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[Fly On] DCS A-10C / DCS Black Shark 2 / LOMAC: FC3 - Join us in the skies

krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
edited July 2013 in Games and Technology
As some of you may know, I'm a big war gaming fan. I like to play on all levels from grand strategy / operational stuff, down to soldier combat. But with the recent release of DCS: A-10C (and the recent upgrade of my computer!) I've turned my PC gaming attention back to the greatness that is combat flight sims!

In this thread I'd like to discuss flight sims that are truly simulations, or pretty damn close. No arcade stuff. I love those games too, but we're talking a little more heavy duty in here. So the games I'm currently playing:

DCS: A-10C Warthog
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From the site: "DCS: A-10C Warthog" is a PC simulation of the U.S. premier Close Air Support attack aircraft. This is the second aircraft in the DCS series, following DCS: Black Shark, and raises the bar even higher in the DCS series. Warthog brings the most realistic PC simulation of a modern fixed wing combat aircraft in regards to flight dynamics, avionics, sensors, and weapon systems. You also have the option to play Warthog in "Game" mode for a casual game experience. Fly missions in the Caucasus region of the Black Sea against and with a wide array of air, land and sea forces with new and improved intelligence. Create your own missions and campaigns with the included Mission and Campaign Editors, and fly with and against friends online using the included online game browser.

From me: Fly one of the coolest aircraft that the US military ever made! It's a little slow, but it's very agile and extremely tough. It can carry a devastating armament, capable of taking out many kinds of ground targets. The "C" variant has seen a vast upgrade from its earlier counterpart. The cockpit has been upgraded with much better computers, sensors, and flight systems. It's a lot of fun to fly, and not overly complicated. The training missions in this game are amazing. Fully voiced and very helpful at getting you familiar with all the systems on the aircraft.

Multiplayer support: You can play with/against other people who own A-10C and eventually you can fly in missions with people who own DCS: Black Shark.

Screenshots:
HUD-2.jpg
Cockpit.jpg
Model.jpg

DCS: Black Shark
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From the site: DCS: Ka-50 Black Shark is a PC game of the Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter and is the first title in a new Eagle Dynamics and The Fighter Collection simulation series: Digital Combat Simulator (DCS). Following Eagle Dynamics tradition of excellence, DCS: Ka-50 Black Shark will bring an even more realistic simulation experience than its predecessor LockOn: Flaming Cliffs.

DCS: Ka-50 Black Shark will offer an unprecedented level of realism in regards to flight dynamics, instruments modeling, avionics systems, and weapon systems. The artificial Intelligence of ground vehicles and helicopters has been improved dramatically as well as weapon modeling. A new Mission Editor includes a powerful electronic mapping system that allows user to easily create missions and campaigns. A new campaign system allows the front line of the battlefield to move back and fourth according to your mission success or failure. Due to the increased flexibility of the DCS system, additional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter add-ons will follow shortly.

From me: This was the first of the DCS games. I picked it up mostly because I love sims and I didn't have a lot of helicopter experience prior. This guy is a bit daunting at first. Flying a helicopter, especially a one-man attack helicopter, is serious business. It can be tough to get into a stable or safe run and fire off your weapons, but when you finally get in the groove its very fulfilling! I haven't spent enough time in the Ka-50 to be very proficient, but the level of detail is amazing and well worth giving it a try.

Multiplayer support: You can play with over Black Shark people and some servers running Lock On Modern Air Combat (LOMAC): Flaming Cliffs 2 maps. This is very cool as the mix of people playing on a particular server can cover almost all air combat roles. Eventually DCS: BS will mix with A-10C.

Screenshots:
HelModel_05_Big.jpg
HelModel_06_Big.jpg
HelModel_10_Big.jpg
HelModel_02_Big.jpg

Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2
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From the site: LockOn: Flaming Cliffs 2 is a further evolution of LockOn: Flaming Cliffs. In Flaming Cliffs 2, all of the player-controlled aircraft available in Flaming Cliffs have been transferred to the virtual environment created for the Digital Combat Simulator series, started with DCS: Black Shark. Flaming Cliffs 2 is a PC-based combat flight simulation of the following modern combat aircraft: Su-27, Su-33, Su-25, Su-25T, MiG-29, MiG-29S, F-15C, A-10A. The geographical territory modeled encompasses the region of the western Caucasus mountains from Kuban to Georgia.

