DCS World Steam Edition News

[h2]Spring Sale Bonanza![/h2]
[h3]On the Shop and Steam[/h3]



Explore up to 50% discounts on most DCS modules, campaigns, and other DCS goodies. Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity to pack your hangar with new aircraft and content. The Spring Sale will last until the 24th of March, 2024 at 15:00 GMT.

Steam users, rejoice! We're also pleased to be taking part in the DCS Steam Spring Sale! Enjoy discounts on DCS content, whether you're a seasoned veteran or a rookie pilot, this is the time to find something new. The DCS Steam Edition Spring Sale will run until the 21st of March, 2024 at 18:00 GMT.

Lock in your savings, and take flight during our Spring Sale event. Hurry! The DCS Spring Sale 2024 will last until the 24th of March at 15:00 GMT.



[h2]La-7[/h2]
[h3]Development Report[/h3]



The La-7 by OctopusG is making great progress. The development of the La-7 flight model is now complete, and the assembly and preparation of the necessary documentation for certification is in progress. Unique features have been implemented like the decrease in lifting force when the side cowl flaps are fully opened due to the deterioration of the aerodynamics of the wing root.


The above graph demonstrates expected and actual La-7 performance in DCS. From this and other reports, OctopusG will be providing an excellent simulation of the flight performance and characteristics of this famous warbird.

An armament system has been completed and includes a bomb-aiming control system.


Please enjoy this DCS: La-7 Bombing video and pay special attention to the mechanical details. In this second short video, the cockpit canopy locking system is demonstrated: La-7 Canopy mechanics. In this example, it is important to note that the effect of airflow is present.


A wide collection of liveries are being prepared that will continue to expand. The damage model is complete, a quick manual has been written, and 2D for the GUI art has been created. The product is now being finalized for early access. Please stay tuned for the planned launch date.



[h2]Esquadra 701[/h2]
[h3]MP Server[/h3]



The Portuguese virtual squadron Esquadra 701 celebrated six years of operation this year with nearly 5000 hours in operations. This group established A-10C, AV-8B, F-15E, F-16C F/A-18C, and AH-64D training procedures based on real-life operations. It is divided into three divisions: the land-based 1st Division "Talons", the carrier-based 2nd Division "Makos", and the training and support 3rd Division "Pythons". The group also has a sub-division for helicopter and aerobatic team operations, the "Lusitanos".

Esquadra 701 runs a dedicated server for training and scheduled missions. They also have a very active Discord server that is open to all. The squadron regularly organises events to bring new pilots to the group, called "Open Skies" on Discord.

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

[h2]DCS User Files[/h2]
[h3]Free Community Content[/h3]



A valuable resource to all pilots is the User Files section. We have a tremendously active and talented community that creates fantastic, free content for DCS including aircraft liveries, missions, documents, audio, and other modifications. These missions offer endless hours of fun. The page allows you to sort by aircraft, map, and other filters to find the missions.


Each submission is first sent for review and approval to ensure a high standard of quality. The webpage also provides a reporting option for any issues that you may encounter with a submission. This is a great resource that we urge you all to take advantage of. We take this opportunity to thank all our contributors and look forward to all your future creations.


[h2]Terrain Scenery[/h2]
[h3]Development Report[/h3]



As DCS maps have increased quality, detail, realism, and complexity over the years, it’s been a challenge to balance this with maintaining a decent level of performance. With the most recent and upcoming maps, we have raised the bar to higher to provide a better balance. This has led us to rethink our approach to terrain scenery computing, instancing, and streaming.

Our task was to create a flexible system focused on utilizing and saturating an increasing number of compute cores in modern GPUs.



The new scenery compute system achieved our ambitious goals of:

1. increased GPU performance
   
2. improved VRAM management
   
3. increased CPU performance
   
4. improved streaming from storage disk to VRAM with optimised CPU usage
   

Our tests indicate a notable performance increase in densely built up scenes, depending on graphics settings and hardware. Please provide us with feedback on your enhanced DCS performance, we look forward to it!

[h2]Campaign Creators[/h2]
[h3]Promotion[/h3]



If you are a talented mission creator and are interested in becoming an official campaign 3rd party, please get in touch! This allows you to exercise your passion while making an income.

