DCS:- Black Shark 2

Nate--IRL--

Nate--IRL--

Nate--IRL--

Soldato
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This update to the original Black Shark brings the Ka-50 up to the standard of DCS:- A-10 Warthog and provides for Multiplayer compatibility between the two.

Wags said:
Black Shark 2 Released

DUXFORD, UK, November 2nd, 2011 – The Fighter Collection and Eagle Dynamics have released the new benchmark in PC air combat simulation with the release of “Digital Combat Simulator: Black Shark 2”. “DCS: Black Shark 2” is a simulation of the Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter and the next entry in the Digital Combat Simulator combat series. "DCS: Black Shark 2" is a greatly improved version of the original "DCS: Black Shark" that brings many new features.

The Ka-50 "Black Shark" is a unique and deadly single-seat, Russian attack helicopter that has seen combat in the Northern Caucasus. It combines a high performance dual rotor system with a deadly weapons payload of guided missiles, rockets, bombs, and a 30mm cannon. The Ka-50 is also unique in that it has an ejection seat.

The "DCS: Black Shark 2" upgrade requires "DCS: Black Shark" and is available for $19.99. "DCS: Black Shark 2" is also available as a full product at $39.99. Both versions can be purchased online at:

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/index.php?end_pos=1322&scr=shop&lang=en

Improvements over the original "DCS: Black Shark" include:

• Updated Mission Editor with many new features
• New air, land, and sea AI units at incredible levels of detail
• Improved AI for a smarter, more realistic behavior
• Expanded map area to the east to include Tbilisi and location of the 2008 Georgian War
• Dynamic weather with variable weather fronts, winds, and precipitation
• Improved graphics effects like HDR
• Improved low level terrain graphics like grass, bushes, tree shadows and high resolution textures provide a better sense of speed when hugging the Earth
• New campaign based on a follow-on to the 2008 Georgian War
• Network compatibility with "DCS: A-10C Warthog"
• Dynamic shadows in cockpit
• Improved 3D model of Ka-50 cockpit
• Fast mission generator to easily and quickly generate missions
• Takeoff and landings from pitching and rolling ships according to wind speed and direction
• Radio messages from all other friendly flights helps makes the battlefield come to life
• Improved FARP textures

“DCS: Black Shark 2” is internally developed by Eagle Dynamics for The Fighter Collection. Further information can be found at http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/
Click to expand...

I'll try to find some decent screenshots too.



Nate
 
Last edited:
Not sure, but I'm currently checking a fix for the Upgrade version that will work on the Steam BS1 version. Currently this can only be bought from ED themselves.

But honestly, given past experiences Gimpy, It could take ages to appear on steam, I just don't know.

Nate
 
You should be grand so. I have a E8400 @3.5, 4GB and a 4890, and I plod along at anything from 20 to 60 with all the bells and whistles on. Your system should run it well.

This version of DCS is more balanced in terms of being CPU or GPU heavy, the GPU is utilised much more than BS1 - however really large missions still tend to be CPU dependant mind you.

Nate
 
It would be much much easier to abandon the inclusion of new features in order for the modular concept to work I suppose.

I've made this one single example elsewhere, but the improvement made to the radios and AI radios in Warthog, needed a lot of work for BS2 to operate (New Voice acting, Radio logic etc). And radios are only one tiny example of the changes that needed work because of all the new features added in the warthog sim world.

If you were given the choice would you want the A-10C in the BS1/FC2 simulation with half the features (eg no Jtac/HDR etc) or the Black shark in the Warthog simulation world?

I know what I want. Unfortunately it required a lot of work to get what I want.

Edit:- Just seen the trailer



Nate
 
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Thankfully ED has gotten around to providing a fuller list of changes to BS2. Should have been available on release IMO.

