DCS World 2 Preview Video and Deep Thoughts with Jack Handy.

[16thScooter]

Some of you will get the Jack Handy reference.

Looks like DCS World 2 is close. I speculate within the next 30 days. I was happy to hear the mission editor will remain the same. Since I have been getting into it, and learning new things as I go along, I am appreciating it more. With scripting, triggers, zones, flags, etc, you can do some amazing things. It is still a beast to figure out and the quick mission generator is crap in my opinion. I was happy to hear all the stuff about the Hornet but there was no mention of carrier operations. I have a feeling the Hornet will end the continued life of BMS. From a developers standpoint I just can't see the need nor reason to keep it going once the F-18C is released. It will be a study sim as or more complex than the A-10C. I still only fly the A-10C to about 75% of its overall capabilities and the Ka-50 about 90%. Did you know you could actually mission plan in the Ka-50 with the ABRIS?

Back to BMS, it is a superb sim and of course you get that wonderful campaign engine. The diehards will stick with it but I feel that BMS 4.32 will go down in history as the last version of Falcon. It has taken DCS more than 4 years to get their Eagle Dynamics Graphics Engine going and there is nothing on the horizon to replace the Falcon engine. A new BMS version would be the same in a different wrapper at this point. Should DCS or a third party developer make the F-16C it would certainly kill BMS. And I believe after DCS World 2 and the Hornet are released, we will see an F-16C regardless. On a very personal note I feel Falcon, is the best it is going to get. I am leaning more and more to just flying DCS. The switching between the two is hampering me learning the sim overall. This includes the A-10C and the mission editor. Just flying the multitude of AC in DCS can lead to confusion. The WWII birds are simplistic with systems but the actual flying is tough. The helos are a different animal all together. Unfortunately, the last few times I flew Falcon I just didn't get the same feeling flying DCS. I don't know what it is. Overall I think. DCS just feels so much better for me. I can see remnants of Falcon being a 17 year old flight sim every time I fly it. Who knows, maybe I will get a bug and get super motivated for Falcon again. Side note, Eagle Dynamics really took off with Su-27 Flanker and Lockon back in 1995/98. Guess what, they are still around and going strong. Janes, Microprose, Microsoft Flightsim (An actual company), and countless others...all gone.

A high definition Oculus Rift in a year or so, I can't even imagine. I tested one on a basic FPS and it was amazing. Aside from losing the tactile feel of anything the sensation of being in a dream world is incredible.

Where does all this leave the 16th? I have no idea. We are certainly not the same squad that flew Falcon 4.0 when it was released. There is not really anything left except the scheduled (insert sim) flight nights. Jar is trying to put together that same sense of realism with the DCS Hornet mod but that is slow coming. I am personally waiting for the DCS Hornet release before I get my teeth into the strict sim flying days of old. With that I am not sure that I want to get that serious into it again. I love flying any chance I get. I guess that is a matter of desire and how one wants to enjoy the hobby. The 16th has been a virtual home to many for more 15 years now. No way in H3LL we are going anywhere that I can promise you.

As a feeler, who is interested in getting back to where we were? Not the entire wing but a sect that flies certain nights, or missions, in a real sense. Pilots would know that if you fly this certain mission you better bring it sort of thing. Jar is working on it already. The Stingers website is fantastic and reminds me of the early 16th days when Bear was around.

Enough of my rant. Check out the video and pay close attention to the sunlight. Simming is about to make some serious leaps forward in short time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOLevVN3dyI#t=93

[Wayc00lio]

Its looking good