Combined Arms Revamp/Version 2

[Mordant]

Let's be honest. Combined Arms sucks right now.

But I love it. JTAC-ing and acting as a FAC is my lifeblood when I'm not in the air myself. There's a certain level of creativity and natural discovery when you're on the ground where you're not normally at. Plus, there's so much more you can find on a map rather than 32k feet in the air. It's just so much fun to have something not too ground intensive as Arma or Squad while keeping the same basic functions of ground forces while utilizing the amazing flight engine in DCS to enhance the experience of the pilots in the air. 

However, that's where things start to go wrong. Vehicles drive weirdly, some of their vehicles are less than optimal, not as many things are drivable(notably for me, URALs and Rearm/Refueling trucks. Being able to deploy ground troops from a truck rather than only from a helo is something I think CA is really missing. For the R/R trucks it would be awesome to be able to setup mini-FARPs from the ground), and the F10 UI could use a massive revamp as it is not intuitive for your average user(aka yours truly). 

With those problems in mind, I think it may be time to take another look at re-doing CA. From what Steam is telling me, CA was released May 31, 2012. 10 Years! Off the top of my head, from the time CA was around the A-10, M2000(not sure if this existed around 2012), Ka-50, and a few others were around and all of those have been revamped(A-10CII, M2000 has been vastly changed and updated including the recent HUD vector graphics and TAF systems, and the Ka-50 went from BS1 to BS2 and they're already getting close to BS3 completion). Especially with the A-10 and Ka-50 the A-10C was updated until they did the CII which is somewhat revamped. The Ka-50 is about to be on its 3rd iteration! Is it too much to ask to finally update, revamp, redo, or just re-beautify Combined Arms to the next level? 

If I understand the non-CA community, one of the main things that is keeping them from the module is mainly the UI, limited availability in MP, and general disinterest. It is my belief a lot of these can be fixed if there was a revamped CA. A simpler UI, better vehicle movement physics, and generally make it more accessible for the end user. If this can be changed I think the general public(and notably MP server owners) will be more welcome to the module and will allow for a better experience for everyone. 

I went a bit ranty, and it's a lot of the same "just make it better" talk, but I seriously think it's worth it. If we can make a CA2 with a trailer as good as the OG CA, my life will be complete. That video was sick! (Combined Arms Video for Reference)

 

TL;DR: CA has a lot of potential, and with so many other modules getting redone I feel CA deserves to be redone to make it the best module it can be. 

 

Smooth skies,

Mordant

Edited December 1, 2021 by Mordant

[SmirkingGerbil]

@Silver_Dragon And his Unofficial Road Map thread is your friend. Best unofficial resource we have for all things DCS development:

Land Modules:

1. Combined Arms (2.0 on progress) (2021+)
   1. Add IFV / APC infantry transport capability (Planned)
   2. Detailed damage model system for ground units (on progress)
   3. Infantry Improvements (on progress)
   4. Improved ground unit AI decision making (on progress)
   5. New and improved ground unit effects (on progress)
   6. Player-controlled naval units (Planned)
   7. A much more detailed ground environment

 

[Mordant]

1 minute ago, SmirkingGerbil said:

@Silver_Dragon And his Unofficial Road Map thread is your friend. Best unofficial resource we have for all things DCS development:
 

You sir, are a wonder! Thanks so much for replying, I had no idea this existed! Well, I guess my typing wasn't exactly for nothing! : )

[SmirkingGerbil]

Just now, Mordant said:

You sir, are a wonder! Thanks so much for replying, I had no idea this existed! Well, I guess my typing wasn't exactly for nothing! : )

Nope, lots of people feel the same way, including myself. Silver's thread is the go to, to get some kind of idea where things are at in the DCS queue.

CA is a hoot, love it, and it is getting some love (now), but they are doing a major revamp and that is exciting.

[upyr1]

I'm with you. I'd love to see a revamp of combined arms as well as additional ground vehicle modules to take the place of asset packs. For example we might have Combined Arms : Korea which will add Korean war assets and I would love to see DCS :Fleet OPs which would be a naval module 

[Callsign112]

20 hours ago, Mordant said:

Let's be honest. Combined Arms sucks right now.

But I love it. JTAC-ing and acting as a FAC is my lifeblood when I'm not in the air myself. There's a certain level of creativity and natural discovery when you're on the ground where you're not normally at. Plus, there's so much more you can find on a map rather than 32k feet in the air. It's just so much fun to have something not too ground intensive as Arma or Squad while keeping the same basic functions of ground forces while utilizing the amazing flight engine in DCS to enhance the experience of the pilots in the air. 