Prior to expressing your interest to us, first determine the details of your campaign like the aircraft the player will fly, over what map, the narrative scenario, and so on. The more detail the better. We’d also need to evaluate the first three missions of the campaign at a complete state.

With a cool idea for a campaign, you’ll also want to be deeply familiar with the Mission Editor, its trigger system, military practices, how to craft great briefings, be able to provide quality voice overs, and more. It can be a daunting task, but well worth the effort when creating something special that all DCS pilots can appreciate. In fact, more than one 3rd party campaign creator has made it their full-time job.

We hope that you take advantage of the thousands of community made free User Files and that the new terrain scenery system will enable you to see performance improvements across all maps. If you are a mission maker then please make sure to contact us via our Forums or on Discord. Additionally, please join us in celebrating all the important women in our lives on this special International Women's Day!

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

[h2]Syria Map[/h2]
[h3]Recent Updates[/h3]



In case you missed it, Ugra Media's most recent updates to the DCS: Syria Map delivered optimized scenes and models by reducing the number of bushes, and textures while simplifying damages and car models. Ground textures saw a boost in frame rate performance due to updates to the ground vector data renderer. 

Detailed enhancements cover the territories of southern Israel and Jordan, featuring additions like Amman, King Abdullah II, Prince Hassan, Muwaffaq Salti, and Herzliya airfields. Technical fixes addressed relays and ILS in Ramat David airfield, and errors in objects were also fixed. The adjustments to the sea depth near the shore and a tower frequency change at Wujah Al Hajar airfield improve realism, while Ein Shemer airfield benefits from a runway extension, and added parking lots at Ein Shemer, Megiddo, and Ramat David airfields.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1120300/DCS_Syria/


 
[h2]Weapons[/h2]
[h3]Development Progress[/h3]



We are pleased to share our progress on improving the functionality of the Mission Editor Payload settings window and the in-mission Rearm and Refueling pop-up. These interfaces will allow you much finer control of fuze settings, laser-codes, cluster bomb settings, unique 3D fuze models, and more. These panels will allow you to take “weaponeering” to the next level in DCS.

More specifically, we have focused on implementing bomb features that are relevant for modern munitions that include both general purpose bombs, sub-munitions, and guided munitions. This specifically includes setting the laser code (PRF) for laser-guided munitions like Paveway II and III, target spin rate at bomblet release for CBU-type munitions, airburst heights for munitions with radio-altimeters, and even adjusting seeker and control system parameters for weapons that have this capability.

Based on the nose fuze selection, the 3D models are now adjusted accordingly and even include sub-variants for nose plugs. We are also including bomb casings differences between USAF and US Navy weapons.
 

[h2]Wolfpack[/h2]
[h3]MP Server[/h3]



Wolf Pack is a thriving community across more than 10 multiplayer servers encompassing every facet of DCS: from WWII PvP/PvE missions to a modern jet competition division. They host a campaign mission every Sunday and a weekly helo mission on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. They fly dedicated WWII missions every Thursday/Saturday night. 

Check out the Wolfpack Discord event tabs for the week's mission schedule, or jump into our Discord voice chat when you fly to team up with other wingmen.

As a dedicated DCS Community, Wolfpack welcomes members from other DCS groups. If you're part of another community or squadron, make sure to connect! Introduce yourself in the Discord "introduce-yourself" section, share your link, and recruit for your group. The aim is to foster collaborations with other DCS communities and squadrons.

Thank you again for your passion and support, 

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

[h2]Flaming Cliffs 3[/h2]
[h3]Upgrade[/h3]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PabPDZxstws

The DCS: Flaming Cliffs aircraft have received a texture refresh upgrade to their cockpit and external model textures. The F-15C, A-10A, Su-27, Su-33, and J-11 have received new cockpits and external textures, and the Su-25 has received new cockpit textures. These upgraded cockpits focus on detail and realism and include Physical Based Rendering (PBR) textures. This free upgrade propels Flaming Cliffs 3 to 2024 texture standards and promises to maintain Flaming Cliffs 3 as an excellent choice for new and veteran DCS pilots.

