Frequently Asked Questions

A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that get asked when joining Hoggit or Combat Flight Sims.

Where do I start?

DCS is an intimidating game for people to get into. The first step would be to check out our Setup Guides and ensure your controls are working with DCS. DCS World comes with two free planes, the Su-25T and the TF-51D (trainer version of the P-51D). Check out their training missions inside DCS World, and also check out their linked wiki pages for any resources related to them.

If you have a particular module you'd like to learn, check out Chuck's Guide for that module (usually linked on our wiki's pages for that plane if there's a guide available). It's a great starting point (and reference for later) for every module in DCS.

If you're interested in learning with a group, check out Tuesday Night Noob which Hoggit runs every Tuesday. Joining our Discord is a good way to find people to fly with and learn from.

What gear should I buy?

Very much depends on your budget/seriousness. Our Peripherals Guide should guide you towards some good choices.

Does DCS have sales?

Yes, both Steam and the Eagle Dynamics stores will have sales. Modules are usually discounted on both stores around 30-50%, and the sales will usually occur at different times.

Should I get the Steam Version or Standalone Version?

A point of contention in the DCS community. There's a few tradeoffs to consider:

• Steam will usually be a bit behind on updates. The multiplayer scene usually tracks the latest OpenBeta branch, and Steam is sometimes slightly behind on the updates (a few days at most now, it used to be worse).
• Steam downloads its updates using the Steam infrastructure. The speeds will saturate your home connection fairly well, while the standalone updater uses torrents from ED and the standalone users, and can vary wildly in update speeds.
• Steam tends to get modules released later than Standalone. The Hornet was due to be out on Steam months after the Standalone, but ED was able to provide it much earlier than expected, but still a few days later than Standalone.
• If you're new to DCS World and are looking to buy a module. AT THIS TIME we suggest the standalone version.

Which modules are transferrable between Steam and Standalone?

Any module released up to (but not including) the Mirage 2000C on steam should be transferrable to standalone.

How do I transfer a module from Steam to Standalone?

In your steam library, select DCS World. On the product details area, pick "CD Keys", which will cause a popup for all the CD keys for your purchased DLC. You can then redeem this key in your profile within the DCS Website

How do I move to the Open Beta Branch?

Standalone

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to your DCS World install
2. Hold LShift + Right click on bin folder and press "Open command prompt here"
3. Type or paste

DCS_updater.exe update @openbeta

If using powershell prefix DCS_updater.exe with '.\' and wrap '@openbeta' in single quotes.

Steam

1. Open steam and navigate your DCS in your library
2. Right click DCS and pick Properties
3. Click the betas tab and then from the drop down select Open Beta
4. Steam will now patch your game once you close the dialog box

Once the update is finished, you should be able to install the Hornet via the Module Manager in game.