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Formation of a new DCS Mod Dev Team


Gecko6

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Ok all I have been sitting back contacting all of my old dev buddies from Strike Fighters days and most recently FSX and X Plane. I am the only one that Real Life has not pulled away from Sim Development.

 

I see the Gazelle project took off very nicely and I am excited to see them grow. Is there anyone that would like to talk shop and possibly go into a public / joint venture?

 

I have found two great starter aircraft that do not have radar or any complex systems to code as a first effort.

 

For fixed wing I would propose the F-100D

 

1000_supersabre_5.jpg

 

The model is awesome but heavy on the verts. It is showing that it has around 80k. Well above the 50k max target for DCS. But the price is very attractive. $20.00 USD.

 

 

 

 

The Roter Wing that i would suggest is the AH-1S

 

download_image.ashx?size=large&mode=product&file_guid=6397df01-a946-47e1-b642-9a3518459ca9

 

This girl would go perfect with the Hewy and I have always wanted to fly her in Real Life.

 

This model is only 30k but the cost is $110.00

 

 

 

Reality

 

I understand that this is a very long shot and momentum will be slow going but if we can muster a core team that really wants to build something great we can move forward.

 

This is just a toe in the water and I have not done any research on licensing, logistics, or even documentation acquisition.

 

Keep your posts positive and anyone can tell me I am full of shit or that my idea is stupid. The worst that can happen is one of the big dev houses beat us too it first and we still get the birds in DCS.

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Hi Gecko6

 

 

I wish that your project will take off and be succesfull.

 

 

 

I wish i could have time to spend in a DCS project but i'm already stuck deeply in my own cockpit contruction. Whatever you release/sell you'll get a couple of purchase, from me and my wife :thumbup:

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@Gecko6 Great idea to start a open public community project! I am great fan of the open source idea and ED products since Flanker 1.0. Since 12years i am developing business apps time to contribute to fun project! Lets create a project at googlecode or sourceforge, yeehaa!

[sigpic][/sigpic]



Flanker driver since 1996

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I have the ability to host project collaboration tools and I would gladly provide the working space.

 

First step is to see who is willing and able to support such and effort.

 

Secondly, we will have to begin to get our development framework up and running.

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Now I have used some commercial names but I currently do not have a business ID but that is minor and way down the list of priorities.

 

The fun thing is to come up with a Dev team name.

 

  • Birds of Prey (BOP)
  • Tactical Air Command (url = TACAttack)
  • Light Tactical Vehicles (LTV)
  • Ghost Squadron (GS)

 

Feel free to provide ideas. But once the team is assembled it will be our final decision of course.

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Of course I am pulling this out of the top of my head, but this is a list of roles needed to get out of the gate.

 

Lead Modeler - Air frame, Cockpit, Pilot, LODS etc....

Texture Artist - All textures internal / external

Avionics Lead - Cockpit instrumentation

Release Manager - Project Lead

Mod Packager - Bundling aircraft into DCS Mod file structure

Flight Dynamics Coder - FM development

LUA script coders - effects, instrumentation, animation, impact detection, weapon systems, internal systems (failure simulation), to name a few.

 

As I have pointed out that these are all roles that can be filled by multiple team members and not limited to a single name. So we can ensure development when Real life steps in and pulls us away.

 

It is not my position to scare anyone off but this is a serious effort and we will need to treat it as such if we hope to ever release anything.

 

I am happy that this has met with such a positive response.

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I have the ability to host project collaboration tools and I would gladly provide the working space. [...]

 

Secondly, we will have to begin to get our development framework up and running.

 

I think it is essecial to keep such a initiativ open sourced, if we want to release something. This means everything should be open and available for every one how want to contribute content (textures, 3d models, code,...). The project should be hosted at a public space somewhere in a cloud not a private server.

 

The first project should be a simple plane, why not start with a sailplane? Make baby step, fall often and learn fast :-).

 

Lets roll!

[sigpic][/sigpic]



Flanker driver since 1996

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Now, if you done this in say..... 2 yrs time I might be up for this but....

 

I have just started a 2 yr Art and Animation course in video games.**

 

Even though I do have experience in Max I am not up to that level* yet. But hey I wouldn't mind doing a bit of learn as you go.

