03 and 07 May 2013 Updates

[Wolf One]

Wow, kind of did the Sybil thing on that one.

 

Honestly I recently bought the Huey because of a looming credit card issue, not because I was so eager to get the Huey, otherwise probably would have delayed purchasing it for quite a while. FC3 was unsettling and seemed more like a an ad hoc series of disconnected patches, rather than something completed or extraordinarily different from FC2. Starting to imitate churning. Gonna have to think hard about upcoming modules or wait for the price appropriate discount.

[ishtmail]

Wow, that must be some pretty awesome looming credit card issues, if they're forcing you to buy games... :)

[Datajack]

Although I'm not very outspoken, I've been a part of the flight sim community for a very long time. I know Wags and a few guys from the Baltimore team that built Jane's F/A-18 and Jane's F-15. I was an original team member of Team Super Hornet. I'm a developer myself. Over the years one thing remains constant: Simmers on forums are always demanding more and more, and always threatening to not spend their money if they don't get what they want. It's sad really. There was a time not too long ago when it looked like flight sims were going to be a thing of the past. How quick the community forgets. Me personally, I will buy every module that ED comes out with. Period. Why? Simple. Because I do want a high fidelity F/A-18C. The last thing I want to see is ED close it's doors and go from waiting 2 years for my aircraft of choice, to never seeing it at all. If you really want to fly your F/A-18C, or your HF F-15C, or (insert your aircraft here) then stop threatening and start spending, and ensure ED will have the funds needed to stay in business and build your (insert your aircraft here). Just my 2 cents....

[ericoh]

Although I'm not very outspoken, I've been a part of the flight sim community for a very long time. I know Wags and a few guys from the Baltimore team that built Jane's F/A-18 and Jane's F-15. I was an original team member of Team Super Hornet. I'm a developer myself. Over the years one thing remains constant: Simmers on forums are always demanding more and more, and always threatening to not spend their money if they don't get what they want. It's sad really. There was a time not too long ago when it looked like flight sims were going to be a thing of the past. How quick the community forgets. Me personally, I will buy every module that ED comes out with. Period. Why? Simple. Because I do want a high fidelity F/A-18C. The last thing I want to see is ED close it's doors and go from waiting 2 years for my aircraft of choice, to never seeing it at all. If you really want to fly your F/A-18C, or your HF F-15C, or (insert your aircraft here) then stop threatening and start spending, and ensure ED will have the funds needed to stay in business and build your (insert your aircraft here). Just my 2 cents....

 

 

I agree. :thumbup:

[joey45]

Although I'm not very outspoken, I've been a part of the flight sim community for a very long time. I know Wags and a few guys from the Baltimore team that built Jane's F/A-18 and Jane's F-15. I was an original team member of Team Super Hornet. I'm a developer myself. Over the years one thing remains constant: Simmers on forums are always demanding more and more, and always threatening to not spend their money if they don't get what they want. It's sad really. There was a time not too long ago when it looked like flight sims were going to be a thing of the past. How quick the community forgets. Me personally, I will buy every module that ED comes out with. Period. Why? Simple. Because I do want a high fidelity F/A-18C. The last thing I want to see is ED close it's doors and go from waiting 2 years for my aircraft of choice, to never seeing it at all. If you really want to fly your F/A-18C, or your HF F-15C, or (insert your aircraft here) then stop threatening and start spending, and ensure ED will have the funds needed to stay in business and build your (insert your aircraft here). Just my 2 cents....

 

Spot on

 

My airframe won't be done in my lifetime tho.

[sobek]

My airframe won't be done in my lifetime tho.

 

Is it the Jumpjet, Jag or the Tonka?

[arteedecco]

Although I'm not very outspoken, I've been a part of the flight sim community for a very long time. I know Wags and a few guys from the Baltimore team that built Jane's F/A-18 and Jane's F-15. I was an original team member of Team Super Hornet. I'm a developer myself. Over the years one thing remains constant: Simmers on forums are always demanding more and more, and always threatening to not spend their money if they don't get what they want. It's sad really. There was a time not too long ago when it looked like flight sims were going to be a thing of the past. How quick the community forgets. Me personally, I will buy every module that ED comes out with. Period. Why? Simple. Because I do want a high fidelity F/A-18C. The last thing I want to see is ED close it's doors and go from waiting 2 years for my aircraft of choice, to never seeing it at all. If you really want to fly your F/A-18C, or your HF F-15C, or (insert your aircraft here) then stop threatening and start spending, and ensure ED will have the funds needed to stay in business and build your (insert your aircraft here). Just my 2 cents....

I completely understand and agree with your longing for a hardcore sim and supporting the field. 100% agreement.

 

What you seem to be suggesting though, is that everyone essentially provide investment funding for something down the line while withholding their opinions on the apparent direction.

 

While I agree that many comments are basal and could be put a lot more constructively (I have beat that drum on occasion), this thread could be simply interpreted as a poll... in lieu of an actual poll... instead of personally.