From me: So while the other two games only give you a single (and painstakingly accurate) aircraft to fly, LOMAC FC2 gives you 8 to choose from. They cover the roles from CAS to Air Superiority, with very nice representations of the systems involved in all the aircraft. You won't find the same level of detail as the DCS games - that is, not every switch in the cockpit is functional. But it's a great entry point into the series of games. The flight model is a bit more forgiving and the documentation is great to get you up to speed on the weapon systems.

Multiplayer support: I'm going to guess that of the three games this one still has the biggest online population. The variety plus all the custom mission / map servers people running is great. That and the fact that it supports DCS:BS just gave it even more life.

Screenshots:
05_Pilot_Cam_Movement.jpg
10_Gun_Ballistic.jpg
11_Bomb_Ballistic.jpg
13_Wind_Affect.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99_hoJNj3ys

Where can I buy these awesome games?
You can get both of the DCS games from Steam or directly here. I own the steam versions and never had any issues with mods or anything.

FC2 requires that you have Lock On installed already, but they released a Platinum Edition which has everything you need. http://www.amazon.com/Lock-Platinum-Pc/dp/B003UEREBQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1306192269&sr=8-1 It should also be available in retail form at Best Buy etc.

What are some good peripherals?

HOTAS
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I'm gonna say that a nice HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) setup is essential for really getting into these games. I personally use the Saitek X52 hotas + rudder kit and have no complaints. CH Products is also a very popular brand as well. If you really want to drop some dough and get the full experience buy this (then buy me one!):

http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Hotas-Warthog-Joystick-2960720/dp/B00419ZUXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306192950&sr=8-1
HotasWarthog800x600.jpg

But in the end, a decent stick + throttle control will go a long way. Having a shitload of buttons is good too.

TrackIR / Head tracking
TRACKIR4-photo.jpg

The next thing isn't really essential, but its damn helpful: TrackIR. Head tracking to look around the cockpit and for situational awareness is soooo nice. You could map one of your joystick hat switches to look around, but having nice 6 degrees of freedom is great. There is a FreeTrack program as well that you can use, but you have to make some of the hardware.

Some videos of it in action:
Helpful Links
http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/ - main DCS site
http://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=53 - official forums, surprisingly good crowd in there!
http://www.simhq.com/ - good reviews and lots of info on the forums

Other noteworthy games
  • The Enemy Engaged series is another excellent helicopter sim. The modding community has kept it very fresh and the vehicle models looks great. Sadly the terrain is very bland. The gameplay is excellent however. You can buy it from GOG now very cheap. You only need to buy Commanche vs Hokum to use the big mods, and everything is included from the other game.
  • Thirdwire makes the Strike Fighters series of games. Until somewhat recently they only ran on windows XP, but I think all the "2" versions of their games are Vista+ compatible. I've never played them, but I am going to pick up SF2: Vietnam at the very least. I've read that they're "sim-light" but everything I've seen about them looks like a lot of fun. Sadly, I don't think any of them have multiplayer support.
  • Falcon 4 - from what I can tell there are a few versions of this game available right now. It's something I definitely want to get into, but I have to figure out which version I need to own (if any). I know there's a huge free mod for it, but I'm not sure if it requires a previous game. Maybe you guys can tell me more!
  • There's the IL-2 series, which is definitely one of the best WW2 games. I haven't played it much recently, but the new one is coming out soon. It looks beautiful, hopefully it holds up.
  • Wings of Prey - another WW2 flight game. I only played my copy a little bit. The flight model wasn't clicking for me, but I didn't give it enough time.

So, what are we gonna do now?

Let's talk about these games, and better yet, lets start getting some multiplayer going! I've been playing DCS: A-10C a lot lately. And when I play LOMAC I usually fly the A-10 or the Su-25t - I guess I like flying CAS :) I'd definitely like to start learning the F-15 or the Mig for some air to air combat.

krylon666 on
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Posts

  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Sign me up for this thread. I've got Black Shark and I am absolutely worthless at it but it's so damn cool. Wings of Prey is pretty cool but I have a hard time making it work with my joystick (I have a Cyborg X).