Our goal is to further improve the new user experience in DCS. The Flaming Cliffs 3 aircraft provide professional-level flight models but with simplified controls that result in a shallower learning curve for new virtual pilots. The F-15C, A-10A, Su-27, Su-33, J-11, MiG-29A, MiG-29S, and Su-25 provide a variety of aircraft that range from air superiority to attack. These come with a wealth of missions and campaigns and are operable on most online servers.

If you are not already flying Flaming Cliffs 3, now is a great time to jump in and enjoy this great value.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/249320/DCS_Flaming_Cliffs_3/


[h2]DCS World[/h2]
[h3]Development Report[/h3]



In our ongoing commitment to providing a seamless and streamlined experience for our pilots, we're thrilled to share positive news on the transition to a single-version approach, eliminating the distinction between Stable and Release versions.

This move is aimed at ensuring all players enjoy the latest features, updates and improvements simultaneously. Please make sure to get familiar with the more harmonious and collaborative DCS World by updating to the latest version now! Notably included in this update is a performance improvement for terrains, an impressive set of new liveries from Polychop for the DCS: SA-342 Gazelle, as well as improvements to the DCS: MB-339 flight and collision model by IndiaFoxtEcho. We have also delivered a large number of bug fixes for DCS: AH-64D, DCS: F-16C Viper and DCS: F/A-18C. For a list of changes, please check out the full changelog.


[h2]F-15C Aggressors ACM[/h2]
[h3]Campaign by Maple Flag[/h3]



The F-15C Aggressors ACM campaign puts you in the cockpit of an F-15C Eagle as a new Aggressor pilot with the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Based on real world procedures, you will fly as Red Air against Blue Air Forces.

You will face a series of challenging Air Combat Maneuver (ACM) missions against dissimilar aircraft with a wingman for assistance. Each mission will comprise two 2 vs 2 air to air engagements. Tankers are available if you wish to refuel before the second engagement.

Your opponents include the F-4E, F-14A, F-15C, F-15E, F-16C, F/A-18C, M-2000C, MiG-29G, CF-188, MiG-21, Su-27 and an unknown type. Three campaigns are included in the download package to allow you to fly against Rookie, Ace and Random AI opponents.

Additionally, there is an 11 mission practice campaign against the Rookie and Ace AI with in-air starts so you can perfect your ACM tactics and techniques.

Key features:

• Over 1800 voice overs
  
• 49 pages of briefing material including the RED FLAG Spins, Red Forces In Flight Guide
  
• Maps, Diagrams
  
• Custom Kneeboards and Mission Data cards
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2742450/DCS_F15C_Aggressors_Air_Combat_Maneuvering_Campaign_by_Maple_Flag/

We hope you're as thrilled as we are about these latest developments in the world of DCS. Please remember that the Lunar Sale is in its final hours and ends on the 25th of February at 15:00 GMT. Do not miss out on this fantastic opportunity to land something truly special!

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

New campaign: DCS: F-15C Aggressors Air Combat Maneuvering Campaign by Maple Flag
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2742450/DCS_F15C_Aggressors_Air_Combat_Maneuvering_Campaign_by_Maple_Flag/

[h3]DCS World[/h3]

• Terrain scenery performance: optimized instancing and improved and optimized streaming.
  
• ChinaAssetPack. Missiles KD-20, KD-63 and C-701T switched to ED’s declaration.
  
• ChinaAssetPack. Bomb Type-200A switched to ED’s declaration.
  
• ChinaAssetPack. LS-6/GB-6 updated range table.
  
• ChinaAssetPack. HHQ-9 cold launch effect added.
  
• Input. When a single Controller Axis is bound twice (ex. with and without a modifier) on a single Game Axis, the "Axis Tune" modal fails to save its settings. Fixed.
  
• IR render. Fixed the square surface texture under the destroyed vehicle in FLIR.
  
• Weapons. APKWS RCS decreased from 0.04 -> 0.01 sq m.
  
• Fixed crash when one of two groups is destroyed while embarking a helicopter.
  
• Fixed crash when one of two groups is destroyed while embarking a vehicle.
  
