7 May 2013 Update for DCS

[+Dave 2,322]

7 May 2013 Update

 

I will be out of town this Friday. So this, combined with a post of the Russian forums, has led me to release this week's update a bit early.

 

This week we released an update to version 1.2.4 that included several changes that were planned for the initial 1.2.4 release but did not make it in time. With that out of the way, the team is working hard on version 1.2.5 that will further address remaining bugs in DCS World and its modules. As always, we'll be throwing in some new features as well. When we get close to finalizing 1.2.5, I'll post the preliminary change log to give you a heads up.

 

In addition to the never-ending quest for DCS perfection (yes, we have dreams too), we are working on releasing the F-15C Eagle and Su-27 Flanker for DCS World later this year. As I have mentioned in the past, DCS is not confined to one time period, one location or one level of detail. While DCS modules have focused on a very high level of detail, we also realize that there are many (often silent) users that wish for a shallower learning curve. In fact, the Lock On / Flaming Cliffs series has been our most successful. As such, the F-15C Eagle and Su-27 Flanker will be catered to them. Both of these aircraft will have the same detailed 3D models, cockpits and sounds of the Flaming Cliffs 3 versions, but we will be adding an Advanced Flight Model (AFM) for each.

 

We also want to release these aircraft in such a manner to allow users that are not interested in Flaming Cliffs 3, or do not have a Lock On installation, to still have these aircraft in their DCS World stable of aircraft, but at a greatly reduced price.

 

This is not to say that we will not also continue to create very high level of detail simulations. At a later point, we will further develop these aircraft to include mouse clickable cockpit and the same level of detail as the DCS: A-10C Warthog, but that is a massive effort that will take time.

 

In the meantime, the F/A-18C Hornet is still planned but we want it to be at the same level as our A-10C. Because of this, development will take much longer compared to the Eagle and Flanker projects to be released this year.

 

A few notes based on my skimming of the discussion thread:

 

1- There has been no decision regarding pricing yet.

 

2- There has been no decision regarding discounts to current FC3 customers or including the advanced flight models as free FC3 update. This is certainly something that we will be discussing internally over the coming weeks.

 

3- Trying to place a release date around one of the high-fidelity aircraft modules would only be an educated guess that would more likely than not bite us in the butt later if the date was missed and features changed. The same applies to any sort of public "road map" that would even more likely change. We're not going down that road again.

 

4- Regarding the change in the 03 May 2013 language, plans change or new information comes to light that will modify previously expressed plans and intentions. While we want to better provide you earlier news of upcoming products, the price is that at times our plans and intentions will change. For instance, I only learned of the feature intentions of the F-15C and Su-27 a very short time ago. The alternative is that we go back to only discussing new products once they are 100% final. Your actions will determine my decision.

 

5- The new F-15C and Su-27 have no significant impact on the development of the high-fidelity module aircraft. In fact, they benefit them by bringing in additional income to fund that development.

 

6- We understand and fully empathize with the desire of many members here for high-fidelity module aircraft ASAP. Rest assured that they are coming and we are certainly not delaying them in favor of lesser fidelity modules. However, it seems some here vastly underestimate the amount of time and money it takes to create one of these.

 

Matt

[+ST0RM 145]

Hmm, bummer about the Hornet not even being close. I know that it is anxiously awaited by many players. The F-15 and Su-27 modules will be nice and will allow me to fly one without having FC3.

 

When I get back from Michigan tomorrow, I'll be in updating.

 

-S

[+streakeagle 871]

If FC level aircraft can be created relatively quickly and then almost as quickly offered with AFM, that is a great strategy to expand the plane set and customer base while continuing to work on full DCS modules for the hard core crowd.

While I love the full-blown DCS modules I don't really like the idea that it will take years before the flyable plane set expands to a useful level.

But I can't stand the LOMAC/FC flight modeling inherited by FC3.

An FC3 level aircraft with an AFM has most of what I want and potentially superior across the board to anything the SF series has if done right.

So let's see how this plays out in terms of how realistic/fun/immersive the AFM is and how it is marketed.

If a full blown DCS aircraft is $40 to $60 per module, how much is an FC3 aircraft and how much is an AFM upgrade?

Of course there may only be two options: FC3 w/AFM or full DCS.

This could be like Accusim, where there is a base aircraft and an Accusim upgrade.

As long as ED stays in business long enough to crank out full DCS versions of significant aircraft from the Korean and Vietnam conflicts (i.e. F-86, MiG-15, F-4, MiG-17, F-8, MiG-21, etc.), I will ultimately be happy.

Hopefully, this new approach will help make that possible by meeting the needs of a lot of people and thereby bringing in more money for development.

[Centurion-1 1,228]

Sounds good. Wonder when EDGE and the new mapping tools will be done?

[thodouras95 25]

Sounds good. Wonder when EDGE and the new mapping tools will be done?

 

Not just good.Really good.What I've been waiting for so anxiously, however, is the IRIS .I know there's a very very long wait till that, but I just can't wait!

[JediMaster 451]

An FC3-level aircraft's pricing must make sense in that context. If it's $50 for A-10A, F-15C, Su-25, MiG-29A/G/C, Su-27, and Su-33...that's roughly $8/plane. Ok, the Su-25 is pretty much a simplified Su-25T which is already free, so if you make that a "gimme", then it's $10/plane. If you call the 27 and 33 two sides of the same plane, and the A-10A just a simplified A-10C, then FC3 becomes:

F-15C

Su-27/33

MiG-29A/G/C

So now that's 3 major planes for $50, or $17 each. Makes sense to me.

 

For just under $20, get the F-15C or Su-27 in DCS World. As it is many people got the Ka-50 and A-10C on sale for $20, so full price for the others given that during sales they'll drop to $10-15 depending on sale size makes sense.

 

Now it sounds like there may not be a "DCS F-15C" or Flanker for quite some time, but if this is just going to be "FC3 versions + AFMs" I do believe the AFM upgrade for current FC3 owners is justified. Honestly, FC3's level of avionics and cockpit is what I consider an ideal middle ground between DCS-level and SF2-level. Sometimes I feel like doing all that extra button-pushing A-10C and Ka-50 require, sometimes I feel like the simplified way SF2 offers, but often I'll want something in the middle.