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The Best Air Combat Game is Getting DLSS and More!

DCS World Community and New Features.

DCS World has been touted as the best air combat game for many years. Yes, I know we all love to call it a “simulator” but no matter what you call it, it has stood the test of time with its HUD high! There is much discussion about Eagle Dynamics direction and also some annoyance being levelled at it for releasing unfinished products that then take years to fine tune and improve.

If you’re a DCS fan you would likely be aware of the YouTube “Air Warfare Group” of which “Juice” is a big part. He took to YouTube recently to voice his and the community’s dissatisfaction with the process of releasing unfinished modules as essentially a cash grab and complaining about their current and past process for releasing modules.

It certainly struck a chord with Eagle Dynamics who pretty quickly contacted Juice directly and invited him to a one-on-one fireside chat as he put it. Much was discussed that he could not release but left him more satisfied towards the Eagle Dynamics future direction. In a follow up video, he expressed his satisfaction with what Eagle Dynamics were planning after this chat and air a lot of great things were on their way to the sim soon!

Certainly, if you’re on the open beta release of DCS as most appear to be this could be said to be just the way it is in open beta releases. Unfortunately, this is not really true as products like the F-16 Viper and F-18 Hornet have been released for several years now and they are constantly getting system updates and are both available on DCS Release version.

Do We Expect to Much of Eagle Dynamics!

When you lead the pack as the best air combat game on the market, expectations are high! It’s very hard to please all of your followers all the time. We have to accept this is not possible with so many having very different aims within the sim. Pilots are very diverse in their requirements of the game/simulator. DCS pilots are passionate air to air & Air to Ground flyers but it is really broken down into many smaller groups. That is for example those that love the fight in a telephone box, BFM (Basic Fighter Manoeuvres/Dogfighting) or alternatively against the PVP (Player vs Environment) pilots that do a lot of BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat. These are very different arenas within this amazing simulator. Add to this the Air to Ground focussed pilots and those that fly in virtual squadrons in full air combat campaign scenarios. I could spend an entire blog just breaking down all the types of players and their desires from DCS.

My point is that is not just a single group that has to be catered for in DCS. Modern western aircraft are also much more prominent than Eastern bloc aircraft. Whay is this? It’s simply just down to information that is available that is NOT CLASSIFIED. Yes, some classified info has been put online by individuals but, just because it’s there doesn’t mean ED can use it! Ok, Let’s move on!

Why Modelling Your Favourite Module Perfectly is IMPOSSIBLE!

Non-military people really don’t grasp the incredible complexity of military systems and the other connectivity of these systems. The desire to have them model as closely as possible within DCS World as real-world systems first time is really unrealistic and here’s why!

In my time in both the RAAF then later as a technical Instructor working and teaching weapons systems to the Royal Saudi Airforce with BAe Systems Australia, I can tell you there are a lot of similarities between individual aircraft systems that are somewhat easy to understand and even duplicate between aircraft at a very simplistic level. When you head into just the complexities of aircraft weapons systems, the (SMS Stores Management System) on the aircraft are not many systems working together and not just the individual weapons themselves. Systems like the weapons system ARE NOT standalone systems. This has to be understood to understand the complexities I’m trying to get across.

F-18 Hornet Weapons System.

The weapons system in the F-18 Hornet comprised of many parts which were specifically weapons computers and weapons programming using that ground crews. Weapons loaders like me programmed these to tell the aircraft what combination of stores and racks it was carrying. With this information the aircraft Stores Management System (SMS) would talk to the separate but connected flight control computer (Air Data Computer) to let it know its flight envelope parameters including roll and G limitations that change with fuel and weapons being expended.

The weapons system and other systems like the navigation computer all communicate simultaneously over the aircraft Internet system or its Data BUS. Thats at least three separate computer systems that need to be modelled to be accurate and have them share information in the sim just like the real aircraft to launch a missile or drop a bomb! I hope your starting to appreciate the complexities here. Now add flight controls, engines systems, navigation systems, communications and the list can go on for a bit that all are interrelated and constantly communicating over a multiplex redundant military BUS in the aircraft!

Let’s Just Jump Right In!

Just remember we often jump into a new aircraft module and head off into combat knowing really very little about the complex weapon systems already modelled within then complain how it’s hard to make t work. How do I XXXXXX is a common Facebook question. Remember pilots spend six months or more just learning systems on their newly assigned combat aircraft. This comes after having spent a year or more of basic flight training and then streaming to their current assignment. You want it all in five minutes?

Weapons, Yeah, it’s Simple! Not!

Even as a Weapons Technician I delt with the following weapons related tasks daily: Weapons Loading (Guns, Bombs, Missiles, Practice bombs) as well as Replacing weapons launchers and bomb racks plus the pylons that attach them to an aircraft. In my trade we also did egress systems so primarily I worked on OM4 Martin Baker Ejection seat models right through to Mk12 as well as the F-111 Crew module system. Servicing online as well as full rebuilds/testing and maintenance.

