MigBuster

AGM-65E2 and AGM-65L look to be the latest variants of the LMAV. https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/raytheon-restarts-production-of-laser-maverick-missiles-05397/

Assume this is your CPU https://ark.intel.com/products/64595/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-2670-20M-Cache-2-60-GHz-8-00-GT-s-Intel-QPI- SF/DCS/BMS all based on old code it seems from years back despite many changes. They all do multicore and hyperthreading to a degree but don't really seem to utilise it anywhere near fully.......thus only 1 core with high utilisation in the tests . Therefore for combat flight sims a CPU with a higher clock speed is currently better than more cores in general. Probably 16GB RAM for SF2...but if intending to do DCS multiplayer then 32GB

Happy New Year to you all!

Winter 50% Off Sale. Last Few Days! DCS World 2018 and Beyond Epic video Lasting until just January 7th at 0600 GMT, save 50% on most DCS World modules! This applies to aircraft, maps, and campaigns. The only exceptions include: DCS: F/A-18C Hornet at 25% off DCS: Persian Gulf Map at 25% off UH-1H Argo Campaign at 20% off DCS: SA342 Gazelle at 15% off Note: the sale only applies to released products. Get these deals in DCS e-shop Take advantage of these great savings while they last! Pre-Order DCS: Christen Eagle II! It is our pleasure to announce that DCS: Christen Eagle II by Magnitude 3 LLC is now available for pre-order on the DCS e-Shop for $23.99. A release of a feature-complete module is scheduled for January 23rd, 2019. Launch Trailer Purchase from DCS e-shop The Christen Eagle II touches on many aspects not previously explored in DCS World. It aims to capture the unique experience of flying an aerobatic biplane capable of maneuvers previously not possible. The Christen Eagle II is an-easy-to fly airframe with a constant-speed propeller, and it includes inverted fuel and oil systems that allow the pilot to concentrate on the flight maneuvers. The Christen Eagle II offers something to every virtual pilot, regardless if they are a veteran or a newcomer, combat pilot or an aerobatic artist! DCS: Christen Eagle II features: Highly-detailed and fully functional dual cockpit Highly-detailed external model with fully animated control surfaces and other systems State-of-the-art internal and external textures Exhaustive set of external liveries Advanced flight model based on technical documentation and real Christen Eagle II pilot experiences Complete aircraft system and subsystem modeling, which includes the Lycoming AEIO-360 engine, electrical, fuel and flight control systems Fully functional KY-197 Radio Authentic sound sets (canopy, cockpit items, engine) A couple of instant missions and tutorials to get you started Cooperative multiplayer – fly with a friend in the same aircraft, either as an instructor, student or a passenger Complete aircraft flight manual Modern Air Combat (MAC) Update Since the announcement of MAC, we have been listening to customer feedback and we have been busy expanding the product to maximize your enjoyment. In addition to the 14 aircraft and four maps, we’ve been engaged with the following features that will bring the product to the next level flight game entertainment: A redesigned Mission Generator that allows you to easily create exciting missions based on a selected mission type. This will provide a much more focused and fun gameplay experience that is designed around action and fun An entirely new interface. MAC will feature a very modern, intuitive and beautiful interface that will feel at home in 2018! Taking advantage of the new Dedicated Server system, MAC will allow you to earn accomplishments and points that you can then use to purchase DCS World products. The new system has a detailed point-earning system that is also tied to leader boards and record scores Enhanced assists to help new players will come with MAC like auto-trim, navigation and target marker locations, and unified control inputs All of this will result in a much better product, but it has extended our development time. We look forward to bringing you MAC in the 2019! DCS: BAE Hawk Update We regret to inform you that VEAO is no longer a developer for DCS World. As such, they have also ceased support of their Hawk. Although we offered to support their product, they declined making the files available to do so. Given this unfortunate situation, we will fully refund all Hawk customers that purchased the module starting from 1 October 2018. If you wish a full refund, please enter a support request here. For those that purchased the Hawk prior to 1 October 2018, will continue to make DCS World 2.5.3 available, such that you can still fly the Hawk. To avoid such issues in the future, all future 3rd party agreements are now required to make the game files available in case they are no longer able to support their product. DCS World Updates Due to the holidays and our staff taking some much-needed time off, our next DCS World update will be 16 January 2019. Happy New Year! The Eagle Dynamics Team