    Are you any good at Black Shark? I can now just barely get into the air but then my helo promptly flies apart and crashes.

    OP needs to talk more about TrackIR too.

    Lord Yod on
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  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Sign me up for this thread. I've got Black Shark and I am absolutely worthless at it but it's so damn cool. Wings of Prey is pretty cool but I have a hard time making it work with my joystick (I have a Cyborg X).

    Are you any good at Black Shark? I can now just barely get into the air but then my helo promptly flies apart and crashes.

    OP needs to talk about TrackIR too.

    I mentioned TrackIR, but I'll make it a little more prominent :)

    I haven't tried to fly the BS for awhile now, but when I was playing more frequently I could take off and navigate decently. I had trouble setting up stable hovers that quickly allowed me to focus on the weapons though. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I remember reading about some settings to turn off on the BS so you can fly it more like "stick and rudder". You would still have to trim, but it allowed you to adapt a little easier.

    Did you get used to the trimming concept in the BS? How it basically makes the neutral position of the stick be however it was before hitting the trim button? For instance, if you pitched the stick forward then hit the trim button, you would then want to let go of the stick since it was essentially "stuck" in that forward position.

    krylon666 on
  • citizen059citizen059 hello my name is citizen I'm from the InternetRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've always had a healthy respect for flight sims, primarily because I've never quite been able to get the hang of 'em.

    citizen059 on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    krylon666 wrote: »
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Sign me up for this thread. I've got Black Shark and I am absolutely worthless at it but it's so damn cool. Wings of Prey is pretty cool but I have a hard time making it work with my joystick (I have a Cyborg X).

    Are you any good at Black Shark? I can now just barely get into the air but then my helo promptly flies apart and crashes.

    OP needs to talk about TrackIR too.

    I mentioned TrackIR, but I'll make it a little more prominent :)

    Yeah I meant to say talk more about it, I've played around on it once and am really hoping my fiance gets it for me for my birthday, if not it'll be my wedding present to myself. I know quite a few flight sim nuts who would rather go back to kb+m than give up their head tracking.
    I haven't tried to fly the BS for awhile now, but when I was playing more frequently I could take off and navigate decently. I had trouble setting up stable hovers that quickly allowed me to focus on the weapons though. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I remember reading about some settings to turn off on the BS so you can fly it more like "stick and rudder". You would still have to trim, but it allowed you to adapt a little easier.

    Did you get used to the trimming concept in the BS? How it basically makes the neutral position of the stick be however it was before hitting the trim button? For instance, if you pitched the stick forward then hit the trim button, you would then want to let go of the stick since it was essentially "stuck" in that forward position.

    Yeah, I've gotten that far, my problem is that when I get up in the air any significant amount (I'm guessing) I fuck something up and my rotors hit each other. Or I don't have the EEG properly engaged and the rotors over-speed and fly apart. Kinda hard to tell which.

    I'm gonna pick up A10C if it goes on sale, I know it. Have you ever done any multiplayer?

    Lord Yod on
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  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Ah ok I'll grab some videos of it in action. I love my TrackIR. Super easy to setup and it only took like five minutes to get used to it. Even if you just playing FSX it's very useful. When I played ARMA a lot I used it there too, and it was great to be able to look around just like you really would (if not better, since you can look behind you essentially hah).

    From what I remember, rotors hitting together mean you were moving to fast vertically and staying in one position. That causes that vortex effect. Always supposed to be moving horizontally I think. But again, I haven't played that one in a awhile so I'm sure it's fresher in your mind than mine.

    The only MP I've done so far was in LOMAC. I hopped on a server and flew an A-10 around trying to take out SAM sites. Not the easiest thing, but it was good times. I never really played in a coordinated effort though. Stuff like this looks like great fun:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBtobuexLZ8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGlYxJ5ybNo

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Man, the more I use this layout for the X-52 in DCS:A-10 the more I love it. The cockpit upgrade made it so almost all the plane's functions could be accessed without taking you hands off the throttle / stick. That means there's a lot of hat switches etc, but this guys layout really was smart about the mapping. Once you start remembering how you switch SOIs, mark targets, slew the TGP camera, etc - then the buttons make so much sense.

