DCS Update Preview
What to look out for
Get ready for a wealth of DCS improvements that will add new features, resolve bugs, and optimise performance, especially in multiplayer environments. Here is what you can look forward to:
Aircraft AI and Ground AI
The latest update will include fixes and improvements to both Aircraft AI and Ground AI behaviour. For aircraft, issues such as cargo doors on the AI Mi-8 helicopter remaining open during transportation tasks and helicopters having difficulty landing will be fixed. The carpet bombing task will work correctly when a priority target is set and weapons free. Additionally, fighters will perform better in cruise missile interception scenarios. For Ground AI, bridge crossing is being improved along with route following behaviour. The BTR-80 and BTR-82 will deploy a bow-wave shield when crossing water. Please stay tuned for the upcoming changelog.
Weapons
Weapon behaviour will see several important fixes, particularly for the AIM-54C's lock reacquisition issue. AI units will properly use APKWS rockets. Additionally, the R-27R/ER missiles will be adjusted to track cruise missiles effectively, and a new China Asset Pack addition will introduce the HJ-12 Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM). Other improvements will include updates to the Sea Eagle missile, which will have a collision model that can be intercepted.
Terrain Engine
The terrain engine will receive notable optimisations, including better VRAM usage, disk streaming, and CPU utilisation for rendering scenery models. This enhances performance across maps, especially in VR. Additionally, issues like crashes at mission start in certain maps (Afghanistan, Kola, and Sinai) and graphical artefacts when zooming or panning in map modes have been addressed. These optimisations will contribute to a smoother and more stable gameplay experience, especially in complex and processor intensive situations.
Other important improvements will include cargos no longer being destroyed when dropped, improved oil and water leak effects for World War II aircraft, and the Arleigh Burke Close-In Weapon System (CWIS) use against missiles is improved.
F/A-18C & F-16C
Aircraft Improvements
Recent updates and bug fixes across various aircraft, including the F-16C and F/A-18C, are part of our ongoing commitment to refining the simulation and completing all release and post-Early Access support commitments. We have addressed a wide range of issues, from minor graphical glitches to more significant systems-related bugs that affect gameplay.
The F-16C Viper will see improvements in its radar including fixes to Track While Scan (TWS) multi-designations, more reliable soft-locks in Range While Scan (RWS) and Dual Track modes, added the ability to interact with false targets, corrected Hot Lines, and improved Pulse Doppler (PD) tracking. For ground-pounders, Maverick slaving to the Sensor Point of Interest (SPI) issues will be addressed.
One of the biggest, and most requested changes, is the ability to select the Flight Control System dead zone gradient to either a realistic setting best used for force-sensitive joysticks or to exactly match the Controls Manager deadzone value. You will be able to select this in the next update.
Despite being out of Early Access, the F/A-18C has and will continue to be supported with new features and fixes. In the next update, the F/A-18C will receive updates to its avionics and weapon systems. These updates are based on player feedback and extensive testing, they include adjustments to the radar BIAS behaviour, Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), training missions, fuzes and more. Stay tuned for the full changelog!
Although not ready for the next update, the F/A-18C is also undergoing an extensive review and re-work of the flight model and flight control system. Other F/A-18C features are still planned for the project like more Multi-Sensor Integration (MSI) features, loft symbology and data for JDAM and JSOW, and the Mk-77.
End of Summer Sale
Upgrade your hangar now!
The DCS End of Summer Sale 2024 is running until the 30th of September 2024 at 15:00 GMT, and we truly hope that you take this opportunity to land some great deals. Our most popular fighter jets are available with a 30% discount including DCS: F-16C Viper, DCS: JF-17 Thunder, DCS: MB-339. Our staple helicopters such as DCS: AH-64D and DCS: Black Shark 3 are also on sale with 30% off! Many more aircraft, terrains, campaigns and important add-ons are on sale with 50% discount. Visit our shop!
Please note that we are running an identical sale on the DCS World Steam Edition until the 23rd of September 2024 at 17:00 GMT as part of the Planes, Trains and Automobiles fest!
Thank you again for your passion and support,
Yours sincerely,
Eagle Dynamics