[Unable to fly missions, Campaigns inactive]

On 3/15/2024 at 11:11 AM, COA said:

Hi Ian! I have similar problem: Starting campaign button does not exist. I open campaign with all missions even create my own but button still missing. I´m new in this, is there some that I missed making some mistake or there is something else here?

 

1) Picture you show is the campaign editor, you can't run a campaign from there.

2) The main menu of Lockon or FC2 should have something like a "Fly mission" or "Fly campaign" menu choice on it to run your missions.

3) If after selecting "Fly Mission" or "Fly Campaign" menus show and you select a mission file and you don't have a button to start the mission, go to the "Graphic / Screen Options Menu" and change the screen resolution to 1024 x 768 or there abouts.

[VAEO Hawk T1 not showing up as an installed module.]

1 hour ago, LJOS said:

Good day.

I have been off of the forum for ages but have been actively flying DCS for years now, I noticed today when I went through my DCS profile that I purchased the VAEO Hawk T1 in 2016 but it no longer appears as an active module in my installed aircraft list.

I know that VAEO was removed as a supported third party developer, does that mean that the module is no longer compatible with DCS World after a certain version?

Correct only available up to DCS v2.5.3.

Read Here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/support/faq/685/

A good replacement for it is the free A4E: https://github.com/heclak/community-a4e-c

Regards, Ian.

[Problem with the FOV camera on some servers]

This may explain your issue with FOV, it is a server side issue, the Server Admin or mission creator will have to delete the CONFIG/Views folder from within the mission file.

Your FOV is over-ridden by the Servers mission config 

Regards, Ian.

[Help! Lost my mission]

On 1/16/2023 at 11:19 PM, markturner1960 said:

Hi, I have been building a mission and had to quit out after inserting a FARP template went wrong.....I had previously saved multiple times and so quit without saving to lose my mistake....however, on trying to re open the mission, its not showing in the missions list? Its there in file explorer, in saved games, DCS, missions, but does not in the ME...but the file size shows zero.....

Whats occuring please? How can it have previously saved several times and yet its lost now? 

 

Whilst it is to late now, when saving missions, the safer way is to save regularly and to have multiple versions of saves of the same mission, I save every time to a new indexed named mission file when I have done some substantial changes so that if any thing goes wrong I only loss the last changes and not the whole mission. I assume when you saved often that you just over wrote the same mission file, if so this is frought with danger as you have found out.

As to why this happens I can't say definatively, but if the mission editor has a rare issue on saving to disk it will usually create a LUA script error in the DCS.log file and will write a 0 or partial size length corrupt mission file to disk because the script that writes the complete code to the mission files has crashed at some point and didn't complete its job.

DCS also has an auto backup feature now, it should backup the mission every 5 mins if enabled so you should see how that works and see if that actually made a backup of your mission. I haven't used it myself yet as I don't do to much mission editing these days.

DCS Mission Editor Auto Backup Feature

If you haven't run DCS since the issue, you may be able to recover a temp image of the mission file that dcs makes when you run the mission. ie TEMP=C:\Users\YourUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp FOLDER

I am available to help in anyway I can, but it sounds like there is very little hope of any recovery of a working mission file.

Regards, Ian.

[Elbrus rescue]

11 hours ago, Berniyh said:

Since when is there a time limit?

 

Time limit has always been there as far as i know, when I edited the missions sometime back, I adjusted that time limit to give a bit longer as I found it to harsh, it is only for the return trip down the mountain so the casuality doesn't die.

[Trying to do mission supercarrier cold and dark but instead of spawning at carrier i spawn flying]

2 hours ago, navalaviatorr said:

I was doing missions with the fa18 but then when i encountered the supercarrier cold and dark and etc missions they all spawned me in the air, but the briefing suggests you spawn at carrier. im fairly new and want to know if this is a bug or just how the game spawns you.

This is what happens if you try to run a mission without owning the Supercarrier DLC, when landing you will not be able to catch the arrester wire either, check your module manager and confirm it is installed.

Regards, Ian.

[Bear Trap Campaign (F-15 FC3) Mission 1 - Too much cloud cover]

On 10/23/2022 at 2:26 PM, trevoC said:

Jump into a "familiarization" of the area mission in Mission 1 and the wingman keeps saying look below us and you'll see ....

Except all I see is clouds.