    I just flew a practice mission start to finish and barely needed to use the mouse. Mostly only in the beginning when I was flipping switches to turn on my targetting pod, counter-measures, etc. This game rules btw :)

    krylon666 on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Very excited about Flaming Cliffs 2--the notion of bringing LOMAC to the sort of polish that DCS had (even without the same level of detail), not to mention scratching my itch for the F-15 and the MiG-29 make me very happy.

    I never played as much DCS: Black Shark as I should have. Not certain if I'll get DCS: A-10--unlike arcade games, in these sort of strict simulations, I'm not nearly as interested in ground support (as strange as that might sound, I admit), and the A-10 itself is one of my less favorite American aircraft in general. Still, no doubt it'll be extremely polished, with a great editor.

    I have to admit, what I'm really looking forward to is the Mi-24 version of DCS, for reasons of the helicopter itself and the unique missions you can get it in. That, or an Mi-28 would be great. I was kind of disappointed with the choice of the Kamov for the first DCS, but the game was still awesome for it.

    Synthesis on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    You should definitely pick up LOMAC+FC2. It's a lot of fun and I just came across a nice mod pack (haven't installed it yet - but it looks comprehensive). Mostly visual stuff (new models, textures) but it also incorporates the fix that allows full 6DOF inside the cockpits with TrackIR. If you end up getting the game, let me know. We can practice some F-15 vs MiG action.

    As far as those choppers go, you can pick up Enemy Engaged: Commanche vs. Hokum (EECH), like I mentioned above and install the "all-mods" community patch (http://www.eechcentral.com/). The game has a 2D cockpit Mi-28 but the community mod added a fully 3D cockpit Mi-24 and it looks amazing.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHDITLpWkfA

    krylon666 on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I would have already gotten it if it weren't for the confusion between FC2 and the Gold Edition/etc on my part. What's the CD protection like on FC2? I think pervasive CD protection kept me from getting one of the LOMAC expansions (I didn't feel the two additional planes justified it).

    Synthesis on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Synthesis wrote: »
    I would have already gotten it if it weren't for the confusion between FC2 and the Gold Edition/etc on my part. What's the CD protection like on FC2? I think pervasive CD protection kept me from getting one of the LOMAC expansions (I didn't feel the two additional planes justified it).

    Ever since DCS: BS they switched over to an online activation system. There's no pervasive drivers or bullshit. When the game loads it asks you to put in your serial and it phones home to authorize your game. You have a set number of activations, but it's actually unlimited from what I read (you can call them and they will give you more). After you auth once, you never see the copy protection again.

    For FC2 I ended up grabbing an old copy of LOMAC from a friend, then downloading all the FC2 files (and patches) from the main site and installing. It doesn't actually use LOMAC, it just wants to see that its there. Then I bought my serial from the site and activated. It's all worked fine ever since.

    krylon666 on
  • DietarySupplementDietarySupplement Still not approved by the FDA Dublin, OHRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've been super on the fence about the DCS games; they just seem a little too hardcore for my tastes but I'm totally going to jump on Lock On Platinum.

    Dumb question, but can you register it on Steam?

    We should totally get some games going; I'd love to fly some CAS with actual human players.

    DietarySupplement on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Honestly, I feel like if you get LOMAC and can get into all the concepts of the A-10 (flight controls, weapon deployment) - moving on to DCS isn't that huge of a leap. But at the same time, its almost like flying a different plane since most of the targeting and weapon settings have changed to MFCDs instead of knobs and switches.

    But yeah man, definitely grab LOMAC. I've been splitting my time between the two games lately. Jumping in the Su-25t is always good times. Oh, on that note, I'll post these links:

    Su-25 training flights
    http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2142529/All_of_the_LOMAC_FC_Training_M.html#Post2142529

    A-10 campaign AARs
    http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3042569/FC2_A_10A_The_Valley_Campaign_.html#Post3042569

    This guy BeachAV8R from the SimHQ forums always makes real nice AAR posts. Those Su-25 ones really got me into the game. It was cool seeing him learn the systems and make mistakes. He's a real pilot too, so he compares the sim to the real thing at times.