 

Our collective opinions here should not translate to the downfall of ED. ED knows their actual sales figures and knows which direction they have to go to survive and prosper as the company they want to be.

 

They have opened up 3rd party modules, so we can conceivably get any airframe to the DCS level we want as quickly as someone makes it, regardless of EDs next high fidelity aircraft.

 

Initially, I was disappointed by the first news release. The follow-up clarified and I became more amenable to their overall plan and direction.

 

I think a lot of people let their excitement for each release and development translate to anxiety and deprecating remarks when they perceive that things are not going the way they want. But.... people should still be able to voice what they like / don't like. It is up to us in how we interpret what they are saying, what is done with that information, and how we react to it is on us. Blindly buying something with the hopes that the company will do something you want eventually (because you are so desperate for something) is not a balanced approach either... discontent with one decision a company makes is not the same as wholly throwing that company out in the wash.

 

A business stays in business by satisfying the demand for its products / services. ED knows what that data shows. I will say though that it appears the demand for the next high fidelity "Fighter" (F/A-18C) is significant and getting to that goal quickly means more cash, sooner (obviously no small task). I wonder if it is feasible, possible for ED to expand / grow by: attracting more investors (this is the most active diehard sim community I've ever seen, seeming to indicate a good market for the genre), selling shares (maybe going public), starting a recurring fee-based structure, coupling with another company, fundraising campaign... (kickstarter type thing... don't laugh... the Mig-21Bis did a pre-launch sale which followed this model). How bout... tell the community it will take XYZ number of $$ to make this module and with that $$$ this much time. You want it? Here's a site with a cash level to be obtained and a timing. You contribute that much cash and we will commit to making this module (or whatever) within the next 12 months.

 

Anyway, thanks @Datajack for your post. Good, grounding message.

[EDIT]On thought that occurred to me after I posted... Net Promoters are important and those are probably the more vocal ones on the forum. Hook the diehard fans and sell n number of more copies of each offering because they won't stop talking about it... showing off their custom made setup to whoever visits, etc. I get the feeling the more casual gamers don't do that, but I could be wrong. Sell to the hackers in other words... if that makes sense.[/EDIT]

Edited May 9, 2013 by arteedecco

[joey45]

Is it the Jumpjet, Jag or the Tonka?

 

Jag.

[arteedecco]

Jag.

Oh god, that's a great idea! I don't know why it doesn't get more love! Sweet plane! :thumbup:

[pii]

I've always wondered, so now's as good a time as any to ask: any info on what the ratio is between mortar&brick&e-retailer stores sales versus those done here at www.digitalcombatsimulator.com?

 

I mean, if most of ED's sales is done at your website, catering the pricing for retailers would be a bit nonsensical.

 

I can understand pushing FC3 and CA sales to physical stores to reach a wider audience, but study sims with its niche market should by logic appeal more to the serious simmer who doesn't buy a game in a store on a whim, but goes online to see what strikes his fancy (especially since simulations like A10C require considerable time investment and have a steep learning curve, not to mention peripherals, ergo not for the casual simmer).

 

Actually I never knew ka=50 was out until I saw it on the shelf at Best Buy so it was in fact bought on a whim for me.

[Datajack]

I will say though that it appears the demand for the next high fidelity "Fighter" (F/A-18C) is significant and getting to that goal quickly means more cash, sooner (obviously no small task).

 

The demand for the next high fidelity fighter may not be as significant as you think. Remember that the community on these forums represents a small portion of the ED customer base. The sales numbers are the ones that give a true representation of EDs customer base. And according to Wags, the majority of the customer base are FC players. This is their "star" product. It's the one that keeps ED funded so they can provide better fidelity products. We as a community need to understand and support this. That's the point of my original post. I want the F/A-18C as much as anyone on these forums believe me. But I'm not going to complain that its not the next ED project. Instead I'm going to support their decision (a very sound business one) and purchase these products.

[arteedecco]

The demand for the next high fidelity fighter may not be as significant as you think. Remember that the community on these forums represents a small portion of the ED customer base. The sales numbers are the ones that give a true representation of EDs customer base. And according to Wags, the majority of the customer base are FC players. This is their "star" product. It's the one that keeps ED funded so they can provide better fidelity products. We as a community need to understand and support this. That's the point of my original post. I want the F/A-18C as much as anyone on these forums believe me. But I'm not going to complain that its not the next ED project. Instead I'm going to support their decision (a very sound business one) and purchase these products.

Yup, I hear ya. I think people are taking the news (maybe it's just me) to mean that the F/A-18C won't be coming until some time in 2014. I believe that's where the anxiety is coming from.

 

But good point and thanks for clarifying. I agree.

[Datajack]

Oh it's not you. The anxiety is certainly there. It's the reason I posted in the first place. Just shows how demanding this community can be. So what if it comes out in 2014? So what if it comes out in 2015? The important thing is that it will be out eventually. I'm happy just to hear officially from Wags about the F/A-18C. For a while there was a lot of speculation but no concrete answers. They will work on it. It will be high fidelity. Awesome news! In the meantime I will continue to support ED where it counts ($$$$) and purchase all released products to ensure that day finally comes. :)

 

 

 

Yup, I hear ya. I think people are taking the news (maybe it's just me) to mean that the F/A-18C won't be coming until some time in 2014. I believe that's where the anxiety is coming from.

