Dark Star Mach Profile: Asobo how difficult is it for you to come up with something consistent?

[CaptainRude91]

First of all, the Top Gun DLC is quite alright I guess, it doesn’t offer much extra from what is already available (for free) from third party devs. Of course the F-18 was officially part of this and its free, so what can I say. Only disappointment I have is that I have not find a way to use the carrier in free flight, so if I understand correctly you can only land on the carrier during that one challenge?

The thing which annoys me greatly though are the inconsistencies everywhere, its always so half baked. The Dark Star is a cool gimmick but no real effort has been put in creating clear and concise instructions how to fly it. These things are always kind of an after thought, be it manuals for the Junkers and Fokker or proper tutorials / lessons (in my opinion the lessons available are in an awful state).

When I first did the Dark Star mission I took some time to memorize the instructions in the menu, then in the cockpit I found this MACH profile, okay that’s different (and more detailed), lets memorize that, wrote some notes on a piece of paper. Then during mission the objectives point out yet a different profile… The first few tries I didn’t even see any objectives because I had them turned off, I thought, serious Asobo no instructions whatsoever. Maybe warn people to turn the objectives ON or have them on by default in training missions.

Then there is a big oversight where 275.000 ft seems to be a hard deck in the simulator. All nice and fine but make at least sure that the aircraft won’t be able to get up there performance wise.

Lets take a look at the Mach profile(s) for the Dark Star:

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Main Menu

Nose over is not the same as rolling inverted, also starting “push-over” at 30.000 ft does not match with the objectives on screen during the challenge. Then there is a gap in instructions between shallow dive (whatever that means) and Mach 3. No exact instructions here.

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Objectives during challenge

Roll inverted at 36.000 ft or so, which doesn’t correspond with the instructions in the menu or the Mach profile in the cockpit.

By the way what is “Maintain GPS heading”, GPS supplies a track or bearing, not a heading.

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Mach profile in the cockpit

This one does not work AT ALL, tried it multiple times, reaching 56.000 ft its over.

How difficult is it to come up with something consistent Asobo? This lack of detail bothers me. If you create something, why not go the extra mile and make it truly great. Its not like there wasn’t any time to do this either, this DLC has been delayed for a year or so. In aviation everything needs to be precise and concise, you have not been a great example in that regard so far.

[Maelmoor]

There are two ways to approach this, either you take the negative approach and find problems or you just go out there and have some fun

I’ve enjoyed this free DLC, despite that these kind of planes are usually not my cup of tea. I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one with a grin on my face when I took the Darkstar on the stratospheric flight. The sounds, the visuals with the effects and how you could see the dark space above you and the wonderful earth below you. It really made me smile and I thought it was a cool thing.

Was I bothered that there was some ceiling 155000 ft above the altitude of the mission? Was I bothered that a fictional plane didn’t come with a thick manual? Of course not and based on the reactions of people, posting videos, screenshots and writing about it, I’m sure most didn’t.

You should take it for what it is, a bit of fun, things are much easier with such an approach

[CaptainRude91]

Nobody asks for a thick manual for a phantasy plane, they could at least get their 2 sentences about how to fly this plane right.

And it’s not only about the dark star, it doesn’t matter what tutorial or lesson you pick, they are all quite bad and won’t teach you anything.

[DaveBGaming]

You’re doing something wrong if you can’t get passed Mach 2. Did the Darkstar challenge following the objective instructions three times & all went perfectly.

[CaptainRude91]

I don’t think so, there isn’t much to do wrong is there? MACH 0.9 to 36.000 ft, inverted, 1g to -20 deg, 1.2g to +10 deg pitch, at 65.000 ft its flying level.

[CaptainRude91]

Anyway, 32:30 is that quick?

[TCarlisle2012]

I was able to get past all that, but the thing is un-landable.

[ExplorerJB]

I’ve been having nothing but fun with the Darkstar. It’s been an absolute blast. I struggled with reaching Mach 3 the first two times, but once I figured it out it was extremely rewarding. Landing is nearly impossible inside the cockpit, but I did have one successful landing that way. Much easier in the exterior view but definitely needs long runways, and I tend to hit hard. It’s something that I can improve on.

[Falcon07037670]

It’s a one way ticket

[KrazyKraut1979]

It saddens me as this shows the typical lack of quality control and care regarding DLC. Free or not is hardly the matter, free junk is still junk. And the Top Gun DLC was slated for release long ago, so no way arguing that it was time constrained. It’s unfortunately a sign of things to come as the last months showed a decline in quality. As much as I want to love MSFS - as a flight simmer since Flight Simulator 4.0 89 - I can only wonder why Asobo/MS are throwing so much potential away by not caring about core issues and not caring about DLC quality.

