New Guy: Just Getting Started... Where to start?

I finally got a new joystick (VKB Gunfighter Pro) and hope to be flying in DCS WWII today if I can get everything setup and working right! Yipeeeeeeee

But - Where to start?

DCS seems to be very complex with many modules, terrains and such. Given that I am brand new and as yet do not have any aspect of DCS installed at all, what do I do first?

Is there a tutorial for brand new players that can guide from scratch what is needed step by step? I assume I download and install DCS 2.1 as a first step? Then use a module updater to install Normandy and Assets Pack? Same for planes?

I am a WWII prop plane gunfighter... do I have to have NTTR to have everything work correctly? How about the WWII assets pack? If I have that AND I buy combined arms does that mean I can drive a Tiger tank? Does combined arms give you control of WWII ground units and allow you to play as a ground unit?

How and where to find online play? Hyperlobby?

Any guidance for someone starting brand new from scratch would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I suggest you try the free to play first, found on this link:

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/world/stable/

There you will have two free aircraft, SU-25T and a TF-51. Set the control for each, it will help you see how to set up control, what you like and don't. You will find manuals in (you drive:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Doc and your drive:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World \Mods\aircraft\the aircraft SU-25T or TF-51\Doc). Then Try flying around, that way you can change the setting to get the best performance vs looks. Try some of the quick missions, give yourself an idea of what you like and don't about the sim. I also advice you go to the forums, it may seem like a lot but there is very helpful information. Finally, check out youtube, there is a plethora of videos regarding DCS, reviews, how to, training, etc.

Eagle dynamics wiki

http://en.wiki.eagle.ru/wiki/Main_Page

Eagle Dynamics

https://www.youtube.com/user/eagledynamicstv

How to video:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgf5iXct_J8EQ_erBSsu6OA

Warning, adult language but funny:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ralfidude

Training

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1LW888jCR6IZ7crfdZxDg

A little bit of anything

https://www.youtube.com/user/4023446

The man, the myth.

https://www.youtube.com/user/wagmatt

Multiplayer

https://www.youtube.com/user/104thMaverick

There is literary, thousands if channels. Hope this helps

Depending on the point of view, you've picked a wrong time to play DCS WWII, as the Normandy has just been released as alpha and the whole 2.1 thing is in rough shape. Playable, but don't expect a polished product like the other sims. At least not yet.

Yes, you need 2.1 to install and play on Normandy. NTTR is not needed, it's just another theatre that runs on the same version. The installation of addons can be performed from the module manager in game.

Assets Pack and Combined Arms integration is not yet present, but I think it is planned for the future. But don't expect a complex vehicle simulation like for airplanes.

But - Where to start?

 

DCS seems to be very complex with many modules, terrains and such. Given that I am brand new and as yet do not have any aspect of DCS installed at all, what do I do first?

 

Is there a tutorial for brand new players that can guide from scratch what is needed step by step? I assume I download and install DCS 2.1 as a first step? Then use a module updater to install Normandy and Assets Pack? Same for planes?

Correct, DCS: World (whatever version; for future reference in case some else stumbles across this) is the main install. That install comes with two free aircraft (SU-25T and TF-51D), and the Caucus Map. Install that, then you'll have to install any additional add on's you've purchased. From there you have some training available for both of those aircraft as well as missions and campaigns for the SU-25T. Here's a link/guide for the basic free version of DCS: World:

http://www.mudspike.com/dcs-world-barriers-to-entry-myth-busted/

I am a WWII prop plane gunfighter... do I have to have NTTR to have everything work correctly? How about the WWII assets pack? If I have that AND I buy combined arms does that mean I can drive a Tiger tank? Does combined arms give you control of WWII ground units and allow you to play as a ground unit?

NTTR and Normandy maps are add on maps if you want them. But they are not needed to simply fly WWII aircraft. You can do that simply on the free Caucus map, or on all of them if you purchase them.

The WWII assets pack works with all the available DCS maps. I'm not sure if you can use Combined Arms (CA) to drive the units from the WWII assets pack, but from the quick search I did it looks like you can.

