There’s a new sale, new tutorial missions, hundreds of fixes to the core of DCS World and some interesting AI changes that have come into the latest version of DCS World. Let’s catch up from Friday’s news!

Sale time

Eagle Dynamics has kicked off their Back to School Sale with 50% off most DCS World modules including Eagle Dynamics and third party offerings. The sale lasts until September 9 on the E-Shop while it goes to September 7 on Steam.

New tutorial missions

Eagle Dynamics have started a new beginner friendly “Start Here” training series intending for users to start with these missions first. The DCS: F/A-18C starts with 5 mission sets, AH-64D comes with three of four planned missions, and P-51D Mustang has two of its four planned missions.

Core and AI updates

DCS 2.9.29.27278 has just come out this past week with fixes and additions to the core of DCS World. Some of the highlight features are a series of AI focused updates including the addition of a new “Cadet” AI level which is intended to be very easy to defeat – ideal for newer players.

Meanwhile other AI updates are also in now with changes to how the AI handles crank maneuvers, changes to how AI helicopters handle landing near buildings, changes to break lock on SAHR missiles, and a change to the algorithm that builds pathways along airfield taxiways and parking zones to use size of aircraft information – this should lead to denser spawn locations and reduce collisions.

The AGM-45 had a flight model rework with steering losses reduced but ballistic performance also slightly down. Meanwhile the AIM-9L/M/X fuze range has been increased to 8 meters from 7 and the AIM-7M/MH more reliably arms its fuze in high ECM environments.

MOZA force feedback devices now have default profiles for F/A-18, F-16C, AH-64D and F-15C as well.

There are hundreds of other module specific items listed here.