A new DCS World Weekend Developer Update is out with a few small updates including some new looks at the latest FLIR technology updates. Plus there’s a new DCS World Open Beta update with some notable updates. Let’s have a look!

FLIR gets an upgrade

For as long as I’ve been watching DCS World, I’ve heard common complaints that IR sensors in the sim aren’t quite what they should be. Indeed, to make FLIR technology work in DCS World, Eagle Dynamics did some creative work to make it work and by and large it does work but it’s not as accurate or realistic as it could be.

This new update is aimed at FLIR and is being worked on alongside the DCS: AH-64D, a module that very much benefits and works with FLIR as a primary sensor. The new technology includes thermal textures for all objects and it makes them dynamic so that they can show a vehicle like an APC in a cold and dark state or with its engine on and hot.

For air, land, and sea units and terrain objects, we are developing special thermal textures with several channels that allow heat signatures to adjust based on the activity of the unit, time of day, ambient air temperature, and more. For example, when the engine is started, the engine compartment and exhaust system begin to heat up. After driving, the undercarriage, transmission, wheels and tracks also heat up. Guns and launchers also cool down smoothly with inactivity.

That sounds impressive and it goes to show the kind of detail needed to accurately replicate this feature.

Seeing is believing and a series of new screenshots on the Eagle Dynamics website show off the updated system far better than I think they could be described. Have a look!

DCS Open Beta update

DCS World 2.7.10.18996 Open Beta is out and with it comes a number of notable features. Among them, the DCS: F-16C gets its Dive Toss (DTOS) mode and the long version of the ALQ-184 ECM pod. The DCS: M-2000C gets an autopilot update, the DCS: JF-17, AV-8B, and MiG-19P are also among the aircraft seeing an update.

Notably, the DCS: F-14 Tomcat has seen a significant update to the AIM-54. The pro of the update is that the AIM-54 now uses new computational dynamics similar to the work done on the AIM-120 to have a more realistic profile. The con appears to be that the guidance system is now overly aggressive which leads to lowered performance.

Cobra847 wrote yesterday that this was indeed a problem.

We do not believe the current performance to be realistic due to guidance issues. Less than when we adjusted numbers to avoid these issues; and yet enough to cause lessened performance.

Unfortunately this has turned out to be a multi-step process and we’ll be working hard to rectify this with urgency where we are able.

Cobra847

I’d expect a fix will come to the AIM-54 urgently so look for future updates.