This year is set to ring in some big changes for DCS World and the first signs of that progress, first detailed in their 2021 roadmap, are already starting to arrive. This DCS World Weekend News update has been focused on some key news including the big changes coming for DCS World 2.7, news that Windows 7 will be dropped from the support list, and details on what’s coming to DCS: The Channel Map prior to it being considered a complete map. This is what we’ve been able to learn!
The Channel Map moves towards release
The biggest news in this update for DCS WWII fans is news that DCS: The Channel is getting some big updates including new airbases, new landmarks, and word that the map will soon be considered complete.
Coming in an update, the map will be gaining another new airfield in the form of Biggin Hill. This base was the home of many RAF squadrons over the course of the war and should make for a good homebase for many a DCS WWII mission.
Also coming in the update are over a dozen new unique objects and landmarks which will dot the landscape on both sides of the map. Here’s the complete list as presented to us in the latest update.
New Unique Objects England:
- Leeds Castle
- The Parish Church of All Saints Birchington
- St Augustine’s Abbey, Ramsgate
- Holy Trinity Church, Broadstairs
- St Laurence’s Church, Ramsgate
- Deal Castle
- St Mary The Virgin Church, Ashford
- South Foreland Lighthouse
- St Mary’s Church, Dover
- Dover Town Hall
- St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church, Folkestone
- St Leonard’s Church, Hythe
- Hastings Pier St Leonards Church, Deal
New Unique Objects France:
- Château de Boulogne-sur-Mer
- Belfry Of Dunkirk
- Church of Saint-Éloi, Dunkirk
- Hôtel de ville de Dunkerque
- Column of the Grande Armée
- Fort d’Ambleteuse
- Église Saint-Pierre, Calais
- Town Hall, Calais
- Lighthouse, Calais
- Eglise Notre-Dame de Calais
- Saint-Omer Cathedral
- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Boulogne
Not mentioned is if the map will have any seasonal variation. It’s not something that we’ve seen from recent map releases and it’s unclear right now if there will be autumn, winter or spring variations on the map.
I’ve been holding off on a full review until the map is out of early access, however, once it does you can be sure that I will be giving it a complete overview. I can easily say right now, however, that it is a very visually pleasing map to fly over.
New DCS WWII single missions
The update this week also includes news that there are new missions coming to DCS WWII and that these missions will feature variable difficulty levels (set via the F10 comms menu) enabling you to replay the missions over and over. It will also feature co-op compatibility (they are calling it FWAF or “Fly With A Friend”) which will be good for people looking for small scale multiplayer scenarios with a friend.
DCS WWII definitely needs more content updates like this one and I’m looking forward to seeing what they have. ED reports that multiple mission types are coming:
- Bomber Escort
- Flight/Section Scrambles
- Anti-Shipping Strikes
- Photographic Reconnaissance
- Airfield Strikes
- Train Strafing
- Close Air Support
- Bomber/Fighter Intercepts
Windows 7 support is being dropped
Eagle Dynamics is reporting that they are dropping support for Windows 7. The 11-year old OS had a great run as OS but it looks like it’s days of being supported by games is numbered and it looks like DCS World is not immune to that.
It’s unclear if the drop in support is due to technical considerations and under the hood changes that are being made but one way or another it looks like DCS World 2.7 will not be supporting Windows 7. ED states that players can continue to enjoy DCS World on the latest 2.5.6 builds but that further updates will not be possible.
Finally, the update includes some more imagery of the new clouds coming in 2.7 including this stunning image of the F-16C.
For all of this and more, check out the latest DCS World Weekend News update.
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