How to use new module features?

I often wonder how new (and not so new) users try out new features or weapons that are added to DCS modules. By that I mean, does everyone design their own missions in ME to do this?

It has always seemed odd to me that the single player experience - which most people use - is lacking in structure and is confusing for new players.

Ignoring campaigns and training missions, we have Instant Action missions and a series of individual missions for each module. Often, these are limited to a handful only, and in addition, most were published at the beginning of the EA phase and are often out of step with current features.

Take the Hornet, there are certainly a lot more missions for it than most, but if someone wanted to try out the TPOD, for example, how would they do it?

I feel that a download area could be allocated to all the demo missions that Wags and others use in videos to show off the new module features as that would allow users to easily familiarise themselves with the process.

As things stand, I'm not sure how a lot of users access the added functionality throughout the development period.

Just to try out a feature: mission editor, place a target, place aircraft, configure loadout. that's it, and not really worth sharing imo.

fleshed out training missions and the like are much more elaborate than that, but also require quite a substancial amount of work to produce. they are simply a different use case.

Either what Flagrum said, or just incorporate them in missions you previously built.

Another option is to take a suitable mission and then use the mission planner to tweak you aircraft's loadout to whatever you want.

Guys, maybe I'm not explaining myself well here. I'm not talking about me or how to generate appropriate missions, I'm talking about the experience of novice DCS users here.

I know a lot of people who have dipped their toes into DCS, even paid for modules, then asked the question, so now what? How do I see this TPOD in the Hornet working? Mentioning Mission Editors, generating targets, planes load outs, etc. does not encourage them, and most I know gave up.

It's all very well, for experienced users to say just jump into ME to get your fun, but not everyone is comfortable with that. I bet there is a huge proportion of DCS users who have never even loaded ME.

I just feel more could be done to make the DCS experience more friendly towards new users, who obviously we want to encourage. A fairly high level of knowledge is required to even get started. Now, we might say, yes, as this is a highly detailed sim that requires a heavy committment on the part of the user to get the most out of it. While that is certainly true, I feel that it would be no big deal for ED to make a simple download area for 'test' missions. They obviously all exist already, so just make them available to all.

I kind of get what you are after, but also I kind of don't ...

Yes, newbie-friendly missions that are simple and allow to focus on certain aspects of a certain module are probably a good idea. But to be worth anything, those would have to be somewhat rounded and fleshed out to some extend. Otherwise they are not worth the time it takes to up- and download them.

I mean, that test mission setup I talked about can be done by everyone within 5 minutes - and has the benefit that it can be tweaked and tailored exactly to what you are looking for. There are literally thousands of different combinations of aircraft/weapon/target/environment possible and you can't make usable missions for each of them. But everyone can tweak their own little 5 minute mission to their liking.

Instead of a download section for testing-stuff-missions, there should probably be a good(!) introduction tutorial to the mission editor (i.e. 5-10 screenshots would suffice?).

Perhaps a newbie friendly version of the through the inferno missions would do the job?

Guys, maybe I'm not explaining myself well here. I'm not talking about me or how to generate appropriate missions, I'm talking about the experience of novice DCS users here.

 

I know a lot of people who have dipped their toes into DCS, even paid for modules, then asked the question, so now what? How do I see this TPOD in the Hornet working? Mentioning Mission Editors, generating targets, planes load outs, etc. does not encourage them, and most I know gave up.

I know what you meant. I was a new user once. Did it just like that anyway.

The problem you describe comes down to things being in early access for a long time at the end of the day. Otherwise you would have a proper up-to-date manual and proper training missions that talk you trough the procedures. Practicing those is just a matter of clobbering together a simple mission by yourself then.

This week saw a major push of things into the 'stable' version of DCS. That puts them out of the fluid situation of being in testing, more or less, and opens the way for manuals and training missions to be adapted to them soon.

I honestly learned most things from videos by Wags or Grim reapers. The manuals are also very useful if you know what you are looking for.

I remember that the first thing I wanted to do with the Hornet was a 4-way JDAM drop and failed quite hard, not knowing how to designate targets in PP mode.

The F/A-18 manual was updated with the last open beta as far as I can tell.

I kind of get what you are after, but also I kind of don't ...

 

 

Yes, newbie-friendly missions that are simple and allow to focus on certain aspects of a certain module are probably a good idea. But to be worth anything, those would have to be somewhat rounded and fleshed out to some extend. Otherwise they are not worth the time it takes to up- and download them.

 

 

 

I mean, that test mission setup I talked about can be done by everyone within 5 minutes - and has the benefit that it can be tweaked and tailored exactly to what you are looking for. There are literally thousands of different combinations of aircraft/weapon/target/environment possible and you can't make usable missions for each of them. But everyone can tweak their own little 5 minute mission to their liking.

