Newb guidance

Is there any guidance for a longtime DCS SP guy to try out MP, like requirements, tutorials or checklists or anything?

In searching the forums I saw that Hoggit was a good place to start but so far there have been a bunch of bullshit hoops to jump through (the password is hoggit1fw for anyone else that spent the last two hours just trying to connect). It’s the same with most of the MP options in the list, and even if I can get in I keep getting yellow messages saying “Connect to SSR” or something. I don’t know what SSR is or how to connect to it, there’s no guidance anywhere and honestly I’m getting a little pissed off. End of rant. Guidance is appreciated.

Hello Moonshot!

The best way to get into MP is to join a squadron or wing with others that fly in MP.

Based on what you fly, where you are located and what kind of experience you want to get out of DCS MP, you should find a squadron that suits you. There is many squadrons out there that are good at teaching and helping new pilots get into MP.

You should take a look here:

https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=649

or here:

https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=665

SRS is a program for realistic use of the radios, information can be found in this thread:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=169387

I’ve found a couple of options out there without having to join wings or squadrons. I’ve been successful in joining popular MP servers like Growling Sidewinder’s or the Dogfight server without any of the “bullshit”. No SRS, TeamSpeak, Discord, etc., etc., etc., required (last I checked). Just select a seat and off you go. I’d suggest that you’re up to speed on your IFF, team kills are obviously frowned upon and will sometimes get you booted from the server. But yeah, the vast majority of MP is hidden behind passwords and requirements for other scripts or installs to be running. I don’t know how most of that works either. I personally don’t have the large amount of free time required to invest in the squadron approach. And I’ve never gotten SRS to work. If it requires editing scripts, working with .lua’s, host/client knowledge or whatever, it pretty much guarantees that I can’t participate. You shouldn’t have to be a goddamn programmer or IT professional to get this stuff to work, but that’s DCS a lot of times.

In summary, there’s a reason the vast majority of people stick with single player.

@Commodore I apreciate what you are saying and the squadron route is definetly not for everyone. And while there's a lot of complicated stuff you can get into, installing SRS certainly is not one of them, it's just like installing any other app. And keeping it updated is as simple as clicking an "accept" button. Also with most servers suporting auto-connect you don't even have to launch it or look for the server address for SRS. You have it installed and once you join the DCS server SRS will auto launch and connect. The only thing you have to configure for sure is the PTT keys to use with SRS.

In the end of the day, this is flight simming and due to it's very nature none of us who have done this for a while expect an out of the box experience, not in our hardware and not in our software. You can stick with it of course, but there's always limitations if you do.

And I'd also say that hardly any servers out there require you to install anything, and certainly not mess with scripts. Install mods at most and that's usually copy files to a certain location. Most don't require any thing assides from mandatory voice coms, SRS or other, as most things are handled server side.

@moonshot,

I understand your frustration but its bad form to share here a password to a server that "guards" it under certain conditions. The reason they do that is to make sure people that do join there respect certain standarts and observe certain rules, that's why they make you jump through certain hoops, so you get to be aware of the requirements and decide you will accept them before you join in.

There are other servers to fly if you want a more casual experience.

But I garantee if you take the time to try to get into voice comms you won't regret it. It's not just about "pretendind" to be a real pilot in a real operation, but it's about beeing effective in your siming, coordinating efforts and comming out on top through team work.

And not beeing an ass and flying into other traffic around the airfield too! :)

Hello Moonshot!

Thanks for the ideas NECK. I’m currently looking more to dip my toes in than go full squadron, at least for now. I’m mostly just bored with AI opponents and I’d like to see how I do in a furball against other people.

And I appreciate linking me to SRS, I didn’t know such a thing existed. Why is such a fundamental function not a native part of DCS?! Sometimes ED makes my head spin. Got it up and running though.

I’ve been successful in joining popular MP servers like Growling Sidewinder’s or the Dogfight server without any of the “bullshit”. No SRS, TeamSpeak, Discord, etc., etc., etc., required (last I checked). Just select a seat and off you go.

I checked out Growling Sidewinder, no hurdles while connecting and it seems pretty relaxed overall. Got my ass handed to me multiple times in a 30 minute session. Meaning I’ve got some learning to do! Thanks for the suggestion.

I understand your frustration but its bad form to share here a password to a server that "guards" it under certain conditions.

I’ll remove it. I just thought the pw was supposed to be here somewhere since Hoggit is often mentioned in the forums. I still don’t know where people are actually supposed to find it. I just got it from some other forum after getting frustrated here and googling Hoggit Password.

And you’re right about SRS, couldn’t have been an easier install and starts right up after clicking Multiplayer on the main DCS screen.

@moonshot,

I think the correct way to get it, is through their discord. They make you click a few things to get full access and then you are able to access the password, It's not that dificult and does let people know what they are joining into.

And I assumed you had gotten the PW the proper way and were now giving it away after you had been entrusted with it, that would have been bad form IMO. I can see finding it the way you did, why you didn't think much of it.