Okay, this is probably going to be naive (and I am not a programmer), but wouldn't DCS be able to create a dynamic campaign server that we could all connect to via multiplayer? The server would inject blue/red assets into the game world as needed, as well as track all human players and create the missions. It would be a persistent war that would be started with realistic numbers of assets on each side (planes, infantry, helicopters, Sams, etc), and take into account randomly generated "events" like for example supply, weather, fighting strength,etc. The war would only be won after certain goals were completed, then restart.

Just an idea...

Fish, the issue with dynamic campaign system isn't coming up with something that sounds neat, it's implementing it. Creating a system like you described that is stable and fully functional takes an incredible amount of work and to support, something very few folks seem to appreciate. I don't have any insight into ED's activities, but just from the stuff they've been annoucing (FC3, Combined Arms, Flying Legends, DCS: P-51D) the staff is pretty darn busy on other stuff and haven't been focusing on this kind of system.

If a 3rd party would like to generate something, I'm sure ED would be very interested to see it.

That is easier said than done Fish. Even if it sounds simple, with the amount of things that needs to happen, can happen, might happen, or will happen, it won't look pretty before long.

IL-2 used to have dynamic online wars based on common public-domain database tech and apps. Hmmm... I wonder if anyone has ever taken a look at, say, SEOW to see if it would port to DCS?

I like the way you think! It would be my hope that someday this could be achieved with DCS. Of course, I'm also enjoying the scripted SP campaign..but a campaign with resource tracking and moving lines of battle would really be great.

It's not a bad idea. What we could/should do in the meantime is have a human campaign manager. (No political jokes!) Done manually, the campaign manager would take a list of assets at the beginning of the campaign and start weekly missions based on those assets. After a mission, the campaign manager would tally the results and adjust assets accordingly and make a new mission. As far as re-supply goes, we could write a small utility to randomly distribute supplies -- higher value assets, of course, would have a lower probability of occurring, ect.

My mission creating skills are developing nicely, so I could volunteer to help out there. I could also write the asset distribution utility.

What do you think?

Swingkid and Ross tried this a while back with LOMAC. Was very hard to do and things changed with each patch that broke what they had worked on previous to each patch. I fear unless someone philathropic soul comes along and offers a great deal of money to build one, the DC for DCS is a thing of the past.

EDs have said their long term goal for the DC is to get there in iterations. The First iteration was the random mission generator - FC3 will see the introduction of the resource allocation system (No idea what that will entail yet).

Personally I don't think we will ever get a Real Time Dynamic campaign, but more a normal Dynamic campaign, but I have no inside information.

Nate

Good idea Goblin but unfortunately will be a lot of work even for a small group of guys flying. Also, how do you account for the tactics and supply of the Red side?

Personally, I prefer scripted missions wherein you and your flight is the "center of attention" and you get confirmation on your performance. While being a "pawn in a bigger game" might be more realistic, I guess I like the idea of me being a "significant contributor" in the war effort

If you need any help with testing and ideas though, I'm all ears! And I'd love to help out with the mission building/testing as well.

Well, the ideal might be something like a combination dynamic campaign and scripted missions included. For instance, right now, the missions are only populated with mission specific entities. If you were to get shot up and wanted to divert to an alternate airfield, that airfield will be cold and lifeless. And enroute you wouldn't fly over anything friend or foe. So it would be nice to have some sort of auto generated world outside of the mission you are flying. Just to add some life to the theater.