More competition..

[AKIron]

DCS controls are easy to set up but there are LOTS of them. Main thing a newb to DCS needs to understand is that the game tries to help you by doing some axis mapping for you. You need to clear those out first thing.

[AKIron]

For example, a plane I haven't set up since I installed on this machine. Conflicts galore. You really really want only one device axis controlling a game axis.

[hazmatt]

Haven't played it but isn't War Thunder VR now...

Just wondering what this new game has to offer if WT is already vr compatible...

Or does the vr look/act that much better in this new game than the original WT vr implementation..

Eagler

I think the main differences are the interface(the menu is the same in WT on flat screen and VR) and that WT has a ridiculous number of planes.

An example of how many variants of plane was when I was flying an F-86K (the heavy interceptor model) and engaged a Nanchang Q-5 that was attacking our ground forces. I figured it was an attack jet so it would be easy pickings. I didn't realize that the Q-5 was based on the J-6, which is based on the Mig-19 and I almost ended up in a bad spot.

WT is designed that you're always unlocking new planes and the "grind" could take a long time unless you have a lot of free time so I think the focus of this game is supposed to be more ACM then WT where you're always chasing the next unlock.

[Dadtallica]

Meh jets… boring.

[AKIron]

In the era of powered flight Jets have been around a long time. Jets will likely remain for a longer time to come but humans won't be at the flight controls.

[hazmatt]

Ya. I find the early war jets to be fun. Most don't have RWR. My current ride of choice is the F9F8 from the early 50ies. It carries 4 bottlerockets, er I mean AIM9Bs lol.

[AKIron]

Sims can be simple, complex, or anywhere in between. Some can be all three depending on the settings. Jets from 60's can have very complicated systems which became simpler with technological advancements. With technological advancements came more complicated operating environments. While much of a modern jet is relatively automated making it easier to fight in that does not make the fight against modern technology easier.

[Dadtallica]

I don’t even like flying the 262… and I’m also not very good at it lol. I don’t understand how some of you can make it go so fast as you do so quickly and then also turn it like it’s a tricycle. Of course I don’t really like jets anyways so I’m fine with it lol.

I made some really silly mistakes recently and was humbled in a Ta152 by a set of B29’s who were cruising above 33K feet. I definitely should’ve had a better run given my advantages at the start, but it was not for me that day. I forget who it was…

But then I thought to myself duh... Well those things aren’t going anywhere for a while seeing as they are way up there in the sky and several sectors deep in our territory. Easy peasy, let me just hop in a jet and take care of this right quick.

Nope… 

[edge12674]

Meh jets… boring.

I felt the same way.  I was surprised to find that I enjoy the jets more than I thought.  I still prefer WWII warbirds and I am really enjoying the F4U Corsair.  Compared to AH, the full fidelity warbirds have the added dimension of having to keep an eye on the aircraft to keep it from killing you. 

[AKIron]

Real pilots do it with wood and canvas. The Sopwith Camel was a real challenge. No throttle per se, there were ignition settings to help control power including a blipper. Air/fuel mixture was not used as a throttle. The Castor Oil system was total loss and the pilot had to develop a taste for it. The rotary engine rotated around a fixed shaft adding a lot of gryoscopic precession to the mix. You sit in your fully enclosed Spitfire cockpit thinking you are roughing it in your old warbird. Pshaw.

[edge12674]

A lot has been posted about how to revitalize AH.  Suggestions have been made about pricing structure, game mechanics, advertising, etc.  I think if HiTech or his representative did something like this it would go a LONG WAY towards increasing AH numbers:



The interviewer could be better, but this kind of content has been much appreciated by players.

[AKIron]

The interviewer could be better, but this kind of content has been much appreciated by players.

Andrei has a pretty unique style.

[edge12674]

Imagine if HiTech did something like this.  Brief history, features, current state of the game, and why.  All it would cost is some time from HiTech.  The majority of the work would be done by the interviewer.  Then current AH players could share links throughout the flight sim community. 

[hazmatt]

TLDW;

Can somebody do a summary for those of us who don't have the time to watch it plz?

[CptTrips]

TLDW;

Can somebody do a summary for those of us who don't have the time to watch it plz?

This video is an extensive interview with Matt "Wags" Wagner, Senior Producer at Eagle Dynamics, discussing the current state and future roadmap of Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) World.

Core Technology Updates
Dynamic Campaign: Currently in internal testing with a focus on stability, UI, and AI [06:19]. It will initially launch with a Caucasus map single-player campaign before expanding to other maps and eras [07:02].

Vulkan API: A major upcoming update designed to improve performance and enable modern features like Ray Tracing and DLSS/FSR frame generation [12:51]. It will be a full transition from DirectX, not an optional toggle [14:02].

World Map: The vision is a "spherical earth" canvas covering 90% of the globe at lower detail, allowing high-detail regional maps to be "plugged in" for seamless long-distance flights [41:19].

Aircraft & Asset Development
F-15C & F-35: The F-15C full-fidelity cockpit and external model are pending high-detail scans [01:04:46]. The F-35 is in early stages, with Wags clarifying that data is gathered from technical papers and subsystem manufacturers, not just "air shows" [59:51].

AH-64D Apache: A brand-new rotor model is currently in internal testing, which significantly improves flight characteristics [54:19].

Super Carrier: New features like 1MC deck announcements, a functional briefing room, and improved deck crew logic are in development [29:40].

Flaming Cliffs 2024: This will be the final entry in the "non-clickable" Flaming Cliffs series; all future Eagle Dynamics aircraft will be full-fidelity [01:07:26].

Environmental & System Improvements
Weather: Future updates include towering cumulus clouds and improved turbulence once Vulkan resources are freed up [21:13].

Infantry AI: A new skeletal system allows for realistic animations like boarding helicopters and throwing grenades [24:44].

ATC & Comms: The team is evaluating a voice recognition system for a more immersive, "no-UI" communication experience [35:08].

Third-Party Relations & Stability
Escrow Safeguards: Wags addressed community concerns by confirming that all third-party license agreements signed in the last 5–6 years include an escrow system [16:06]. This ensures that if a developer goes out of business, Eagle Dynamics can access the source code to keep the module functional [01:15:45].

Skyraider: The license for the Skyraider (Crosstail Studios) has expired, and since no progress reports were submitted, the project is currently considered "dead" unless a new capable developer steps in [01:12:37].