• Fixed crash when infantry destroyed during a task Embarking.
  
• Fixed crash when one of two groups is destroyed while embarking a ship.
  
• Task Embarking, distribution doesn't work correctly for boat - corrected.
  
• Fixed crash while performing a task Embarking in some cases.
  
• Fixed exploit - aircraft can be equipped with weapons from other aircraft in some cases.
  
• AI aircraft. AI S-3B tanker parks on a place already occupied with static - fixed.
  
• Triggers. Part of group in zone - activates when it should not - corrected
  
• Triggers. Trigger Zone. Checking inside the attached zone.
  
• Effects. Rain effect is not cleared when it is turned off without restarting the DCS - fixed.
  
• Fixed bug when camera can attach to dead object.
  
• AI ground. When a SAM launcher has no LOS with its tracking radar, it still fires missiles, but they explode one second later - fixed.
  
• AI helicopters. Fixed IAS speed vs. wind bug.
  
• AI helicopters. Wheeled helicopters allow take off & landing from a parking position. "Normal" weight value was corrected.
  
• Control hover added Ah-64 taxi improved.
  
• AI helicopters. AIs collide with each other on vertical take off - fixed.
  
• AI wingman with data links remain on after shutdown - fixed.
  
• SSE. MT. Any looped outText message flashes at different intervals in Multithreading - fixed.
  
• AI surface. Infantry does not move after switching green state - fixed.
  
• AI surface. Radar SON-9 alarm state cannot be set to GREEN - fixed.
  
• AI surface. Ships may behave incorrectly when using the checkbox 'on land' - fixed.
  
• AI surface. The second group can't execute command Embarking to ship - fixed.
  
• AI surface. Deactivation function works only on part of units from the group - fixed.
  
• AI aircraft. SA342 using ATGM HOT3 missile in Hellfire style - fixed.
  
• Weapons. Negative weight of ATGM HOT3 payload - fixed.
  
• Effects. Moonlight reflection over the sea produces a blinding halo - corrected.
  
• Weapons. Kh-65 missiles turn around, and most don't hit their target - fixed.
  
• AI aircraft. The likelihood of the aircraft colliding with trees when going around mountain tops has been reduced.
  
• AI aircraft. AAR. AI struggles to keep the probe into the right drogue when the tanker orbits in a left turn - fixed.
  
• VR In cockpit cursors have become oversized and blurred - fixed.
  
• Effects. Flickering shadows in mirrors at night at some camera angles - fixed.
  
• AI aircraft. Drones were unable to launch ATGM Hellfire from high altitudes due to a missile guidance issue. Now the altitude is limited to 3600 meters.
  
• AI surface. S-75 (SA-2) tracking targets through mountains. LOS check restored.
  
• ME. Triggers. Added expanding window function for scripted trigger actions and messages.
  
• Weapons. ATGM AT-6 and AT-9 will be lost if the launcher is destroyed.
  
• AI aircraft. Incorrect behavior of the helicopter during landing in some cases was fixed.
  
• AI aircraft. AI helicopters fail to engage ground targets in some cases - fixed.
  
• Crash when deactivating a ship during a helicopter task cargo transportation fixed.
  
• AI surface. NASAMS attacks helicopters from short distances only - fixed.
  
• Weapons. Corrected aiming data for GBU-10, KAB-1500-LG-Pr, KAB-1500LG, GBU-24, KAB-500L, GBU-54, GBU-12.
  
• DCS MT. Vehicle guns shaking during rotation - fixed.
  
• AI surface. Turned off exaggerated recoil when launching missiles.
  
• ME. GUI Error when changing ship type if AMMO tab open - fixed.
  
• Weapons. Increased APKWS M282 warhead power.
  
• AI aircraft. S-3B tanker. Mechanics of releasing the refueling basket and the refueling process have been adjusted.
  
• Voice chat
  
• Added transparency to the VC widget window. change colors in widgets
  
• Fixed. MiG-15 VC radio mode does not work
  
• Fixed. Active radio is not highlighted in the widget
  
• AI surface. Freeze when performing Embarking task for ship in some cases - fixed
  

For a full list of changes, please read the full changelog.