Product Description

DCS: Black Shark offers an innovative combat simulation experience that is sure to challenge the hard-core flight enthusiast. There is also an easy-to-play arcade mode that can be enjoyed by any beginner. Employing military-qualified technology, it¿s an unprecedented level of realism ¿ flight dynamics, instruments modeling, avionics systems, and weapons systems like you¿ve never seen before. A detailed 125,000 sq mi depiction of the European / Asian border region serves as your battlefield and includes a broad array of eastern and western air, land and sea units. Each unit is accurately reproduced to include detailed models, weapons systems, movement dynamics and artificial intelligence. Add to this a state-of-the art campaign system which allows the front line of the battlefield to move back and forth according to your mission success or failure. Each bullet, rocket, shell or bomb fired is modeled in the most precise detail for an unimaginably visceral gaming experience. The new Mission Editor includes a powerful electronic mapping system that allows you to easily create missions and campaigns, and nonlinear campaigns are also included for unlimited replayability. Multiplayer mode supports up to 16 players and includes both cooperative play using the Ka-50 data link and head-to-head combat. With intense missions, authentic flight modeling and versatile gaming options, DCS: Black Shark offers the most realistic flight simulation experience ever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6832 in Video Games
• Brand: The Fighter Collection
• Model: TFC01000
• Released on: 2009-04-07
• ESRB Rating: Teen
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows XP
• Format: DVD-ROM

Features

• Twice the ground detail of previous TFC simulations, featuring detailed modeling of 330,000 sq km of the western Caucasus region.
• Advanced helicopter and ground force AI that creates a realistic combat environment.
• Head-to-head and cooperative multiplayer campaigns locally and online, as well as a 'Simulation' and 'Game Console' play modes.
• Advanced weapon physics for missiles, rockets and cannon rounds including ricochets.
• A powerful mission editor with advanced and comprehensive scripting capabilities.

Amazon.com Product Description

DCS: Black Shark is the definitive PC simulation and combat game of the Russian Kamov-50 (Ka-50) attack helicopter and is the first title in a new Eagle Dynamics and the Fighter Collection simulation series: "Digital Combat Simulator" (DCS). DCS: Black Shark offers an unprecedented level of realism in regards to flight dynamics, instruments modeling, avionics systems, and weapon systems, while its artificial Intelligence of ground vehicles and helicopters and weapon modeling is second to none. Meet the Russian Ka-50 View larger. Cockpit full of avionics controls. View larger. Additional vehicles & weapons View larger. Flexible mission editor. View larger. In-game field asset encyclopedia. View larger. It also includes a new mission editor including a powerful electronic mapping system that allows user to easily create missions and campaigns, and a campaign system that allows the front line of the battlefield to move back and forth according to your mission success or failure. the Black Shark World DCS: Black Shark operations are based in the western Caucus region and include portions of Russia, Georgia and a small part of Turkey. With Russia, special attention is paid to the Krasnodarskiy, Karachayrvo-Cherkesiya, Kabardino-Balkariya and Stavropol’skey regions. Some of this area will be recognizable from Flaming Cliffs, but DCS: Black Shark has added a considerable new amount of terrain, particularly much of Georgia. the DCS: Black Shark map is approximately 330,000 sq. km of ground and sea area. Comprehensive Access to Kamov-50 Avionics Systems DCS: Black Shark comes packed with a wide range of piloting, navigation, targeting and defensive systems avionics for the Ka-50. Game copies include a detailed flight manual covering these, which include, but are not limited to: traditional electromechanical cockpit instruments, multifunction advanced moving map system AMMS (ABRIS), the "Rubicon" targeting-navigation system, the I-251 "Shkval" antitank targeting system, countermeasure dispensers, a head-up display (HUD) and helmet-mounted sighting (HMS). Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aircraft the primary innovation regarding AI aircraft in Black Shark is the inclusion of a new and improved flight model (FM) system. In previous Eagle Dynamics products such as Lock On, the AI-aircraft FM did not reach a high-level of realism, relying sometimes instead on animations to supplement flight dynamics equations. This absence of detailed angle of attack modeling and the influence of cross wind led to problems during advanced maneuvers. To remedy this Black Shark features the same standard flight model (SFM) that was used for player-controlled aircraft in Lock On. With this advancement in AI aircraft flight dynamics it is now possible for the AI to conduct more advanced flight maneuvers and combat tactics. Ground Vehicles, Ships and Weapons Ground vehicles, ships and weapons such as bombs, rockets, missiles and cannons have been significantly improved in Black Shark. Improvements include: an expanded roster of available active ground vehicles, the ability of each ground vehicle to use multiple types of weapons simultaneously, an overall increase in the level of detail and the inclusion of infantry units. Key Game Features: Advanced helicopter and ground force AI that creates a realistic combat environment. Twice the ground detail of previous TFC simulations, featuring detailed modeling of 330,000 sq. km of the western Caucasus region. Head-to-head and cooperative multiplayer. Powerful mission editor with advanced scripting capability. Campaign system with a moving front line that depends on mission results. Highly-detailed six degrees of freedom cockpit featuring Mouse-clickable instruments. Unrivaled flight physics system featuring realistic damage model, system cascade effect and more. Detailed modeling and control of engine, fuel, hydraulics, electrical, navigation, radio, fire suppression, sensor, and weapon systems. Two gameplay modes: "Simulation" or "Game Console." Advanced weapon physics for missiles, rockets and cannon rounds including ricochets. Supports TrackIR, Matrox TripleHead2Go for multiple screens, D-Box motion platform. System Requirements: Minimum Specifications: Recommended Specifications: OS: Windows XP, Vista Windows Vista for launching in fullscreen mode Processor: 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6850+, AMD Phenom 9850+ RAM: 1GB 2GB or more Video Card: 256 MB ATI or nVidia, DirectX 9 compatible 512+ MB ATI HD 2900+ or nVidia 8800+, DirectX 9 compatible Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible DirectX 9 compatible DVD-ROM: Quad-speed (4x) DVD-ROM drive Hard Drive Space: 4GB of free space or more Other: Copy protected, requires Internet activation Copy protected, requires Internet activation; Joystick