Ran another campaign mission with same settings above to see a bit more what is happening. Very high aircraft and defence objects over N Vietnam but perhaps not as intense as mission 1 Average VRAM usage = 3.6GB <- this is dedicated video card RAM Logical CPU cores - only 7 and 10 seems to be doing much overall Average cpu7 = 70-80% usage Average cpu10 =13% usage Average RAM = 7.5GB Average fps = solid 60fps Average Frametime = 16.8ms with some spikes to 28ms although remained fairly smooth Quick compare with DCS Spitfire over Las Vegas city area over high settings and letting things settle down Average GPU use = 39% Average VRAM usage = 4.9GB <- this is dedicated video card RAM Logical CPU cores - only 12 and 10 seems to be doing much overall Average cpu12 = 38% usage Average cpu10 =15% usage Average RAM = 11.9GB Average fps = solid 60fps Average Frametime = 16.7ms with no spiking but does not feel as smooth

SF2V Heavily modded (July 2013) Linebacker II Campaign mission over N Vietnam Average GPU usage very low (14% with rare spikes to 38%) Average VRAM usage 4GB Average RAM use 6.3GB Average CPU usage and power very low (18%) FPS solid at 60fps but a few drops when tried to come home at 16x time acceleration even though the system burned through it far better than previous setups.

How many cores of the Xeon does the game use? what is that 3.2Ghz max clock speed? Is this on the stock game? any particular scenario that can be run fairly easily?

The last update mentioned it was being worked on still for the Hornet. The 3rd party Viggen has some kind of AG radar implementation I understand but I don't have that so not sure. Thinking that any F-16 will be released in a pre-alpha Early Access state thus might advise waiting a few years. Could get it just to review it but not really that keen - at least other modules have new things to learn - like the F-4E <cough>.

What is the highest res the game gives you? Have you tried manually changing Options.ini ? - and what happens? [GraphicsOptions] DisplayDeviceID=0 DisplayWidth=2560 DisplayHeight=1080 DisplayDepth=32 AspectRatio=2.370370

Hi Dave - hope you are well er Resolution or aspect ratio of the monitor? shirley this must be text editable somewhere am thinking

Hasn't really affected me as much. Pro does have a lot more flexibility and access to GP. You can use O & O Shutup 10 for privacy and updates https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 - Enterprise/Home /Pro are essentially the same OS really :) Good bit of kit and free but use at own risk - do not recommend stopping updates personally you can also roll back still if you need to without this.

Well that's the real trick isn't it! So looking at the link CPU i7 8700 is very good....don't think you can do that much better currently. Only get the K version if overclocking. The i7 8086K I have is essentially a good 8700 but I wanted a guaranteed 5Ghz on all 6 cores. OS Win 10 Home nothing to be scared of - you can still do a lot of things like you did in Win 7 the control panel is still there but you do need to use the new Settings app which is like settings on a tablet/phone etc - so nothing difficult just getting used to where things are. Technically a different and far superior OS to Win 7 - yes as said above some great benefits like being able to essentially rebuild without losing files and Apps - you will notice major updates pretty much do this - similar to phones / tablets etc. Win 10 Pro - any point going with that ? not seeing why you would. You can defer updates but you still cant stop them completely - unless you set to metered (but you can do that in home and its fairly pointless IMO). You lose some control although not to the level of Phone/tablet OS. Privacy and control is a big issue for some - not as bad as corporate owned Linux (Android etc) but it is the way the world has gone - there are more things you can do in Windows but I don't bother. Solid State Disk Drive The most important thing is having Windows on an SSD and ideally the games as well - so the default 128GB SSD I cant see as being viable - would suggest a 512GB NVMe SSD minimum for some future proofing. Even the SATA 3 SSDs are still ridiculously fast and far superior to SATA 3 HDDs. You will notice in my sig I have totally ditched the old mechanical drives. RAM 16GB minimum currently would hopefully be enough GFX Card a GTX 1070 might cover all your current games at 1080p or lower but cant say about any future games. Assuming that must be in a PCI 3.0 express slot then going to an RTX card later should still be viable if a new space game used the new tech like DLSS and is likely to be VR as well!! DCS It can be costly...........looking at my purchase history DCS has cost about $760 in software so far (you dont need to spend anywhere near that) and if you were doing a system primarily for DCS and liked high settings I would say 32GB RAM and a GTX1080ti or RTX2080ti minimum to cover Multiplayer. If you do 4K or VR then it appears you currently still have to lower settings even with a 2080Ti.

