DCS Kola map updates are coming

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This Friday’s DCS World update was a small one with the biggest news being focused around development work on DCS: Kola. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for that map.

Updates continue

DCS: Kola continues to see updates as the map has emerged from its early access period. Many of the promised early access features, such as winter textures and additional airfields, have been added and there’s more to come as this new development update indicates.

Three new locations have been added:

  • Hemavan Airport
  • Arvidsjaur Airport
  • Boden Heliport

The areas around Hemavan and Arvidsjaur have been populated with details and the rest of the map is seeing some subtle work done too. There are updates to airfield ground textures, improved summer textures in the mountain regions, as well as improvements to runway marks, vegetation, and various other optimizations.

DCS: Kola is also 30% off right now as part of the on-going autumn sale.

All of this and more in the latest DCS World Weekend News update.

14 responses to “DCS Kola map updates are coming”

  1. PaperPilot Avatar
    PaperPilot

    I seem to be a little off topic here (at first – but it all relates back to the Kola Map (among others)) but I think that Eagle Dynamics themselves need to focus more on 2nd to 3rd generation Soviet jets like the MiG-19 (to replace RAZBAM’s one), MiG-21 (Leatherneck’s MiG-21′ status is unknown), MiG-23, MiG-25 and MiG-27, as well as the Su-7, Su-17/22, Su-20 and Su-24. I know this sounds really demanding of me to make such a list of Eagle Dynamics to do, but they need to even out the scales a bit between Western jets and Soviet ones. I believe that if they worked on more full fidelity Cold War Soviet fighters then it will raise the popularity of other maps.

    If we have had this conversation before (which I can’t remember if we have or not specifically) I sincerely apologise for the repetiveness. I enjoy having discussions with you.

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    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      We did 😉 But discussions are also good! One thing I have been thinking about is what to do about RAZBAM’s modules if/when they go away. Losing four modules is going to hurt and I’m not sure how that is “made right” but I’d hope that there’s some planning to do so.

      Magnitude-3 are reportedly working on the MiG-21 v2.0 update again. But I don’t know how long that’s going to take.

      Eagle Dynamics could conceivably do a different MiG-19 (there are so many versions).

      Liked by 2 people

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      1. PaperPilot Avatar
        PaperPilot

        Honestly, I think Eagle Dynamics making their own full fidelity F-35 is a bad idea for Eagle Dynamics to do. The F-35 is still highly classified, there are no other fifth generation fighter jets it can fight against, and the game seems to have a surpless of western fighter jets as it is. I think it is necessary for ED to make Soviet second and third generation jets in order to offer a similar variety of aircraft to what the blue team has. And that way they will be far more accurate because (if not nothing) virtually nothing is left classified about these old Soviet fighters and interceptors.

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      2. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
        ShamrockOneFive

        Eagle Dynamics seem to struggle to come around to the idea of providing gameplay with the simulation. This seems to be an entirely engineering driven project so when they have data they feel that they can work with, they do the project. Enigma’s recent video essay on the subject covers a lot of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkVpxzZklLM

        As for the F-35, the classified bits are often classified on other aircraft we have, and we’re still able to have a fun and realistic experience with them so in a lot of ways I don’t see the difference. Yeah its the first of the 5th gens but one of them has to go first and it seems like this is the one. I’ve written an editorial on that previously: https://stormbirds.blog/2025/01/26/the-elephant-is-in-the-room-aka-the-dcs-f-35-editorial/

        Liked by 2 people

      3. PaperPilot Avatar
        PaperPilot

        Thanks.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Aapje Avatar
        Aapje

        The western jets probably sell a lot better, and ED apparently has little interest in turning DCS into a proper game. So I wouldn’t hold your breath.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
        ShamrockOneFive

        Yeah absolutely. I’m certain we’ll see Eagle Dynamics do the F-35, an F/A-18E or F model (going by the comment from Wags a little while ago) and who knows what other modern western jet might get the treatment in the next several years. They sell well.

        I do hope that the MiG-29 has been a success. I *think* I’ve heard that the Mi-24 did well. There are some Soviet era types that surely will sell well just for the fun factor if nothing else.

        Liked by 1 person

      6. PaperPilot Avatar
        PaperPilot

        Rumour has it that a Rafale is in the works, though I think they are better off to do the Mirage III, Mirage V (Kfir has been taken care of) and a replacement Mirage 2000 module for DCS before they can consider making a Rafale. It may take 6-12 years for Eagle Dynamics to complete, but that might be enough time for the Rafale to be made more declassified.

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  2. CanadaOne Avatar
    CanadaOne

    Happy to see more Kola love on the way. Top 3 map for me. I’ve seen people repeatedly dump on the Kola map, calling it “abandonware”, amongst other things, and one content creator repeatedly saying the airfields are “just terrible”, and I don’t understand why. Not sure where it’s all coming from, but it seems to be more of a grudge on their part than objective opinion.

    I really enjoy the Kola map. Bought it on Day One and have having fun ever since. Looking forward to the next update.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      Weird for them to call it abandonware when it keeps picking up updates. Not every DCS patch mind you but often enough.

      My one gripe with the airfields were the runway textures which they must have had an issue with because the early screenshots had beautifully detailed textures and then that was replaced with flat grey at some point. I hear there’s been updates so I need to go and some Kola flying!

      Did you end up picking up the Reflected/Baltic Dragon campaign(s) for the map? What’s your favourite scenario on there?

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Bob235456 Avatar
        Bob235456

        I don’t recall where the discussion is now, but one of the developers a while ago gave an explanation about that. For a variety of reasons the textures in those screenshots were not usable for general use.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
        ShamrockOneFive

        Interesting. Yeah I never read an explanation for it but I assumed that, over the course of the development process, they ran into one problem or another in making it work.

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  3. Urgent Siesta Avatar
    Urgent Siesta

    I was flying the Hind over Kola just last night!
    Free flight & landing practice. crashed once on a too fast rolling landing in a crosswind, but still great challenging fun over a pleasant map 😁

    the map launched in a pretty sparse condition. Definitely NOT up to Orbx standards.

    but as you say, it’s been steadily updated and is in a pretty good place, imho.
    I love flying the fjords and such – glad that it’s available after too many desert maps🤙

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  4. JImbo Avatar
    JImbo

    Glad to see the Kola map is getting more love.

    The airfields chosen make sense from a scenery perspective and tactically (spread across the south of the map, opening it up for more use rather than having to fly from the north all the time) I think what’s holding it back is (like Afghanistan and Iraq even) there aren’t a lot of servers willing to host it. I get why many managers want to keep to the more common maps (free and syria in some cases) but it kind of gatekeeps itself. By sticking to just a few maps…. it then reinforces those few maps. I really think DCS could run a rotating server for the maps, especially new ones as they come out for variety. It wouldn’t be a huge cost and it’d encourage people to use them in MP more.

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