Black Shark 2 List of Improved Features

List of primary changes between Black Shark 2 and A-10C v.1.1.0.9:

- Player controlled Ka-50
- Ka-50 cockpit in improved and more efficient EDM format
- Dynamic cockpit shadows
- Adjusted rotor effects for the Ka-50 flight model
- Network compatibility with DCS: A-10C Warthog
- Improved helicopter AI (HAI):
----- When analyzing a tactical situation, the HAI will take in account all threats, not only the target that the HAI is engaging.
----- If it's possible to engage targets from a safe distance, the HAI will not fly close to threats.
----- If it appears that the HAI is not at a safe position, for example too close to enemy air defenses, the HAI will fly away from the threat(s) and then start engaging targets from safe a distance.
----- If it appears impossible to engage targets from safe distance, the HAI will make only one short attack (one missile launch / rocket salvo or cannon burst per run) from maximum range of that weapon and then break away to make a new attack if required. This reduces fire effectiveness, but greatly increases HAI survival when engaging targets with cannon or rockets.
----- HAI will not hover in an unsafe location.
----- If high-priority targets are screened by low-priority targets that make it impossible to attack high-priority targets from safe distance, the HAI will attack low-priority targets first to break the screen. In other words, if you have line of enemy APCs and tanks at 4 km and enemy AAA and SAMs at 12 km, the HAI will engage those APCs and tanks first. No more flying over the enemies' heads.
----- Jinking defensive maneuvering has been added. When flying in the WEZ of AAA, tanks, and APCs, the HAI will fly at high speed and jink. Of course, HAI will not jink when aiming at a target.
- New, 15-mission Ka-50 campaign "Medved-2"
- Updated and improved Georgian Oil War campaign
- New voiceovers for Russian radio entities
- Abkhazia and South Ossetia factions to the ME
- Abkhazia and South Ossetia borders to the ME map
- A number of unit skins for Abkhazia and South Ossetia
- Flag Equals, Flag Equals Flag, and Flag Less Than Flag trigger conditions
- Group MSG (message), Group SND (sound) trigger actions
- Animated cirrus cloud layer
- Higher resolution textures for a number of ground objects
- Improved smoke effects
- Improved FARP texture
- Updated GUI manual

List of changes between Black Shark 2 and Black Shark v.1.0.2:

Improved graphics:

- High Dynamic Range (HDR)
- Cockpit dynamic shadows
- Soft self-shadows
- Tree shadows
- Normal maps
- Animated cirrus cloud layer
- 3D and transparent water
- Low altitude clutter
- Improved airbases
- Improved FARP texture

Improved sound

- Implemented surround sound support.
- Many new and revised sound samples provide a more rich and accurate audio environment.

Improved gameplay

- Network compatibility with DCS: A-10C Warthog.
- Ability to take-off from ships (ships pitch and roll depending on wind strength (sea state)).
- AI radio traffic can be heard when tuned to the correct radio frequency.
- Mission Briefing and Debriefing available in-flight.

Expanded theater of operations

- The map now covers terrain further east to include the region of South Ossetia, center of the 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia, as well as additional Russian and Georgian territory. The newly covered area provides a variety of terrain types, 5 new airbases, highly detailed cities, and a number of radio navigation beacons.

Mission Editor improvements

- Group properties interface that allows for in-depth AI scripting of a variety of behavior options, such as waypoint or trigger-based task execution, rules of engagement settings, readiness states, attack conditions, orbiting and holding points, etc.
- Ability to lock either arrival times or travel speeds for AI routes.
- Ability to copy and paste groups
- New ground group formation options
- Improved trigger menu interface includes cloning, trigger re-ordering, and OR rules.
- 32 new trigger conditions and 19 new triggers actions.
- Ability to set AI aircraft to spawn at mission start, but delay start-up.
- Added Abkhazia and South Ossetia factions.
- New active ground units:
----- 9B11 Mortar
----- Variety of armed stationary objects (house, barracks, blockpost, tower)

Mission Generator

- The mission generator utilizes a wide collection of force templates placed throughout the map to generate a randomized mission based on the player's desired mission location and options. Force templates can be edited and created within the Mission Editor.

