Today Eagle Dynamics provided a development update and new screenshots of the upcoming Mig-29 Fulcrum for DCS World.
According to the official post, the aircraft is the first for the simulator developed based on photogrammetry, with the aircraft used as a reference for the cockpit currently located in a museum in Kosice, Slovakia.
The textures and geometry have been created from scratch with new tech including high-polygon models for baking in normal maps, which improved quality but also presented the developers with new challenges.
A “huge” number of photos and videos of the aircraft have been used for small details like surface materials and treatment, rivets, screws, and panel joints and texture resolution has been increased by 400%.
Plenty of work has also been completed on the avionics and systems including the Optical Laser System (OLS) and its InfraRed Search and Track (IRST) system and laser range finder. Most of the air-to-air targeting modes are almost completed.
The gun sights have been redesigned to be accurate to the real unit, including a complex simulation of both the tracked-target mode and the non-tracked, “funnel” mode. There’s even a mode that lets you engage a target in cloud, haze, or at night.
Weapons modes for engaging ground targets with guns and rockets are in development and the basic bombing modes will be developed soon.
The Fire Control Radar (FCR) architecture and its main modes have been completely recreated. The interaction between the FCR and the Optical Laser System will be modeled after the work on the individual systems is completed.
The SPO-15LM radar warning receiver has been completely rewritten and it closely emulates the algorithms of the real system, simulating many of its real-life quirks and limitations.
The navigation system will also include a Mission Editor data programming panel. The Inertial Navigation System (INS) is being developed with special attention to the modes of ground alignment and drift in flight.
When the early access version releases, it’ll include the core functionality of the IFF, with advanced features to be added afterward.
Further aircraft systems in development are the new hydraulic and electrical system, procedures and physics of engine startup and shutdown, and the expansion and reconfiguration of automatic control systems.
To further check out the state of development, you can enjoy a few screenshots below.
If you’re unfamiliar with DCS World, it’s a free-to-play military flight simulator focusing on aviation from World War 2 to the present day. It’s available exclusively on PC.
Of course, only the base package is free, and fully enjoying the simulator requires the purchase of additional modules like the Mig-29 mentioned above, albeit Eagle Dynamics has a pretty solid trial and introductory discount programs, on top of frequent sales.
DCS World is well known among enthusiasts to be quite challenging for those who aren’t familiar with complex flight simulation. Enjoying most of its advanced aircraft requires days or even weeks of study. That being said, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and many hardcore simmers find it quite rewarding.