What are the specs you are looking at? Are you only looking to play those older games and nothing like DCS?

DCS World Winter 2018 Sale is Here! At long last, get great savings on the entire library of DCS World products! Lasting until January 7th, 2019, save 50% on most DCS World modules! This applies to aircraft, maps, and campaigns. DCS World 2018 and Beyond Epic Video The only exceptions include: DCS: F/A-18C Hornet at 25% off DCS: Persian Gulf Map at 25% off UH-1H Argo Campaign at 20% off DCS: SA342 Gazelle at 15% off Note: the sale only applies to released products. Get these deals in the DCS e-shop DCS World Eagle Dynamics Module Drawing Want an Eagle Dynamics DCS module for free? Here is your chance! Just Share the following post on your Facebook page and you will be automatically entered in the drawing on January 7th, 2019. We will randomly select 10 winners to receive any currently available Eagle Dynamics module. DCS 2018 and Beyond on Facebook DCS: P-51D Mustang and World War II Update We are pleased to update our first Warbird for DCS World, the Mustang! This week’s update includes both a complete overhaul of the cockpit to include deferred shading and physical based rendering technology, as well as a more detailed 3D model and textures. In addition to a huge update to the cockpit, we have also greatly improved the external model and added the option to fly the P-51D-25-NA version. This was the most common P-51D for the European Theater of Operations (ETO) with its primary difference being its radio and IFF systems. This is most visible by the dorsal antenna. As notes in prervious newsletters, both the Bf 109 K-4 and Fw 190 D-9 have also gotten outstanding improvements to their cockpits and external models to bring it to DCS World 2.5 standards. With the huge updates to the P-51D, Fw 190 D-9, and Bf 109 K04, and all the time and resources invested, the price of each warbird will return to $49.99; however, all three aircraft will take part in our Winter 2018 sale. These are free updates to existing owners. DCS: P-51D Mustang DCS: Spitfire LF Mk.IX DCS: Bf 109 K-4 DCS: Fw 190 D-9 These are free updates to existing owners. Coming next year, we have new AI air units like the P-47D, Ju-88, Fw 190 A-8, A-20G, C-47, Bf 109 G, Mosquito, C-47 and others taking to the skies of DCS World War II. Of these, we are already at work making the P-47D, Fw 190 A-8 and Mosquito flyable. In parallel, the new damage model system is now being applied to all our warbirds. We also have a new and exciting World War II map in development. DCS: P-51D Mustang - Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney Campaign Developed by Reflected Simulations, this campaign is the perfect setting to fly the newly updated Mustang! Purchase from DCS e-shop Become a member of the most famous fighter unit of the USAAF, take part in escorting large bomber formations, support the ground troops after D-day, or engage the Luftwaffe over the snowy hills of the Ardennes. The Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney is a semi-historical campaign for the P-51D Mustang. It follows the 352nd Fighter Group from May 1944 through the Normandy landings until Operation Bodenplatte in January 1945. This campaign has a plethora of details and Easter eggs to make you feel like a young American flyboy in the Army Air Forces in 1944. Key Features: 14 semi-historical missions focusing on the 352nd Fighter Group A detailed background story, mission contexts, checklists and encounter reports Detailed briefings and briefing images, including separate PDF mission files Unique kneeboard graphics and checklists for each mission Hundreds of specially recorded voice-over messages and radio broadcasts Historically accurate custom skins A wide array of missions including fighter sweep, bomber escort, armed reconnaissance and ground attack DCS: C-101 by AvioDev Update This week, AvioDev is proud to make available the Enhanced Flight Model (EFM) for their C-101EB version and launch the more-weaponized C-101CC version. Purchase from DCS e-shop DCS: C-101 Aviojet module includes both the C-101EB and C-101CC models. The C-101EB model is the primary jet trainer and aerobatic display aircraft of the Spanish Air Force, whilst the C-101CC model, with its 7 hard-points and uprated engine, is a versatile light attack aircraft that has seen combat with the Honduras Air Force against drug traffickers. It is also in service with the Jordanian and Chilean air forces. The two models of the C-101 have many similarities that include cockpit layout, core-systems operation, and aerodynamic design. This commonality brings something for everyone to include lead-in jet training, advanced aerobatics, and light attack. Features of DCS: C-101 include: Complete electrical system modeling Complete circuit breaker simulation with correct failed systems behaviors TARSYN gyro system replicated with exacting detail Accurate flight director system Custom air data simulation (airspeed/altimeter behaviors, etc.) Custom navigation system simulation Complete fuel system modeling Complete hydraulic system modeling Flight controls/landing gear can sustain damage if poorly handled Accurate pressurization system Accurate oxygen system Icing model Fully adjustable cockpit and exterior lighting A quick trailer on C-101EB/CC w EFM is here DCS World 2.5.4 Open Beta This week we updated the Open Beta from 2.5.3 to 2.5.4. Highlights of this Open Beta update include: Updated P-51D Mustang to include the P-51D-25-NA version Improved cockpits and external models for the Bf-109 K-4, Fw 190 D-9, P-51D Mustang, and Spitfire Corrected blue fog Increased AGM-65 range based on altitude Fixed Su-33 late activation crash Corrected ATC request for takeoff error F/A-18C Hornet: added GBU-12/16/10 laser-guided bombs, A/A Waypoint (bullseye) and BRAA, AGM-65F SHIP mode, and corrected cockpit errors and ACM HUD symbology Numerous improvements to the RAZBAM AV-8B NA and M-2000C, as well as the Heatblur AJS-37 Viggen Please find the complete change log here Happy Holidays, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Happy Holidays Stephen!