I‘m sorry to say - and I know I‘m in the minority with that opinion - but the existence of the Darkstar is an insult anyway. Microsoft Flight Simulator was always aspiring to be a sim. No we moved into Ace Combat territory with fantasy planes. That can’t even shoot since guns in a plane are converting our children into irresponsible members of society. We get a cross promotion from a patriotic military movie - nothing wrong with that - in a game that can not deliver anything Top Gun is about. How does that make any sense?

[FUFJJ]

100% with your sentiment

[FUFJJ]

I’ve had sooo much fun with this plane! I did the mission with the objectives window open and got it to Mach 10 and landed on the first go. I’m sure to go UK to Iceland, I know others have.
I think its a blast. Take it for what it is. Remember U2 pilots and the type of person who would fly this kind of plane are certainly out of my education level so I think if I had the ‘real’ manual I would probably be overwhelmed. For me, everything you need is included in the mission. I’m sorry you’re not satisfied. Its free, its good, its fun. Thank you.

[Jettalost]

Test pilots, welcome to sunny Palmdale, and welcome to Lockheed ADP aka Skunkworks! Flight plan today is from HQ here in KPMD to a media spot at Spaceport America (9NM9) in New Mexico. RS-72, yes RS, as you remember President Truman erroneously named our previous effort “SR” in his unveiling speech, but that wasn’t on about 3,000 handwritten schematics, the Son of Blackbird is an RS, and Project Dark Star Prototype V12 has been topped off and sits at 72,000 imperial pounds.

Button T3 is loaded with Max Mach Profile, don’t even look at it - it will be scrapped in favor of James Buck callsign Bucky Rodgers new, and vastly more efficient Max Mach Profile.

A few things to go over. Takeoff is quick. With brake release, check normal mil power and when you have a live airspeed indication, toggle the burners. At 180 kts begin a smooth transition up to 40 degrees up. Don’t forget to swing the gear in all the excitement.

Passing 10,000 go inverted and allow the nose to naturally drop into 20 degrees pitch for your climb to FL260. You can see this is a lovely max-rate climb at 320 kts. Lead your level off into FL260 with a positive 1.5G pull toward the horizon.

We have to live at FL260 for a bit, to do some practical clean up. So when level, come out of burner, and maneuver around 290 KIAS or so to get on course and prep for pushing past the sound barrier. Here we are maneuvering back over KPMD.

On course and cleared for climb to FL390.

Authorization for Scramjet-Go will still be on hold until FL390 is reached, and the Flight Manager gives th . Punch the burners for now and transition to 10 degrees nose up climb, accelerate to trans-sonic and wait for the go-ahead.

Gently lead the level off FL390. Dark Star will not break M1 unless put into a dive. Thanks shockwave! We need this pup into a descent! Here there is no need to go inverted, and back again, just simply begin to lower the nose slowly into 10 degrees nose down, pause and back to a slightly nose up pitch. You shouldn’t lose more than a few thousand feet of blocked altitude and be properly set up to climb for Scramjet-Go.

Descent.

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Slight climb, rest FPV just above the horizon.

This pitch attitude will be held as you climb and subsequently accelerate. There is not much else to do accept take on altitude and monitor Mach until it exceeds 3.0. It’s a slow build up but as the climb develops Dark Star will find M3.0 holding this pitch. As you near Mach 3, call in Scramjet-Go. Activate the classified procedure to enable the Scramjets. Verify your displays and leave the pitch. Scramjet Acceleration is dramatic and a light touch on the controls is necessary. You may need to push forward slightly to maintain pitch. Your headed up to FL1000 for Mach 9 Run.

To be continued…

[Jettalost]

You will be surprised to learn that the Dark Star, RS-72 is very real and cannot get above 150,000 but the rest is fairly accurate. Remember that ADP defense contracts operate with tech that is 20 years ahead.

[CaptainRude91]

Nobody says it’s not fun? Its just that they can’t even have the two sentences they wrote about the plane consisted throughout the mission.

I first tried to memorize the instructions in the menu, then in the cockpit I found this MACH profile, okay that’s different (and more detailed), lets memorize that, wrote some notes on a piece of paper. Then during mission the objectives point out yet a different profile…

[MikeyAir3272]

@Jettalost

You will be surprised to learn that the Dark Star, RS-72 is very real and cannot get above 150,000 but the rest is fairly accurate. Remember that ADP defense contracts operate with tech that is 20 years ahead.

I would be surprised. Can you cite your source?

[KrazyKraut1979]

I know the SR-72 is supposedly in development with a prototype to fly in the mid 2020s. But that shows there is no flying counterpart to what was put in the sim.

[CaptainRude91]

MACH 9.0 and 275.000 ft + is not gonna happen for sure. Wikipedia is talking about MACH 5.0, maybe MACH 6.0.

[KrazyKraut1979]

The shape maybe similar but that is all there is to it. The flight envelope is pure fantasy. Why do we need something like this in the sim?

[Mobias7]

@KrazyKraut1979

Why do we need something like this in the sim?

Because its great fun and opens up and entirely new area of flying in the sim.