DCS World is set to take another big leap forward for the series and DCS World 2.7 keeps on closing in on initial open beta release. We don’t know exactly when but excitement is building. Eagle Dynamics has shown off more on the new cloud technology that will come with 2.7 as well as talking about a few details around 2.7 and what will be included. Plus we also now know who the winners are of the DCS: P-47 livery competition. Let’s have a look!

Livery winners

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Ten winners have just been announced for their hard work on the DCS: P-47D Thunderbolt livery competition. The winners have come up with a mix of historical and fictional liveries.

• Mike Busutil: WarChief
• MateusOV: Commemorative Livery & Big Bird II
• Sydy: 1st Brazilian Ftr Sq-Jambock A1 
• danperin: 61st FS 8th AF HV-Z
• Waynos: RAF Thunderbolt
• Giskvoosk: Chief Ski-U-Mah
• EL_LEJI: 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron
• BoNidle: The Trojan Warhorse
• Latart: Lend-Lease
• Flanker: P-47 USSR Air Force ( gray – blue )

The winners will each receive the DCS: Mosquito when it hits open beta.

Congratulations!

Cloud screenshots

The biggest visual overhaul of DCS World 2.7 is almost certainly to be the new clouds. Fully volumetric and network synchronized, the new clouds will have a profound effect on both the visual experience of DCS World as well as the way you fly. DCS WWII servers like the Storm of War server are going to benefit tremendously from the cloud effects.

In this week’s update, Eagle Dynamics released the following statement,

In order to simplify mission creation and weather selection, we have designed a large number of cloud presets which are convenient to select from the Mission Editor. Here are a few thumbnails to give you an idea of what will be available. 

DCS World Weekend News Update

The screenshots are beautiful high res shots that you may even want to use as a desktop wallpaper. The high res options are available from ED here or check out my gallery below to see them more quickly.

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Beautiful! Can’t wait to see that in action!

A few more 2.7 details

This week’s update also included the small note that the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet and the DCS: The Channel Map would be coming out of early access and both be considered released modules. It’s a small detail but also a consequential one as the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet has been in the works for a long time and is now finally closing in on being complete.

ED has previously stated that dev work would continue, albeit more slowly, after release. At this point, however, tremendous strides have been made in the aircraft over the last few months and so this seems reasonably appropriate to me. Not too much is left on the list of features for the jet.

The Channel map will be getting more airbases and a few more details added to it before it is also considered complete. I’ll be reviewing the map at some point in the future!