DCS: Basic Fighter Maneuvers Part 3

Now that 2.5 is in a stable release and we're getting ever closer to the Early Access of the F/A-18C it's time for a new set of maneuvering videos to help you train. So, here's the next two for you to learn. Break Turning and the famous Split-S. You'll find them both very useful during a dog fight. Especially if you have a good wingman there to pick off the enemy following you into one of these maneuvers.

Take a look. Give them a try. And happy hunting.

DCS World 2.5 is Stable

I wanted to make sure everyone is aware that Eagle Dynamics have just released the stable version of DCS 2.5. If you have version 1.5 you can update it to 2.5 through the standard updater and if you don't have DCS at all then just go here and download it now.

Now that 2.5 is stable you can be sure that the F/A-18C will be out in Early Access some time within the next 2 to 3 months. The reason I say "within the next 2 to 3 months" is because there's still some work to be done on the F/A-18C but not enough to warrant waiting until after July. Now, I don't have any inside information. All of what I know comes from ED's forum and their updates combine with some experience in waiting for the modules to come out.

I'll tell you all this much, though: I'm getting pretty antsy waiting for the F/A-18C, F-14A+/B, F-4E, Mig-19P, and JF-17 to be released. I just keep telling myself "It's okay. At least I can save up for all of them." But it only helps a little.

DCS: Basic Fighter Maneuvers Part 2

Hey everyone. I'm going to skip over the violin portion this time and do another DCS world post. It's been nearly a month since my last post and I'm sure everyone has gotten pretty good with the last maneuvers that I posted. I'm going to post the next two videos now: Barrel Roll and Looping.

These might seem just real simple and basic acrobatics but that's all BFM is. Still, just because it seems simple doesn't mean you'll get it perfect the first time. Just practice... especially if you're using the WW2 planes. The torque from the prop can make things more difficult.

So, here you go. Enjoy and get some practice.

DCS: 2.5 Open Beta is Now Out

DCS World has put the 2.5 Open Beta out for download. I'm downloading it right now to see what's different. There's going to be two versions of 2.5: the Open Beta that's currently live and the stable version.

The Open Beta will let you try new updates and new planes before they are released to the stable version. The downside to that is that some of the updates might cause major game-breaking problems until they're corrected. If you don't like trying to work through bugs or random errors that come up with new programs and you don't mind waiting for the stable version of planes and updates then wait another week or two (estimate) for the stable version of 2.5 to come out.

But, if you are really excited for the F/A-18C, F-14A/B, F-4E, Mi-24P, Mig-19P, Yak-52, or any other module that will be coming out and don't want to wait that extra week or so, and you don't mind a few bugs at first then you'll want to download 2.5 Open Beta.

Just so you all know, with 2.5 out for download DCS 2 Open Alpha and DCS 1.5.8 are no longer being supported or updated. Also, once 2.5 Open Beta is installed you're DCS 2 Open Alpha will be uninstalled (if you click ok). The same will happen with your 1.5.8 if you wait for the stable version of 2.5.

Here's a nice video that was just uploaded showing the difference between 2.5 and 1.5.8.

Have fun and I'll see you in the skies.
Keep practicing those flight maneuvers I posted last time.

DCS: Basic Fighter Maneuvers Part 1

As promised to all those who have been following the DCS posts here is the start of the BFM or Basic Fighter Maneuvers series. At first glance this will all seem to be so simple that it's not worth noting. However, to try the more advanced maneuvers you first need to get good at the basics. I've watched every single on of these videos and it did help me in dogfighting. So sit back, relax, and pay attention and you'll see the usefulness for each one (especially when you combine the maneuvers in combat).

I'll post the first two videos now and next time I'll add two more.
Enjoy.

Types of Rosin

Hey everyone. I'm back to writing on here and now I'm going to finish up on what you need for the violin to play and that's the rosin. With the rosin you'll be able to make the bow stick to the strings and get the sound out of them. If you try to play without rosin then the bow will slide across the strings and you'll get nothing.

So, what rosin do you choose?

There are three different rosin types: light, dark, and jade. The differences between them are rather straight forward.

Light Rosin: This is a harder type of rosin primarily for violins and violas. It's also a better fit for playing in warmer temperatures.

Dark Rosin: This is a softer type of rosin and works better in cooler climates. It's usually used on cello bows and not recommended for violins or violas. If used in a very warm weather it could get extremely sticky and cause a lot of problems while playing.

Jade Rosin: This is more of a "catch all" rosin. It can be used with violins, violas, and cellos alike. So, if you play the cello and the violin or viola you might want to get this one just to save yourself some money.

Now, I've used both light and jade rosing for my violin and I personally prefer the light rosin. It seems to let the bow grip the strings better than the jade does but it's still a good rosin none the less.

I like to use Pirastro Goldflex Rosin:

For me, it just seems to give a better sound than the jade rosin I used. Of course it's all up to personal preference.

When you apply the rosin you might (key word there: might) need to scratch the top of the rosin a bit to get it to stick to the bow hairs better. If you put the rosin on a brand new bow you'll need to go across the hairs slowly and a number of times. Once your bow has had rosin on it for several sessions then you'll only need to go over the hairs three times for the following session.

Next time I'll give you a heads up on the Suzuki and Rubank methods. All of my teachers have had me use the Suzuki method but the Rubank seems a bit more methodical. I'll get into that next time. Have fun making some noise with your newly rosined violin bow.

Gone for a while.

Hey everyone. Sorry I was gone for the last two months. I don't like posting personal stuff, so sorry I can't explain why I was gone. But I'm back now and ready to go. Hopefully I won't be away for so long again but you can never tell what the future holds.

Speaking of what the future holds:

For those who play DCS World, Eagle Dynamics has just put the F/A-18C module up for pre-order. I already bought my copy the moment I saw the news letter. If you're interested in this highly recognizable aircraft in the US Navy I'd recommend you get it before pre-orders are over. This module is expensive ($79.99 for the normal price) but while they are doing pre-orders it's down to a more reasonable $59.99, which is normally what we see for jet fighters. 

For those who like my violin section I will be continuing with that even though my lessons won't pick back up until after September. There's still a lot of information I can give you and I will as soon as I take care of a few loose ends.

As far as the Unity tutorials go... I'm honestly not sure if I should continue on with that. I've been taking looks at the Unity tutorials and I'm finding that the later videos are very very difficult to follow since Unity's interface and C# language has changed quite a bit since those videos were made. I'm not sure there's much of a point in continuing that thread. Perhaps if I can find better tutorials that use the latest Unity version I'll start it up again. Until then, I'm just not sure it'll be helpful for all of you.

I'm going to go for today. But, I'll be back with the newest violin post first and then the DCS Basic Flight Maneuver videos after that.