Mudspike 4th Annual DCS Fall Fly-In
By @Fridge - NOVEMBER 13, 2018
Originally published at: Articles - Mudspike Forums
Well now! Another year has passed and it seems like it is time for another Mudspike DCS Fall Fly-In. Again, although we may be stretching the definition of Fall, the 4th Annual DCS Fall Fly-In will occur on the weekend of December 1st to the 2nd, 2018.
DCS has seen a number of major improvements since last years Fly-In! This year we will be running the DCS World 2.5 Release Branch* with various sandbox-style multiplayer missions. Server connection details will be posted the week before the event.
*Note: In the unlikely event that the Heatblur F-14 is released that week, there is a chance that we will be running the DCS World 2.5 Open Beta Branch to accommodate. This could be a last moment decision and we hope that we can still accommodate as many people as possible. We strongly recommend that you check out Skatezillaās DCS Launcher which allows you to switch quickly between Open Beta and Release Branch builds.
Friday evening (30th of November 2018) we will have a server up to test connect-ability for clients and allow everyone to lurch around those virtual skies in as friendly a manner as we can muster. It will be an opportunity to check out the Mudspike Teamspeak3 server and see if you have anything that needs sorting out. We are confident that anyone on our Teamspeak3 server will be willing to offer help to anyone who asks.
Saturday and Sunday (1st and 2nd of December 2018) will be the āmain eventā. Now we want to caution that we do not have a lot of things planned. There will be at least one server available with a sandbox mission on the default DC World Georgia map (more information below).
Additional Information
According to SOP [ā¦ letās just check out notes ā¦ hmm, yes, there it is ā¦] we will have an AAR (After Action Reports) thread up where you can record your screenshots, videos and AARs during the Fly-In. There is a good chance that we may be giving away a mysterious DCS Module Key as donated by members of this outstanding community. If we can get the logistics of that squared away, we will announce the details in a separate thread before the start of the Fly-In.
If you have suggestions for missions or for aircraft modules, please make those in the replay to the Mudspike 4th Annual DCS Fall Fly-In Suggestions thread. We will use this information to, at a minimum, customize some of the sandbox missions to allow for adequate game-play with those modules and try to allow for the execution of some coordinated missions within that framework. We would hate to see someone want to fly the DCS AJS37 Viggen or any other module and find that there are not enough available. Most of the action will occur over Georgia, in order to make sure that we are open to as broad an audience as possible, but a some servers may allow missions on other DCS World Maps (Nevada, Normandy and the Persian Gulf).
As is our usual method of operation, virtual pilots of all experience levels are welcome!
If you have been putting off playing in a multiplayer environment then this is a perfect opportunity to give it a try. Even if it is only to log in and be part of a group, many of us are more than willing to help out, offer advice or work in some training time over the course of the event. None of us are experts on all of the modules in DCS World but many of us are willing to learn and share what we might know. (BeachAV8R edit ā I might be there to show you what NOT to do as I demonstrate walking around after ejecting..) We do have a few real world pilots (civilian and military) and they are often willing to share their knowledge as long as it does not cross some conflict-of-interest or classified lines. It is quite a thing to work through (or even to listen in to) a cooperative combat environment with an Air Force officer in charge or to talk aviation with a skilled, learned commercial aviation pilot.
Remember: the goal of the Fly-In is to offer a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Donāt feel intimidated by the regulars, they are gentle as baby bear cubs and we have all smashed our virtual aircraft into the potato locker of the local virtual navy carrier. It is okay to fail and we embrace the learning opportunity.
If you would like to put up a server and host a mission, please post a response in the Mudspike 4th Annual DCS Fall Fly-In Suggestions thread and mention @staff in the text or send the @staff a private message in the forums and we will work out the details.
As mentioned before, we have a Teamspeak 3 server and voice communications are strongly recommended. We all hate how we sound but luckily, we donāt have to listen to ourselves. We have a policy of having an open and friendly voice communication space. Connection information can be found here.
Rules of the Road
In order to ensure fun play for everyone, there are some ground rules and/or guidelines listed below. In general, if a player is disrupting everyone elseās good time, they will be kicked and/or banned. *We have never had to kick or ban anyone at Mudspike, and weād really like to keep that trend going.*
- Shoot to Kill, Play to Have Fun. Itās not just a motto, itāsā¦ok, well, actually it is just a motto, but itās a pretty good one. Play hard, but play nice and be fair;
- No team-killing. Most (if not all) missions can be assumed to be CO-OP focused or CO-OP friendly with no adversary client positions unless specified in the title/briefing. If you feel the need to go fangs out, coordinate with players ahead of time and set up a PvP mission but at the very least, you are required to have the permission of everyone involved and to move off to an unoccupied area of the map;
- No killing of the Tanker. We all know that Air-to-Air tanking is a pain but please donāt take that out on the tanker, even if it is āan accidentā or āthey made fun of your motherā;
- No obscene language, TS3 or text. Not all folks enjoy obscene language, even if meant in good humor. Other folks may have friends/family reading the chat messages over their shoulder or listening in on external speakers and may hear what you intended as a closed room comment;
- PLEASE use push-to-talk. Mouth-breathers and keyboard clacking can be very distracting for others (Fridge edit ā I am one of those. I tend to mutter a lot when I think no one is listening);
- Read the chat bar. Respect those who might not be on TS3. Remember to send text messages for important comms in addition to broadcasting over TS3 as not everyone may not be on TS3 or in the same channel. Be sure to know which key is used to access chat for the DCS modules you will be flying;
- Runway/Carrier Operations. The standard rules used in previous fly-ins:
- There is an active runway in use as decided by the in-game ATC (who will at least make some effort to send you in the right direction). If there is doubt (or ATC is being quiet because someone else is taxiing), feel free to follow them to the active runway;
- Make an effort to announce on Teamspeak, or in chat, when you are about to take the runway or are on final and then announce when you are clear (landed and off the runway or are wheels up). Clear the runway/deck as fast as possible and then announce it (ie: āSkippy5 is clear of the active runway!ā);
- With a carrier spot, initially select a spectators position and make sure that you are not spawning in on top of anyone (the deck is āclearā) and check in on Teakspeak/chat. When you do spawn in, if you are not taking off with the initial load of weapons/fuel, fold your wings and immediately taxi to a position that does not occupy the launch/landing portions of the deck (there are such spaces beside or behind the superstructure/tower);
- Catapults on the *bow* of the ship are to be considered *active* while ones on the waist are only to be used if there is no-one in the pattern. If you look around and see any dots in the sky around the carrier, assume that they are in the pattern and move to the *bow* catapults;
- Access to the active runway is by priority order (pilots at the top of the following list have the highest priority ā if there is anyone at the airfield or carrier if they are performing an action above you in the list, they have priority):
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Emergency (damage or low fuel);
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Landing;
-
Taking off:
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Taxiing to/from parking;
-
Links:
- 1st Annual DCS Fall Fly-In (2015): Announcement link, AAR Thread;
- 2nd Annual DCS Fall Fly-In (2016): Announcement link, AAR Thread;
- 3rd Annual DCS Fall Fly-In (2017): Announcement link, AAR Thread);
- Mudspike Teamspeak Server: Server Connection Information;
- SkateZillaās DCS Launcher App: ED Forum Link;
- Mudspike 4th Annual DCS Fall Fly-In Suggestions: Mudspike Forum Link;
