Sun in DCS doesn't exist tactically

With new lighting model it may be a good time to improve the sun in DCS.

Right now the sun doesn't exist from tactical point of view. Man can look directly at the sun, all day long without any problem. It's easily possible to find targets even directly against the backdrop of the sun in a middle of the clear summer day.

It's especially important in WW2 scenarios when the attack from the sun was one of the most important tactics. And since DCS decided to become more involved in the WW2, it began to be noticed by an increasing number of people.

In other, often older simulators, even with inferior outdated engines, sun is bright and it's impossible to see anything looking at the sun and few degrees next to it and in VR i instinctively try to hide the sun behind some frame of the canopy so that it does not hurt the eyes. In DCS it is not modeled at all at this moment.

Cheers and thanks for your fantastic work!

I don't know why, but the sun is blinding for me in VR. Huge bloom where I can't see anything within a large area.

If I try to lock on to a target with AIM9 against the Sun, I got always a false LOCK!

Don't understand the complain :cry:

The sun right now has a huge bloom and as mentioned above it gives a lock signal to IR missiles

I was talking about WW2 scenarios and visual acquisition not about infra red seeking missiles..

It is currently controlled by Lens Effect option. With Dirt+Flare the effect is more realistic then without but:

1. Should not be optional in the first place and might be more pronounced.

2. Actual lens effect is useless - why simulate multi-lens camera reflections at all? Cool looks? Give me a break.

2. Actual lens effect is useless - why simulate multi-lens camera reflections at all? Cool looks? Give me a break.

Battlefield 3 wants to know your location.

The fact that players can disable realistic sun bloom in their individual gfx options (as mentioned by Draconus, it's controlled by Lens Effect option for some absurd reason) is rather controversial idea, to put it mildly, from both multiplayer and singleplayer point of view.

Lens effect tab should only affect what it says - lens effects and nothing more. I don't like them, they're the first thing I disable in all other games, but have to turn them on in DCS to have proper sun rendering :/.

Lens effect tab should only affect what it says - lens effects and nothing more.

+1

If gamma is set too low, the sun won't blind you. At 2.2 it has a pretty good blinding effect in combination with lensflare.

The fact that players can disable realistic sun bloom in their individual gfx options (as mentioned by Draconus, it's controlled by Lens Effect option for some absurd reason) is rather controversial idea, to put it mildly, from both multiplayer and singleplayer point of view.

 

Lens effect tab should only affect what it says - lens effects and nothing more. I don't like them, they're the first thing I disable in all other games, but have to turn them on in DCS to have proper sun rendering :/.

I was just thinking about this the other day. Disabling the lens flare effect, in VR for me at least, would give myself a tactical advantage over someone with my same VR setup with lens flare effect turned on.

It works quite well actually, it might depend on VR vs regular, but it feels to me as though its at least as effective as when viewed through a helmet visor. It looks different, but similar in effect.

If i'm in emergency missile defense mode, i.e. low angle off inside my circle, first thing I do is find the sun and decide whether I can get myself b/w bandit and sun. A break and ditch w/ flare burst out of the sun will defeat any SRM in the game, you don't even really have to execute it all that well to defeat the missile.

Concealing your maneuver is more challenging because you must get the angle perfect, but done correctly it makes the ditch hard to follow, potentially allowing an opportunity for reversal. You might also expose yourself to a quick snap, but in that situation its not like you've got a ton of options.

I was just thinking about this the other day. Disabling the lens flare effect, in VR for me at least, would give myself a tactical advantage over someone with my same VR setup with lens flare effect turned on.

I wasn't aware, its not server option?