My return to online multiplayer air combat... with DCS

[+streakeagle 864]

I basically stopped online flying when my son was born. I got to fly a few more times with my SFP1/WoX friends whenever I traveled out of town. But once I got a new job where I was home every night, online gaming was not an option.

 

Years later, my son is much more independent and both he an my wife typically go to bed fairly early. I am in a new house (for nearly a year, so not so new) where I have my own isolated PC room (an upstairs "bonus" room in a single story house). So voice chat should be an option without any problems.

 

Tonight, I dipped my toe in the DCS online. I saw a server labeled "F-86 test" and joined that one. The F-86 is the perfect DCS aircraft for me to mix it up with real people. Even on full realism settings, it is almost as easy to fly as an SF2 aircraft. There are a few more buttons/switches for selecting weapons, gunsights, etc., but aside from the difficulty of landing, I can already fly the DCS F-86F as well or better as I can the SF2 F-86F.

 

I picked a base/aircraft, joined, performed a cold start (almost as easy as pushing a single button in SF2, just a few more clicks), requested permission to taxi, requested permission to take off, and launched into the air. I found the nearest player flying another F-86 and joined formation. I had fun just trying to fly formation and barrel rolling around him. Then he says to be aware MiG-15's are intercepting us. About that time, he crashed into the ground for some unknown reason. I pick up the MiG-15s on my tail visually and engage them. I takes me a moment to shift gears from playful formation flying to kill or be killed flying. I calm down, arm the guns, and settle on which one I am going to engage first. While lining up on the first one, the other one got a few hits on me. But I killed my first target and reversed into the second one. I stalled to get the shot, but took him down with relative ease. I would guess the AI MiG pilots were the lowest rank, "Average", but they could have been one rank higher. I saw my fuel was low, landed at the nearest base, refueled and rearmed with my canopy open and admiring the view.

 

DCS multiplayer is everything SFP1/WoX multiplayer wasn't. People came and went in the middle of this open co-op mission. The AI kept going as well. I could start from the ground, parked and ready to perform a full cold start and also land for fuel and ammo. If SF2 had multiplayer this good, it could rule the market with its planeset and modability (if mainstream people actually knew about it and how easy and fun it could be).

 

It won't be long before the MiG-21bis is released. I will fly offline for quite a while having fun learning the systems and air combat handling qualities. Then I will come back looking for F-15Cs to kill :)

 

Shot of other player I had originally flown with in formation:

 

 

Edited August 24, 2014 by streakeagle

[+Dave 2,318]

Hey man we need to get together and fly.

[+streakeagle 864]

Sure thing. I have taken the next steps toward multiplayer: got my headset mic set up and working.

Still need to install a chat program, seems like teamspeak is still the main player for flight sims?

I also got Shoot 1.6.4 working again so that I can navigate the radio menus for atc and ground using my voice rather than fumbling for the keyboard while flying.

This is important for the F-86F, as I can say "Chief, turn on the ground power"... and he does, shortly followed when I am ready by "Chief, turn off the ground power"... which he also does.

 

DCS needs appropriate period terrain and objects for WW2 Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Israel, India/Pakistan, Kuwait/Iraq, and a few AI tweaks... then the only limit will be how fast new aircraft can be released.

Of course, successfully adding fighters with two crew members and the option to fly with AI or a real back seater would be icing on the cake for the F-4/F-14/F-15E crowds.

The F-86F is almost the perfect trainer for DCS:World.

It is easily the least complex non-FC3 aircraft to operate "by the book". 

The P-51D requires much more engine management and switchology for even basic flying as well as being a tail dragger.

Whereas, I can get in the air, dogfight, and land the F-86F hardly pushing any more buttons than the SF series.

 

I can't wait for the MiG-21bis!

I typically have free time starting somewhere between 9 PM and 10 PM EST and stay up as late as 1 AM if I am not too tired.

[+streakeagle 864]

Okay, I installed Teamspeak 3 and connected to the CombatAce.com TS3 server, voice.combatace.com

Seems like everything worked okay, but there was no one present to verify my ability to send/receive voice.

[+streakeagle 864]

I have been hanging out on a Sabre Combat Range where I can fly the F-86F on air-to-air vs AI MiG-15bis and find some live pilots. I have got Teamspeak 3 working great. If I only had the SFP1 plane set available as flyables, I would be back where I was 10 years agos: having a great time flying the planes I love with other people.

 

I had some lag issues last night. Not sure whose connection was at fault. I know I played with no lag the first time I flew formation with someone else a few nights ago. I can't get better internet service than I currently have (other than to pay to increase the bandwidth). I miss the Verizon FIOS I had back in Tampa.