However, that's where things start to go wrong. Vehicles drive weirdly, some of their vehicles are less than optimal, not as many things are drivable(notably for me, URALs and Rearm/Refueling trucks. Being able to deploy ground troops from a truck rather than only from a helo is something I think CA is really missing. For the R/R trucks it would be awesome to be able to setup mini-FARPs from the ground), and the F10 UI could use a massive revamp as it is not intuitive for your average user(aka yours truly). 

With those problems in mind, I think it may be time to take another look at re-doing CA. From what Steam is telling me, CA was released May 31, 2012. 10 Years! Off the top of my head, from the time CA was around the A-10, M2000(not sure if this existed around 2012), Ka-50, and a few others were around and all of those have been revamped(A-10CII, M2000 has been vastly changed and updated including the recent HUD vector graphics and TAF systems, and the Ka-50 went from BS1 to BS2 and they're already getting close to BS3 completion). Especially with the A-10 and Ka-50 the A-10C was updated until they did the CII which is somewhat revamped. The Ka-50 is about to be on its 3rd iteration! Is it too much to ask to finally update, revamp, redo, or just re-beautify Combined Arms to the next level? 

If I understand the non-CA community, one of the main things that is keeping them from the module is mainly the UI, limited availability in MP, and general disinterest. It is my belief a lot of these can be fixed if there was a revamped CA. A simpler UI, better vehicle movement physics, and generally make it more accessible for the end user. If this can be changed I think the general public(and notably MP server owners) will be more welcome to the module and will allow for a better experience for everyone. 

I went a bit ranty, and it's a lot of the same "just make it better" talk, but I seriously think it's worth it. If we can make a CA2 with a trailer as good as the OG CA, my life will be complete. That video was sick! (Combined Arms Video for Reference)

 

TL;DR: CA has a lot of potential, and with so many other modules getting redone I feel CA deserves to be redone to make it the best module it can be. 

 

Smooth skies,

Mordant

 

@Mordant, awesome post! Updated vehicle model/mechanics, troop deployment, setting up FARP's on point,... all great suggestions and desperately needed. And I think you are absolutely right about the general community perception of CA. MP issues are a major obstacle, and I think people in general are either unsure of how to use all of the included CA features, or they find the module intimidating in much the same way the mission editor can be intimidating.

But I have to say, most of what is already there is really, really well done IMO! You can tell a lot of energy and thought went into the planning and making stages of Combined Arms, and the more I use it, the more I want to. I  can see how the CA module would be right at home in a real life military training environment where vehicle commanders (JTAC/Operator slots) work in unison with their chain of command (Tactical Commander slot) while being supervised/guided by an instructor (Game Master slot). 

Depending on what you mean by intuitive, the in-game/F10 user interface is very decent considering all the functionality it has to include. And considering what is being simulated, as a field commander in control of combined arms assets, there is understandably going to be a lot going on there. The F10 map view is really quite true to life and authentic all the way from the strategic icons it uses to identify assets, to the elevation/heading information it provides.

The biggest improvement to the F10 map they could make in terms of user interface IMO would be to expand on its group forming functionality. It would be great to be able to click and drag your mouse over the desired units to form new groups on the fly. In other words, lets say you made a formation of 10 units in the mission editor, but during game play, you want two units to break off and get into a position for JTAC/scouting (fog of war is turned on), or you want to split them into two platoons with different approaches on an objective. Later on, you could drag and click both groups again, or just Shift + click the lead vehicles to reform the larger formation to make managing the movement of large numbers of units on the map easier.

But I really encourage anyone feeling intimidated by the module to just give it try, because I am certain anyone that does will find its not as bad as they might think. If you can assign way points in the mission editor, you can make very good use of the Combined Arms module. And anyone capable of using triggers creatively can really make the module sing. This is where I am currently at on the learning curve, and here is an example of what you can do:

So a shout out to @Mr_sukebe and countless others like him for supporting the community. 

20 hours ago, SmirkingGerbil said:

@Silver_Dragon And his Unofficial Road Map thread is your friend. Best unofficial resource we have for all things DCS development:

Land Modules:

1. Combined Arms (2.0 on progress) (2021+)
   1. Add IFV / APC infantry transport capability (Planned)
   2. Detailed damage model system for ground units (on progress)
   3. Infantry Improvements (on progress)
   4. Improved ground unit AI decision making (on progress)
   5. New and improved ground unit effects (on progress)
   6. Player-controlled naval units (Planned)
   7. A much more detailed ground environment

 

I try to follow his unofficial roadmap, but somehow seem to miss a lot. Thanks for sharing.

 

@Silver_Dragon, absolutely love the videos!