A lot of DCS World news to get through today as the community and Eagle Dynamics themselves keep talking about the DCS World 2023 and Beyond trailer release and the various reveals that have brought with it. There’s a lot to get through for core technology updates this week, plus some performance information on DLSS, Mirage F1EE coverage, and an interesting discussion going on about the CH-47.
Exciting year ahead
First thing we have to talk about is Eagle Dynamics opening remarks for their first 2023 DCS World Weekend News update.
We believe that 2023 will be a truly exciting year for all, with the introduction of eagerly awaited modules like the DCS: F-4E by Heatblur, DCS: F-15E by RAZBAM, DCS: OH-58D Kiowa Warrior by Polychop, DCS: F4U-1D Corsair by Magnitude 3, DCS: C-130J by the Airplane Simulation Company, new Mirage F1 versions by Aerges, DCS: Normandy 2.0 map by Ugra Media, the DCS: Sinai Map by OnReTech, and more!
DCS World Weekend News
This does seem to confirm that the modules listed above are all intended to release in 2023. Of course things change and stuff doesn’t always work out. That said, seeing what we’ve seen of the F-15E recently I think that module is a lock for a release over the next few months. The Mirage F1EE update is likely even sooner. Heatblur’s F-4 Phantom is a bit of an unknown but it sounds (and looks) promising.
Surprisingly, it seems like we have some more certainty around the release of the OH-58D from Polychop and the F4U Corsair from Magnitude 3. Neither developer has provided many updates recently but we’ll see what transpires over the next few months!
Core improvements
This week we’ve learned considerably more about core engine improvements for DCS World. They come in various segments including details about multi-threading, Vulkan API, DLSS as well as mention that FSR for AMD GPUs is also planned. These are all core performance updates and are certainly welcome after some setbacks, particularly for VR users, in DCS World 2.8.
Other interesting features are mentioned in the update too. Spherical Earth Map, something that is not new to DCS World Weekend News updates over the years, has been mentioned again after a long time.
Here’s what they had to say:
2022 saw great progress creating the tools and technologies to support a precise spherical Earth map for DCS. Because this map will be based on current day, it will operate independently of the current and future regional maps that allow historic maps such as World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and other scenarios. Spherical Earth efforts will continue in 2023.
A couple of key takeaways from this. First, the map technology that will create a full world map for DCS will continue in 2023 which suggests to me that this is not coming this year. Second, it suggests that there are at least possibilities that Korea and Vietnam maps are on the roadmap at some point down the line.
Weather enhancements are also mentioned. More “sophisticated atmospheric phenomena” is mentioned including towering cumulus clouds, as well as new fog and dust storms. The later two are not currently part of the new cloud system and so don’t blend together very well. Apparently they will be brought into the new system – a welcome visual update.
A true weather engine also appears to be in the pipeline.
A separate and complex project currently in development is the dynamic cloud generator which will then need to be integrated with the dynamic weather systems of low/high pressure systems and new/evolving cloud types.
That should be an interesting and even more dynamic addition to the series when its complete.
There was also talk about further enhancing FLIR, which already saw a pretty big update in 2022, the work on the dynamic campaign system talked about last week, air traffic control updates, new human animations, deck and ground crew, enhancements to multiple light sources, voice chat, visual special effects, AI and even flight models.
Most of this we’ve heard about before but its great to see it in a summary. Check out the DCS World Weekend News for that.
But we’re not done with DCS news.
Early DLSS comparisons
DCS YouTuber ralfidude has posted on Twitter three images showing off different performance levels with nVidia DLSS. Without DLSS his frame rate in the image is 79 fps while two different modes of DLSS offer 90 and 120 fps.
This apparently achieved without the multi-core update in place. This won’t be the case for everyone and I have no doubt that ralfidude’s system is relatively strong but it should portent some impressive performance updates. Let’s hope!
Mirage F1EE video and screenshot
Aerges has released two pieces of content today. First, in coordination with Spudknocker, a DCS YouTuber, we have this piece about the Mirage F1EE showcasing some of the unique features that the EE has. I particularly like the changes to the cockpit layout that seem to make a bit more sense with the systems being employed.
We also have this screenshot.