    As far as steam goes, I guess you mean just adding it to your games list so you can use the steam overlay etc? I never tried it actually. I guess some games don't like that right? Everything I ever tried it on has worked though.

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I just ran the "Hideout" mission in DCS: A-10. Pretty nice full-featured mission. Got to do the start-up procedure, then taxi to runway. Flew to the rendezvous point where a chopper unit filled me in on the target details. Called in SEAD to clear some SAMs, then it was time for my flight to take care of the ground targets and clear the way for the troops in the choppers. Operating at 18,000 feet really feels safe :) My wing man ended up dying somehow, so when I ran out of bombs/mavericks I went in low to check things out... then got shredded by machine guns and hit the dirt.

    Great mission though, I'll definitely run it again. I need to get better at the LGBs thoughs. I can deploy the GPS guided bombs using CCRP no problem. And mavericks are real easy, especially if you mark a SPI first with your TGP. Then you can just automatically slew the maverick seeker head to the SPI and just fine tune it / lock on from there. LGBs though.. not sure when and how long to lase the target. I don't think you want the laser on the entire time because then the bomb wastes all of its energy trying to "ride" the beam, instead of just making an adjustment closer to impact.

    I've found using the ALT and ALT/HEADING auto-pilot modes are clutch when trying to survey the target area or mark some targets prior to running in. So yeah, good times tonight. Oh, I also started the first A-10 campaign mission in LOMAC but I locked the game up right as I was landing (think my controller profile is borked for that game) - so that annoyed me and I didn't redo the mission. It's weird switching between the two A-10s.

    krylon666 on
  • ChrysisChrysis Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've bought Black Shark, but I haven't really played it as I'm trying to get head tracking working because of the prominence of the helmet mounted reticule in target acquisition.

    On that subject I had a play with freetrack, but it hasn't been updated in almost two years and doesn't play nice with x64 Windows 7 and Logitech drivers. An alternative I have found that works is FacetrackNoIR which has the bonus of not requiring a silly hat. There is apparently a known bug with it not working on i5/i7 series processors, but I haven't encountered it.

    I haven't got it usable yet (too jittery), but I haven't had a lot of time to play with the output settings.

    Only needing a webcam is a nice, low barrier to entry so it might be worth checking out if you're interested in headtracking but don't want to shell out for TrackIR.

    Chrysis on
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  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Ah yeah, I forgot about the helmet mounted reticule. I think when that's enabled it just automatically slews the targeting camera for you. It's nice if you want to swing it over to a new area real quick, but I think you'll end up using the hand controls to lock down a target. I guess I need to dust off my Ka-50 and see if I can still fly the damn thing. At the very least, we can all attempt to run a mission and laugh as we crash horribly into one another.

    Yeah I heard about that Facetrack app, sounds cool. Definitely nice that all you need is a webcam. If the TrackIR is outside of the budget, I'd definitely give it a shot. I'm not sure if you can still get the TrackIR 4s (the current version is 5) but if they're available and cheaper, it's well worth it. That's the model I use and it's great.

    krylon666 on
  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Never played a Modern Flight game beyond FSX.

    How is Lock On?

    I have very limited experience with Il2.

    Tallahasseeriel on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    If you can fly in FSX / Il2 - you can definitely handle Lock On. The flight models are a nice balance of realism and fun, and the weapon systems are very nice. It's a great game to get into if you want to try some modern aircraft - with the added bonus of multiplayer games + persistent servers etc.

    There's also a big community and modding community. So lots of good documentation, training missions, campaigns, and texture/model updates.

    krylon666 on
  • Chainsaw WabbitChainsaw Wabbit Rogue Academic Level 12 are not what they seemRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I cannot strongly enough second all the good things said above about DCS A-10.

    I was a huge flight sim aficionado (in the same way that other people are cigar aficionados, perhaps) ever since playing SubLogic's "Jet" on an Apple IIGS, which would have been way back in...
    ...well, that's frightening. Let's not go there.
    But then both my free time and my attention span shrank, as they tend to do with age, and I just didn't have the time or gumption to learn how to fly these things anymore.

