DCS: Black Shark Update - 22 Dec 07
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It's been awhile, so I thought I'd pop in and give you a brief update as to where we are on DCS: Black Shark.
Currently the test team is hard at work testing Beta 38 with a focus on: mission editor triggers, new track file system, helicopter AI, checking models, mission goals and campaign system, and town locations on map. The team is doing great work but is quite busy.
The official modder team has also been hard at work and we've been able to test Rocky's updated trees, noise map and ground textures with DCS as well as GrandSurf's new textures and objects for airbases. At the same time Yeniceri has been hard at work on new bridges and Ka-50 textures and EricJ has made a whole slew of great new Ka-50 skins. Mizzy has also created some fantastic new skins for several AI units. The partnership between Eagle and the Sim-Mod team has been working out quite well.
Eagle has mostly been focused on the DCS GUI system to include whole new briefing screens, debriefing screens, campaign creator, campaign loader, single mission select, multiplayer screen, options screen, encyclopedia reference, logbook, and main menu. Additionally, the team continues to tune the AI, the mission editor trigger system, the map, debug remaining Ka-50 avionics issues, and improve the audio system.
Right now the Ka-50 manual is around 450 pages and is about 95% translated to English. Once that is done, the full localization will start. When the mission editor and campaign system are final, we'll start on the DCS portion of the manual; that will probably add an additional 100 or so pages. All in all, we're probably looking at a 550-600 page manual for DCS: Black Shark. In addition to the PDF version that will ship with the game, we hope to also sell a hardcopy bound version.
In addition to the work cited above, the biggest task remaining is mission and campaign creation. Right now we plan on two campaigns: a more realistic counter-insurgency campaign and a father fictitious NATO vs. Russia in Georgia campaign. The full campaign editor will system will ship with the game, so of course users will be free to make their own campaigns as well. Other big mission tasks include a comprehensive set of training missions with voice over and a dozen or so single missions.
Taken as a whole, there is still a lot of work to do, but we are indeed in the home stretch now and a 2008 ship date is very reasonable, unless something unforeseen comes up (yeah, that never happens"¦). In this home stretch you can expect to see more videos now (like the producer's notes) and probably in the spring we'll be sending out press preview versions.
So, thanks for your patience and keeping the faith.
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Matt Wagner
Producer, TFC/Eagle Dynamics[/quote]
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