I have been involved with flight sims for ~30 years now, have (and still do) own far too many, and always wandered from sim-to-sim like a blind bee looking for the perfect flower. I always seem to come back to (BMS now) Falcon after being drawn away by a new “shiny” thing. Last few months I have been drawn to the “other” F-16 sim, trying to get it running properly, learning the UI, getting VR right, getting Helios to work (it doesn’t), etc. After getting all set up and trying to ignore all the things that simply don’t work, I put it aside and came back to BMS today. First campaign mission, within 30 seconds I remembered why I love this sim. It’s a living organism. You are really part of something. Things are happing ALL around you. You have control of your own destiny, that of the people in your flight\package, and can have a REAL effect on the battle and war. It was like going from a soundproof room and stepping out into the world… Pretty graphics draw you in, but can’t hold you. So again, THANK YOU to all the people that continue to make this the best simulator ever made!
Best posts made by Icer
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After 25 years, this sim still impresses
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RE: Quick update from the frontlines, 4.36
<p>Listen, just release 4.36 right away OR ELSE!! <br /><br />Or else i’ll wait… <img src=“/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/android/1f60a.png?v=gcfd8gb1ch8” alt=“” class=“not-responsive emoji emoji-android emoji–blush” /> </p>
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RE: BMS 4.35 Screenshots
First Falcon Lounge MP flight, successful Strike 1 ship…
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RE: Pics of your flight setup / home cockpit
Nothing compared to some of there setups, but keeps me flying BMS in 2D (rather than VR)!
Before my VR setup -
As it sits now -
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RE: What is something you wish you knew before committing to BMS
I wish I knew how much a free sim would cost… - BTW, those paper templates on the MFDs are for my WWII sims… in case you were wondering.
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Maybe add a VR section?
Just a thought, to discuss (hacked) VR in BMS now and when it finally arrives in a future version?
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RE: Anybody know what campaign this post is referencing?
@Puckertoe said in Anybody know what campaign this post is referencing?:
Greetings,
I’m looking at this strategy to see how well it works for me as a beginner. However, I’m sure what campaign the poster is talking about. (@Darxxxide reply) I’m trying this strategy using Tiger Spirit but it’s not working out for me. I select the first BARCAP and head for the SP. Even before getting anywhere near the SP’s or SA sites I waxed by MIG’s. I’d appreciate if anybody happens to know which campaign this is.
ThanksAre you referring to this post on Reddit? It’s fairly good advice IMO, and i’m pretty sure it’s the Tiger Spirit campaign. I would even go a step further and adjust SP’s to avoid SAM threat circles and even toss some A-G munitions on if there is something juicy to hit…
"I would recommend that a beginner does at least one 5-day Korea campaign before tackling the others, as the campaign is designed around that theater, and you can jump in without much tinkering if you like. Just avoid the suicide missions that get tasked by HQ and you’re good (though the campaign will likely end in a stalemate). Having said that, you will get a better experience by adjusting some things. It’s best to think of the campaign as a strategy style game within the game, where the role your selected squadron is tasked to fly helps determine the outcome.
This video is IMO, the best step by step tut on setting up the campaign in order to avoid the “wall of MiGs” and suicide missions that get tasked.
To get you up and in the action quickly without being frustrated, I suggest the following:
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Select a Squadron with a “general” role, fairly close to the front lines, I suggest the 14th out of Kimpo, with the block 50s. This will ensure you are consistently tasked as the priorities change, and keep your missions short enough to not have to hit a tanker.
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Upon initially setting up the priorities, for target types, focus on Aircraft, Air defenses, Armored Units, and Infantry Units Set the sliders for all other target types to zero. For mission type, Set Sam Suppression all the way, and defensive counter air and close air support about halfway. In the PAKS tab, set the regions along the front lines all the way red, and everything north of that all the way white. This setup will task mostly short distance BARCAP, SEAD/DEAD, HAVCAP, and CAS missions, and will avoid tasking mission deep into North Korea where you WILL get shot down.
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Once to start the campaign, stop the clock. Select a BARCAP mission from the squadron frag order on the left. Make sure the station steerpoints (normally 3 and 4) are close to the front lines without actually crossing into North Korea.
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Then (IMPORTANT STEP) click the station steerpoint and set the station time from the default 30:00 to 0:00. This will allow you to engage targets freely and head back to base before your station time is up without checking in and out with AWACS and not get a mission failure. As long as no enemy planes hit targets on your side, you will almost always get an “excellent” mission rating.
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Change your loadout to the following: 2xAGM-88, 2xAIM-120, 2xAIM-9 (or 4xAIM-120) 2x370gal fuel tanks, 1xECM pod, and a ASQ-213 HTS pod. I like to save this loadout as “HARMCAP”.
