Simulated Aerial Combat Roundtable

[Spikes]

just an acknowledgement that "the lights will be left on till it is no longer cost effective".

That seems like it would be a poor business decision (to say that).

[Eagler]

I'm looking into getting a 4070 Super so I'm thinking about trying out some other Sims.

Does anybody play Warthunder? Is it as gamey as I've heard? The graphics look nice but I haven't tried it in many years and the last time I did I just flew the P36 around.

Does Combat Flight simulator still exist or is there some way to fly WWII planes in Microsoft flight simulator?

Last time in wr it was very gamey...too much for my taste

I think you can purchase ww2 planes you can fly around in ms fight sim but you can't fight so what's the sense...

Eagler

[CptTrips]

Interesting. I had not seen this.  So nothing requiring a user update outside of player produced skins.  Maybe map rotations?  No acknowledgement of the decline in player numbers over the past 23 years? 

Are any of the current AH players noting any change in game play aside from declining numbers (yes, I know there appears to be a slight uptick in the MA, but FSO and scenarios continue to falter)?

I've heard that a Vulkan graphic engine upgrade is in some level of being looked at.  Not sure what that would do for AH.  Perhaps some increased performance.  But can that really help that much unless you had the 3d\texture artists to redo everything to higher resolutions, etc?

I'm sure any breaking bugs that crop up will be addressed.  Basically there is only so much one guy can do if his skills don't extend to 3d modelling, sounds, and textures.

Also there is sort of a dead-lock condition.  Anything that might could move the needle is rejected for one reason or another.  Anything that is acceptable, probably isn't going to move the needle.


And some players here at least say they prefer AH with lower numbers.  They say the game-play is better that way.

[edge12674]

That seems like it would be a poor business decision (to say that).

I guess he has already said that in a sense.  No perceptible changes.  If the past couple years have shown a decline in numbers then expect it to continue.  Also a poor business decision. 

[Dadtallica]

So why ask for this one to be closed and another started? Not trying to be confrontational here though it does come naturally to me.

Because it’s no longer a discussion of sims it’s turned into a discussion of how to play dcs which was not the intention. Not everything lasts forever. 

If you want to talk about dcs in length then start a dcs thread and have at it.

Every know and then I have been pinging the discussion threads I have for AH on the forums at IL2 and Combat Pilot.

[Dadtallica]

I guess he has already said that in a sense.  No perceptible changes.  If the past couple years have shown a decline in numbers then expect it to continue.  Also a poor business decision. 

Who is it a bad biz decision for? If there are no plans for any future development then sticking an HD in a closet until nobody else subscribes is the best decision that could be made. Passive income is everyone’s dream.

At some point it will end when the power bill costs more the subscribers bring. I will probably be one of the last ones lol. But that’s because I am 50 and one of the younger people here haha!!

[edge12674]

Only a bad business decision if you plan on growing a business.

I agree that the recent sales announcement from DCS kinda sidetracked this thread.

More on point.  I recently bought a haptic seatpad (HF8) which uses data from DCS to provided vibration feedback.  Has anybody tried this in AH or IL-2?  What seems to be the support for current state of the art peripherals?

[CptTrips]

Only a bad business decision if you plan on growing a business.

I agree, however it is not clear that is a plan anymore.

All software products eventually move to Long-Term Maintenance (LTM) phase of life.  AH has had a longer life cycle curve and a longer tail than most.

At some point the cost and risk of further core development may no longer be justified by the limited potential benefits.  So that product moves from active development to LTM.

Windows XP was a great OS, but it is no longer being actively worked on.  It went through LTM and now is completely unsupported (I think).  At least AH is still being supported with bug fixes if not new development.

[xanax]

Wow! that's a nice manual with the binding. Mine has like the notebook type spiral holding it together.

Can you setup a server so we can play? Didn't AW have 8 or 16 player?

I'm not sure. The last time I tried the CD, it didn't work. Probably suffering from bit rot at this point.