Install/removing seats because techs or pilots dropped objects in the cockpit was common. Then there was the munitions maintenance aspect plus building up as well as testing weapons. I also did small arms from pistols to sniper rifles on occasion and the list goes on! Now add to that what the USAF call crew chiefs’ tasks. Yes refuel, defueling aircraft, pre/through/post flight servicing as well as just towing them around and more!

Every time I moved aircraft there was six weeks plus of aircraft familiarisation then ongoing courses on individual weapons systems and again much more. In my career I worked on F-111C Aardvark (Pig) – Mirage IIIO – F-18 Hornet (Classic), Tornado IDS/ADV as well as PC-9, Macchi Jet Trainer and helicopters! I had to go through this training on each aircraft! Every time I moved there were a barrage of courses then ongoing training in the workplace!

Ok, The point is!

The point I’m trying to make with all this is, Eagle Dynamics have to be able to do this for EVERY aircraft system first time on the basic information they have available. Modelling the flight controls, fuel and engine systems, basic instruments, weapons delivery systems, radar modes, sub modes etc, radios, data links and ECM systems and more I haven’t mentioned and get it all right the first time. Honestly my dedicated DCS Pilots, you’re literally asking the IMPOSSIBLE! And as a player you want it delivered on a plate perfectly the first time. It simply can’t happen unless you want to wait 10 years for each aircraft and complain why it hasn’t been delivered yet!

NEW STUFF on the Horizon!

There is a focus on expanding DCS World, and the addition of a dynamic campaign is and has been in the works for some years it appears. Being that to date Falcon has been the best combat game to deliver a dynamic campaign and others have tried and failed speaks to the complexity of delivering such a feature. To this end though DCS is focussing in on some important subjects that many may find boring and irrelevant, logistics! If you have been watching the current hot spots in the world the last year and more recently in the middle east you have been reminded constantly how important weapons, fuel, equipment and food deliveries are to keep a modern battlefield operational.

There are currently some community mods adding this as a feature withing campaigns, but ED are making this part of a future release possibly within the upcoming DCS Open Beta 2.9 Release due very soon as I write (Oct 23). Why this is a great feature in a campaign dynamic or otherwise is if your enemy takes out your supplies you can be limited in weapons availability as well in aircraft core strike packages. This is a common feature in Falcon’s mission planning when the campaign engine is managing ground troops as well as tank and naval assets plus a myriad of strike packers all interacting and effected by each other’s actions. Success or failure of a specific mission can have wide ranging effects on the overall campaign. Let’s hope DCS World gets its own Dynamic Campaign soon!

DLSS is Coming!

DLSS or Deep Leaning Super Sampling is an amazing technology that is also being implemented with DCS World in the upcoming DCS Open Beta 2.90 Release. Recently Nvidia released the DLSS 3.5 which has super sampling and frame generation technologies to both improve performance ie. FPS in a big way. The addition of the VULCAN graphics engine has enabled many improvements to date with regard to performance. Introducing MULTI Threaded performance in Open Beta 2.8 lead to mixed results initially but over time the bugs have been ironed out and everyone now benefits from the CPUs ability to multi thread its workloads making more performance gains by utilizing many more cores on a CPU.

What is DLSS – Basic Explanation.

NVIDIA DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is an advanced upscaling technology developed by NVIDIA for real-time computer graphics. DLSS is primarily used in gaming to improve performance and image quality in video games. It leverages the power of artificial intelligence and deep learning to upscale lower-resolution images in real time, making them appear as if they were rendered at a higher resolution. Here’s how it works:

1. Deep Learning Training: NVIDIA trains a deep neural network using a supercomputer and a vast dataset of high-resolution and lower-resolution images. The network learns to understand how to upscale lower-resolution images while maintaining the image’s quality and details.
2. Real-Time Inference: Once the deep neural network is trained, it is deployed in the graphics card as a real-time inference engine. When you play a supported game, the graphics card uses DLSS to upscale lower-resolution frames on the fly. This process happens in real time, so it doesn’t significantly impact your gaming experience.

DLSS offers several benefits:

1. Improved Performance: By rendering the game at a lower resolution and then upscaling it with DLSS, you can achieve better performance while maintaining visual quality. This allows you to increase frame rates and enjoy smoother gameplay.
2. Enhanced Image Quality: DLSS doesn’t merely upscale images; it uses AI to reconstruct missing details, reduce artifacts, and provide an image that often looks as good as or even better than native high-resolution rendering.
3. Ray Tracing Performance: DLSS works particularly well with ray tracing, another technology that NVIDIA introduced to simulate realistic lighting and reflections. Ray tracing can be computationally expensive, but DLSS helps mitigate the performance hit.
4. Compatibility: DLSS is supported in many popular games and is compatible with a wide range of NVIDIA GPUs. As more games adopt DLSS, it becomes increasingly valuable for gamers looking to balance performance and image quality.

It’s important to note that not all games support DLSS, and the quality of upscaling can vary depending on the specific implementation in each game. DLSS is typically available on NVIDIA’s RTX series graphics cards and later.

In summary, NVIDIA DLSS is a cutting-edge technology that leverages deep learning to upscale lower-resolution graphics in real-time, offering improved gaming performance and image quality, particularly when used in conjunction with ray tracing.