Improved AI

- Helicopter AI (HAI)

----- When analyzing a tactical situation, the HAI will take in account all threats, not only the target that the HAI is engaging.
----- If it's possible to engage targets from a safe distance, the HAI will not fly close to threats.
----- If it appears that the HAI is not at a safe position, for example too close to enemy air defenses, the HAI will fly away from the threat(s) and then start engaging targets from safe a distance.
----- If it appears impossible to engage targets from safe distance, the HAI will make only one short attack (one missile launch / rocket salvo or cannon burst per run) from maximum range of that weapon and then break away to make a new attack if required. This reduces fire effectiveness, but greatly increases HAI survival when engaging targets with cannon or rockets.
----- HAI will not hover in an unsafe location.
----- If high-priority targets are screened by low-priority targets that make it impossible to attack high-priority targets from safe distance, the HAI will attack low-priority targets first to break the screen. In other words, if you have line of enemy APCs and tanks at 4 km and enemy AAA and SAMs at 12 km, the HAI will engage those APCs and tanks first. No more flying over the enemies' heads.
----- Jinking defensive maneuvering has been added. When flying in the WEZ of AAA, tanks, and APCs, the HAI will fly at high speed and jink. Of course, HAI will not jink when aiming at a target.

- Plane AI (PAI)

----- AI-fighters will now always try to launch AA missile when the target has entered into its no-escape zone. However, AI-fighters will fire missile immediately if it appears the fighter is losing first-launch superiority.

- Ground Unit AI

----- Ground units are able to cross streams.
----- Ground units will by-pass destroyed bridges and seek alternate routes.
----- Ground groups will disperse when attacked.
----- Some ground groups will pop smoke when attacked.
----- NVG capability was removed from MANPAD SAMs.

Dynamic weather

- Dynamic weather conditions can be set for the mission based on a number of weather fronts and pressure differentials. Winds and cloud formations are calculated dynamically during the mission based on the fronts settings. This makes it possible, for example, to see precipitation in one part of the map and relatively clear skies in another.

New or improved 3D models:

- Air units
----- A-10A
----- A-10C
----- An-26
----- An-30
----- C-130
----- E-2
----- E-3
----- F-15C
----- F-15E
----- KC-135
----- L-39
----- Mi-8
----- Mi-26

- Ground units

----- 9S80 radar vehicle
----- HEMTT TFFT fire-fighting truck
----- LVTP-7
----- Patriot SAM site units
----- SA-11 SAM site units
----- SA-3 SAM site units
----- Russian infantryman

- Naval units

----- Pr. 1241.1 Molniya
----- Ticonderoga-class cruiser
------ Oliver H. Perry-class frigate

- Other

----- Fuel tank depot

Active Pause

- The active pause feature allows you to pause the simulation, while continuing to work with cockpit controls.

Campaigns

- A new 15-mission campaign features a variety of missions with some randomization elements and voice-over messages. The campaign takes places in the South Ossetia region and is very loosely based on the 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia.
- Updated and improved Georgian Oil War campaign.

GUI

- Added sliders to control tree and ground clutter draw distances.
- Added software Multisample Anti-aliasing (MSAA) settings.
- Added an exporting function to the Input Options menu to export all mapped command to a text file.
- Added Misc. tab with various game options, including view restriction options for multiplayer.
Click to expand...

Nate
 
Here's a few images I found on SimHQ

2885vee.jpg


286wetl.jpg


nbzz9e.jpg


vmqgc2.jpg


svtljs.jpg


1or8nd.jpg


ldsp2.jpg


155324j.jpg


5f0w1k.jpg


2i6cojl.jpg


10zbrc7.jpg


Nate
 
Fred said:
Hardly the minority, and I was under the impression the mods and testers were unaware this was going to happen...kind of makes your statement look a little shakey to me.
Click to expand...

Up until recently we didn't know the direction was for a Paid Upgrade with added features. However we did know in advance of the release.

Fred said:
I hope they keep people more informed in the future, as it will happen again.
Click to expand...

I agree, I do hope that is something they keep in mind, It could have been handled a lot better.

Nate
 
It's a matter of scale I suppose, it can't really compete with something like ARMA, for example, as the Map is huge compared to ARMAs. But that said, there is room for improvement, and there is a new terrain engine in the works, with Nevada as the first location to use it.

Nate
 
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