I have the SVGA version in perfect condition somewhere....not sure why I didn't store it in the same plastic bin.
Also have the book written about Warbirds stored somewhere. I'd like to look at that again as it has a bunch of AW stuff leading to Warbirds and finally to this game to read about.

Found an old Reggie Jackson baseball card and part of my health club table tennis tournament championship trophy from 1988 up there too. Bonus!

[Eagler]

Only a bad business decision if you plan on growing a business.

I agree that the recent sales announcement from DCS kinda sidetracked this thread.

More on point.  I recently bought a haptic seatpad (HF8) which uses data from DCS to provided vibration feedback.  Has anybody tried this in AH or IL-2?  What seems to be the support for current state of the art peripherals?

I think they don't separate game sounds from voices so you feel it when ppl use their mikes

Eagler

[Tumor]

$80 per plane is dirt cheap? I read in one of the posts that I can get half off my first purchase but $40 doesn't seem dirt cheap compared to the 5 or 6 planes for $25. Maybe I missed something?

Yes, sorry for the confusion.  FC3 is a "pack", so to speak, for $25.00 (on sale now, regular $50):

"DCS: Flaming Cliffs 3 (FC3) is the next evolution of the Flaming Cliffs series. FC3 features the F-15C, A-10A, Su-27, Su-33, MiG-29A, MiG-29S  and Su-25."  These are NON-CLICKABLE cockpits and "Simple Flight Model" (I think that's what they call it).  These aircraft are on servers along with all the others (if included by the mission maker).  JMHO but the most glaring difference with SFM and EFM (Expert FM) beyond the "clickable" stuff, is you can taxi around corners without turning the plane over.  They fly nice and all, but not detailed. 

That said, you can forego the Flaming Cliffs 3 (the pack) and buy each of those aircraft singularly... for like $8 (on sale now, regular $15)
https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/modules/f-15c_dcs_world/

DCS World (OB & Stable) already has the Training P-51T & SU-25T and Cockasses (& apparently Marianas).  All free (not sure if you can expect weapons with the PonyT)

Don't do the Steam one.  Just don't.  They're merging OB & Stable soon anyway

[CptTrips]

They're merging OB & Stable soon anyway

Supposed to be in the February patch.

That will help a lot with noobs not being able to find a populated server.  That was an odd thing for most servers to not be running the version that most noobs would be starting with.  It was for me. 

But that won't be a problem going forward.

[RichardDarkwood]

Feels like this has run its course. It’s no longer a discussion of sims.

So do not read it

[edge12674]

I think they don't separate game sounds from voices so you feel it when ppl use their mikes

Eagler

Is that the same with IL-2?  The data from DCS and MSFS2020 activates the haptic seat pad not the audio.  The HF8 has eight separate transducers and the activated transducers correspond with the location of items in the aircraft.  Drop a bomb from the right wing and you feel a vibration on the right side of your buttocks.  Touch down with one wheel first and you feel it under your thigh on the correct side.  When you combine a haptic seat pad with VR it really adds to the immersion. 

[The Fugitive]

Interesting. I had not seen this.  So nothing requiring a user update outside of player produced skins.  Maybe map rotations?  No acknowledgement of the decline in player numbers over the past 23 years? 

Are any of the current AH players noting any change in game play aside from declining numbers (yes, I know there appears to be a slight uptick in the MA, but FSO and scenarios continue to falter)?

I dont do Scenarios or FSO but the first frame of the last 3 FSOs have had 75-90 players. The "Masters of the Air" scenario that just started this last weekend had over 115 players and was well received from what I hear. Are these numbers worst than before? I dont know but I hear they are still having fun.

As for the MA, with the new maps we get every few months it seems to stimulate activity in the arena. Sure there is still the number inbalance to deal with, and the Bish horde rolling bases in the morning US eastern time, but the US prime time has shades of the old days with some good fights as well as base taking action. GVs get plenty of action for the most part, and buffs get to bomb stuff.

If a new player comes in and is willing to ask for some help I couldnt see why they wouldnt want to stay. The learning curve is the biggest issue here. They see all the action going on and cant get into the fight for one reason or another due to inexperience.