DCS Newsletter for 29 January 2016!

Flight Sims
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Not sure if this is a leak or not but I am too excited not to put this up here:

Source: Link

Some amazing announcements in there including:

DCS World 2.0 in 2016 will offer new clouds and weather effects; improved HDR; deferred lighting (more light sources); new FLIR system; an improved Air Traffic Control (ATC) system; enhanced explosions, over-wing vapor, and rain on canopy; procedural grass and vegetation; improved multiplayer with dedicated server support; a new Air Combat Generator with enhanced user control of air-to-air generated missions; new custom overlays option for the Mission Editor, and a new Virtual Reality (VR) tab in Options which will improve the DCS World experience in VR.

Aircraft Highlights

F-18C: ā€œLater in 2016ā€*
Spitfire IX: ā€œmid-2016ā€*
P-47D: ā€œthe end of the yearā€*

and ā€¦

In the first half of 2016, several new 3rd party aircraft modules will also be launched. These include the F-5E Tiger II by Belsimtek, the SA342 Gazelle by Polychop Simulations, and the AJS-37 Viggen by Leatherneck Simulations.

Map Highlights

DCS: Nevada

  • Tonopah Air Force Base
  • New casino/hotels in the Las Vegas strip
  • A number of airfields and landing strips in the central (detailed) portion of the map
  • The National Training Center (NTC)
  • Improved grass and ground clutter
  • Plus a host of minor improvements

DCS: Strait of Hormuz: Continuing development*
1944 Northern France Map: Continuing development*

Aircraft Carriers!

Gonna leave this just sitting here:

We see 2016 as a big year for aircraft carrier operations as we plan to release both Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier modules. Both of these modules will be incredibly detailed models with working elevators, interior hanger bays, animated ship systems, and the ability to walk around inside the ships. These will be optional modules that would replace the existing ships currently in DCS World.

Oh my. I need to sit down. I think that 2016 is going to be an excellent DCS year!

Take a look at the link here for further details and pictures.

*Note: This is still software development and, against all of our best wishes, wants or needs, release dates are ā€˜best guessesā€™ and are subject to change without notice. Keep your expectations in check and you will not be disappointed. Lets give ED and the Third Party Developers space to get this all done with quality.

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Holy crap, that carrier and those crew on deck! I wonder if theyā€™ll model mandatory FOD walkdowns on deck before the start of each campaign missionā€¦

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@Navynuke99 Or wake you up at night simulating a man overboard because somebody thought they saw a light
-_-

Iā€™m excited about the coming modules but admittedly skeptical of the dates.

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ā€¦or because a bored squadron airedale thought it would be fun to throw a float coat over the sideā€¦

Followed by the XO angrily screaming over the 1MC about how heā€™ll keelhaul the individuals responsible, then hang them from the yardarms.

As for the dates, Iā€™m keeping an open mind- I have enough other toys to play with in the meantime. Iā€™m just wondering if thereā€™s not some way for us carrier vets to offer our services to ED as technical consultantsā€¦ You know, in terms of helping test things and stuffā€¦

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I didnā€™t realize at first that thereā€™s more pics here:

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/screenshots/665/

Very nice!

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Me either - thanks for the linkā€¦I was wondering why people were talking about people on the carrierā€¦LOLā€¦

By the wayā€¦is that Alec Baldwin overseeing launch operations on the Kuz?

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Gosh, that IS him! Heā€™s shorter in person.

WC

PS ā€“ what, no F-15 improvements?

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I can wait to see these carriers animated. Really hope to see things like better arresting gear payout and hopefully some steamy catapults shots, or if they plan on having a way to have the carrier orient into the wind for recovery. So many burning questions haha. Good times!

Also, the depth they decide to model ground crew animations if any will also be interesting.

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Well, they wonā€™t need to spend too many resources on AI for the flight deck crew.

:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Now, if they try and model the nukes in the reactor spaces, theyā€™d need a Cray Titan to pull it off.

:smirk:

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Cant forget ā€œTillyā€ for Combined Arms users. :smiley:

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Ooh, good call. I always wanted to drive that thingā€¦

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Sounds nice. :smile:
If we could only believe in the datesā€¦

EDIT: Also I hope the various improvements contain stuff like proper synched clouds, data cartridges independent from the mission files, and better physics for the tanker hoses.

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Letā€™s not start that.

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Wasnā€™t my intention, really.
I was merely doing what you wrote: ā€œKeep your expectations in checkā€
EDIT: I am a software developer, and I have worked on games. I know that kind of stuff that causes all the delays. :slight_smile:

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Sorry. I am just a little sensitive in that area :smile:

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So, if the hangar bay is going to be modeled, will we be able to pull a Jake Grafton/ Maverick, and throw the dogtags of any of our buddies killed in action off the fantail?

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This is a really interesting detail. Explains where the work on skeletal animation has gone in to, plus opens up a lot of possibilities. Even walking around Nellis AFB will be cool. Weā€™re close to being able to get a mission briefing in Building 7, hopping in a HMMWV (as part of Combined Arms) to the flightline and then climbing into that A-10C. All in VR!. :wink:

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The question is how are they going to model virtual booze, or am I expected to provide my own?

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If it gets to the point where it starts to feel that you are really there, then with my level of training/competence, Iā€™m not doing a mission sober thatā€™s for sureā€¦ :smile:

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