For those unaware, on the dev server and datamines, we now have the ability to show friendly markers simply by pointing a spooled IR missile in their direction. This goes for any plane with IR, period. Max ranges have not been tested so far, but at least up to 20km. Planes without radars, planes without IFF radars, planes with top tier HMDs already with data link.
The implications of this are massive and could water down this game mode even more. Any HMD can now be used as a scorpion HMD or that of the EF2K. Simply spool the IR, point your head or nose at a target and boom, no marker means enemy.
Iron dome is already destroying or has already destroyed top tier, and the trickle down effect of easy button game mechanics like this will make their way all the way to almost prop tier. Props is also a complete mess with the bomber damage models.
I fear this is going to be the final straw for the majority of the community. I do not think this should be added to the game for sim, period. We already have 800m name tags for friendlies, that’s more then enough.
Do you think this mechanic should be added for Sim?
While I do think we need better IFF features/ways to do it for sim, there are better ways to do it than through a mechanic like this. I have less of an issue about this feature on modern planes that would never not know where a friendly is, but it makes no sense that a plane without IFF can IFF targets in that way.
Very much agreed. This is absolutely not the way to go. A one size fits all approach for the sea vixen to the EF2K having this just does not make sense.
Having markers like that in SIM will simply ruin the game mode and the limited immersion it offers. A better option would be to display IFF when you hard lock a target with your radar if it has IFF.
I’m so upset we’re getting such change for air simulator battles. This kind of IFF mechanic completely destroys the immersion and the extra work needed to find enemy targets, no need to use radar anymore. The ability to IFF is in fact a balancing factor in simulator settings, and this change completely throws everything out of the window.
All they really have to do is add a hardlock IFF to radars that support IFF. THAT’S IT! Instead of waiting for 3 swipes of radar and giving your enemy time to react, a quick hardlock can give you all the information you’ll need in a split second, and will even tell you if your radar has switched to a friendly target. Such simple feature has been missing in the game since we got radars in the game and it’s actually ridiculous considering how long it’s been since then.
The range is unlimited as far as I know. I tested it with a mig29 and r60s pointing at dots that weren’t even rendered. It’s a disgusting change that would make me play DCS way more often. My free time is limited, and so is my will to accept Gaijin’s nonsense.
I have no idea what chemical and in what quantity somone must have smoked to even consider this.
Yeah this would be an unbelievably stupid addition. There are already plenty of ways to tell if a plane is friendly or not, the only thing I’d want to add is the aforementioned IFF in STT mode. Not only would that be an easy addition, it’s probably the only one that should be added. The only other thing that comes to mind at all would be DL showing friendly planes on the map.
As ive said in the Discord, my presumption is that this is a test to see if there’s a way to “hand hold” players as they get to the higher tiers ESPECIALLY when the latest gen of IR missiles is added. I wouldnt be surprised if we see an apocalypse of TKs happening especially from players who bought their way to the top, not increasing their skills as fast as they increase their BR.
But i’m praying to god its nothing more than a test as this just isn’t in line with what ‘Simulator Mode’ is. What makes this game fun is the asymmetry of the vehicles, some excel at one thing while another excels in another, and IFF capabilities fall into that.
what I like about the F-106 is that the player can completely outspeed my jet at the same BR and potentially even kill me without even seeing him coming with his missiles and radar. But it’s downside is that it HAS to lose some position to make sure im a German CL-13 and not a friendly Saber, allowing me to attempt to turn the positions around during their checks.
But now planes like this can just be orbital launchers killing anything they want away from all the subsonics on enemy team.
This is just one example off the top of my head but i feel like similar issues can happen throughout any BR from 8.3~ up.
Hopefully its just a nothing burger in the end though
This kind of mechanic should absolutely not be implemented in Simulator Battles.
IFF should be based on visual identification or aircraft systems. Friendly icons at close range are an understandable compromise considering how Gaijin has introduced identical aircraft to so many teams, but this kind of unlimited range icon pop-ups for friendly aircraft is so immersion breaking that it would render missile tiers basically unplayable for me.
This mechanic overall looks like a very, very poor solution to something that isn’t really that big of an issue (teamkilling). It is always a player’s responsibility to IFF properly before opening fire, period.
This proposal, in its current state, will basically allow any and all planes equipped with IR missiles to gain the same IFF capabilities as the Skorpion HMD mounted on the A-10C, for example.
You can IFF with perfect reliability, without ever giving your opponent a warning. How about the battle ratings around 8.0 - 10.0 where some planes have no access to any Fox-2s? They will be at a significant disadvantage compared to planes that do have them.
How about planes like J-7E which don’t have a radar (only a radar rangefinder)? The mechanic would literally solve the one and only weakness of the J-7E. Something similar can be said about J-7D or F-5E, which do have radars, but they don’t have IFF functionality.
Any plane equipped with Fox-2s will be able to IFF any “black dot” they see anywhere, with perfect reliability, and without even needing their radar at all.
You could fly around in Flankers using IRST + R-27ET and you would never have to use your radar again. Just shoot R-27ETs at whatever contact your IRST is able to find, and the victims will never receive a single warning.
A significantly better solution would be to add IFF feature to STT locks / hard locks.