[+Dave 2,318]

I have been working way over 12 hours a day for a couple weeks now. Not sure when it will let up. It will eventually....I hope. As I want to fly.

[+streakeagle 864]

I check the combatace Teamspeak server every night between 9pm and 10pm, but then I go to the server for the F-86: 314th Mixed Air Division lobby @ ts32.gameservers.com:9105

As long as the F-86 Sabre Combat Range is up, that is where I will be if I am online. Great server for playing with the Sabre. I have copied the mission so I can play it offline and potentially host it. I haven't tried hosting yet. I have no idea what port forwarding settings are required.

 

The F-86 Sabre is almost the perfect airplane for me until I can get the MiG-21bis. I even hit a MiG-15bis with a GAR-8 (AIM-9B) tonight. External fuel tanks don't seem to be working, so I usually run clean with full fuel and gun ammo. But someone else was using GAR-8's, so I gave them a try. If the target is oblivious to you and flying straight... great choice. If a MiG-15bis AI sees you, he isn't going to let you keep your load down to 2g's... so very little chance of using the GAR-8 once merged in a dogfight... as it should be!

[+streakeagle 864]

This is where I am hanging out:

[+streakeagle 864]

F-86 vs F-86 is great fun, with 3:1 odds even more fun. Love this plane and real people instead of AI.

[+EricJ 3,937]

A good friend of mine wants me to JTAC him in the Sabre. After a quick flight I realized it'll be very interesting on how this will work out... gotta learn the vehicles again... so much rust to work off.

[Stratos 3,168]

A good friend of mine wants me to JTAC him in the Sabre. After a quick flight I realized it'll be very interesting on how this will work out... gotta learn the vehicles again... so much rust to work off.

 

You in a Sabre and your friend on a A-10? Or you on the ground and your friend in a Sabre?

[+EricJ 3,937]

I'd be on the ground and he'd be in the Sabre.  Unfortunately I'm more proficient with CAS from the ground than in the air.

[Stratos 3,168]

I'd be on the ground and he'd be in the Sabre.  Unfortunately I'm more proficient with CAS from the ground than in the air.

 

Interesting idea, hope you can record a video of that.

[+EricJ 3,937]

I'm sure it can be done, but more than likely the pilot will be recording, or I'd save it, etc.  I need to get with Ironhand about voice recording if it's just the track but I'm sure I can work something out.

[Stratos 3,168]

I'm sure it can be done, but more than likely the pilot will be recording, or I'd save it, etc.  I need to get with Ironhand about voice recording if it's just the track but I'm sure I can work something out.

 

Looking forward to it!

[toonces 4]

I have to say that that server sure sounds like fun. 

 

I've held off on the F-86 because I am not sure I would get any use out of it.  I'm definitely considering it a bit more after SE's OP.  Nice post!

[Stratos 3,168]

A CombatAce based Sabre ground attack wing??

[+EricJ 3,937]

Personally I don't like the Sabre for ground attack.  BTW finally got on the CA TS so may pop in every once in awhile... but anyway I need to play with it more as the .50s "move around" a lot so not sure about rocket attacks.  As said I haven't got much stick time in the Sabre, a hell of a lot in the -33 though but yeah as said will check it out...

[Stratos 3,168]

Wondering If is possible to get a FAC working with the Su-33. That would be real nice!

[+EricJ 3,937]

Its easier than you think, the most you need is somebody on the ground.  I've flown all the aircraft enough to know the capabilities so it's not hard at all.

[Stratos 3,168]

Its easier than you think, the most you need is somebody on the ground.  I've flown all the aircraft enough to know the capabilities so it's not hard at all.

 

And how you guide to the target the pilot of the soviet plane?

[+EricJ 3,937]

"Think in Russian"

 

Seriously as said I've actually flown more Soviet jets than American, though the A-10A is starting to warm up to me though, so I'll probably start flying that, the Sabre? Let's just say that's going to take some time....  But the statement included the Russian/Soviet jets as well, so it doesn't matter if you're using a Kh-29 or Maverick or type of bombs.  The JTAC's job is not to worry about weapons delivery, mainly effects and directing the pilot to the target.  The bombing mechanics and flight profile is up to the pilot within certain constraints.

[+EricJ 3,937]

I know this is for Arma 3 but... it may help solve some questions Stratos:

 

http://562.50megs.com/562nd/Pilot-JFO-JTACGuideRC3.zip

[Stratos 3,168]

Outstanding guide, started to study it today

[+EricJ 3,937]

I'm pretty sure I can do a "Cheat Sheet" i.e. like this for DCS:

 

http://562.50megs.com/562nd/JTACCheatSheetRC4.zip