    However, DCS A-10 was what finally sucked me back in. By merit of being so damn REALISTIC, it's actually easier to learn in one very important way: All the buttons, knobs and dials are RIGHT THERE IN THE COCKPIT, where they are in real life, fully clickable. Waaay easier to remember than a bazillion keyboard commands. Add a good HOTAS setup, as recommended in the OP, and you essentially never even touch the keyboard.

    A few more things:
    -For HOTAS, personally have had excellent experiences with CH Products' stuff. Fighterstick is basically an F-16 stick, which is what's in the C version upgrade of the A-10, so you can map your buttons 'n hats exactly as they are in reality. CH stuff is extremely durable, reliable, and super-flexibly programmable.

    -Yeah, you're gonna want one of them head-tracking thingies. TrackIR, if you don't mind the silly hat (or are willing to endure the taunting from others that see you wearing it), or whatever you can get to work for you. That face thing-tracking thing sounds intriguing. Anyone tried it?

    Chainsaw Wabbit on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've heard great things about the CH stuff - can't say its much to look at though :) I'm sure its quality however. How far along are you in your DCS: A-10 proficiency?

    I just hopped in the Black Shark and things went pretty well (you know I used Left Win + Home to start that baby up though). I was able to take off and fly to a few way points and come to a hover. I'm pretty sure you have to be at a decent altitude in order to engage the auto-hover - but it worked out. I didn't change any of the flight settings either, just adjusted the stick and hit the trim button as needed.

    This is a pretty good guide to get you started: http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2626185/Tutorial_How_to_take_off_and_b.html#Post2626185

    edit: now that I think of it, I was using the trim button wrong a minute ago.. I was adjusting the stick, then hitting the button, then releasing everything. I think you're supposed to hold the trim button, adjust the stick, release the button + stick.

    krylon666 on
  • Chainsaw WabbitChainsaw Wabbit Rogue Academic Level 12 are not what they seemRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    :(
    krylon666 wrote: »
    I've heard great things about the CH stuff - can't say its much to look at though :) I'm sure its quality however. How far along are you in your DCS: A-10 proficiency?

    I just hopped in the Black Shark and things went pretty well (you know I used Left Win + Home to start that baby up though). I was able to take off and fly to a few way points and come to a hover. I'm pretty sure you have to be at a decent altitude in order to engage the auto-hover - but it worked out. I didn't change any of the flight settings either, just adjusted the stick and hit the trim button as needed.

    This is a pretty good guide to get you started: http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2626185/Tutorial_How_to_take_off_and_b.html#Post2626185

    edit: now that I think of it, I was using the trim button wrong a minute ago.. I was adjusting the stick, then hitting the button, then releasing everything. I think you're supposed to hold the trim button, adjust the stick, release the button + stick.

    Indeed, the CH stuff looks l little plain. They also make industrial joysticks, maybe that's why. Has a great feel to it though. One downside to their Pro Throttle is that the throttle movement is linear rather than an arc, so it's harder to tell just by feel what you've got the throttle set at. One thing I miss from my old Thrustmaster WCS.

    My proficiency still leaves a lot to be desired. I know my way around the weapons system reasonably well and can cluster-bomb the bejeezus out of an armored column...unless it's shooting back, that is. I've even managed to be shot down by MG fire from tanks when getting too low on a strafing run. So much for titanium bathtub with wings :(

    Chainsaw Wabbit on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Right, I remember seeing that the CH throttle was flat. Definitely a little strange. I like the curve in mine.

    I practiced my LGBs a bit last night and I think I got it down. I'm sure there are situations where you'd want to change this, but I like taking the tutorial's advice and setting up the bomb profile to auto-lase 10 seconds prior to impact. That way you don't have to do anything but line up your CCRP shot well. Well that and you have to keep the TGP pointing at the target so its properly marked the whole time - which is what I think I was doing wrong in my previous attempts. I either didn't keep the TGP locked up in point mode or I turned too much causing the laser to move. Once I kept the cross on the target during the drop, it was a perfect hit each time.

