PVE Servers anyone?

[Grifter]

Since we're craving something new, and it would take a great deal of time and energy to build something using Liberation (Thanks Trichome and Creeper for being willing to dabble with it), I thought we could try a PVE server sometime soon. We could join as a squad and complete missions together. Here is a discussion of popular PVE servers.

Of those, the Levant server is particularly popular and supposedly well balanced. It is a COLD WAR server and so weapon loadouts are limited to 1989 era ordnance. Here's an entry video about it:



Anyone interested in trying this out, we could test the experience on Monday nights as a trial run? What ya think?

[Cr33p3r]

I like this idea. Looking deeper into Liberation. There is a lot of work going to create and play-test a Liberation cold-war server. Just getting all the factions and squadrons all set up will be a bit of work. The digger I deep the deeper the hole gets. i spent some time last night and was waking up thinking about it.

Here is the discord for the Levant PVE server:
https://discord.gg/dPG9pNuxJc

Here is the NA server info from the discord:
NA based Flashpoint Levant:
Name: LK|NA - Flashpoint Levant - Operation Damascus Steel
IP: na.limakilo.net:10308
Password: lk1levant

I have also played a bit on Growling Sidewinder mission but its often quite crowded and close to max capacity.

[Cr33p3r]

Status of current battle:

https://limakilo.net/#levant-na-sneaker

[Trichome]

I like this idea for now. Im really hoping Liberations next update sort this faction issue out. Or I /we end up figuring it out.... I also woke up thinking about this today....

I did notice that the Github page was just updated 2 days ago and it now mentions 6.0 (they are currently on 5.2) - Sooooooo hopefully 6.0 is in the works and will be out soon. Its been since march with no new version.

We going to give this a go on Monday??

[Cr33p3r]

I hope to spend some time on it this weekend. There are very detailed instructions on how to run this on an mp server.

Also, a guy on DCS helo discord is going to send me a miz file that has a script in it for Search & Rescue. So, if a pilot get shot down, i can go out in the Mi24 and Mi8 and pick him up. Pretty cool.

[Bones]

I hope to spend some time on it this weekend. There are very detailed instructions on how to run this on an mp server.

Also, a guy on DCS helo discord is going to send me a miz file that has a script in it for Search & Rescue. So, if a pilot get shot down, i can go out in the Mi24 and Mi8 and pick him up. Pretty cool.

Glad there is a mission or a possibility of a mission for SAR as I was suggesting a few days ago. That would be easier to implement I would think.

On the other topic, I am leaning against PVE. I think the reason is because they way we do missions and such, we do it in a way that is realistic but laid back. It works for us and bonds us together pretty well. Joining a squad would mean adhering to their rules which may be pretty strict and staunch and might not work well for us with our schedule and rapport. As an example, we have a policy about profanity in place. If we go to a PVE server, that probably won't be the case. We may also need to conform to their requirements--how often we fly, who we fly with, etc.

I think that we are pretty much, considering our RL schedules and all, set with RLG. I think we just need to find missions that are easily changed for our needs and can be made, maybe from a template. Or we get creative such as when I first suggested if one of us gets shot down how we can do a CSAR mission or the like.

v6,
boNes

[Trichome]

reading that forum post it doesn't sound like it would be that bad. I can see the potential of foul language happening but other than that it seems geared or open to newbies so I dont think the requirements would be very stringent.

I am 100% okay with amending existing mission we find to be able to fly them as long as someone is comfortable enough to load them into the server on Monday (or Wednesdays). This would give us more variety but it would be a bit more work on the backend.

I just saw this note on Github too...Something is coming out soon... and it will be different just not sure exactly how/when....

"The file format changed with DCS Liberation 6.0
For Version 5.1.X you can find the documentation here Custom Factions"

[Grifter]

Bones,

I don't think playing on a PVE server like Levant requires us to join a specific group or squadron. We may happen to be flying with other players as part of an element or flight in a mission on Levant, for example, but we're not joining anyone's squadron. In fact, I encourage you to watch the video I attached. It's about 7 to 8 minutes long. I watched about four minutes of it last night, and plan on finishing later this evening. It's my understand that we can join the same mission and fly together as a unit to achieve a common goal. We can maintain our casual style as we see fit, and I don't see joining a PVE server interfering with that. It is true that we may be exposed to some profanity, and it is true that we'll have to adhere to the server's rules. I doubt the rules are unreasonable, but I need to look into it further. If they are, we can always look elsewhere.

I do agree that we can look for missions that we can switch to easily on the server. The problem if the mission isn't persistent, it can create gameplay problems. For example, you're waiting for me to land so that we can switch missions. Of course, persistent or not, any mission we acquire will likely require a great deal of editing so that it meets our requirements. If Trichome and Creeper can set up something on Liberation, awesome! But, I would spare them the tedium and time suck of having to do so when someone else has clearly already done the work. That said, I doubt Levant or any PVE server will 100% meet our expectations. Even so, I think I might give it a try in my off hours and report back to you all. I would encourage you all do the same and then we can compare notes and decide if it's something we want to pursue.

