In a few days, I have been an active pilot for 20 years.
If there’s one thing I have noticed about clouds, it is that they can take on any shape and form.
The clouds in DCS doesn’t look horrible. That’s an exaggeration.
Still, there are flightsims with better looking clouds.
However, the tactical significance of clouds should be the same for player and AI. Pretty clouds are worth nothing, in a tactical combat flight simulator, if they just restrict player one.
I think the clouds suddenly looked better, with the last update (or was it the one before that?). The billboard effect was reduced and they no longer turn with the view as much as before.
Ever since the Harrier and the Sidearm where released I’ve really come to enjoy the challenge of hunting SAMs. I can’t wait for the HARM to be released for the Hornet!
It is. I was trying to convey the problems of clouds, with a tactical importance, in DCS. It’s not just about looks. When you put a cloud in there, it must show up in the same spot for everybody on the multiplayer server, or obstruct the visibility of the AI. This is much harder to accomplish than just the graphics.
When I got into DCS back in 2014 I thought the clouds looked fantastic coming from what I knew from other sims. And let’s be honest, it still beats X-plane and FSX/Prepar3D, sure it might not be perfect as is but I do love watching different weather conditions.
I agree!
However, those two have some really good real weather add ons that DCS don’t.
But, then again, it’s not critical to the experience if you and I see the same cloud, in X-Plane, when we’re multiplaying. If you can see me, but I can’t see you, in DCS, however…
Even stock FSX has (ugly looking, yes) different cloud types and layers. For me that is the minimum graphically.
DCSW has small, very round, never overdeveloped cumuli (or straight up full overcast) and always a cirrus layer on top, and that’s it.
That is a bit sad (apart from the aforementioned gameplay problems like sync and AI).
In due time I’m sure clouds and weather will get overhauled. Il2 is blazing a (combat sim) trail in that regard with its dual-layer clouds. Those truly make for some beautiful footless halls of air to fling your eager craft through.
Two shots from flying the “Ultimate Argument” Su-27 campaign. It’s nice. Not very hard, and has a few minor bugs, such as F-4E’s that are erroneously replaced with A-10C’s.
One of the cool bits was in the 1st shots where the flankers are escorting a big ol Ilyushin 76 across the Caucasus mountains. At a certain point they point out Mt Elbrus and a bit thereafter they play out the old joke where the fighter pukes talk down to the trash hauler and he tells them to watch this, cus they can’t do what he’s doin’ now. The flanker wingman tells you to back off because those trash hauler boys aint right in the head… and as they near the destination the trash hauler comes back on the radio telling the flankers he just ate lunch, had a smoke and a … . Not a new joke, but it was pretty darn cool to see it played out like this, and voiced in Russian too.
Built myself a little mission to get familiar with the Hornet again now that I"m having more time to fly DCS. Told myself I would learn this Hornet. Just some screenshots of the mission and me getting familiar with the jet.
I’ve also been flying the Mig-29 (Module Light)? I know, I know, late to the party but I’ve always liked the look of this bird, particularly the “Alpha” model. No bells or whistles of course but the new flight model is really, really good. Finally was able to land this thing without killing my virtual self having read the real flight manual on the aircraft.