Maybe for this mission (even though I think they look great) we should have a clearer day.

Original mission had "Cloud density of 3" = Light scattered approx, A re-write of that mission had it changed to "Cloud Density of 6" = Med - high cloud cover.

I agree It should be changed back to lesser cloud coverage.

Regards, Ian.

[Deployment campaign - mission #10 Taberga]

20 hours ago, alboon2000 said:

OK... But it's not very nice from ED not to update their own missions, as KA50 is one of the major aircraft available in DCS. I've been told about creating a zone, with a trigger, and apply a "destry scenery" thing to get rid of the trees, but :

- The mission files are not modifyable

- I don't know what desctruction level I should use

 

Corrections already done for all missions in the campaign, the tree removal function is a hit and miss affair, works sometimes and not others, missions may have newer introduced errors due to later patches to DCSW after work and testing was completed.

Deployment Campaign corrected for DCSW 2.5 and later

Regards, Ian.,

[Deployment Campaign difficulty]

On 7/8/2022 at 6:07 PM, EbonySeraphim said:

I've flown a lot of BlackShark in my day and I'm finding that the Deployment campaign is super punishing probably because the core game engine has updated in a way to make things incidentally more difficult for a number of reasons -- I'm referring to DCS World 2.5, and maybe even 1.5.

Many of these missions I've played and beaten more than once so I know where to look for targets and where threats are.

Anyways, the TLDR is that missions in Black Shark are very broken. I may need to quit this entire campaign in favor of one that has the right and intended difficulty for the state of the engine now.

If you or others are so inclined, try my corrected versions of DCSW Campaigns, should work better than the originals, bar any newer issues since I did the work and testing.

Deployment and others for DCSW2.5

Regards Ian.

[Where did night mode on the forum go?]

I am missing it also.

I think it is gone for good unfortunately.

 

[The cyclic and collective do not seem to work from the front seat. Do I have to transfer controls somehow?]

In the front seat, you have a little lever on the left lower part of the cyclic stick to unfold it, if it is stowed you have no control until it is unstowed.

[Game hangs, have to end it via task manager]

10 minutes ago, Mik75 said:

 Where do I find the log file?

Stable DCS release: C:\Users\yourname\Saved Games\DCS\Logs\DCS.log

Openbeta DCS release: C:\Users\yourname\Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Logs\DCS.log

[Syria Crash Straight to Desktop]

4 hours ago, Czechnology said:

Having an issue with Syria ever since the expansion update.

I can open it, I can look at it, I just can't load into a module in it. In multiplayer I can join as a spectator, in singleplayer I've been able to make missions that don't require I personally fly, but when trying to load into a module the game waits 2-5 seconds before freezing, then shortly after crashing straight to desktop. No crash message, no black screen, just closes and goes to desktop. Only on Syria as best I can tell.

• I would increase your "Windows Pagefile" to 32GB, so you have 32GB real ram + 32GB virtual ram.(I consider this minimum personally).
• Nvidia GPU drivers referenced in the crash log, you might have to uninstall them, download and run DDU cleaner and reload fresh drivers.
• Re-run DCS to see if it fixed crashing with Syria map base missions.

Regards, Ian.

[Trying to connect to friends multiplayer game - Server Offline]

1 hour ago, GVO said:

I have a question. I've been trying to connect with my friend to play multiplayer. I can't connect to him and he can't connect to me, even with direct IP.

I don't have and IPv6 address and he doesn't have an IPv4 address (only some long MAC number). Do we both need to have either IPv4 or 6?

We have connected before but now he have a new router and supplier.

You will both need to have a common IP protocol between you, either IPV4 or IPV6 (Long MAC looking address), depending on the Internet provider you have, you may have IPV4 only, IPV6 only, IPV4 over IPV6 or a Dual Stack system with IPV4 and IPV6 together.

The ideal is a "Dual Stack protocol setup" that would allow IPV6 connections and fallback to IPV4 connections if needed.

If one of you has a IPV4 only setup and the other IPV6 only, the later may have the option of changing their router to allow IPV4 over IPV6 as well, this would allow for you both to connect with the IPV4 protocol.

Regards, Ian.

[Crash to Desktop]

39 minutes ago, Hector45 said:

Hi guys, seemingly out of no where I'm getting a crash to desktop when in external view at altitude in multiplayer.