DCS World Open Beta Update This week’s Open Beta update has some great updates to DCS World, the Hornet, and the Viggen. Highlights include: Hornet changes: added work-in-progress AGM-65F infrared-guided Maverick air-to-ground missile; corrected Hornet catapult launch roughness; added “Go to Tanker’ command for AI Hornets; corrected and improved the Hornet radar in RWS and STT modes; and corrected and improved operation of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). More great stuff coming in the 19 December update! Corrected potential for static objects not being visible to multiplayer clients Added removal or cargo in multiplayer based on scripting Viggen changes: greatly improved air-to-ground radar; corrected TERRNAV not fixing; and added scratches to canopy glass You can find the complete changelog here DCS: Combined Arms – Frontlines Georgia Campaign The Combined Arms Frontlines Georgia campaign is the first Combined Arms single player campaign. In this campaign you will experience many different aspects of Combined Arms combat in DCS World, from commanding many units over several different objectives to sitting in a tank and commanding a platoon from the driver’s seat. Key features: 11 Story driven missions (with supplemental missions if you have a stumble along the way) Command various ground units, from armor to transport Freedom to set up your air units load-outs before the mission starts 35+ unique voice overs With CA Frontlines, we hope you will learn and enjoy playing DCS: Combined Arms in ways you might not have ever thought about before. Campaign video See in the DCS e-shop DCS: F/A-18C Hornet Last month we added the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), AGM-65E laser-Maverick, the FPAS page, updated Hornet Guide, and improved air-to-air radar performance. For this month we’ll be added the AGM-65F infrared-guided Maverick, GBU-10, 12, and 16 Paveway II laser-guided bombs, 13 new interactive training lessons, air-to-air waypoint (bullseye) and BRA information. We are also working on the AGM-88 HARM and datalink MIDS/MSI with improved IFF, but these may not be available until January 2019, based on testing results. Afterwards, other systems will be developed like LTWS/TWS air-to-air radar modes, GPS- and INS-guided weapons, further JHMCS features, and others. In parallel, we are working on the technology for air-to-ground radar and new FLIR rendering technology. These are very important to the Hornet’s AN/APG-73 radar and ATFLIR pod. Burning Skies Multiplayer Server For DCS World multiplayer pilots, the Burning Skies server is now testing our new dedicated server technology! This is acting as a test-bed to help us debug the dedicated software with many players participating. The dedicated server will form the backbone of DCS World multiplayer. Burning Skies is a World War II server with options to fly the Mustang, Spitfire, Dora, and Kurfurst. As an official server, will be supporting Burning Skies with prizes to the championship winners. For a fantastic World War II multiplayer experience, stop by and fly a sortie! Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Respects - John Nicol just posted this he received in 2016 from him

