There’s a few items coming from Eagle Dynamics from their DCS World Weekend News update including new images from DCS: Marianas Islands and some teases of some other new features.
Marianas Islands making more progress
This developer update gave us a nice look at the latest work done on the Marianas Islands map update. New images of the US naval base on Guam, the Ordnance Annex and new images of Andersen Air Force Base and the now deactivated Northwest Field.
The update also teases more information about the WWII version of the map which will undoubtedly have an active version of the Northwest Field and other facilities. They mention the role that the P-47 played both during and post war on the map as well so that’s also an indicator of how Eagle Dynamics is attempting to connect us to that version. We haven’t seen the WWII version of the map just yet but this is the clearest indication yet that they are working on it.
The update this week also indicates that internal testing on the map is going well and it seems like we’re seeing a lot more of this map recently. Is release imminent? Perhaps not in the next patch or even the one after that but it does seem like we’re getting close to open beta access and Eagle Dynamics has even said as much.
Internal testing of this map is going well, and we are working to further improve the ground textures and address road network anomalies. Work on improving the ports and shorelines also continues. Our goal is to create the best looking DCS map yet by using our latest terrain development kit tools.
Eagle Dynamics
ATC update?
Also mentioned in the update is upgrades to the ATC system for DCS World. This has been on the roadmap for a little while now and is long awaited by many virtual pilots. Apparently the new Marianas Islands map is being used as a testbed for the new technology.
We are continuing to work on Air Traffic Control (ATC) for the new Mariana Islands airfields that will later take advantage of the new ATC system currently in development.
Eagle Dynamics
That’s an exciting piece of news. We don’t know exactly what the system will be like or what it will be able to do but using this new map for its development is probably an easier way for ED to get the work done before hopefully retrofitting it to all current maps.
For the rest, check out the latest DCS: World Weekend News update.
Stormbirds 
This is amazing. We are going to war with China!
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Yeah! No more rubber dog toys out of Hong Kong.
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Since the dry land part of the map isn’t very large, maybe they will really push the envelope as far as ground textures go, since, I’m guessing, water isn’t hard on the GPU, and 90% of the map will be water. It will be interesting to see what they can do.
And where’s my Mosquito?!?
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I remember seeing one of the early development screen shots. It was of a small section of civ neighborhood, from an angle close to and just above a rooftop. They had modeled in several strands of looped and strung CoAx cabling for SatTV hook ups!
I’ve also see several distinctly different species of trees and plenty of ground clutter like barbecue grills, etc.
It looks like this map could end up being as hyper detailed as The Channel – which is GREAT!
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I believe the two harbor shots *may*, in fact, be of the WWII version. The placed ships are definitely WWII era freighters and landing ships, and the developed areas of the back harbor look far less built up than on Google Maps.
Depending on the overall level of urban dev they’re going for, it could just be WWII assets on a simplified area of the modern map, but these images are definitely less developed than today’s outer harbor.
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Interesting. I had seen the ships but figured that it was the modern version as they haven’t yet shown off anything else related to it. That was my impression of the P-47 over the overgrown airbase as well.
I could be very wrong!
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You’re definitely correct re the ’47 over North Field.
Probably just wishful thinking on my part; nevertheless… 😉
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