Ok, I think I see what you’re getting at now.
But first…For DEPLOYED I want a more ‘open’ world if you will. Where the initial properties (characteristics) are defined - not by me, I just want to fly the machine - in a ‘world’ that is somewhat authentic. There is an AI thing making decisions in the background at a high level but it will vary. Within limits I want to ‘wonder’ what might happen on this flight (within limits of course).
I want something that is a representation of how the real thing works; like how starting up an F-18 requires a dozen steps and is represented in the sim pretty accurately (as far as I know). But, it will cause many people to go, “arg, too much to do here”. But, that’s how it is.
I fully understand this isn’t for the majority of the people. I’m okay with that.
I had to build (or try to) something that I find interesting - back to Mr. Gray’s thing again (a ‘Tech’ company…you make your own fun [not our job to]); it’s way too much work otherwise.
The DCS user interface (while flying) puts constraints on things; been a while but the DLC, static, pay-ware Campaigns you can get all seem to have a “press spacebar to continue” methodology likely cus the UI is limited; you have X number boxes to check in the process of mission Y; at specific points/times you hit the spacebar (or the like) and it goes to the next step.
These ‘present’ themselves well - they sound good for sure but are not very ‘broad’ or flexible. You should be able to play DEPLOYED and never see the exact same thing (it will be generally similar) and have the freedom to go wherever you want as far as the coms system is concerned. There are limits here but mostly just time to add them in.
I have to ‘abstract’ things to allow for flexibility. You should be able to go anywhere, at any time, and call anyone and get whatever services they provide (an approach, a target, a bearing/range to a tanker, an emergency CAS request; a popup task to go check out suspect vehicle, a “hey how’ya doing” response, etc).
On any mission in any ‘campaign’. And the campaigns can be created in a month or so, not a year (or more) .
There are limitations and it will take time.
Anyway, the ‘bones’ are there I just need to flesh it all out. Took 2 years to determined what DCS would even allow me to do; I still can’t do the comms thing in a ‘clean’ way but maybe someday they’ll give me the one API function I need. Not holding my breath. It was either ‘hack’ it or ignore it all together. So I hacked it, if you will.