I tried DCS years ago, when I caught on to the pay method rip and the computer I'd need at the time,... it didn't retain my interest. I don't want to spend time in it, I want to fly and fight.
Maybe it's a good hobby for those no longer seeking adrenaline flow. Not my type of fun. I'll do me.
Not to disagree, but you might be going off of an old game play experience. DCS multiplayer has evolved a lot in the last year or so.
For the last couple months I have been trying out two multiplayer servers. First, the one I thought was just okay.
The is "Project Overlord" which is a recreation of several days after D-day. This server seems to be European based with player numbers dropping off after European prime time. I found navigation to find the fight to be difficult as the kneeboard map depicting cities very hard to read. Sometimes it took 10 minutes or more to fly to the action. Once in the action, it was good. All allied aircraft are easily identified visually due to invasion stripes. There is no dynamic front line and you are restricted to WWII fighters, which have limited ground attack abilities. A new player wanting to check it out would be required to buy a WWII aircraft module and the Normandy map.
The second server I have been trying is Enigmas Cold War server. This is a dynamic campaign featuring early cold war jets (i.e. F-86, F-5, A-4E, MIGs, etc). Even though it is jets and helicopters, most of the air to air kills are with guns and a very primitive heat seeking air to air missile. The heat seekers are pretty easy to dodge, unless you try to disengage the fight while very close to your opponent. The result is that the fights are knife fights. I have been flying blue force aircraft (US), but there are counterpart Mig, Su, and red force helicopters available.
Finding the frontline is easy with a large map showing the entire terrain broken up into blue and red hexagons. There is a messaging system that shows you were the closest five enemy aircraft are every 30 seconds. Flying to the fight is usually under 5 minutes.
As I said this is a dynamic campaign with destruction of factories, depots, ect. moving the frontline. End goal is to capture the enemy HQ and the campaigns usually run several days. There are three maps that are rotated, Caucasus, Syria, and Persian Gulf. You can fly CAP along the frontlines or do deep strikes/recon into the heart of the enemy. While AI bombers are available, one of the main ordinance delivery methods is using the A-4E (it carries about the same bomb load as a B-17) or Su-25 red force side. The A-4E also is a decent air to air fighter.
Helicopters allow you to carry infantry, special forces, and recon teams. You drop them off, let them do their thing, then pick them up. You can pickup downed pilots (both friendly and enemy) which results in lowering your sides attrition and gaining enemy position intel. You can also load out your helicopter as a gunship and attack the enemy directly.
There is a lot of game play ability with this server and a decent number of players are on it 24/7. In fact there are times the server has maxed out players of 60+.
To play on the Cold War server you need the following:
Base DCS program =Free
A-4E aircraft = Free
Su-25T aircraft = Free
This will allow you to try it without cost when the Caucasus map is in rotation.
If you like it, then you can buy the other maps and aircraft that interest you.
If interested, do a google search on Enigma Cold War server and you will get lots of hits for info and tutorials. Since it is free to try out all you have to lose is a little time and some hard drive space.