One time it crashed and blue screened "Unexpected store exception".

So far I've performed a slow DCS repair, deleted fxo and metashaders2 folder which have not fixed the problem.

Log is showing problems:

1. Nvidia GPU drivers referenced in the crash log, you should uninstall them, download and run DDU cleaner and reload the fresh drivers.
2. Lua code errors, maybe related to MODS (FRENCHPACK V4.8), suggest uninstalling all MODS if fresh load of GPU drivers doesn't resolve issue.

Regards, Ian.

[AH64 Syrian map instant action free flight mission.]

50 minutes ago, Nightstalker said:

I'm having no issues with the sim other than when I launch the AH64 in that one instant action mission on the Syrian map.

I have no issues flying other modules on the Syrian map and I have no issues flying the AH64 on other maps.

It's only when the two are combined on that one mission that everything begins to lock up.  I get a white screen when the mission first loads, then the white screen goes away and my FPS drops to 10fps and everything stutters, stutters, stutters.  If I end the mission it will take minutes to log out and my whole system will be slow requiring a reboot.  As I said, I can't recreate this is any other mission or with any other plane or helicopter.  I have nothing in my mods folder and I've run repair.  My video drivers are the latest one.

Looking at dxdiag doesn't show any glaring problems, there are logs of "app crashes" and instances that point to "Memory leaks" happening (indicating that software is over running System MEMORY / RAM or using it very poorly by not releasing MEMORY once not used anymore.

I have no real pearls of wisdom here, but based on you helpful description above:

1. I would increase your "Windows Pagefile" to 32GB, so you have 32GB real ram + 32GB virtual ram.(I consider this minimum personally).
2. Try lowering the "TEXTURE QUALITY=LOW or MEDIUM" in DCS config, users say the AH-64 model has very "high textures" and this combined with SYRIA (One of the largest maps of DCS) is requiring a huge amount of memory and is causing a huge MEMORY LEAK (This will fill all available system memory your system has no matter how much there is and usually will result in either a crash to desktop or the issue you have).
3. Try running Windows TASK manager or resource manager to monitor what programs are using the most CPU, GPU and MEMORY whilst running DCS and then the mission, memory is the most critical to monitor, I am guessing that it will starve even the windows system.

Regards, Ian.

[AH64 Syrian map instant action free flight mission.]

This is a hard one, lot of speculation on my part, but your log of that mission deviates to mine by the parts in the spoiler, whilst that mission lets me into the cockpit fine (Running slight higher addition of DCS test version)

1. Looks like it could be related to a sound card issue of some sort (Can't play sound or taking too long to find and do it).
2. Missing or corrupt sound files (Missing WAV files maybe related to a MOD, SRS, etc).
3. Left over MOD components that haven't been removed correctly ("ERROR VFS: VFS_open_write:" and "ERROR APP: can't open file").
4. White Screen and lockup error could be multiple causes, most likely faulty GPU and / or drivers, PSU or any other software or hardware. (Good start is to get the DXDIAG report to get a feel for how you system is operating in general and if there are any captured fault reports).

To get DXDIAG report:

1. Use windows search for : dxdiag
2. Click on run dxdiag in search window.
3. Click on bottom tab: Save all information.
4. Choose DESKTOP on left directory list and then the SAVE button.
5. Upload DXDIAG.TXT to forum from your DESKTOP.

Excerpt from DCS.log:

Spoiler

2022-03-21 19:36:52.629 INFO    Dispatcher: loadMission Done: Сontrol passed to the player
2022-03-21 19:37:29.641 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.010066s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:30.024 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.013735s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:31.116 WARNING FLIGHT: NO ATC COMM HELIPAD + Latikia NB Heliport:127500000
2022-03-21 19:37:32.123 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.023034s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:33.067 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.016866s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:36.113 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.022935s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:41.555 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.015139s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:42.837 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.017151s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:43.580 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.019567s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:45.796 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.026237s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:46.531 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.020451s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:47.280 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.019908s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:37:47.641 ERROR   SOUND: render time = 0.020652s exceeded allowed slice of 0.010000s
2022-03-21 19:39:25.512 ERROR   SOUND: can't load wave: "speech\eng\common\wingman\1\effects\aircrafts\cockpits\radioclickbefore.wav"
2022-03-21 19:39:25.641 ERROR   SOUND: can't load wave: "speech\eng\common\wingman\1\effects\aircrafts\cockpits\radioclickafter.wav"
2022-03-21 19:40:21.353 ERROR   SOUND: can't load wave: "speech\eng\common\wingman\1\effects\aircrafts\cockpits\radioclickbefore.wav"
2022-03-21 19:40:21.364 ERROR   SOUND: can't load wave: "speech\eng\common\wingman\1\effects\aircrafts\cockpits\radioclickafter.wav"
2022-03-21 19:40:28.650 INFO    LUA: Lua CPU usage: metric: average mission execution: 2.3216 %
2022-03-21 19:40:32.178 INFO    Dispatcher: Stop
2022-03-21 19:40:36.439 ERROR   VFS: VFS_open_write: CreateFile(): The system cannot find the path specified.

