Would you want/ allow flyable civilian aircraft in DCS

[Kroll]

I'm just curious would a high fidelity civilian aircraft be ok by this group? Would DCS allow it? We know in the future it looks like we will time appropriate servers (ww2, Vietnam, etc). Everyday thousands guys fly airliners from A-B in a virtual airspace with in some cases guys playing as ATC. We all know that FSX flight models are garbage. In real life guys are flying around civilian stuff while military operations are conducted. Would you buy anything from a glider to a 747? All high fidelity. Just curious your thoughts.

[Home Fries]

I say go with the sandbox approach. If somebody wants to make a 707 for DCS, let them. The bigger question is whether there is a market for the civilian aircraft (though the 707 module could be applied to the E-3 and KC-135).

 

FSX is great as a procedural sim, the entire world is modeled, the flight model is good enough for normal operations, and it is easier to develop for FSX, so why would a developer market a civilian aircraft for DCS unless it was to learn the system in preparation for developing combat aircraft?

[Nirvi]

I never played a civilian sim before, but if we get civilian aircrafts in DCS, with the complexity of the A10/KA50/P51, I would buy it.

[Exorcet]

Of course, DCS is a flight sim. And it's not like civilian and military have never mixed.

[primus_TR]

IMHO, a civilian aircraft would be of little value in DCS World, given the tiny map and lack of an ATC system in place.

[thrawn]

I would personally say that the market be tested a little with non combattant military aircraft. The Huey is a good start. Next we could have some fixed wing transports like the C-130 or the C-27

[IonicRipper]

Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of the name "Digital Combat Simulator"?

[Grim_Smiles]

If someone wanted to make a civilian plane for DCS I say let them. Anything that brings in more interest (and thus money) to ED and third parties only helps us out in the long run. I use FSX for civilian planes but a DCS fidelity civvy plane would be interesting. However, there would need to be more done with the non-combat parts of DCS before a civilian plane would be worth it - maps, ATC, etc.

 

As for flying this thing if those changes were made, you'd have to do single player or get on a server that doesn't have combat allowed (like one of the acrobatic servers). Taking an unarmed civilian plane into a combat server would be like running down the Ho Chi Minh trail buck naked with an American flag tattooed on your back.

[bax]

FSX is great as a procedural sim, the entire world is modeled, the flight model is good enough for normal operations, and it is easier to develop for FSX, so why would a developer market a civilian aircraft for DCS unless it was to learn the system in preparation for developing combat aircraft?

 

Now, if Microsoft hadn't abandoned flight simulation altogether or had at least 'officially' transitioned it to someone then FSX (and successors like Microsoft Flight was supposed to be) would still be a viable developer's platform. Sure, it still works, and there are still developers making money off of the platform but realistically there is a void there and the true remaining platforms (X-Plane, Prepar3D) aren't effectively stepping in to fill it.

 

I'd LOVE to see (read: WOULD TOTALLY PAY FOR) something along the lines of a Digital Flight Simulations (DFS) World from ED which would hopefully have a similar look/feel/approach to flight simulation as DCS World and possibly even enjoy some interplay with existing DCS infrastructure (shared terrain/airports/etc.). If you opened the system up to third party devs as far as that goes and could actually attract enough critical mass as far as paying customers that could be a very good thing for ED in both the short and long term... If that 'world' were big enough and populated enough, I could even see it being worth it to extend the model to allow for "freemium" type functionality - i.e. everyone can get into DFS World for free and have limited access (1-2 planes, 1-2 geographical areas to fly in, a few missions, limited MP capabilities) but could then directly purchase or subscribe for additional stuff (more planes, more terrain, serious training resources, etc.). Maybe it could be a mixture of outright purchase of stuff for those just wanting to have certain parts of the whole with the option to subscribe for reasonable tiered monthly/yearly membership fees for access to premium content? Something like that could help provide reasonable and consistent cashflow to fund the back-end infrastructure to actually do something like this and do it well...just my thoughts.

 

I'd imagine selling THAT idea to venture capitalists and investors would be a lot more palatable than limiting the business model to study-level combat sims. You would also probably have a lot more potential partners coming out of the woodwork to play which would obviously require some standards to be enforced, but ED is doing that already with DCS Partners. IMHO, expanding our world to civ sims would bring more development resources and more variety in a shorter timeframe. Like it or not, the 'hardcore' DCS demographic is a small percentage of an already small flight sim market...and not all of us can afford to buy 3 copies of each DCS title just to help keep them in business. :)

 

Thanks!

bax

[GreenD]

Sure!!!