Customer Reviews

Best Military Chopper Simulator Available
There are Survey Sims and there are Study Sims. For example, Microsoft FSX albeit very detailed and allows you to learn aviation in a profound way, it is a "Survey" simulator. DCS Black Shark is a "Study" simulator. This means unless you already know the Black Shark, it is highly doubtful you will be able to jump in and start flying in real simulation mode like you can in FSX. However, Eagle Dynamics provides an accommodating game mode, which will allow anyone to take off with the Black Shark and enjoy a military chopper. Nevertheless, you can easily keep adding real features to the game mode step by step to make it more real as you strengthen your skills. That's the big picture. Now for the review...I have played this Sim for hundreds of hours and every single time I get into the Ka-50 Black Shark I just absolutley love it. I broke up my learning process into fully understanding the startup procedures, then basic flight procedures, then targeting and using the weapons, then shutdown...and on to advanced. I recommend a similar method. The graphics and modeling of the Ka-50 are stellar. The cockpit is stellar just for the fact that EVERYTHING works unlike FSX aircraft. The terrain and other outside eye candy are not really the focus but they are very nice as well. This Sim is foucsed on a real Ka-50 experience and is extremely credible for that point. It is an awesome means to learn to fly a military helicopter. It is absolutely worth every dime in regards to a well crafted simulator. And if you get frustrated, Eagle Dynamics has an excellent forum to help you along the way. This is an absolutely incredible simulator, and I recommend it.

The next best thing to being there
If you've had a helicopter-shaped hole in your heart since Janes' Longbow 2 (released in 1997) and have been longing for a decent Combat Helicopter Simulation (with multiplayer even!), salvation is at hand. This simulation is not merely decent though, it is the best available outside of military training simulators!

In Black Shark you will find realism like you have never had it before. Every system is modelled with pain staking attention to detail, and nearly every button or switch available to the pilot is available to you to click on and activate(or use keyboard commands)!

The simulation can be tailored for those who want easy avionics and weaponry and basically just want to hop in and start banging away, all the way to complex systems management where one can spend weeks (or months) just learning to fly and navigate! The BlackShark world is truly your oyster, my friends! One can also create missions (single and multiplayer)in the Mission Editor and share them with your friends.

Graphics quality is also fantastic, and can be scaled up or down to accomodate most computers. I use an AMD Dual-core @ 2.4mhz with a Geforce 9800 1GB and I have it cranked all the way up with no problems whatsoever!

DCS also has expandability in mind, and there are plans to release modules based on the AH-64 Apache, and A-10 Thunderbolt. All I can say is that if those modules are as impressive and immersive as BlackShark is, combat flight simulation purists (such as myself) will be busy for some time to come!

Limited Activations, Starforce DRM
Limited activations is basically the buzzkill for this game, although Starforce alone is enough to warrant staying far away from DCS Black Shark. Looks like another promising title has been ruined by an idiotic and vain attempt at preventing resale and/or piracy. There are already many cracks and work-arounds out on torrent sites. Why punish the paying customers with these stupid DRM schemes?

I don't mind a simple disc check, but installing crap like Starforce drivers on my system has already caused me pain in the past. I never used to care about DRM, I would just happily buy the games and play them. Now I have to do a damned investigation before purchasing anything!