    Chainsaw, depending on the SAM situation, you can keep a pretty good height when doing bombing runs. But yeah, even a BMP can rip you up if you let him get some good shots on you during a strafe. We should see about trying to run that "Hideout" mission I mentioned earlier in multiplayer. Assuming you can run any mission as multiplayer - maybe we'd have to add another player controlled A-10 to it or something.

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Anyone playing DCS: A-10 get a blurry / double vision effect while flying? At first I thought it was a g-force effect, but I wasn't pulling any Gs at all. Then I thought maybe it was a lack of oxygen, but I don't know if that's a thing in the game. I also thought maybe it was some weird nvidia 3D shit, but that shouldn't be the case. Eventually it went away but the game was pretty unplayable during that time. I want that new patch to get released already. I know they're adding an option to turn of random system failures.

    I finally got some new Arctic Silver thermal paste, so I'll be swapping in my scythe cpu cooler and maybe OCing my machine for fun. Therefore, I'll most likely be playing a lot of PC stuff this weekend. If you see me on steam or here, feel free to hit me up.

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I finally got around to installing this http://www.lockonfiles.com/index.php/files/file/1683-a10-f15c-su27-extended-version-21/ mod for LOMAC (using Modman) and the new cockpits / models are VERY nice looking. Much more crisp and nice use of colors. Definitely recommend checking them out.

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I was working on my JTAC training this weekend (using this set of training missions: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=68802). I now feel comfortable receiving tasking info from JTAC and manually entering waypoints into the CDU. I know that at least some JTACs are supposed to be able to upload the data directly to your TAD, but I haven't noticed where to find it. It's good to know how to enter coords into the CDU anyway.

    I started the first mission of the first campaign as well. It went pretty well, but I don't think my CBU bombing runs were as effective as they could be. I was loaded with CBU-87s and CBU-97s.. and I forgot that those were "dumb". Not sure the best way to drop those on a moving column. I used CCRP since I was flying pretty high and there was a lot of SAM threats. I think you need to line up the shot so you're running along the road with them. Then as the column moves up you still catch a lot of them. Probably a good idea to ripple them as well.

    I saw one of you guys playing IL-2 the other day.. tempted me to reinstall that. Are you running any mods? I remember there being a couple good ones, but its been awhile.

    krylon666 on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    It's been a while since I touched Il-2: 1946, but the crazy thing about the game is that, putting aside the obscene number of add-on packs and whatnot, the game has next to no mods, and even then, people don't use any of it (since it "breaks" online play, connectivity wise).

    I probably had a few gigabytes of awesomely detailed aircraft skins, but that's it. I suppose there are two "mods"--mods in a sense anyway: Il-2 Mat Manager, which allows you to replace those godawful decals the game default comes with, with historically accurate or inaccurate replacements, and Il-2 Stab, which allows some tweaking of various aspects of the singleplayer experience, as well as the creation of a flight/mission journal, recording medals, etc. Gives the singleplayer game what amounts to a roleplayer experience if you're creative enough.

    Synthesis on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Well I did a little reading and it looks like they're still putting out patches to support the game - I think the one to shoot for at the moment is 4.10.1 (which requires the 4.10 patch first). The big mod seems to be HSFX - which is like 4GB big so I assume it updates a lot of models / textures. Here is a good link for all things IL-2: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1358851 But it's surprisingly hard to find out what some of these mods actually do.

    I noticed that a lot when I was big into Silent Hunter (3+4). There were a few mega mods that everyone swore by it seemed, but when you went to the threads for the mods they never had an "about this mod" section. It was like "you know what it does, you've been using it for awhile now" - which I guess I can understand when it comes to more niche games like these sims, since the community is relatively smaller.

    Anyway, I'll probably end up installing IL-2 again just so it's available but I'm not really itching to fly ww2 stuff right now (always down for some multiplayer though!). WW2 subs on the other hand... I'm about to bust out my notebook and calculator and sink some tonnage :)

    krylon666 on
  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Wish I still had room on my desk for my X-52.

    I wanna fly and shoot.

    Tallahasseeriel on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Just move that pesky keyboard out of the way :) Seriously though, you could get one of those weird gaming keyboards like this: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards/keyboard/devices/5123 to place in between your HOTAS, while you move your regular keyboard aside.