2022-03-21 19:40:36.573 ERROR   APP: can't open file
2022-03-21 19:40:39.404 INFO    TERRAIN: lSystem::CleanScenes()
2022-03-21 19:40:39.813 INFO    VISUALIZER: StopSimulation
2022-03-21 19:40:41.448 INFO    VISUALIZER: Stopped collection of statistic.

Check this forum solution for something similar to yours.

General diagnosis of White screen lockup

Regards, Ian.

[Game Crash, stuck on loading Terrain Graphics Init: 97 Caucasus.ng5]

Superb, glad you got it sorted.

Cheers.

 

[AH64 Syrian map instant action free flight mission.]

Going to need a dcs.log and dxdiag report to help you out.

Regards, Ian.

 

[Game crash while trying to play Syria]

Awesome, nice to have a win every now and then

Thanks for letting me know.

Cheers.

 

[F16 Module Crashes When Loading Mission | HP Reverb G2]

3 hours ago, DatBoiMi said:

Hi everyone,

like the title says im having problems with the F16C module. 90% off the time i try to load a mission the game crashes on me.
I already tried repairing DCS, did not work for me. Maybe its also worth to note that i do not have any problems to load missions for the SU25T, wether it be single or multiplayer. Here are my Specs:

HP Reverb G2
Intel 8700K
RTX 3070TI
16 Gigs of Ram
Game is installed and run from m.2 SSD

Any pointers would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Excert from DCS.log looks quite the mess.

1. Shows "Not enough memory resource" errors and "Not enough memory to decompress files" errors.
2. Shows "SECURITYCONTROL: IC fail:" on files, probably due to not decompressing files correctly.
3. Shows a couple of hundred "Key combo skipped" errors, I have never seen before
4. Shows "File write errors" due to files being in use already.

Recommended to do:

1. Increase windows pagefile from 9GB to 32-48GB as you only have 16GB of actual ram.
2. Update nvidia drivers to 511.xx as using older set, you may have your own reasons for using them instead.
3. Do a "memory" and "hard drive" test, as faulty RAM or SSD/M.2 drive may be the issue at play.
4. Run Windows file checker "SFC /scannow" to check for corruptions to system.
5. Remove any "MODS" if any installed (Can't see any traces of such).
6. Run DCS repair and cleanup commands, you mentioned that repair didn't work, did you mean it completed correctly but didn't fix issue, or was unable to run at all ???

Regards, Ian.

[always crash to desktop, cant start any fly with these "baby" :(]

2 hours ago, IzNoGooD666 said:

Here are my, ty all for your work

Have no Mods.

The two dcs.log files in you original post are corrupt and unusable, you might want to try and recreate, upload and test the new ones can be opened or read.

Regards, Ian.

[Game crash while trying to play Syria]

Can only offer generic advice that I would try as there are no glaring issue in the DCS.log.

1. Delete the Syria map files from your install. "L:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\DCSWorld\Mods\terrains\Syria\".
2. Run the STEAM "Validate install" option on DCS to check for install errors and to re-download the removed Syria map (Hopefully this will correct any missing or corrupt files / Directories that may have existed). (will download 32-64GB Size of Syria Map).
3. Might pay to increase the windows pagefile from 16gb to 32gb to accomidate the large Syria map.
4. Nvidia GPU drivers referenced in the crash log, you might have to uninstall them, download and run DDU cleaner and reload fresh drivers.
5. Re-run DCS to see if it fixed crashing with Syria map base missions.

Regards, Ian.