 

* level as in, making models that are game quality.

 

** It's a train in your spare time type course.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

"Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.."

https://ko-fi.com/joey45

 

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I concur with your view.

 

The two air frames that I offered up were based on complexity of the on board systems and number of Countries that flew them. I am all for a WWII bird or even an OV-10. Even a OH-6 Loach as it is a single pilot bird.

 

Key things that I feel should be taken into consideration for a first attempt.

 

Single Seat.

No Radar or MFD pages

Multi-National flown air frame

Multi-role in nature

 

 

We should have a Wiki that explains in detail how to achieve success in that area.

There needs to be a public and private "core team" area in such a site. This is mostly to retain data integrity and quality.

 

What happens with open development is that we task folks to delver an object, code, or texture, etc... and then they disappear. So we need to keep those tasking very focused and manageable. Then the "core" team assembles / integrates the work done.

 

We are on the same sheet of music and I am just the first one to stand up and attempt to attract interest.

 

So far I have a list of 8 folks to include a Modeler, Audio, Scripter.

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Hell you can even use your efforts in this project as course deliverable s. : )

 

 

Now, if you done this in say..... 2 yrs time I might be up for this but....

 

I have just started a 2 yr Art and Animation course in video games.**

 

Even though I do have experience in Max I am not up to that level* yet. But hey I wouldn't mind doing a bit of learn as you go.

 

* level as in, making models that are game quality.

 

** It's a train in your spare time type course.

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You might be trying to bite off more than you can chew at first. It might be easier to make something smaller first, to learn the ropes and give the members of your team experience and confidence- for example, a UAV. You could just do some kind of generic UAV interface, sort of a FC fidelity predator. You could even potentially work to integrate it with Combined Arms- the ground commander could get live video from the Predator, for example.

 

Once everyone understands how the modding works by having a simple project under their belt, then they move on to something more complex. A full AH-1 or F-100 sim is ridiculously complex, and I think your chance of success, if that is your VERY FIRST project, isn't very good.

Intelligent discourse can only begin with the honest admission of your own fallibility.

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Good points. I believe the UAV idea is worthy of discussion.

 

For such a huge undertaking we would need to have a phased approach for sure.

 

Phase 1

Get model out of Max and into the Modelviewer along with animations, textures, and .lods.

 

Phase 2

Take aircraft and make it AI controllable and get them to fly effectively.

 

Phase 3

Alpha of cockpit model in game and make air frame player flyable and interface it with DCS as a Mod.

 

Get ED to review and begin steps towards license.

 

This alone will take quite some time.

 

Phases 4 though 12 will become increasingly more complex.

 

I just want to reiterate that this is not going to be a 3 month effort were we can release a full bird in game. It will be a long term development cycle. The key is that we would need very dedicated resources that want to see it through the end.

 

 

You might be trying to bite off more than you can chew at first. It might be easier to make something smaller first, to learn the ropes and give the members of your team experience and confidence- for example, a UAV. You could just do some kind of generic UAV interface, sort of a FC fidelity predator. You could even potentially work to integrate it with Combined Arms- the ground commander could get live video from the Predator, for example.

 

Once everyone understands how the modding works by having a simple project under their belt, then they move on to something more complex. A full AH-1 or F-100 sim is ridiculously complex, and I think your chance of success, if that is your VERY FIRST project, isn't very good.

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This would be very cool.

 

Not sure how accurate any 3 view drawing would be.

 

a4397309-183-GH_A_B_Compare.jpg?d=1320530229

 

 

800px-RQ-4_Global_Hawk.jpg

 

RQ-4B

Data from USAF

General characteristics

Crew: 0 onboard (3 remote: LRE pilot; MCE pilot and sensor operator)

Length: 47.6 ft (14.5 m)

Wingspan: 130.9 ft (39.9 m)

Height: 15.3 ft (4.7 m)

Empty weight: 14,950 lb (6,781 kg)

Gross weight: 32,250 lb (14,628 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Allison Rolls-Royce F137-RR-100 turbofan engine, 7,600 lbf (34 kN) thrust

Performance

Cruise speed: 357 mph (310 kn; 575 km/h)

Range: 8,700 mi (7,560 nmi; 14,001 km)

Endurance: 28 hours

Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,288 m)

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Sent you a PM, Gecko, looking to hearing from you soon!

