off.

[Eight Ball]

Welcome :)

 

IIRC L.Alt+C toggles between freelook and "click" view.

 

Like Bigfoot said, if you haven't already, get a joystick, otherwise DCS will remain a big frustation generator, really it's mandatory.

 

lol I don't know if it's brave or stupid to start PC gaming with DCS (no offense !). DCS really is the most hardcore military flightsim on the market (alongside with F4 BMS) so it might be painfull in the beginning but hang on! Once you start to understand what you're doing it really is gratifying.

 

EDIT : sniped :P

Edited January 27, 2013 by Eight Ball

[Flyersfanpei]

THANKS!!!

 

Thanks guys. Nice to see people actually trying to help people on the interwebs LOL.

 

I will try all of these suggestions. looking forward to getting into this.

[jctrnacty]

If you want my humble advice, give up playing on laptop.buy powelfull desktop pc and good joystick and then you will get what you paid for.

 

after youll do what i told you ,then you will know what i was talking about :-)

[Mac10]

No offence but .... I would'nt wanna play this on a lap top, no wonder you are experiencing " a ton of frustration "

 

A good desk top, thrustmaster hotas warthog, Track IR5, is what you want to aim for, but if you are new to this you proberly wanna see if you get into it before splashing out mucho dollar.

 

All the above is not absolutely necessary but go a long way to making this sim a lot more immersive.

 

But good luck with the lappy

[schkorpio]

I'm still waiting on my TM warthog and saitek combat pedals to arrive - and I've been playing with an xbox360 controller - it actually works OK once you adjust the axis curve to be less sensitive.

 

I would recommend you at least get one of those. There still aren't quite enough buttons but you can get by with modifiers.

 

It is miles less frustrating than using a keyboard :)

 

(although i guess for around the same price you can get a cheap joystick stick)

 

 

But ultimately I think a desktop rig (or laptop) that can achieve a smooth frame rate - 60FPS or higher is really nice :) A trackIR and an accurate joystick is the way to go.

[rss0900]

I'm still waiting on my TM warthog and saitek combat pedals to arrive - and I've been playing with an xbox360 controller - it actually works OK once you adjust the axis curve to be less sensitive.

 

I would recommend you at least get one of those. There still aren't quite enough buttons but you can get by with modifiers.

 

It is miles less frustrating than using a keyboard :)

 

(although i guess for around the same price you can get a cheap joystick stick)

 

 

But ultimately I think a desktop rig (or laptop) that can achieve a smooth frame rate - 60FPS or higher is really nice :) A trackIR and an accurate joystick is the way to go.

 

 

Curious to know from other Warthog owners, is owning a Warthog as much of an imporvement to the game as TrackIr is? Would you buy the Warthog again if you already owned something like an X52?

[shagrat]

Curious to know from other Warthog owners, is owning a Warthog as much of an imporvement to the game as TrackIr is? Would you buy the Warthog again if you already owned something like an X52?

Anytime! Without hesitation. I had an X52 plus rudder and still the Warthog is a different world. You simply press DMS up to zoom in, TMS up short to lock and so on and so on without memorizing any additional tweaks or modifiers ... and the physical appearance and build is great.

 

edit: forgot to mention the two throttle axis and the original start switch for the engines. Two axis throttle helps for the P-51D also...

Edited January 29, 2013 by shagrat

[Yurgon]

Curious to know from other Warthog owners, is owning a Warthog as much of an imporvement to the game as TrackIr is? Would you buy the Warthog again if you already owned something like an X52?

 

IMO, TrackIR (or one of the alternatives) is much more important than the Warthog.

 

That said, before I got the Warthog, I hardly touched A-10C even though my old Cougar was a great HOTAS, and with the exception of one additional button press, the stick is practically identical to the Warthog's.