Autumn 50% Sale. Last few days! Lasting only three more days to December 2nd, 2018, get up to 50% off on most DCS World products. Autumn 2018 Sale Video This sale applies to aircraft, maps, and campaigns. The only exceptions include: DCS: F/A-18C Hornet at 25% off DCS: Persian Gulf Map at 25% off UH-1H Argo Campaign at 20% off DCS: SA342 Gazelle at 15% off Note: the sale only applies to released, non pre-order products. Get these deals in DCS E-shop DCS Warbirds Update Earlier this year we showed off a greatly updated cockpit for the DCS: P-51D Mustang that will be released next month. In addition to a beautiful, new cockpit, we’re also updating the external model to include both P-51D-25 and P-51D-30 versions! This includes improvements to both the 3D model and textures. Along with the Mustang, we’ve also completing work on a fantastic new cockpit for the Bf 109 K-4 and a Fw 190 D-9 that takes advantage of both deferred shading and physically based rendering. In parallel, the P-47D, Fw 190 A-8, and Mosquito are all making great progress in both the external model, cockpit, flight model and systems. A big element also getting a lot of attention has been the new damage model we discussed in an earlier newsletter. We’ve been using the Spitfire as the test bed and the progress has been steady and good. Once we’re happy with the results, we’ll first incorporate the new damage model system into the other warbirds. Next month, we’ll make available a wonderful P-51D Mustang campaign by Reflected Simulations. Virtual Reality Update We see VR as an amazing tool to enjoy DCS World and the future of PC gaming for many. To make DCS World even better, we’ve been working on some great VR improvements that include: Optimized VR performance Touch control that allows direct finger interaction with cockpit controls Touch control to allow the right and left Touch controllers to act as stick and throttle when positioned correctly in the virtual cockpit and holding down the middle-finger button These will provide a much more immersive VR experience, particularly for those flying warbirds and other aircraft that do not require HOTAS controls. Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Dear VEAO Customers, We regret to inform you that we are ceasing development of all DCS modules effective immediately. This was a very difficult decision to make - our aim was always to provide high quality content and support for the DCS platform, however due to reasons beyond our control, continuing to partner with Eagle Dynamics is no longer a viable option for us. We want to thank all of you who supported us and our products and we apologise for any disappointment this announcement may have caused. We are so lucky to have been a part of this amazing community for the past thirteen plus years, and are very sorry that our time as a business has come to an end. Thank you once again, Chris, Pete + VEAO team https://www.facebook.com/veaosimulations/posts/2153465558037833