How and where to find online play? Hyperlobby?

After DCS loads you'll find a menu on the right of the screen > Multiplayer :thumbup:

That will give you the list of servers available to play in....you'll be looking for ones titled WWII only or something similar to that.

Good luck!! I hope I helped some..

If you're new to DCS, it will be a while before you can jump in and shoot things. I recommend downloading 1.5 and training with the TF-51D, a P-51D with everything except weapons. Learn start-up, ground handling and takeoff, then engine management, then landing, before you worry about shooting.

Also be sure to check out Chuck Owl's guide to the P-51D (stickied in this forum). If you're jumping into the deep end of DCS, you might as well have a good flotation device!

 

...

 

 

After DCS loads you'll find a menu on the right of the screen > Multiplayer :thumbup:

 

That will give you the list of servers available to play in....you'll be looking for ones titled WWII only or something similar to that.

 

...

When you get the list of servers up there is box up the top to tell it to only show servers using 'Normandy'

THANK YOU for all the replies!

I did purchase Normandy and the WWII assets pack on Monday before the discounted deal went away but I took all the advice here and started by downloading just the basic DCS World and am playing around with the TF-51D.

I did get all my controls setup and working with my PC which was a huge job in itself. VKB Gunfighter pro stick, CH Pro Throttle, Saitek Pro Flight rudder pedals and a Saitek quadrant. Had some conflicts and setup issues (still cannot figure out how to reverse the sliders for the quadrant?) but finally got it all working.

I played around with the controls settings in DCS but it is very confusing. I will go make changes and then go back into the plane but when I get in-plane the changes are not present? Very strange. I saved a profile and try to load a profile but something is not working right so I gotta figure all that out. It is not very intuitive.

Getting views working needs to come first - not being able to really look around just wont fly. I have an Oculus Rift and am trying to set that up but so far many issues. When I connected the Oculus and launch DCS it also opens the Oculus software and freezes the mouse at the center of the screen. The mouse cursor is there but is stuck - won't move. When this happened the only thing possible is to press and hold the reset button on the PC to hard reboot it. That happened many times, very frustrating.

I did get it working to a degree so I could sit in the aircraft and look around but have problems with using the mouse to navigate around the cockpit and click things. It seems to work at first but once you click something the mouse cursor vanishes and nothing I do will bring it back. So I can click one thing and that is it, no more mouse cursor and thus no means of operating controls. Any ideas on what is causing this or a fix?

For the controls, it help me assign them while sitting in the aircraft. I normally create a simple missions with the aircraft I want on the ramp. You can press escape, and select adjust controls. This alleviates one of the common mistakes, there are two control set up, one for sim ( realistic) and one for game.

To invert axis, IIRC, go to the "axis assign" key at the bottom, pick the axis and then "axis tune" A new small window should come up and allow you to invert/revers it.

All of this and more is one the Doc folder in the main DCS installation. There's even a manual just for controller set up.

Look in the drive you installed DCS:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Doc

For the controls, it help me assign them while sitting in the aircraft. I normally create a simple missions with the aircraft I want on the ramp. You can press escape, and select adjust controls. This alleviates one of the common mistakes, there are two control set up, one for sim ( realistic) and one for game.

^ THIS.

Make sure you change controls in correct mode (game/sim), because they're stored and loaded by DCS separately.

Also, profiles are saved/loaded for each single controlling device separately (so 7 of these for you, if we count in keyboard and mouse). Click on the column corresponding to chosen controller, then save/load, then repeat for the others.

P.S. - Also, If you use "game" mode, try to dump it as fast as possible - it's glitchy, because barely anyone uses it so devs don't spend much time fixing and tweaking it.

P.S.2 - don't forget to check out "special options" tab after each game update, because sometimes the game likes to enable Auto-Rudder feature by itself, which leads to confusion ("why doesn't my warbird react to my rudder inputs?").

First off... THANK YOU for all the tips and help. This sim is HARD. I dont mean the flying, after 2 full days working on this I still have not gotten to a point where that is possible. It is very hard to get everything setup and working together.

