A winter sale, updates on what’s coming in the next open beta and some news about VOIP voice communications updates for DCS World. Let’s go!
Open beta updates
Open Beta 2.7.9 is due next week with a bunch of new features. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been documenting the updates from the team for the F-16C (including adding ECM and ECM effects) and all of those are due in the next open beta. There are other updates coming to DCS World and Eagle Dynamics list some substantial updates for the F-14 and AJS-37 Viggen coming in the next update as well (we don’t actually know what those are at the moment but a Heatblur update is sure to come soon).
There’s also a little update from the Hind team as they model the 3D pilot for the Hind. Last week it was untextured and this week the texture artists have made the hand and Hind specific watch beautifully textured.
Voice communications update
Today’s update also contains a note about some significant updates that are being brought to the DCS World voice communications system. This system will likely replace and surpass the third party SRS system with some additional planned features that Eagle Dynamics will eventually build in.
According to the update, radio communication is being added to the Combined Arms roles, ground units, ATC, and AWACS. Other features such as encrypted communication noises, clicks, distortions and voice synthesising in real time are planned for later. Those features will likely bring the DCS built in voice communication system up to or past what SRS currently offers.
A quick start guide covers the features of the system.
DCS Winter Sale
Get into the festive spirit with this latest DCS World sale trailer as well as a 50% discount on most modules and campaigns. Eagle Dynamics reports that the sale will run until the 10th of January 2022 at 15:00 GMT. Check out the E-Shop here.
Stormbirds 
Was really hoping for a surprise release of the South Atlantic map before Christmas, but I’m dreaming in colour for sure. But this looks like a good update.
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Honestly, I would argue the VOIP needs to be a separate executable that does not require the base game to be running.
Voice coms are the social aspect of multiplayer, and the group exists outside the game.
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I think I see where you’re going with that line of thinking, however, this is much more of a SRS replacement than a Discord replacement.
The means of interacting with this will primarily be through the radio controls on your aircraft in DCS.
Outside of that. Discord is king.
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I feel a little weird about the SRS replacement though. I mean SRS is pretty great. Maybe I just feel bad for a guy who put a bunch of his own time and effort into a product that really enhanced DCS and now IL2. He showed us what should be there.
I mean, fully integrated with the actual software is probably a better thing. I just hope he gets all the good things he deserves.
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I hope so too! He did a great service to the community. I think, in some cases, these utilities are created to fill a niche that would have otherwise been filled but there wasn’t time or understanding how valuable the feature would be but eventually they pave the way for their own replacement.
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im with sham this is VOIP and will not effect community because it is in game/aircraft only and everyone will have it built in . if anything it will bring the community together more
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