Creeper, that Levant report website is really cool. Very impressive and clear indication that the guys running the server are putting an effort into it. Very encouraging.

[Hammer]

2 issues I potentially see (just from discussion here)(not trying to poopoo it, just being practical): Looks like they require SRS Radio. are you all willing to install and learn how to go complex on your radios to fly?

Then you also have what Bones pointed out - other people's comms. Maybe minor for some, not so minor for others.

They may also have other requirements that are pointed out in thei9r video. Not sure why they cannot just make a list, but I guess they need to appeal to the "masses". Maybe they have one somewhere.

[Grifter]

Well, I had thought of that, and Levant server does indeed use SRS. I'm willing to learn and give it a try. I'll report back and let you know if it's worth our time. I do think the profanity could be an issue for some of us, me included. But, we'll see how bad it is. I'm not sure what other requirements there would be. I'm on their discord right now, and there rules for being on their server look reasonable. But, again, probably need to log on and try it first. I've been meaning to learn SRS for ages now, anyway. I just don't have the patience or time to comb through lua files trying to tweak a liberation generated mission to our liking; bless Trichome and Creeper for even being willing to entertain the idea. I'm hoping this might provide a decent band-aid if not outright fix for our lack of missions.

[Bones]

Tell you what, Grif. Since you and I fly both as wingmen in the Hornet and Tomcat and as aircrew in the Tomcat the most with each other, let's you and me try that PVE server together and see how well it goes with the way we operate. What do you think?

v6,
boNes

[Bones]

OK, I watched the video all the way and I am intrigued. Did he say his callsign was Pierogi?!? I'm in then! haha

v6,
boNes

[Hammer]

yes, he did. it would be good to find out if watching chat is good enough or they require SRS.

[Bones]

I think I could be persuaded into SRS just cuz I like the way it changes your voice into a radio transmission sound.

v6,
boNes

[Hammer]

there are plugins for that on teamspeak. ;)

[Grifter]

I'm researching SRS now. I'm not sure it's a requirement on their server, but rather a conventional standard. You'd be foolish to play without it. Learning how to use it this morning.

Bones, definitely worth us logging on together sometime. Not quite ready as of yet, but plan to do so soon.

[Cr33p3r]

Ive used SRS a bit. Its seems pretty intutive. some mp servers do not require it but allow it and encouarge it (like growling sidewinder)

[Hammer]

if the group joined together, and did missions together, SRS would not likely be needed if chat could be watched. you would only really need comms within the group/package.

i would be interested to see if SRS adds to the learning overhead and then conducting comms.

[Hammer]

i reinstalled SRS on our server if you want to practice/test it there. let me know if it is not working for some reason. if you have it installed, it should auto-connect.

[Grifter]

I got SRS up and running on their server and use it with success. It's super easy. Not sure why I was so intimidated by it. You simply use the radio freqs in your bird to change channels. Sounds more like a real radio transmission. Pretty cool.

The PVE Levant server is really quiet. I was on it this afternoon for quite a while sorting SRS out. No one spoke over the common channel. If I didn't squawk over the comms, no one else would, and that was for a comms check. No one was talking over it after that. People mainly used the chat box. Don't know how you do that and fly, especially when SRS is readily available. But to each their own.

There was some swearing in the chat box, but no big deal since its silent and you can turn it off you want to look at it. Just press tab. A group of guys involved in the same mission can coordinate what radio channel to join on from the common channel (253.000). If you're not on the common channel, and we're flying strictly as an RLG group, you won't have to worry about strangers swearing over comms. We can simply switch manually to free comms channel of our choosing.

I connected to the Canada server. No ping problems, no lag. I died both times against MiGs. I need to learn to defend myself effectively.

Some downsides
You start engines off. But, in the F/A-18, this isn't that big of a deal as a cold start is pretty easy to do. The INS should be fast (90 seconds) now that IFA is a real option. YMMV in other planes of course.

Sometimes it will be night.

I flew a 160 miles w/out refueling and then died at the hands of the MiGs. I would've had to refuel on my way back to the CV. On my first mission I did an AAR on my way to the CAP. Connected on my first try and topped off. I know not everyone find AAR that easy. Some missions may require it.

I still think this is a viable option, and we should try it sometime on Monday nights in coming weeks. It would definitely force us to fly as a unit and collaborate more. My experience on the server lone-wolfing ended....poorly....twice. So we'd need to really work together like a squad should.

EDIT: Just wanted to add, yes, you could totally use TS3 instead of SRS. But, I think you would ultimately be better off on SRS in case you wanted to communicate with a larger package on their server or you wanted let non-RLG players join our flight. But, then again, that's where swearing may be a problem. Again, there was not a ton of comms traffic when I was on.