DCS World Overlay

Professional broadcast overlay for DCS World streamers, displaying real-time aircraft weapons, fuel status, and flight information to enhance viewer experience.

Overview

DCS Overlay is a broadcaster-focused tool designed for content creators streaming DCS World. It provides viewers with clear, real-time information about your aircraft's loadout and fuel state through a clean, customizable web interface.

Perfect for:

• Live streaming on Twitch, YouTube, Discord
• Recording DCS gameplay content
• Squadron training sessions
• Multiplayer operations with spectators

Key Features

Real-Time Data Display

• Weapons Loadout: Organized Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground inventory with live counts
• Fuel Management: Visual gauge displaying percentage, weight (kg), and estimated time remaining
• Aircraft Identification: Clear display of current aircraft module
• Live Updates: 10Hz refresh rate for smooth, responsive data

Broadcaster-Friendly Design

• Browser Source Compatible: Works seamlessly with OBS Studio, Streamlabs, XSplit
• Customizable Position: Place overlay anywhere on screen via CSS
• Transparent Background: Integrates naturally with streaming layouts
• Clean Visual Design: Professional appearance suitable for broadcast quality

Automatic Installation

• One-Click Setup: Professional installer with setup wizard
• Smart DCS Detection: Automatically locates your DCS installation
• Non-Destructive Installation: Preserves existing Export.lua configurations
• Multi-Mod Compatible: Works alongside DCS-SRS, TacView, and other export tools

Installation

For Streamers & Content Creators

1. Download the latest installer from Releases

   • File: DCS-Overlay-Setup-v1.0.0.exe

2. Run the Installer

   • Follow the setup wizard
   • Installer auto-detects DCS Saved Games location
   • Creates desktop and Start Menu shortcuts

3. Launch the Overlay

   • Start DCS Overlay from shortcuts
   • Browser opens automatically at http://localhost:3000
   • Add as Browser Source in OBS/streaming software

4. Configure for Streaming (OBS Studio example)

   • Add Browser Source
   • URL: http://localhost:3000
   • Width: 1920, Height: 1080
   • Check "Shutdown source when not visible"
   • Position and scale as desired

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• DCS World: Any version (Stable, Open Beta, or Server)
• Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or modern browser
• Streaming Software: OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS, XSplit (recommended)
• Network Ports: 3000, 8080, 12340 (locally accessible only)

Compatibility

Verified Compatible Export Tools:

• DCS-SRS (SimpleRadio Standalone)
• TacView Advanced
• Lotatc
• Other Export.lua based tools

The installer intelligently appends to existing Export.lua files, creating backups and preserving all existing functionality.

Streaming Setup Guide

OBS Studio Integration

1. Launch DCS Overlay application
2. In OBS, add Browser Source:
   • URL: http://localhost:3000
   • Width: 1920
   • Height: 1080
   • Custom CSS: (optional, for positioning)
3. Position overlay on stream layout
4. Start DCS World - data flows automatically

Customization for Streaming

Overlay Position (edit overlay.html):

.overlay-container {
    left: 20px;      /* Distance from left edge */
    bottom: 20px;    /* Distance from bottom edge */
}

Opacity/Transparency:

.overlay-container {
    opacity: 0.9;    /* 0.0 to 1.0 */
}

Update Rate (edit Export.lua):

local UPDATE_INTERVAL = 0.1  -- Update every 0.1 seconds (10Hz)

Troubleshooting

Stream-Specific Issues

Overlay not visible in OBS:

• Verify DCS Overlay application is running
• Check Browser Source URL is exactly http://localhost:3000
• Ensure DCS is running with an aircraft loaded
• Refresh the Browser Source in OBS

Data not updating during stream:

• Confirm Export.lua is installed in DCS Scripts folder
• Restart both DCS and DCS Overlay application
• Check DCS logs: Saved Games\DCS\Logs\dcs.log for "DCS-OVERLAY" entries

Performance impact on stream:

• Overlay uses minimal resources (<1% CPU, <50MB RAM)
• Browser source refresh rate: match to stream FPS
• Consider disabling when not actively flying

General Issues

Windows Security Warning:

• Click "More info" → "Run anyway"
• Unsigned executables trigger standard Windows protection
• Add to Windows Defender exclusions if desired

Port Conflicts:

• Default ports: 3000 (HTTP), 8080 (WebSocket), 12340 (UDP)
• Close conflicting applications or modify ports in installer.js
• Common conflicts: local web servers, development tools

Export.lua Installation:

• Installer creates backups: Export.lua.backup
• Manual verification: Look for "DCS-OVERLAY" comment in file
• Location: C:\Users\[YourName]\Saved Games\DCS\Scripts\Export.lua

Development

For Developers & Contributors

Prerequisites:

• Node.js v14+ and npm
• Inno Setup 6+ (for building installer)
• Git for version control

Setup:

git clone https://github.com/Dillen198/DCS-OVERLAYER.git
cd DCS-OVERLAYER
npm install

Development Mode:

npm start

Opens overlay at http://localhost:3000 for testing

Building:

npm run build           # Build executable and assets
npm run package:win     # Create Windows installer

Output:

• dist/DCS-Overlay.exe - Standalone executable
• release/DCS-Overlay-Setup-v1.0.0.exe - Distribution installer

Project Architecture

dcs-overlay/
├── installer.js         # Main application with auto-installer
├── build.js            # Build automation script
├── Export.lua          # DCS export script (Lua)
├── overlay.html        # Web UI (HTML/CSS/JS)
├── installer.iss       # Inno Setup configuration
├── package.json        # Node.js dependencies
├── mappings/
│   ├── aircraft.json   # Aircraft icon mappings
│   └── weapons.json    # Weapon type mappings
└── images/
    ├── aircraft/       # Aircraft module icons
    └── weapons/        # Weapon system icons

Data Flow:

DCS World → Export.lua → JSON File → Node.js Bridge → WebSocket → Browser → OBS

Contributing

Contributions from the DCS community are welcome:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Areas for Contribution:

• Additional aircraft icon support
• Weapon system recognition improvements
• Alternative overlay layouts
• Localization/translations
• Documentation improvements

License

GNU General Public License v3.0 with Commons Clause

Free for non-commercial use. See LICENSE.txt for complete terms.

Commercial licensing available upon request.

Credits

Developer: №15 | KillerDog

Built for the DCS World streaming and content creation community using the official DCS export API.

Support & Community

• Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
• Feature Requests: GitHub Discussions
• Community Discord: Join Server
• Streaming Tips: Check Discord #streaming-setup channel
• Support Development: Patreon

If you find this overlay useful for your streams, consider supporting development on Patreon. Your support helps maintain and improve the overlay with new features!

Changelog

v1.0.0 (January 2025)

• Initial public release
• Automatic installer with DCS detection
• Real-time weapons and fuel monitoring
• OBS/streaming software integration
• Support for all DCS aircraft modules
• Compatible with existing export mods (SRS, TacView)
• Professional broadcast-quality overlay design

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Enhance your DCS streams with professional real-time data overlay