DCS Discussion

[Jarhead0331]

I have an old copy of Black Shark - the first one - lying around that I never got around to playing.  I wanna play it, but all I have in the way of controllers is an ancient old Saitek Cyborg Evo.  Now, this was always fine for flying jets, but how about helis?  Are hardware rudders a necessity, or can I get by without them?  I'd rather not have to buy any more hardware right now (assuming my stick even works).

You'll definitely want to upgrade to the most current version of the module. I would say rudder pedals are not an absolute necessity, but you will want a stick that has twist capability for the z-axis at the very least.

[Pete Dero]

I have an old copy of Black Shark - the first one - lying around that I never got around to playing.  I wanna play it, but all I have in the way of controllers is an ancient old Saitek Cyborg Evo.  Now, this was always fine for flying jets, but how about helis?  Are hardware rudders a necessity, or can I get by without them?  I'd rather not have to buy any more hardware right now (assuming my stick even works).

Black Shark might not be the easiest module to start with (non of the helos are).  Try the free plane that's included in DCS world.

And : Black Shark 2 upgrade keys are no longer available for purchase ....

[Jarhead0331]

I have an old copy of Black Shark - the first one - lying around that I never got around to playing.  I wanna play it, but all I have in the way of controllers is an ancient old Saitek Cyborg Evo.  Now, this was always fine for flying jets, but how about helis?  Are hardware rudders a necessity, or can I get by without them?  I'd rather not have to buy any more hardware right now (assuming my stick even works).

Black Shark might not be the easiest module to start with (non of the helos are).  Try the free plane that's included in DCS world.

And : Black Shark 2 upgrade keys are no longer available for purchase ....

By "upgrade", I mean buy the latest edition.

I found the Black Shark to be a very reasonable aircraft to learn. Its avionics are just advanced enough to be very capable without overwhelming the pilot. Additionally, as far as helos go, its unique in that it does not have a tail rotor and I think it is much easier to control than any of the other helos presently available.

The aircraft that come with DCS World for free are not study sim level aircraft...they are basically Flaming Cliffs versions, as far as I know.

[Huw the Poo]

Oh don't worry, I'm no stranger to study sims; I'm confident I'll be able to learn the Black Shark.  My only real concern was the hardware - and yes, the Evo can twist.  It's what I used for rudder control in other sims. :)

Thanks for the input, chaps.

[Pete Dero]

By "upgrade", I mean buy the latest edition.

Until a few months ago you could get an upgrade for the dvd version (BS1) to get Black Shark 2.  I think I paid $15 to get it so it was a lot cheaper compared to the new edition, but it is this option that's no longer available.

About the Black Shark : it is mastering the trimmer that many people have problems with.

[Pete Dero]

And it is now possible to upgrade your BS2 upgrade to a full BS2 licence (at no extra cost).

You will require to enter your BS1 and BS2 upgrade keys here : https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/personal/licensing/replacebs/

[Nefaro]

And it is now possible to upgrade your BS2 upgrade to a full BS2 licence (at no extra cost).

You will require to enter your BS1 and BS2 upgrade keys here : https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/personal/licensing/replacebs/

Finally.

I need to do this.  Thanks for the heads-up!

[Jarhead0331]

I think I'm obsessed with this sim. I play it constantly and when not playing, I'm thinking about it. lol

Anyway, I've been working on making the ultimate training mission for beginners, or even a refresher for more experienced pilots, but who may have stepped away for awhile. I find that these kinds of sims are like going to the gym. It takes so much work to make real progress, and if you miss a few days, everything you gained goes to crap.

I wanted a non-hostile environment to practice cold start, take-off, navigation, communications, radar and RWR, aerial refueling, etc. without the threat of being engaged or shot down. Surprisingly, I couldn't find anything like this in ED's DCS user files database, so I just went ahead and built it.

Right now, the player leads a 2-ship formation of Hornets on a tour of the Persian Gulf. Take-off and landing are shore-based, but I plan on making a version with a carrier-based flight plan. Right now, there is JTAC, AWACS and a tanker to communicate with, and a bunch of other friendly air and ground traffic to monitor in the air and on the screens. Eventually, I think I'll add some non-threatening targets to practice deploying munitions, but in general, I want to keep this series of missions clear of hostiles that can engage the player.

If anyone is interested in trying the mission, let me know and upload it.

[Yskonyn]

Good job on the mission!

I think you dont see these shared often might be because they are often training missions created by virtual wings. They don't often share missions unless you fly with them.

For example our regular Caucasus training mission features a missile script that can be enabled or disabled via the F10 custom radio menu.
This enables us to train Air to Air without killing eachother like we were using training ordnance.
Also the mission features several ground unit doctrines that can be triggered by the F10 custom radio menu where in specific training areas, a pilot can make target vehicles mobilise, halt, retreat or randomly disperse or spawn to aid training in spotting and engaging.
We can also enable or disable the SAM network from the cockpit, stuff like that.

These missions are a labour of love and often an iterative thing that took years to fine tune and build out, so its understandable these might not be freely available just like that.
Another thing is the iterative process: often several new versions of the mission get released in a short timeframe making it almost impossible to keep it updated on third party sites.

If you haven't looked into scripting yet and are interested in automation and feature expansion take a look at the MOOSE framework: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=138043

[JasonPratt]

If anyone is interested in trying the mission, let me know and upload it.

I don't even play DCS yet, and I'd like that mission. 

[Skoop]

I wouldn't mind checking the mission out too, could never have enough practice.

[Jarhead0331]

Finally got around to setting up working MFDs...again, another giant leap for immersion. Everyone should do this...no excuses!

AV8B Harrier


A-10C Warthog


F/A-18C Hornet

[Yskonyn]

Very nice JH!
What display(s) did you use?

[Grim.Reaper]

Finally got around to setting up working MFDs...again, another giant leap for immersion. Everyone should do this...no excuses!

AV8B Harrier


A-10C Warthog


F/A-18C Hornet

Besides cost and answering to wife:)

[Jarhead0331]

Very nice JH!
What display(s) did you use?

Just one display. I thought putting both MFDs on one monitor would he cleaner. I ended up going with this from amazon...

JOHNWILL Portable Monitor 11.6" IPS LCD Monitor 1920X1080 IPS Portable Display HDMI Input, USB Powered,Built-in Speaker,Compatible with Laptop,PC,PS4, PS3, Xbox Ones,Raspberry Pi