It’s Friday and that means there’s a DCS World Weekend News update coming out from Eagle Dynamics. There’s also a smattering of other news items from around the DCS World community that I wanted to cover from the past week so let’s cover it!
Open beta release
DCS Open Beta version 2.8.4.38947 released yesterday and with it the usual long list of updates across the entirety of DCS World.
Highlights include revisions to the F-14B’s flight model, tooltips added to the F10 map, new direction and speed vectors, cockpit and external weapon sound updates for DCS WWII aircraft, eight new liveries for the JF-17, and a very long list of updates for Mirage F1.
Heatblur also released the free Operation Reforger II – Flanking the Bear campaign for DCS: F-14 owners adding yet more single player content to their impressive F-14.
The Enemy Within campaign gets an overhaul
Baltic Dragon has been busy making sure that the well known The Enemy Within 3.0 campaign has received a series of updates that makes it compatible with the DCS: A-10C II Warthog. The fixes include compatibility with the A-10C II’s new radio unit.
F-15E almost ready to launch?
We don’t yet know the release date for the DCS: F-15E Strike Eagle by RAZBAM. This aircraft, long awaited, long teased, is somewhere close to launch. This tweet, posted earlier today by Eagle Dynamics, might suggest that the wait is nearing an end. Is it just a reminder or does it portent an impending release? We still don’t know but I have a feeling it will be soon.
OverlordBot sunset, MOOSE might not be far behind?
Two community tools for DCS World are or might be on their way out.
OverlordBot is easily one of my favourite community built experiences in DCS World when it comes to multiplayer immersion. The system lets you have an AWACS experience through voice commands. It’s not perfect but it is so immersive compared to the standard AWACS system that I’m genuinely surprised that it or a similar technology hasn’t appeared in DCS or in other sims.
Update 3.0.1 of OverlordBot was released several days ago and it contained bug fixes as well as a notice that the system was being sunset – i.e. shut down. Multiple problems including changes with the Microsoft-based system that powers the system as well as what appears to be enduring issues with DCS World are stated reasons for the developers to pack up shop.
There’s both the official statement as well as a lengthy statement including this paragraph that seems to be a good summary of some of the issues.
Our pleas for game mechanic enhancing scripting APIs have been dismissed. Our concerns around stability and frequent server-breaking changes have been rebuffed, our suggestions have been thrown into the great JIRA backlog graveyard in the sky and our bug reports have been blackholed due to unrealistic reporting requirements to get ED to deign to spend some time actually investigating. ED is a fortress against whose walls all outside feedback breaks against.
rurounijones
Another community tool, MOOSE, is used by some to create complex scenarios. One of the developers posted to the MOOSE community Discord with the following statement. It’s echos similar themes.
I’m stepping away from contributing to this Discord and the DCS forums now. Since 2009 I’ve been playing DCS, and in 2016 grabbed a hold of moose for an awesome ride with Sven.
Pikes on the MOOSE community Discord
I’m stopping because the SSE is not evolving. Bugs like event player_enter_unit remain remain unfixed for 5 years and the community is working flat out trying to navigate a shakey, unloved, API. ED don’t spend much time developing the API, they might argue that it earns them nothing. That approach prevents them from evolving beyond DLC “campaigns” that are mostly rich media and sound. We are not in competition with them earning money, we enable it. Remind them, if you read this.
Community engagement is a two way process. You enable it with tools, it helps you grow your business by word of mouth. Free is free…people like that and when they see something they like, they will buy it. But they need to be activein the community and more engaged. Without daily changing content online, there is no community and is no breeding ground for excitement about the next module. ED just don’t see it that way it seems.
So, enough. If you want community, go ask Eagle Dynamics to put a penny in the meter for the community, because the community is running on empty. I doubt it’s just me that’s tired of scripting bugs. I’m not going to perpetuate the status quo by helping people navigate all the silly pitfalls of the SSE if ED are not going to return the favour with a little bit more evolution of the SSE itself. Spread the word before it dies. Good luck with your scripting journeys.
These certainly air some of the challenges that community members have had trying to enhance the DCS experience. While I’m sure I have benefited from MOOSE, OverlordBot has been transformative in the online experiences that I’ve had.
Not all of the comments have painted the same picture.
ED community manager NineLine responded on the DCS World Discord in response to conversations about the OverlordBot issue.
We have been and are already working with server owners and the creator of the post, I do not understand the post as we have reported and requested all his changes even if we do not have the time to do it right this moment. What he does with his mods is his decision, we do our best to support all aspects of DCS and will continue to do so. Much of our core work has been on MT, we feel this is much more important than anything being worked on.
Nineline on the DCS Discord
A server admin for the well known Dynamic DCS (DDCS Server) also chimed in from the MOOSE thread with this comment.
I’m an admin for the DDCS server. Ed has been doing amazing for server engagement. I mean if you have an issue and bring it up they pretty much fix it. DCS is in a growing pain but it will pull through and for the better. The MT is a big win for ED and the future is bright.
Red_Teufels on r/Hoggit
As with many issues, these appear to be multi-sided problems with both complex causes and likely equally complex solutions. Ongoing conversations and airing of issues can always have the potential lead to positive outcomes so I remain hopeful in the long run but there are clearly challenges to sort out too.
More on the DCS World Weekend news
As always, there’s more development screenshots and information over on the DCS World Weekend News so be sure to check that out right here!
Stormbirds 
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