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Create threat steerpoints for SAM sites close to the front lines in order to have threat circles appear on the HSD in flight. You can use Weapons delivery planner to do this to your data cartridge (which is a whole 'nother tutorial), or you can manually add them. Since there is no Datalink from AWACS link in DCS, it’s harder to avoid the WEZ of a SAM site.
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Check your comm plan and IFF plan in the Data Cartridge and take off. Setup your HARMS and HTS, and you will see that you will be well within range of easy SAM and Search radar kills along the border before you even engage bogeys. I get two HARMs off, then lock up two more on the HTS, and order my wingman to attack those targets. Then I switch to A-A and complete the BARCAP as normal, usually getting in multiple BVR engagements due to the sheer amount of Migs on the first day. Get your shots off, RTB, and land, and see what you killed.
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Repeat this as much as you like- getting random SAM and search radar kills on the first day helps move the campaign along a lot as by the end of the first day, Air defenses will be so depleted that you can then switch target and mission types to strike static targets without much hassle. I suggest flying 5-10 missions the first day, then when the enemy air defense and aircraft levels get low the 2nd day, switch to strikes against airfields and SAM sites that no longer have search radars. This will allow CAS missions to operate freely, and your troops will move towards the win conditions more quickly.
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Last thing- while not necessary, it can be a good idea to create packages for the AI to strike infantry and armor battalions with A-10s and apaches. They rack up so many kills, and HQ doesn’t task the A-10s nearly as much as they should.
Balkans campaign is probably the campaign that looks/feels the most “modern”, and is fairly high action especially over the water.
Also remember that the BMS campaign, for better or for worse, also simulates how mundane combat missions can be. Don’t get discouraged by this if it is realism you are looking for."
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RE: Israel Theater of Operations for BMS 4.36
@Snipe said in Israel Theater of Operations for BMS 4.36:
Unfortunately I’m getting this error after installing the theatre and update
Any ideas as to what I’ve done wrong - I’m using the alternative launcher - the log is from that /user/appdata/local folder etc.I get the error when I try to configure the campaign from the launcher
BMS crashes when I launch, won’t go past the splash screen to menu
Cheers, Snipe
Are you running 4.36.2? If so the update to ITO v1.06.2 (for 4.36 U2) was released today, go to Page 1 of this thread , download the new release, follow the instructions…
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RE: Mod: Using MSFS as rendering engine for Falcon BMS - and enable VR
Nah… I am quite content waiting to see what the devs come up with in a year or so.
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RE: Not looking forward to the VR update
@Atlas said in Not looking forward to the VR update:
Is it just me that’s not looking forward to the VR update?
Don’t get me wrong, I like VR and I have a Reverb G2 and my eldest is still playing with the older HTC Vive, but I just can’t play for very long on VR. I also have checklists, printouts, and cheat sheets I need to refer to, which I doubt I can use with VR. I loved combat in Elite Dangerous in VR as you could really feel how cramped the cockpits were and how more agile smaller ships were compared to the big ones. I would do circuits over my local airport and do some exploration flights in XP11/MSFS too, but for the amount of cockpit work and kneeboard referencing needed, I don’t think I’ll appreciate VR.
A major concern I have is being able to tally bandits as well. Currently using a 4K monitor and TrackIR, but I’ve always felt like going to my G2 causes a drop in visual fidelity. Maybe increase the Smart Scaling to counter?
What I am keenly looking forward to, however, is the graphics/terrain upgrade. While I don’t “notice” the ground/terrain graphics, I guess my brain just tunes out how it looks so as not to kill immersion so much especially when I’m down low. A better-looking version would surely be appreciated.
Anyone else on the same boat as I am especially regarding VR? I would love to have the BMS implementation blow my socks off and I’d fully transition into VR, so I guess it’s a “let’s wait and see” scenario.
Hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas! Bring on the new year and bring on 4.37!!
I’m with you, and while I really enjoy WWI , WWII, and Racing sims in VR (G2v2) I also have made a commitment to reality for jet simulations (actually 90% BMS) and have nothing to gain from VR. It WILL bring a new crop of players in, and that is extremely important for the future of BMS…
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RE: DISPLAY EXTRACTION
<blockquote>Just installed 4.35, U1, and U2. How do you set the display to be in the center of your monitor. I don’t see display extraction on the main menu that launches falcon.</blockquote><p><br />At a loss as to why you would not install U3 also? You seem to be confused as to what “Display Extraction” actually is. You can “extract” certain gauges and the MFDs to be “displayed” on the main or secondary monitors. It has absolutely nothing to do with the 2D or 3D Falcon 4.35 screens… Below is an example of “Display Extraction” using Helios, though the MFD’s can easily be extracted using the included RTTClient app…<br /><br /><img class=“ql-image” src=“https://i.imgur.com/gEOYlKM.jpg” /><br /><br /> <br /></p>
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RE: my AI wingman stop follow me and takoff after ........