DCS World Open Beta Update This week’s update to the DCS World Open Beta includes such highlights as: Improvements to the new MiG-29 flight model, engine performance, new pylons, and corrected M1.6 engine stall Corrected FAB-250 pylon position on Su-33 F-4E and C-130 added to Iran Numerous AJS-37 Viggen improvements DCS: MiG-21bis and DCS: C-101 improvements You can read the complete change log here While new Hornet features and fixes like the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), FPAS page, laser Maverick, and corrected air-to-air radar B-sweep are still on track to be ready next week, we need to adhere to our Open Beta release schedule and have time for proper internal-testing of these complex items. As such, these will be released in the next, scheduled Open Beta release on 7 November 2018. DCS: Spitfire LF Mk.IX – The Big Show Campaign Download now from DCS e-shop Put on Pierre Clostermann’s Irvin jacket, climb into his Spitfire Mk.IX and experience the massive air battles in the skies of Western Europe described in his similarly titled book. This campaign follows Clostermann’s career from April 1943 to July 1944 through 12 missions that recreate his memoirs down to the smallest details such as time, weather, squadrons and even radio transmissions. Find out what it feels like to fly with the Biggin Hill Wing in a huge formation of Spitfires, to follow Commandant Mouchotte into gigantic melees against 30+ Focke-Wulfs, to take part in Rodeos, Circuses, and attacks on V-1 launch sites, or to support the ground troops after the D-day landings. All clear? Switches on! Key Features: 12 historical missions following Pierre Clostermann during his time with 341 and 602 Squadron Detailed briefings, maps and briefing images, including separate PDF mission files with historical backgrounds Unique kneeboard graphics and checklists for each mission Historically accurate custom skins Hundreds of specially recorded voice-over messages A wide array of missions including fighter sweep, bomber escort, armed reconnaissance and ground attack This campaign requires ownership of DCS: Spitfire LF Mk.IX and DCS: Normandy 1944 Map. MiG-29 for DCS World on Steam Download from Steam now Release Trailer Video The MiG-29 "Fulcrum" is a Russian-designed, twin-engine, supersonic fighter. First operational in the early 1980s, the Fulcrum is a "light weight" fighter, comparable to the American F/A-18 Hornet and F-16. Designed to work in conjunction with the larger Su-27 Flanker, the MiG-29 is armed with an internal 30mm cannon and both infrared and radar guided air-to-air missiles. For air-to-ground tasks, the MiG-29 can be armed with a large array of unguided bombs and rockets. In addition to a sophisticated pulse doppler radar, the MiG-29 is also equipped with a passive Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor that allows the Fulcrum to detect and target enemy aircraft just based on target infrared emissions. This allows the MiG-29 to make stealthy attacks with no warning! The Fulcrum is a highly-maneuverable fighter in a dogfight, and when paired with the helmet mounted sight and the AA-11 "Archer" air-to-air missile, it is a very lethal adversary. The MiG-29 has also been widely exported and has served in many countries that include Germany, Iran, Ukraine, and Poland. For test, training and research purposes some aircraft were bought by the United States and Israel. A professional level flight model provides unmatched flight physics that allow you to truly feel what it's like to fly this amazing aircraft. Designed and tested by a former MiG-29 pilot! A true model of the MiG-29 flight control system that allows you to perform "out of the envelope" maneuvers Highly detailed, six-degrees-of-freedom (6 DOF) cockpit Accurate MiG-29 Fulcrum model, squadron markings, and weapons Includes instant action, single missions, and a campaign Battle the Hornet in head-to-head combat Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

What aircraft and is it stock or a mod?