 

 

Instead of a download section for testing-stuff-missions, there should probably be a good(!) introduction tutorial to the mission editor (i.e. 5-10 screenshots would suffice?).

Have you looked at these

I know what you meant. I was a new user once. Did it just like that anyway.

 

The problem you describe comes down to things being in early access for a long time at the end of the day. Otherwise you would have a proper up-to-date manual and proper training missions that talk you trough the procedures. Practicing those is just a matter of clobbering together a simple mission by yourself then.

This week saw a major push of things into the 'stable' version of DCS. That puts them out of the fluid situation of being in testing, more or less, and opens the way for manuals and training missions to be adapted to them soon.

Thanks, but I'm not really talking about Training Missions and Manuals. They are essential, but not what I am trying to discuss here.

I don't accept that it's a EA thing either, as when the weapons/features are introduced there is usually a video from ED/Wags to demonstrate. That mission could easily be made available for practice purposes.

Have you looked at these

There are quite a few tutorial vids covering all kinds of aspects of the mission editor, but what I meant was more like a really, REALLY basic introduction to the ME. So that the audience you have in mind would have only to follow a hand full of steps to get their test mission set up.

Really just

- open mission editor

- select aircraft, place aircraft, configure loadout

- select target, place target

- press fly button

Once someone has done that 2-3 times, have overcome the "intimidation of the complexity ME", they probably start to experiment with more features of the ME on their own.

There are quite a few tutorial vids covering all kinds of aspects of the mission editor, but what I meant was more like a really, REALLY basic introduction to the ME. So that the audience you have in mind would have only to follow a hand full of steps to get their test mission set up.

 

 

Really just

 

- open mission editor

- select aircraft, place aircraft, configure loadout

- select target, place target

- press fly button

 

 

Once someone has done that 2-3 times, have overcome the "intimidation of the complexity ME", they probably start to experiment with more features of the ME on their own.

Agreed. I found the Reapers basic tutorial really useful

honestly ME is just another DCS item to learn. maybe ED could put some more "news" type links in the DCS main screen. "new pilot help here" or something. i followed all the suggestions mentioned in this post. none of anything in DCS is known at birth. it is not an instinctive ability like not breathing under water. it is a set of skills more like building a submarine and going under water. the learning is part of the fun.

Guys, I feel you are missing my point here. You are looking at this from an experienced user's point of view.

Several years ago, when I first got into DCS, I found it confusing and as I said above, I know lots of people who have dipped their toes in and given up going any further.

The stock missions are limited and fairly random in content. The training missions are far from comprehensive and often out of date with features changing. They don't get updated for years - if ever. Some are just broken and don't get revisited. Some talk about '... coming in a later training session' which never materialises, etc. etc.

Things like generating your own missions etc. should be something for advanced users, something to learn down the line. As I keep saying, how would a new user after reading about the great Hornet features like the TPOD, be able to work out how to try them out.

There should be an easier pathway into the delights of DCS to encourage new users to join our great community rather than expecting a large amount of research reading manuals, etc. just to get started in a meaningful way.

I do think the training missions could do with fleshing out properly, and revamping in many cases. I tried the SU25t “Hard Landing” mission a couple of nights back. It involves flying to an airfield in a severe storm at night. I had three very frustrating attempts, as I diligently listened to everything the instructor had to say. Not once did I spot the runway, despite flying until my fuel was almost up. Round and round I went, convinced that the plane’s instrumentation and computer was bugged or defective.

Eventually, I headed to YouTube, to find someone flying the same mission. The runway was clearly visible for them. It was only when I trawled through the comments that I chanced upon someone asking, “Where the hell is the runway?”. Turns out that contact has to be made with ATC, announcing that you are inbound, and then they will turn on the runway lights. So, I returned to the mission, armed with this new knowledge and was able to locate the runway, and make a successful landing, albeit on my second attempt.

But the point is, those vital steps were completely omitted in what is, after all, an introductory training mission. I was close to giving up on the mission. And, if it was a newcomer’s first dabble, that could have very easily been someone walking away from the sim altogether. Not everyone will seek solutions outside of the game. Fortunately, I’ve sort of picked up on the fact that there are gaping holes in the software, and am prepared to source the solutions elsewhere. But, IMHO, that doesn’t make it ideal or right.

I do think the training missions could do with fleshing out properly, and revamping in many cases...

+1 .. most of the training missions could benefit from a facelift, but I've learned that this type of mission requires much longer editing times than a normal "practice" mission, so I can understand the developers reluctance to create new training ... particularly since most users prefer the development time be spent on more flashier items.

+1 .. most of the training missions could benefit from a facelift, but I've learned that this type of mission requires much longer editing times than a normal "practice" mission, so I can understand the developers reluctance to create new training ... particularly since most users prefer the development time be spent on more flashier items.

All true, but I'm asking about 'practice missions', which would be relatively easy to include with modules.