DCS terrain optimization underway, new A-10C campaign coming soon

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The latest DCS World Weekend News update is focused on news surrounding an upcoming DCS: A-10C campaign that you might want to check out. We’ve also got a technology report on some significant reductions in terrain storage requirements for many of DCS’ maps. Let’s have a look!

Optimizing the terrain

If you’re a dedicated DCS World simmer, you probably have a good chunk of a SSD devoted to the sim and its various scenery releases. I’ve personally got a 2TB drive that is mostly DCS World and a couple of other smaller sims packed together and even then I have to pick and choose between certain maps to be installed at a time.

Eagle Dynamics says that they are implementing texture compression techniques which should save 25-30% on disk when tested with DCS: Afghanistan. It won’t be the same saving across every terrain as several different techniques have been used. I’ll let Eagle Dynamics explain:

The biggest winners will be our latest, larger terrains that feature high-detail textures. For example: Maps like DCS: Afghanistan, DCS: Iraq and DCS Syria will see considerable improvements thanks to their scale and the methods used to create them. On the other hand, maps like DCS: Marianas and DCS: The Channel already use different rendering approaches, so their install sizes are already on the smaller side.

Older terrains, like DCS: Caucasus, are unlikely to see much change because they were built with smaller textures and lower density from the start. The good news is that their storage footprint is already quite modest.

Eagle Dynamics also says that they are working to further improve terrain quality and add capabilities as time goes on.

Good news then!

Sentry Pacific ’26 ‘One Last Ride’ brings A-10C to the Pacific

SOB Simulations Sentry Pacific 2025 for DCS: F-16C and the free Marianas Islands map seems to have been well regarded by the community as a fun and involving campaign and its got a sequel featuring the DCS: A-10C II.

Thirteen missions, real world procedures, 3,100 voice overs, over 40 custom liveries, 215 pages of briefing materials and kneeboards, and a narrative-focused experience are part of the feature list.

This campaign is coming soon and I’d expect that the wait won’t be that long given past performance.

Read the full story here!

8 responses to “DCS terrain optimization underway, new A-10C campaign coming soon”

  1. Urgent Siesta Avatar
    Urgent Siesta

    even tho I have all the maps, I sure do wish they’d at least freshen up the Caucasus map. As the first thing people see when they light up the sim, combined with the ancient Su-25T, well…it just doesn’t make a good impression.

    I know they “can’t” do a full re-build of Caucasus due to all the mission & campaign content out there that would break, but it’s time to either fork it, fix the impressive mountains, or at least update all the textures, etc.

    And while I’m one of those who actually appreciates the Su-25T as an extremely capable attacker, the non-click cockpit and lower fidelity flight model simply don’t put the best foot forward for new players.

    they should either fold the free A-4 Skyhawk in as a default (and obviously KEEP it free), or freshen up the L-39 and make THAT the default.

    Heck, the L-39 is even a multi-cockpit trainer – what could be better for an intro aircraft…? 😎👍

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    1. PaperPilot Avatar
      PaperPilot

      Eagle Dynamics will have to rebuild the Caucasus from scratch one day though. It could be soon, or it could take ten years to do so. Either way, we are in for some interesting times for DCS World.

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  2. SniperViper Avatar
    SniperViper

    I personally started out buying Fc3 and the F-16 after flying the free version for a while, mostly because I wanted to get the “fighter jet” experience, and I had been watching DCS YouTube videos. Sometimes it feels like ED is banking on most players going that route, so they just have the less-capable aircraft included. I do agree with Siesta on including the L39 as default, it would allow new users who aren’t as invested at the start to get a taste and get hooked on fighter aviation, but they still have to get another module if they want the fast, advanced, maneuverable, BVR-capable aircraft.

    Just my two cents on the matter.

    I am excited for the terrain optimization, whenever I download a map it seems to take forever (at 15mbps download in my basement!) so that will be a welcome change. I wonder if they can do some form of optimization on the aircraft as well, I’m sure some of the drive-limited players would not complain!

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  3. CanadaOne Avatar
    CanadaOne

    Now that SSD prices are ragingly insane, it’s a good thing if they can reduce the install size of some of the maps. I have a 2TB NVME just for DCS and have about 550GB free. Once the Balkans map hits, and maybe a few map expansions, I’m going to be done if I want 10% to 20% free on the drive. Hate to uninstall any maps, but it might be required in a year or so. On the plus side, I have a fast unlimited connection, so it’s not really a big deal.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      Yes, absolutely, I think we’re in a new era right now where developers are going to have to get really clever with doing cool things without the assumption that bigger and better hardware is available or affordable.

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  4. PaperPilot Avatar
    PaperPilot

    I hate to get too off topic, but since there is the mention of the A-10C, I would like to see Eagle Dynamics make a full fidelity A-10A, a downgraded version of what the A-10C. This idea might sound unnappealing at first until you realize that the A-10C did not enter service until 2007, long after the Gulf War (for Iraq) and the Cold War (for Germany).

    What I am saying is that if you want to be historically accurate, or fit the requirements of Cold War-era multiplayer servers, I think a full fidelity A-10A should be seriously considered. Just a thought…

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    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      Its unlikely to happen given Eagle Dynamics priorities in their professional space.

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. PaperPilot Avatar
        PaperPilot

        True, maybe not in the forseeable future of course, since they definately have teir hands full. But I have hope that they will do the A-10A one day. A fools hope if better than no hope at all – I belive.

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