"Witness mere F-14s taking off from adjacent flight decks, gracefully canting left and right, afterburners flaming, and there’s something that sweeps you away—or at least it does me. And no amount of knowledge of the potential abuses of carrier task forces can affect the depth of that feeling. It simply speaks to another part of me. It doesn’t want recriminations or politics. It just wants to fly.”

― Carl Sagan

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Hey Geck, think we can pull some of the fellas we have at CA?

 

 

 

Of course I am pulling this out of the top of my head, but this is a list of roles needed to get out of the gate.

 

Lead Modeler - Air frame, Cockpit, Pilot, LODS etc....

Texture Artist - All textures internal / external

Avionics Lead - Cockpit instrumentation

Release Manager - Project Lead

Mod Packager - Bundling aircraft into DCS Mod file structure

Flight Dynamics Coder - FM development

LUA script coders - effects, instrumentation, animation, impact detection, weapon systems, internal systems (failure simulation), to name a few.

 

As I have pointed out that these are all roles that can be filled by multiple team members and not limited to a single name. So we can ensure development when Real life steps in and pulls us away.

 

It is not my position to scare anyone off but this is a serious effort and we will need to treat it as such if we hope to ever release anything.

 

I am happy that this has met with such a positive response.

 

 

 

 

there's enough modders at combat ace to pump out Aircraft like crazy, it's just a matter of Converting the Assests to DCS:W, the main problems would be Simulation of Systems/Coding/Scripting. and Upsampling/adjusting the Cockpits to be clickable, and correctly modeled with systems. Not to mention converting the AFM and any Radar Modes.

 

 

And Once the 3rd Party Package for Edge is Done, Terrains as well.

 

 

 

 

I *could* help in these areas:

Modeler - Air frame, Cockpit, Pilot, LODS etc....

Texture Artist - All textures internal / external

 

I can adjust/optimize existing models in Max 2011-64Bit, no problem.

Building a complex airframe from scratch, well, I havent tried yet, nor know where or how to start.

 

I've built a few simpler airframes, as well as my carrier a few times.

 

I can texture etc. (Spec, Bump, UV Maps etc). in photoshop and export, I'm not Efficient in UV Mapping in Max *(Yet)* Gimmie another Year's practice.

 

I have Already Imported Several Completed 3d Airframes/Objects built for TWs Engine into the EDM Model Viewer and then In Game, So I have an Idea what needs to be done to convert a model done for SF2/TW to DCSW.

(Main things being textures and Animations).

 

 

I've only just begun studying/looking at LUA Files. So I wouldnt want to say I could.

Programming, C++, and all that stuff, I dont do.

 

 

^^ start simples.

 

IRIS is doing the.... that thing to understand DCS.

 

the BD-5 MicroJet? that thing is Awesome.

 

 

I concur with your view.

 

The two air frames that I offered up were based on complexity of the on board systems and number of Countries that flew them. I am all for a WWII bird or even an OV-10. Even a OH-6 Loach as it is a single pilot bird.

 

Key things that I feel should be taken into consideration for a first attempt.

 

Single Seat.

No Radar or MFD pages

Multi-National flown air frame

Multi-role in nature

 

 

We should have a Wiki that explains in detail how to achieve success in that area.

There needs to be a public and private "core team" area in such a site. This is mostly to retain data integrity and quality.

 

What happens with open development is that we task folks to delver an object, code, or texture, etc... and then they disappear. So we need to keep those tasking very focused and manageable. Then the "core" team assembles / integrates the work done.

 

We are on the same sheet of music and I am just the first one to stand up and attempt to attract interest.

 

So far I have a list of 8 folks to include a Modeler, Audio, Scripter.

 

 

if that's the Case, MIG-15/17... F-86, and anything to fly vs the P-51D, Pretty Much Any jet/airframe from the Strike Fighters Era.

 

 

Perhaps Post on CombatAce's Modding Forums?


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