    My desk is deep enough that I just push the keyboard forward and keep the stick/throttle in front of it. But I can still reach the F-keys (all you really need). I would like a way to mount my HOTAS to my chair though, or have like a shelf so I can put them on my lap or something. I'm trying not to go down that path cause I'll end up building a cockpit.

    krylon666 on
  • TallahasseerielTallahasseeriel Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    The problem is my keyboard surface is one of those little sliding shelves and is half broken and barely supports my keyboard and hands.

    Normally I use the upper part of the desk to the front and sides of the screen to keep like, my phone and glasses case and important papers.

    Really I just need to find better homes for this crap so I can play me some dogfights.

    Tallahasseeriel on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I would definitely agree that some aerial combat needs to be prioritized!

    I REALLY want to buy that thrustmaster A-10 stick.. but I really don't want to spend the money right now. There's nothing wrong with my X52, but that one is so sweet.

    krylon666 on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Wow, between the Yuplay shit and the mouse not working on the menus, Wings of Prey is a pain in the ass! The game looks great, but trying to setup the controls is a fucking chore. I jumped into the first tutorial with the minimum of controls defined. The default view (w/ my trackIR) was looking out the right window... re-center just made it look out that window. Everything was inverted, etc.. I'll spend some time later to get it configured, or look for some profiles online, but that's some bullshit.

    krylon666 on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Yeah Wings of Prey takes a bit to make it work. Once it does it's a pretty good game though.

    Lord Yod on
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  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I'll just leave this here:
    CarcassOut.jpg

    I really enjoyed that program (and plan to continue once I have the funds for membership and a TrackIR), and learned a lot.

    I'm loving DCS A10, but I feel nowhere near ready to even try shooting the gun. I'm really trying to get all of the flight stuff down. ILS is crazy hard.

    Sir Carcass on
  • SurikoSuriko AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I wish Cliffs of Dover weren't so badly broken and so very limited. My hopes for a true sequel to 1946 were so horribly dashed. :(

    Suriko on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    Good shit Carcass. If you ever want to hop on vent (or whatever) and fly some DCS multiplayer to practice some stuff, I'm down. I'm pretty comfortable using all the weapon systems right now, and I have some good training mp training missions, so I could help with that.

    My landings aren't perfect, but I do have a decent idea of how to setup the plane for an ILS landing. Most of my problems landing all have to do with coming in too fast and too high :) But when I actually take my time to get to pattern altitude you just kinda glide in, it's nice. No flat tires haha.

    Re: CoD - I haven't been following its progress, sucks that all chatter I hear about it has been negative. Is there a beta out or something?

    krylon666 on
  • BetsuniBetsuni UM-R60L Talisker IVRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I love this thread! Bought LOMAC ages ago when I was walking through Fry's and saw jets. Installed it and played the heck out of it, but has upgraded the computer 3 times since then and forgot all about it. So a question for you fine gents, do you know if it wil run on Win 7 machine? A friend of mine is tempting me with DCS A-10C and I am on the fence of buying it directly from the company or from Steam.

    Also anybody see the A-10 stick? Anybody use it?

    Betsuni on
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    Steam: betsuni7
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I bought it through their website. I think Steam has trouble with 64bit applications since it's 32bit, so I didn't want to mess with it.

    Sir Carcass on
  • krylon666krylon666 Registered User regular
    edited June 2011
    I gotta run out, so please excuse my shortness:

    - LOMAC runs fine on win7 64-bit - i'd grab flaming cliffs 2 however, since its the most up to date version. its stand alone but requires lomac to be installed

    - DCS:A-10 runs great from steam (so does Black Shark), again in 64 bit no problems

    - The thrustmaster A-10 HOTAS looks amazing and supposedly built well. I use a saitek x52 but maybe I'll by the TM one day

    Everyone should get DCS A-10!

    krylon666 on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited June 2011
    krylon666 wrote: »
    - DCS:A-10 runs great from steam (so does Black Shark), again in 64 bit no problems

    You're able to access the Steam overlay and various features? And you're sure Steam is actually running the 64bit version, since it comes with both?

    Sir Carcass on
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