Casmo makes a case for the CH-47
Finally, I wanted to highlight this great video by Casmo who is a former real world Apache pilot and DCS World YouTuber. He makes a great case for the CH-47 existing in DCS World and talks about the potential capabilities that such a helicopter can offer. It mentions a real world practice of creating a FARP, complete with fuel and ammo, using a CH-47 and cites several real world examples where that was done.
Could the DCS World version be configured to do something similar? Mobile FARP deployment on demand? I definitely think its a cool idea!
That’s it! All of the DCS news that’s come out today that I know about. Let me know if I missed anything in the comments because information has been flying fast and furious these days!
Stormbirds 
All of this will certainly keep the site busy. 🙂
I’ll be very happy to see the F-15E, the Chinook, and the Normandy 2 map. The rest can wait. And Casmo was right on with his suggestions for the CH-47. Really looking forward to flying my house… with rotors. Love the idea of a yuuuge chopper. And troop transport and disembarkation would be good fun. All of a sudden a landing in a hot LZ would become a game in itself.
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I’m most excited about the core improvements such as multi-threading and then the tease of the WW2 Pacific Theatre aircraft.
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I’m just glad *someone* is doing something in that theater. Looking at you 1C
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It certainly will be still a while until we can fly some PTO campaigns, however I like the thought to have both the Corsair and the Hellcat ready for a spin over the Marianas. F15E and F4 will be my favorites in 2023, IDS Tornado will have to wait at least another year it seems until we can recreate some RAF DesertStorm´´ 91 missions with it.
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DCS Desert Storm would have all of my funding! I like your idea of an RAF campaign based on the Tornado
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Yep. The Story of John Nichol could be weaven into it. Would make for a great RAF campaign.
http://www.johnnichol.com
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Isn’t the Tornado coming to DCS a German IDS version? How similar is the IDS to the GR1?
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AFAIK the IDS and GR1/GR1A are basically identical. Reflected Simulations has announced a campaign for it, but I guess we wont see it before 2024.
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Someone is stepping up to compete with Microsoft by adding a whole Earth spherical map, and to a combat flight sim no less?
Excellent news!
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Not sure if this will compete with Microsoft. That is a bit extra with AI processing the whole planet and combining that with photogrammetry and several terabytes of satellite imagery.
I suspect this would be closer to what X-Plane does with their auto gen planet though I suspect ED’s artists have an edge. We’ll see what they do.
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Is it definitely this or just that the sim will not operate anymore as a Flat Earth advocate? AFAIK the gameworld in DCS is currently flat with whatever else that entails.
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That’s a good point and an interesting perspective. I do suspect, however, that it is an X-Plane style globe that can be flown over any point. The maps would be enhanced areas of detail.
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Am I not seeing the forest for all the trees? Or am I just slow? I can’t make heads or tails out of the dynamic campaign stuff. It’s all very complicated sounding, so hopefully someone here can answer a fairly rudimentary question:
Will it be akin to the legendary Falcon 4.0 campaign, with planning missions and flying them as part of the campaign? Basically a game within the simulator so to speak?
Or will it be an easier way to design stand alone campaigns for 3rd party developers or even us mere mortals?
Basically…will I be able to load a map, start a war and then make ATOs and conduct the war on my own? Or will it be a matter of downloading or buying preset, albeit dynamic, campaigns from ED?
Sorry if it’s a blindingly stupid question…
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There’s a lot to parse through for the campaign system. Yes, the goal is to build a true dynamic campaign as in Falcon 4. They haven’t fully revealed how much alike or different it will be but that’s the general intention.
A lot of the talk right now is not gameplay features but rather technology features that underpin the system. I’m sure we’ll learn more about how it actually plays when we get closer to release.
I expect you will be able to load a map, setup a campaign and then play that with persistence. Destroy a specific target in your last mission and it stays destroyed.
More to come I’m sure!
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If they manage something like the Falcon 4.0 or now BMS dynamic campaign, that would be awesome.
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That’s definitely where they are heading. Hopefully they achieve!
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Deephack read some of the Stormbirds news on his podcast again yesterday. He always speaks highly of the site. You should guest on the show sometime, that could be good fun.
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Finally they are doing the game engine improvement, do not know how it is in the monitor section but using VR and not have an >€1500,- GPU, it’s a shimmer festival.
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