Art-j -- that is great info. I was saving all the changes I made for each controller under a single profile name so I guess it was replacing one with another and this is likely why so many things seemed to not work after I made changes and why changes seemed to vanish. I will get started setting everything up again and will save a different profile for each controller. I am not using "game" mode, instead doing only sim and turning off all aids and such.

I am mapping controls while sitting in the plane on the ramp in the cold start quick mission. Seems the easiest way but still having many issues.

Here are some things that have me stumped right now, gotta get this stuff figured out.

1. When using the rift, how can I get the game to display on my TV monitor in full screen as if I was not in the rift. Currently, the game is in a boxed window and all the rift motions effect the view so that when I want to look at a menu and make changes it is very difficult. Basically I have to try and make changers from inside the rift and using the keyboard then is very hard. I would prefer to set the rift aside and use the regular monitor. I have a cockpit I built, it is on casters so I roll it in from of my wall mounted 65" 4K display and would prefer using that for making setup changes and such but cannot figure how to make it do this. For example in Project Cars I can just set the rift aside and use the in game menus like normal no sweat on the big screen. How can I do that in DCS?

2. VR Mouse lock ? What is that, how does it work and where do I find it in controls?

3. I have played around with VR settings and adjusted the pixel density to 1.5 and even 2 but it does not seem to make any difference at all in game? It seems that none of the visual changes I try have any effect on the in game look at all? Does it matter what screen resolution I choose? Will it slow down rift performance if I have 4K enabled on the big screen or should I do a lower resolution on the big screen?

4. Oculus Tray Tool -- what is that, where can I download the latest version and does anyone know of a basic guide or tutorial to help with that?

5. This one is a biggie.... When I am sitting the plane playing with controls and I want to access the controls menu, I hit the escape key and choose Controls from the menu - this opens the controls UI. When I am done making changes and I want to go back to the plane and try them out this proves impossible. I click the "OK" button at the bottom of the screen but it does nothing. There is no way to get out of the controls menu UI, I am stuck. Ok does not work - Cancel does not work, the little X button at the top right does not work. I have to exit to window and close DCS by right clicking the tool bar icon to close the program and reopen it.

Also maybe related.... when I first launch the plane, NO controls work at all. Nothing - nada - no controls at all. After I click on stuff and hit escape to access the menu (but not go into the controls menu or there is no way out as per above) and then go back in the plane the controls will suddently start working. Very strange.

6. When I am in the plane and I want to exit out to the main game menu, there is no way to do this either. I hit escape that opens the menu, I choose exit and that takes me to a debriefing screen. It is impossible to leave this screen. Clicking "close" does nothing. The only way to get away from the debriefing screen is to take the rift off and use the mouse to right click the DCS icon in the tool bar and tell it to close and then relaunch the game from scratch. Frustrating.

7. How can I get sound in the oculus headphones? The rift display works but no sound and no luck trying to find any adjustment for this in game. Is it possible to have the headphones AND the main speakers both work? In project cars this is impossible and that sucks.

Thanks again for the help, no way I could get this all figured out on my own!

Fangio

PS - any old Warbirds or Air Warrior guys around here? I was HUGE into online flights sims 20 years ago or so... remember paying $4 per hour and having $400 monthly bills in Warbirds!

Sorry to hear you having problems. I can't help with the VR.

For the black screens, is a common problem with not so common causes. For some is the controls, for others is the settings. In my case, when I get the black screen, it seems related to the controller modifier. So occasionally I have to delete modifiers.lua file (found in your drive:\Users\mvsgas\Saved Games\DCS\Config\Input\aircraft name\modifiers.lua)

I don't own VR, so can't help here. But first and foremost I'd suggest searching for answers and posting above questions in more VR-oriented sections of the forum where all VR-guys hang out, 'cause most of them surely will not find your post here, in this rather rarely visited place.

Go here for issues with 1.5.x version:

https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=510

Go here for issues with 2.1.x version:

https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=511