DCS World Open Beta 2.5 Hotfix and Release Version This week we released a second Open Beta update to address issues that some users encountered with the new, default controller profiles. Theses default profiles are now only used for a newly installed module, or the user manually loads them as a profile. Our next controller to add default profiles for will be the VKB Gunfighter Mk.II. Our goal is to have default controller profiles for all popular controllers. You can read the entire Hot Fix list here. This week we also moved the current Open Beta to the Release version. You can read the change log here. The biggest element of this is the updated Release version is the availability of the new MiG-29 for DCS World. DCS: F/A-18C Hornet, DCS: Persian Gulf Map, and Su-33 Bundle Pack Last Days The bundle pack consisting of the Hornet, Persian Gulf Map, and Su-33 ends this Sunday! In addition to the full pack, we are also offering a version of just the Hornet and Persian Gulf map. Find both on our e-Shop. You can also find both bundles on our Steam store at: Persian Gulf + F/A-18C + Su-33 Persian Gulf + F/A-18C Modeling Update We recognize that an important aspect to improve in DCS World is more realistic damage modeling in regards to localized effects, visual effects, affect on hit components, and type of weapon impact. Regarding the latter, the new damage model will be based on two types of weapon impact: penetrating impact and proximity impact. This provides us with three primary weapon effects on a unit: penetrating (projectiles), volumetric/pressure wave (high-explosive) and volumetric/shrapnel. This last effect allows weapon casing fragments to be tracked as unique objects entering the unit. This is not modeled in our current damage model system, but it will provide a great improvement to aircraft, and later, ground unit damage. When a projectile or shrapnel penetrates a unit, the strength and functionality of the of the unit component it intersects with is affected. This includes components like spars, flight control surfaces, engine, weapons, fuel, etc. This, in turn, can greatly affect aircraft performance and system functionality. The team has been working hard on this new damage model system, and the primary work is now complete. It is now undergoing internal testing. We will first roll out the new damage model system in our World War II aircraft, then later move to our more modern aircraft and then ground units. In these images, you can see the internal components of the P-51D and Fw 190 D-9 that are tracked as unique components that can be damaged. About Early Access and Open Beta For those not familiar with the terms Early Access and Open Beta, we want to use this newsletter to talk about how we implement them in regards to DCS World. DCS World Early Access Over the last few years, the concept of Early Access has taken traction with many companies in this industry. Before our adoption of this option, we were often bombarded with customer requests to test our products, or at least have the opportunity to have an early look. We offer Early Access to such customers, and we greatly appreciate the feedback on how we make the product even better. However, we also recognize that Early Access is not for everyone, and some players prefer their first experience in the game to be with a completed experience. We get that, and this option is not recommended for everyone. The time a product remains in Early Access can vary widely based on the scope of the project, technical hurdles, and how complete the module is when it enters Early Access. Eagle Dynamics and all of our third parties strive to make this period as short as possible. It’s important to note that when a development team starts work on a new project while another project is still in Early Access, it is most often because it’s a separate internal team or elements of the team have completed their tasks on the Early Access project and it’s time for them to move them to move on to a new project rather than sit on their hands. An Early Access module can be played on both the Open Beta and Release versions of DCC World. When we first release a new module or update it, we first release it to our Open Beta version of DCS World for “field-testing” and then we later move it to the Release version once we are sure there are no “blocking” issues. DCS World Open Beta Speaking of Open Beta and Release versions, we currently operate two versions of DCS World, the Open Beta version and the Release version (many fewer versions than before!). Because DCS World is a “living” project that changes daily, it’s possible for a project-wide bug to worm itself in and make the game unplayable for all. To prevent this and add a level of protection, we adopted Open Beta and Release versions. Most every two weeks (sometimes more with hotfixes) we create a new Open Beta version that comprises the changes from the prior two weeks. Although this first goes through both internal and closed-external testing, it is possible for errors to slip through. In this case, the Open Beta is utilized to identify a “blocking” bug that prevents all customers from playing the game (not just customers of a single module). For those that take part in the Open Beta, we greatly appreciate it and thank you for your testing efforts. If a “blocking bug” is present in the Open Beta, we always have the Release version available. This is why the Release version is sometimes called the Stable version. As such, the Open Beta version is for us to “field-test” new changes and check for any DCS-wide “Blocking” crashes, and the Release version is the result of the previous Open Beta that does not suffer any “Blocks.” As with Early Access, Open Beta is an option and may not be for everyone. DCS World on Fighter Pilot Podcast Our very own Matt “Wags” Wagner sits down with Jell-O on the Fighter Pilot Podcast and talks DCS World. You can also find the interview on Youtube. Expanding DCS World on Facebook Have you been looking for more translated DCS World news to your native language? We have recently expanded our DCS World social media presence on Facebook to include pages for Chinese and Polish pages. We welcome you to stop by and follow! We now have Facebook pages for English, German, Chinese, and Polish, with more to come: English: DCS World by Eagle Dynamics German: Digital Combat Simulator Chinese: DCS World China Polish: DCS World Polska Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Fan Bingbing? great name - wont be forgetting that in a hurry

Unless you have a lot of time on your hands (no family or responsibilities) it would be misleading to give the impression hard core games like DCS are a formality to get into. People may not remember the learning curve they even had to spend on older sims like SF2 with the cold war specific combat and specific flight models. Some of the DCS modules are very in depth and it is not just about time it is about getting the understanding of concepts that you wont find in the basic instruction manuals. Then comes the time commitment....even just ramp starting before every mission. DCS could do with some fun arcade type gameplay injecting into the single player mode if it wants more players - granted it already has some arcade type AI and damage modelling but wouldn't really call that fun.