Taking to their forums, DCS developer Eagle Dynamics had alot to share over these past two weeks, starting with the development status of their anticipated Normandy 2.0 map.
Normandy 2.0
The Normandy 2.0 map is approaching release, with debugging and completion in full swing. The map, which will cover the entirety of the Normandy region, and parts of Southern England, will feature 69 new airfields, new towns, and new villages, including faithful recreations of London and Paris.
Also, customers will be pleased to know that the map will be compatible with the Normandy 1944 map in single and multiplayer modes. Facilitating this, the Normany 1944 map will receive a comprehensive update, with airfields, cities, villages, and fields all being improved in the process. Also, five British airfields (Deadland, Friston, Lymington, Odiham, and Stoney Cross) will be modeled in full detail, and 18 new airfields will be added to the map. Finally, all newly added airfields available with the Normandy 2 map will also feature in the update to the Normandy 1944 map, allowing a seamless user experience during multiplayer battles.
While the release date of the map is not yet set in stone, the price is, with the Normandy 2 map costing $59.99 for new users. Users having previously bought either the Normandy 1944 map or the Channel map can get their hands on this new version for only $14.99.
Open Beta
Eagle Dynamics has also released a new Open Beta update, giving users of the platform a first glimpse into DCS using multithreading. The team has indicated that while in an early stage, they are confident that adding multithreading will improve the platform going forward. Should you wish to give multithreading a go, you can enable it on the DCS Steam Edition by selecting the “Multithreading Preview” option from the Steam Launcher.
Hornet and Viper
Both the Hornet and the Viper modules have undergone continuous development in the past, and Eagle Dynamics has confirmed that both are now approaching a feature-complete status. Both the Hornet and the Viper will see adjustments to their radar, with refactoring set to provide more realistic behavior across different areas. In addition, both will receive an updated 3D pilot model with lifelike animations as well as new bomb fuze support providing support for programmable fuzes and air bursts.
The FA-18C is also undergoing an update to its flight model and Flight Control System, adjustments to its external lights, and Loft cues for GPS-guided weapons.
The F-16C Viper is also undergoing updates, with a Velocity Search Radar being the most prominent addition to the aircraft’s systems suite.
AH-64D Apache
Finishing off this round of development updates is the development progress on the AH-64D Apache module. Much of the focus of current development efforts resides in fixing bugs. The developer has indicated they want a solid foundation upon which new features might be introduced later, thus the extensive focus on bug tracking and fixing. Other noticeable changes have been, for example, tweaks to the damage model, engine start issues, and improvements to the flight model.
New features whose introduction is not impacted by current bugs and that the team has been working on include the option to replace the auxiliary fuel tank with more canon rounds, the addition of AGM-114L radar-guided Hellfire missiles, an improved Fire Control Radar, a Laser Spot Tracker and animated rain wipers in the cockpit.
While development continues, feel free to check out Eagle Dynamics recent forum posts for yourself by checking out the Normandy 2.0 and Hornet/Viper forum posts. As always, we will keep you updated over future updates to the DCS platform and its associated modules.
