Yes, it is interesting that it seems SCS could never build their entertainment products more upon developements for the military. Eagle Dynamics has made that step with their new DCS line quite well. Recently they announced that they could port the A-10C they built for a US National Guard desktop simulator over to their commercial DCS line. Obviously with some adjustments to sensitive components, but still to their extremly high quality and realism standart.

But perhaps there also is a different philosophy about protection of data between the military branches. While detailed information about USAF aircraft are quite well available (flight manuals, tactical manuals etc.), even Eagly Dynamics was unable to optain the necessary documentation to simulate USN aircraft (for entertainment). So it sounds plausible to me that the USN would forbid SCS to use platforms developed for them in entertainment software, even if those are not necessary a classification problem. The information restriction of the USN just seem to be tighter than those of the USAF. Unfortunatly for us the USAF does not have ships and subs :)

The platforms in question are also much different. The A-10 is a 30 year old close support aircraft. There is nothing that remarkable/need to be classified about its performance. Submarines and naval combat systems/sensors are very different. I bet DCS would run into some trouble trying to get accurate F-22 performance data.

PD

Forgive me if I'm being boneheaded, but wouldn't the classified part be in the database values. Can you qualify a low polygon 3d model classified ? Really ?
If they are so afraid, why don't they let the community make the 3d model/s with the different stations and then SCS would fill in the blanks interfacing the 3d model/stations with the navalsimengine. Win-win for everyone. The modders are not sued because they haven't actually modified anything and SCS is the only one to know how to "integrate" the models with the navalsimengine.

Very true about F-22 and similar aircraft, the are still off limits for many years.

But consider that the A-10C is a very new development of the A-10 with a top moder avionics suite. That ED received permission to publicise the A-10C was quite a surprise, for both the community and ED. It was first estimated that this would not happen for the next 10 years. Other current frontline fighters that ED has the necessary documentation are the F-15C and F-16C. While these are not the newest generation anymore, they still form the bulk of the USAF.

Well in this case we are dealing with the Silent Service. How ironic isn't it ?

I've asked Jamie a similar question back when, the answer I got in regard to using community mods by SCS is basically a big legal issue. Even if the modders would sign a big bunch of papers saying that they forgo any rights and whatever on their mods and SCS can freely use all their work and so on it still would be a problem of sorts.

This issue was adressed when the first LwAmi was released before patch 1.03. One of the major problems back then was the lack of difference between VLADs and DIFARs ... LwAmi adressed this plus some other issues and we asked why SCS not simply uses Lwami for their next patch and puts in some improvements of their own. The aforementioned statement came from Jamie as response.

Bottom line (considering that statement) at the moment thus is that anything developed in the community can only be distributed by the community and while it might be official endorsed by SCS it cant be part of a patch for example.

As for porting over stuff from their military developments ... aside from classification issues is that the NSE has been branched off and the branch for goverment purposes has been continually developed further ... depending on how they did their coding this might pose a serious technical problem when converting or using fixes from one branch for the other. At least thats my guess.

:o that is so :cry: , even if they wanted to they couldn't possibly follow Lead Pursuit's example.

Its a pitty. I submitted some weapon 3d models to Eagle Dynamics that were included in the Flaming Cliffs 1.11 patch and are now also in Black Shark as far as I know. I didn't sign anything, simply told them by e-mail "you can have them and do with them as you please". While this was only a very minor contribution, other community members have provided quite a significant amount of vehicle and aircraft models for Black Shark (for free). It's a win-win situation for the developer and the community.


The point about branching of the engine sounds pretty plausible.

Any update on Sonalysts ?

I think they are too busy counting their money at the moment to worry about DW:
http://archive.theday.com/store/itm....d69bfb&itm=art

It takes a long time to write a legal brief, you know.
(Lawyers get paid by the hour...)

:know:

It has to be brief, right to the point, and non ambiguos.
Something along these lines,

Dear DW community,

Don't mod the game.

Sincerly, legal department, SCS.

Ok we will get their refusal in early 2009 :ping: :rotfl:

> Not that it will stop modding anyways. If you need me ill be working my fix, ill PM when im done. Someone tell me when we can talk about mods again. thanks

That will be $7500. Please pay ASAP or late fees will incur.

[/quote] obvious never.

Greyowl, good to see you, i need to have a chat with you. ill PM

wtf shore leave? what this thread feels like - oh dam, now a A-ganager?

obvious never.[/quote]

Hey I haven't heard from you for a while. How are things going?

Mr Neal Stevens, have you got any update on SCS regarding these mods ? :ping: :ping:

They can have the meeting... and decide to just leave it alone.

Its a plus plus for them. The military comes to them for official releases. The mod community generates interest and excitement in their commerical (nonmilitary) products.

Overall I think SCS underestimation of the important of a vigourous/innovative open mod community is a mistake. Sims like Microsoft Flight (an extremely complicated sim) have prospered 2nd to an active rigour mod community that continues to create lasting power/new interest in the software.