<blockquote>he stop follow me and never takoff after i call ATC “ground abort”. so i have to carry out mission alone? <br />this is a continued problem following this topic <a href=“https://forum.falcon-bms.com/topic/22076/taxi-late-interrupt-takoff-sequence/39” target=“_blank”>https://forum.falcon-bms.com/topic/22076/taxi-late-interrupt-takoff-sequence/39</a></blockquote><p><br />Why are you aborting the mission and expecting anything to work afterwards? Starting to seem like you are just doing crazy stuff so you can start yet another thread about a “problem” that doesn’t exist… or maybe it’s just me.</p>
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RE: [VR] "My legs are small and my cockpit is tiny" fix
@LorikEolmin for WMR (G2) headsets no wand is required. Same beginning, start Steam, Add a Game (bottom left of Games library window)/ Add a Non-Steam game/ Browse to x: Falcon BMS 4.37\Launcher.exe (it will use the old Launch interface), it will show up with a checked box, then clik Add Selected games. It will show up as “Launcher” in the Steam Games List, go to properties to rename it to BMS Falcon 4.37 VR (if you like), and check off “Include in VR Library” in the bottom of the window. Go to Manage / Add Desktop Shortcut if you want to start it from there.
Now start SteamVR / Settings/Video, make sure Advanced Settings is on, click “Per Application Video Settings”, Pull down the “Manage Video Settings for:” window and select “Falcon BMS 4.37 VR” (or whatever you named BMS in Steam). Bottom of the window is “Override World Scale”, select "Normal "(50% to 200%), scroll down and you will see the new slider, increase to where you want it…
I have not tested in game yet, but should work the same.
Edit: seems to work just fine, I even set my resolution to 120% and still get a steady 90FPS in IA, Campaign may drop it…
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RE: Training features request
@Hubert3000 said in Training features request:
@MaxWaldorf said in Training features request:
Gents,
This is absolutely out of question from my perspective to push such a thing in BMS.
There is nothing realistic about your request… (re-arm and refuel takes time in real life and it is definitely not like DCS does…)
For the time being, use cheats as proposed but I don’t see value for BMS to undertake such a work to reduce realism…
100% agree. OP needs to learn to use the game properly not with arcade cheat keys. Dumb idea.
OP try training in correct order. Start with basics, take off, flying, landing then move onto weapons and combat tactics.
Learn to fly proper combat missions, not exactly sure what you are doing but it sounds dumb and totally unrealistic.I think maybe you need to tone it down a notch and re-read his 1st (and subsequent) posts more carefully. He is looking for “features” that will fit into his training program and certainly are not “dumb” requests. Many (myself included) have asked about a “hot rearm” availability for years, back before BMS actually. He has graciously accepted that these are not likely items that will ever be addressed, but never say never about the BMS team!
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RE: Never used VR
@Sabert00th said in Never used VR:
I’ve never used VR and thinking about purchasing just for BMS. My question is, how does it all work together? Assuming you still use HOTAS, keyboard etc. If that’s the case, how do you interact with HOTAS and keyboard while wearing VR goggles… fumbling for switches etc. etc.
I have Voice attack but even with that it seems you would have to interact with buttons and switches etc.
I would not switch to VR at this time if BMS is your main sim, for several reasons. First of all BMS VR is in it’s infancy and while it “works” the graphics and some functionality are not there yet. Second issue is the power required to run high resolution in VR is substantially more than 2D, and finally VR is rapidly changing. If you are in the US you can pick up an HP G2v2 for as little as $300 but keep in mind HP is pretty much abandoning VR (from what I have read). If you want clarity it is the best choice (IMO) among headsets under $1500, for wider FOV Pimax is better, for over $2k the clarity of the Varjo Aero blows all of them out of the water. Wait six months, see where BMS goes and the VR market goes, you can thank me then…
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RE: F16s are going to Ukraine. Any one keen for a Ukraine theater?
Maybe in 10 years, 10 years after the carnage ends…
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RE: After 25 years, this sim still impresses
@Grumble said in After 25 years, this sim still impresses:
Yup! Although to be fair, the dogfight experience in the the other one is pretty damn good.
Yes, it can be quite challenging, will say that the AI does a pretty good job in most cases. Also the pre-missile era jets and WWII planes are done well, and the online servers can be fun for a bit (especially if they have the new Olympus “overwatch” running as it can be full of surprises). For single-player, i’ve never been one for scripted missions and their “success triggers”, just not my thing, especially after flying them once. I think what really turned me off recently was when their login server went down. I relaized (it’s in the EULA!) that I do not own the €1000 of content I bought and if they (or Putin) decide to shut their doors… POOF, it’s all gone.