[Game Crash, stuck on loading Terrain Graphics Init: 97 Caucasus.ng5]

18 hours ago, dlutan said:

Hi Ian, many thanks.  I am a bit of an old fella and a bit slow with fault finding computer issues.  For 

1. Your Windows Page files is to low (2gb) and should be set higher (ie 16 - 32gb).  How is this done please?
2. Video card drivers quite old (Might pay to get later version).  This is an interesting one as I have tried in the past to download the GTX 1060 drivers, but Windows keeps on telling me the drivers are the latest?  How may I get around this please?

Many thanks for your kind help.  Dave

Hi Dave, I think a great deal of us are getting into our twilight years, if you had clicked on the link mentioning BIGNEWY in my original message it would have indicated on how to do the required steps, but that is no problem, I felt I had better give you some more direct links and easier instructions to follow.

1. Instructions for changing pagefile (input 16384 or 32768): https://mcci.com/support/guides/how-to-change-the-windows-pagefile-size/
2. Download and install these drivers for your GTX-1060 here: https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/187098/en-us
3. Using windows explorer, rename the folder: "C:\Users\user\Saved Games\DCS" to "C:\Users\user\Saved Games\_DCS" or "C:\Users\user\Saved Games\DCS_Backup" and start DCS to recreate a fresh configurations folder and run a mission to see if it resolved your loading issues, if it has you will have to copy over parts from the old backup, such as logbook, inputs for joysticks, etc. (This is the hard part)
4. This is the main DCS problem that needs to be addressed, excerpt from DCS.log showing no permission to access a directory to write a file amongst other issues:
   Spoiler

   2022-03-17 02:25:15.571 ERROR   VFS: VFS_open_write: CreateFile(C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\DCS\temp.theatre): Access is denied.

   2022-03-17 02:25:15.571 ALERT   LUACOMMON: Error: GUI Error: [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:3922: attempt to index local 'f' (a nil value)
   GUI debug.traceback: stack traceback:
       [C]: ?
       [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:3922: in function 'addTheatreToZip'
       [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:3967: in function 'save'
       [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:3885: in function <[string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:3868>
       (tail call): ?
       [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_mission.lua"]:7018: in function 'play'
       [string "./MissionEditor/modules/me_quickstart.lua"]:279: in function 'func'
       [string "./Scripts/UI/ProgressBarDialog.lua"]:154: in function 'updater'

5. If step 3 doesn't resolve the issue with mission loading, I will need to see the new DCS.log file created to see if this same error is occuring or not. If same error is there then it will be more of a hardware or windows system fault that will need to be found and addressed, that will not be easy.
6. You could run DXDiag and send log to see if that contains any clues:
   • Press Windows key on keyboard and type dxdiag.exe and click on that name in the list of results to run it.
   • Click on bottom tab (Save all Information) and create the file on you desktop.
   • Attach that saved file to post in this forum.
7. As you said you re-installed DCS, I have assumed that a DCS clean and repair would be fruitless, you did also mention other issues on your way, what were they ????.

Regards, Ian.

 

[Game Crash, stuck on loading Terrain Graphics Init: 97 Caucasus.ng5]

21 hours ago, dlutan said:

Hi Team, really appreciate help.  Have Helicopter Controls, been grounded for ages.  Problem is DCS does not load past Terrain Graphics Init: 97 Caucasus.ng5 when trying to fly the Mi8 or Huey.  Have to do a Control Alt Delete and end task on DCS. 

This problem occurred a couple weeks ago and ultimately caused me to remove DCS and do a total fresh install.  Been dealing with a couple of bugs along the way, resolved, but the described bug above is most frustrating and appreciate help please to resolve.  Attached is the log.  Many kind thanks in advance, Dave

 

Quick look at your DCS.log shows :

1. Your Windows Page files is to low (2gb) and should be set higher (ie 16 - 32gb).
2. Video card drivers quite old (Might pay to get later version).
3. Main issue is Lua code errors that point to the Missioneditor folder, you have permission denied and other failures.

The Lua Code issues may be caused by MODS being installed, and the issue of locking up when loading mission is usually because of some issue in the "C:\Users\user\Saved Games\DCS" folder, or loading a mission that may have been edited on a latter (Test) version of editor (You would get a warning on loading that it was made on a later version though).

General Help for this issue by Bignewy

Regards, Ian.