 

Would you imagine missions with a SAR (Search and rescue) helicopter?

 

OMG :P

Edited June 19, 2013 by GreenD

[Mewle]

Mission or theatre relevant civvy aircraft would add depth, but for them to be flyable is maybe a stretch. I know some would welcome it, and I would dive right in and try it but high fidelity??

 

This is probably a poll for when dcs is a little more populated with the modules already on the horizon. Maybe even another sim entirely to compete with xplane or fsx.

 

Interesting idea and just my two pence worth

[Caspet]

Oh for goodness sakes I'm sorry but this is another pointless poll, post. If you want to fly civilian aircraft, fsx or X plane!

 

I do apologise thought you meant flyable. Been a long day.

 

Edit again. I should read these posts properly... I take it back!

Edited June 19, 2013 by Caspet
am a pratt

[derodo]

Even when the C in DCS stands for combat, I'd say YES.

 

Mainly because what I like is just flying (and splash some enemies from time time). I'd definitely buy something like that; It would be really great to be able to fly non-combat aircrafts.

[skouras]

IMHO, a civilian aircraft would be of little value in DCS World, given the tiny map and lack of an ATC system in place.

what he says...

little space for an airliner also

Edited June 19, 2013 by skouras

[Fredzered]

A civilian aircraft ? Why not ?

Then first the KC135, E3 and C17... with a civilian option ! :)

What about, instead, a multirole fighter like the F16 with DCS approach ?

It used by so many contries around the world !

Someone will tell me you got Falcon and FSX ! I'll answer i'm in love with DCS !

Nevermind ! We just want NEW MAPS ! ! :pilotfly:

Edited June 19, 2013 by Fredzered

[Weta43]

Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of the name "Digital Combat Simulator"?

 

I don't thinks so - a civilian coalition, and some cvillian aircraft in the air might make for some interesting scenarios - if there were consequences for killing civilians.

[Feuerfalke]

Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of the name "Digital Combat Simulator"?

 

On the contrary. There are civilian aircraft involved in many wars since WW2. For transportation, for extraction, etc.

 

And even better: Think of escorting or piloting the Air Force One, intercept stolen cargoplanes, hijacking an jumbo or cessna with some hightech-equipment and escape the wolfpack, ...

[justoc]

Maybe Military Utility, like the Z-9

 

Just to keep up the theme of Digital Combat Simulator

Edited June 19, 2013 by justo(c)

[cichlidfan]

I don't thinks so - a civilian coalition, and some cvillian aircraft in the air might make for some interesting scenarios - if there were consequences for killing civilians.

 

My personal favorite civil/military scenario would be the one that crops up on the local news from time to time.

 

'Some idiot flew into restricted airspace, again!!' :D

[71st_Mastiff]

Maybe Military Utility, like the Z-9

 

Just to keep up the theme of Digital Combat Simulator

 

oh my god that stupid song is stuck in my head! :thumbup:

[Exorcet]

Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of the name "Digital Combat Simulator"?

Civilian aircraft still exist at times of war, and there is nothing stopping them from being used as weapons.

 

They've already been involved in various combat situations. You could actually say that because DCS is DCS, it should have civilian aircraft.

 

But honestly the debate on the second letter is one I can't stand. The fighters won't go away just because there is a 787 approaching Batumi. You're probably more likely to see one their than a F-15.

[Phantom88]

I enjoy Civilian Aircraft in X-Plane and PrePar3D,And I'd certainly enjoy them in DCS with one condition..........E-D-G-E!!!! We desperately need New Interesting Terrain in DCS.

[rjetster1]

Oh for goodness sakes I'm sorry but this is another pointless poll, post. If you want to fly civilian aircraft, fsx or X plane!

 

I do apologise thought you meant flyable. Been a long day.

 

Edit again. I should read these posts properly... I take it back!

 

 

 

He did mean flyable… what’s so pointless about this poll?

[Mike Busutil]

Absolutely, the more aviation the better. Civilian aircraft would be nice, even if its a high fidelity Cessna. But I feel it would work best if they had rolls in DCS. Of course the scenery would have to be more interesting for those who just want to jump in a highly detailed civilian plane, and go for a sight seeing flight. FSX did have fun missions., looking ahead years from now I could see the possibility in DCS World to have hundreds of aircraft options.

[rjetster1]

USAF Learjet C-21... Can be used for military and civilian.