Hardware Requirements
VBS2Combined Arms is a desktop trainer that runs on any machine capable of running VBS2. It is designed to use a two screen setup. One screen is dedicated to both call-for-fire functionality and close-air-support functionality and the other displays the VBS2 virtual environment. VBS2Combined Arms is designed to expand and complement VBS2 in two hardware configurations. That is:
- Running on the same physical machine as VBS2 (with a dual monitor configuration)
- Running on a separate machine which is networked to the machine running VBS2.
The greatest difference between the two is that running on separate machines allows three sets of user input controls (keyboard, joystick and mouse), so that the user may interact with the VBS2 environment and the VBS2Combined Arms interface at the same time.
In comparison, running both VBS2 and VBS2Combined Arms on the same machine requires the user to switch focus between the two programs.
Note:
That due to the network traffic generated between VBS2Combined Arms and VBS2, running VBS2Combined Arms on the same machine as VBS2 will result in superior performance compared to running the two pieces of software on separate machines. For the same reason running over a wireless connection is not recommended. SimCentric Technologies is currently working on optimising this communication process, and this is expected to be improved in an upcoming release.
VBS2Combined Arms may be run on laptops or desktops providing they meet the recommended requirements outlined in the VBS2 documentation. The possible hardware configurations for deploying VBS2 on the same PC as VBS2 are shown in Image 1a. The possible hardware configurations for deploying VBS2Combined Arms and VBS2 on separate PCs are shown in Image 2a.
Δ Image 1A: Deploying VBS2 and VBS2Combined Arms on the same PC |
Δ Image 2A: Deploying VBS2 and VBS2Combined Arms on other PCs |
VBS2Combined Arms has the same hardware specification requirements as VBS2, with the exception that if VBS2Combined Arms is running on a separate PC to VBS2, the PC running VBS2Combined Arms does not require a dedicated 3D Graphics card. Of course, if VBS2Combined Arms is run on the same terminal as VBS2, then a 3D graphics card will be required by VBS2.