 

But good point and thanks for clarifying. I agree.

[SkateZilla]

The Purely English Speaking Community on the boards are a small portion of the members list, IIRC.

[howie87]

In all fairness, I've easily spent over £1500 on hardware and peripherals just to run DCS.

 

I've probably given ED less than £100 and I'd happily give them another hundred plus, if they eventually churn out an F/A-18C.

 

That's why I'm gonna keep supporting.

[Kaktus29]

@howie87 ...rightfully said.. man, the amount of $$$ we spend on computer,graphic cards, Track IR's, joystics, throttle sticks, software stuff, and then 1-2 year passes by and we spend again since new comp means new drivers, new gear, better track ir etc..

 

if one looks at everything ED has done since 1995.. how much would that be? anyone care to crank the numbers?.. i'm just gonna ballpark it and say.. am..let me see, a module was/is about 40 bucks.. we had 1,2,3.. 10 modules so.. about 400 bucks.. 400 bucks for what is it almost 20 years of hard work .. doing work that is appreciated by a very small community(compared to CoD and BF actually pretty much non-existent) and we can see the picture on the other side.. and its not a real shiny one..

 

i think purchasing 20-40 dollar module for DCS world Su/F shouldn't be too much.. altough i do understand frustration.. being a simmer is not easy.. we want much of everything but sadly get very little and very slowly.. because its just what it is.. ED is the only one in the biz right now still bothering with us drama queens..

 

My strategy is very simple.. we just have to somehow bring in the stupid huge ass base of players from CoD to ED DCS ))) the problem with this implementation of strategy is how to give the CoD and other arcade community players the brains, patience to appreciate all that they do in arcade to do it in DCS world..

 

man, can't even imagine what things ED would do with a 5 million customer base!?!?!?

[SkateZilla]

My other system is in the top 10 benchmarks for a built system (not a Bench platform that sits on a stand w/ LN2) and total cost is more than I care to admit. I can sell it and buy a NICE car.

 

then I have my 16 Core Operton Server Box.

 

My main system that I use is in my sig, and even this one was about 3K when everything was new, if I wanted to build A twin, it would prolly be a lil more than half that. (AMD Price drops like Crazy).

 

Than again, all 3 of my main systems are used for more than just DCS or BF3.

[Risk]

I have to agree with you guys. If it weren't for ED I would not have the A-10C to begin with. I still dream of the day I get to fly F/A-18C sim again like Janes FA-18C, but not at the expense of losing some of the finest work I have ever seen in the Combat Flight Simulation arena. I have been buying all of the Mods except for FC3 and I will continue too in the hope that someday we will have the F/A-18C. How I miss flying around the boat and all those carrier qualfication landings.

 

I just wanted all the developers at ED and Wags to know that this flight sim jocking apreciates all the hard work you quys have put into DCS over the years and look foward to what ever comes next.

[Witchking]

BTW....to steer away a bit, did anyone notice the new fire fx for aircraft in the new FC3 trailer? Is it just me or my 1.2.4 installation still shows me the old bitmap fire effect for jets.

[ericoh]

BTW....to steer away a bit, did anyone notice the new fire fx for aircraft in the new FC3 trailer? Is it just me or my 1.2.4 installation still shows me the old bitmap fire effect for jets.

 

 

what trailer?

[cichlidfan]

Is it just me or my 1.2.4 installation still shows me the old bitmap fire effect for jets.

 

They look nice but until I see them on my rig at a decent frame rate, nice looking is all they are.

[SkateZilla]

BTW....to steer away a bit, did anyone notice the new fire fx for aircraft in the new FC3 trailer? Is it just me or my 1.2.4 installation still shows me the old bitmap fire effect for jets.

 

They look nice but until I see them on my rig at a decent frame rate, nice looking is all they are.

 

 

what trailer?

 

 

This One:

 

 

Anyone else notice fluid FPS,...l :pilotfly:

[dburne]

Wow, impressive. Now I want to get FC3, which in my case may be good for me. I am still going through all the tutorials in DCS-A10C, and am no where near ready for combat yet - my biggest problem right now is available time, to devote to learning the sim. Maybe I could get in the air and experience some action a little quicker in FC3.

[ericoh]

Wow, impressive. Now I want to get FC3, which in my case may be good for me. I am still going through all the tutorials in DCS-A10C, and am no where near ready for combat yet - my biggest problem right now is available time, to devote to learning the sim. Maybe I could get in the air and experience some action a little quicker in FC3.

 

Maybe its my skill level or whatever. but i find it realy hard to actualy get kills in FC3 mostly BVR. I need to train :noexpression:

 

 

 

Thanks for the trailer.

[gunterlund21]

My opinion is that vid is a little misleading. They need to remove all scenes of BS, Huey, and A-10C cockpits. Makes it look like that is part of FC3.