New Models & Features.

DCS 2.9 is on the horizon! Anticipate an array of exciting updates, including the introduction of Voice Chat Radio features, enhancements to warbirds, the addition of new 3D models such as the S-300, S-3B, B-1B, and B-52H, support for Nvidia DLSS, and a whole lot more. For all the specifics, read on.

Additionally, we’re actively working on Multiplayer GUI improvements designed to enhance spawn point selection. Currently, these new features are undergoing internal review and will soon make their way to a broader testing audience. Stay tuned for further developments!

The latest DCS 2.9 update brings forth five months of dedicated development work, representing a significant leap forward in the DCS experience. Our deepest appreciation goes out to our diligent QA and Closed Beta Testers, whose invaluable input has helped shape the DCS of the future.

Here’s a glimpse of what you can anticipate in DCS 2.9 and beyond, in no particular order:

• Exciting new Voice Chat features with immersive radio effects.
• Datalink enhancements for F-16C, F/A-18C, A-10C II, and AH-64D.
• The addition of a cinematic camera view for enhanced realism.
• New 3D models, including the B-1B Lancer, B-52H, S-3B, S-3 Tanker, C-RAM, and S-300PS.
• Improvements in AI aircraft behaviour for more realistic encounters.
• The ability to transport troops using player-controlled vehicles.
• Support for Nvidia DLSS, ensuring a more seamless and visually stunning experience.
• And much more…

Stay tuned for our upcoming newsletter, where we’ll delve into these exciting new features in DCS 2.9 and provide more details. Your adventure in the world of DCS is about to get even more thrilling!

Multi Player Updates.

The new multiplayer server user interface adds more convenient ways for you to interact and choose aircraft slots in a multiplayer server. This capability, which has been a highly requested feature by the Community, will permit you to view all aircraft spawn slot locations on the map and to select directly from there. DCS also added a filter system for the slot list that will be built into the interface so when a slot is picked from the list, the map view will jump to that slot location.

Additionally, DCS are completing a new kind of aircraft slot that will be dynamically added by the filter system based on the availability and inventory of the airfield warehouse. Again the warehouse is a new and important feature as mentioned regarding the dynamic campaign in the works for DCS.

This new dynamic system will not replace traditional slots but will add convenience for mission designers and will coexist with regular spawn slots. The system of dynamic slots will distribute spawns to parking positions automatically and will not need any additional placement of aircraft from the mission designer. When spawning in a “dynamic” slot, users will be able to choose aircraft type, hot or cold start and all parameters that are available in the rearming panel.

Skin in the Game.

The community were asked to create liveries for the upcoming B-17G, so a livery challenge was initiated by ED and the winners were the dedicated members listed below. There is an incredible amount of talent being utilized to bring this iconic aircraft to life in Release 2.9 Beta. The DCS WWII Assets Pack is expanding with quality assets plus a number of other new features listed above.

1. 322nd BS – 91st BG JG1 Vonrd
2. LG-W_Wee Willie
3. LG-O_Texas Chubby
4. ‘S’ FK186, No. 220 Squadron RAF / RAF Coastal Command Camouflage 1943 Generic – B17 Paint Schemes MJDixon
5. B-17G 42-85784 “Sally B” Helles Belle
6. Boeing Flying Fortress Mk III (B-17G) ‘Take It Easy’ 214. Sqn RAF Aqil Huseynov
7. B-17G ‘Little Miss Mischief’ of the 324th BS, 91st BG Warlord64
8. B-17G Joker Mike Busutil
9. B-17G “2nd.Patches” OLD CROW
10. B17G “Out House Mouse,” 91st BG, 323rd BS, Bassingbourn, 1944 Boosterdog
11. B-17G/PB-1 US NAVY Flying Fortress Update v2.0 Leviathan0815
12. B-17G-35-BO 42-31921 “Lil Brat” scorch71

We trust you’ll thoroughly enjoy these superb liveries, and we hope the sneak peek into the forthcoming 2.9 version and the future Multiplayer (MP) enhancements meet your expectations.

DCS World – Best Air Combat Game is continuing to Impress.

Will DCS remain the best air combat game for ever? Microprose have taken back the licence and are planning big upgrades to that platform which if done correctly could certainly be a contender with DCS World. There are a couple YouTube videos regarding a couple other flight simulators. TWS is one that created a storm but seems to be gone from the scene. There is another created by NOR which is a specifically designed military simulation and not currently available to us.

The future is bright in my opinion with DCS. In the coming months I hope we are enlightened with the big plans DCS has in the works for us! As always time will tell!

Author.

Brendon McAliece is a multi-lingual expat who brings over three decades of flight simulator/PC building experience as well as over two decades of real-world jet fighter experience as a weapons/egress technician.

He holds a sport pilot certificate giving him real-world flying experience. His travels have taken him from Europe to the Middle East, Asia and his home of Australia. He has a passion for travel, languages, Flight simulation as well as Guitaring and Coffee. You can read more in his blogs below.

Learn More @ DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com

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