IMO the Warthog's throttle and throttle base are the game-changer for DCS A-10C. Well, that and the Plug&Play compatibility. And the dual throttle. And the incredible accuracy. And the feel of it. And how the switches on the throttle base sound. :)

 

I love the Warthog, but if the question is "Get a head-tracker or get the Warthog?", I'd go for the head-tracker 10 times out of 10. If, on the other hand, the options are not mutually exclusive, get both. :)

[Hamblue]

The warthog is worth it just for the Looks :)

 

 

Edited January 29, 2013 by Hamblue

[rss0900]

Thanks guys, I've been wanting to get the warthog for a while just could not justify the expense, but the time has come. Besides these blue lights on the saitek simply don't match, that alone is worth the added expense! Hamblue thanks for those pictures.

 

[FreeFall]

 

Seems that your China Hat has lost some of its red finish, just as mine. :noexpression:

[PhoenixBvo]

Curious to know from other Warthog owners, is owning a Warthog as much of an imporvement to the game as TrackIr is? Would you buy the Warthog again if you already owned something like an X52?

 

Yes anytime here as well. I even had a Cougar with U2NXT gimbals already. But for this sim the Warthog of course is a perfect fit and it's quality surpasses everything else making your flying much more precise. With the ability to switch to the right response curve in-flight even air-air refueling becomes relatively easy.

I thought it a lot of money as well, but I've never regretted the decision to buy.

[schkorpio]

received my TM warthog today -it's amazing :joystick:

 

it feels nearly as good an expensive cars steering wheel.

 

 

although my landings still need some work :doh:

 

[Mac10]

Track IR really goes a long way to improve your situational awareness giving you all round vision even to the rear

 

The Warthog basically does just what the X52 does

although it does do it better, I would'nt want to be without my Hog or IR5 now I've had em both

 

But ..... I'd proberly say that the Track IR would make the biggest difference to the game, keeping eyes on target or a missle launch ect invaluable.

[shagrat]

IMO, TrackIR (or one of the alternatives) is much more important than the Warthog.

(...)

I love the Warthog, but if the question is "Get a head-tracker or get the Warthog?", I'd go for the head-tracker 10 times out of 10. If, on the other hand, the options are not mutually exclusive, get both. :)

Ok, I might misunderstood rss0900 in the first place, but I thought he already HAS a trackIR and was asking if the Warthog is a SIMILAR enhancement, compared to the x52...

So to be precise: If you own a x52 and need to decide between trackIR and Warthog, trackIR comes first. The x52 is quite capable for flying the A-10C though I quickly missed some of the switches the warthog provides...:thumbup:

 

The look and feel is definitely a class apart, and for flying the precision, the option to use an "extension" (Center mount and longer stick) is also a neat argument. :music_whistling:

[shagrat]

 

although my landings still need some work :doh:

 

Yep, one or two important things missing there... wings for example :megalol:

[FreeFall]

although my landings still need some work :doh:

 

Landing is pretty easy. You just have to know some basic things so that you can maintain ideal glideslope and speed. After some training you'll be OK.

 

Some landing tips can be found in these threads:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=85434

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=96799

[Madone]

You shouldn't say that landings are easy, all pilots are on the same line to say it's a difficult manoeuver. But after 20 landings, I'm sure you will do it instinctively!

[Sierra99]

If I had it to do over again, I'd get The Warthawg, TrackIR THEN rudder pedels. But now that I have all 3, I cant do without them.

[FreeFall]

You shouldn't say that landings are easy, all pilots are on the same line to say it's a difficult manoeuver. But after 20 landings, I'm sure you will do it instinctively!

 

OK. Lets say that after some training, especially when weather conditions are good and your aircraft has no damage, landing is pretty easy. However, with heavy cross winds, zero visibility or with some technical problems it's another story.

[Yurgon]

Ok, I might misunderstood rss0900 in the first place, but I thought he already HAS a trackIR and was asking if the Warthog is a SIMILAR enhancement, compared to the x52...

 

Good point, I understood him differently. But it doesn't matter much, as we seem to agree that TrackIR should come before the Warthog. :)