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F-14A/B Tomcat - FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS STATE OF FAQ: September 2021. Version 1.1 | Previous state of FAQ: March 2021. Version 1.0 Q: What is the current state of the F-14 Tomcat Module? A: Currently (as of September 2021) the Tomcat is still in Early Access and includes the F-14B, the F-14A (-135GR late version), full systems functionality for both, a RIO-AI "JESTER", "ICEMAN" rudimentary Pilot-AI, full Multicrew capability, one campaign, and approximately ~150 Singleplayer, Quickstart and Co-Op missions, several training missions and a manual. It is slated to leave Early Access as early through 2021 as is possible. Q: How do you define Early Access? Why not wait till it is ready? A: Early Access allows us to realize projects, which would else be too ambitious in scope and size for a small niche market like combat flight simulation. This is owed to the fact that we want to simulate as deep as possible and fill our products with content to the brim. However, we are aware of the huge responsibilities it brings with it. Too often Early Access gets abused as a free pass in the gaming industry to deliver unfinished products. This is not the case with us. With the F-14, we've taken great care and pride ourselves in delivering it as closely to feature complete on day one of its Early Access release as we're able. This means: all major systems and functions are working and working as intended (notwithstanding unforeseen bugs), and only smaller features might get added over time. For the -B for example this included TWS-A (which was simply too complex to make it in, in time), the addition of rather marginal functions such as NAVGRID or the AVIA Page (all of which have been implemented in the meantime), or the currently still missing EIG for the F110 engines, some ECM fairings, etc. But in general the experience of flying the Tomcat during Early Access will not differ much from flying it after release. The same counts for its look, performance optimization, etc. Early Access allows us also to address bugs which can only ever be found together with the help of the community, but most importantly, it allows us to expand the scope of content delivered for the Tomcat far beyond what is common. In General Early Access takes around two years for our products. This gives us enough time to implement all the extra content and features we want you to enjoy. We thank you all for your kind trust and support. Q: What will the release version of the F-14 Tomcat include? A: The release version of the Tomcat will include the F-14B, 2 + 1 versions of the F-14A (135GR late and -135GR Early + -95GR as an addon bonus), a RIO-AI "JESTER", "ICEMAN", full Multicrew capability, the free aircraft carrier USS Forrestal, 3 campaigns (for Caucasus, Persian Gulf and Syria), a free A-6 AI aircraft, ~150 Singleplayer, Quickstart and Co-op Missions, several training missions and a manual. Q: Is Heatblur considering making an F-14D or a Sparrowhawk HUD or PTID upgrade for the B? A: Not at this moment. We lack documentation to recreate it as faithfully as we would like to and hold it up to our own standards. If this would change, we may reconsider it. However should we ever develop it, please know that it will not be included in this module and will come at extra charge. In what form, if as an upgrade or DLC for owners and/or standalone for non-owners of the current A/B Tomcat Module, etc... we cannot say yet. Q: What version of the -B will be simulated? A: The -B that we simulate spans an entire era, from the late 80s/ early 90s to late 90s/ early 2000s. As most Tomcats were "patchwork aircraft", exhibiting features found throughout all its iterations, we decided to recreate the B to what was most commonly found across all of them in that time period. Q: What versions of the -A will be simulated? A: Similar as with the -B, each version of the -A spans a certain time period, but to discern them easier, we divide them into the 135GR late version (same time period as the -B), which has more or less feature parity with the -B, except for engines, engine instrument panels and some minor differences; the 135GR early version (late 70s to early/mid 90s), which also features an older version of the RWR (the ALR-45) and the ECM page on the HSD; and the bonus 95GR IRIAF version, which is similar to the 135GR early (late 70s/ early 80s), with the difference of having no TCS, no ICLS/ACLS, no datalink, no Lantirn pod, only older weapons (no aim-9m, no aim-7M(/H), no aim-7F, no aim54A mk.60 and aim54C) and only dumb air to ground munitions. Each version will include skins for their dedicated period/country. All -A versions feature the TF-30 Engines. Q: Where can I find the manual for the F-14 Tomcat? A: Please follow this link: http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/ Q: Does the F-14 Tomcat Module support VR? A: Yes, absolutely! Due to the great work of our partners at Eagle Dynamics, DCS World runs in VR and the F-14 is no exception. This does not mean it looks any less nice on a normal screen of course. Q: Is the Tomcat compatible with the Super Carrier Module by Eagle Dynamics? A: Yes. Q: Is the USS Forrestal and A-6 AI free for all DCS users, or only for owners of the F-14 Tomcat Module? A: The USS Forrestal and A-6 AI will be free for all DCS users, regardless if they own the Tomcat or not. Q: Will there be a Super Carrier version of the USS Forrestal? A: This is something that needs to be discussed with Eagle Dynamics and does not depend solely on us. The free version of the USS Forrestal will have feature parity with the USS Stennis at minimum once complete. Q: Will there be additional assets included with the USS Forrestal, like other ships or versions of it? A: No. It will only include the Forrestal class aircraft carrier. We might eventually include all 4 versions of it, the USS Forrestal, USS Saratoga, USS Independence and USS Ranger - however, we will need to see what time will allow. For now it will be the USS Forrestal only. There will be no other ships or assets added in the future, at least not included with the F-14 Tomcat Module. Q: What is a RIO? Do I need a RIO to fly the Tomcat? A: The RIO is the Radar Intercept Officer, in other aircraft sometimes also referred to as WSO or Weapon Systems Officer (in the Strike Eagle for example) or NFO, Naval Flight Officer (which are all not pilots, contrary to Naval Aviators). He sits in the backseat in the Tomcat. He does all the radio communications and also manages flight lead, he manages the radar, the systems, he runs the intercepts and missions and is responsible for navigation and much much more. He is generally considered the "boss" in the aircraft. He takes a backrole in BFM however or during maneuvers, that require a lot of input by the pilot (landings, take offs, AAR, etc), but is else often in charge of the aircraft. You do not need a human RIO to fly our Tomcat, we created "JESTER", a RIO-AI for this very purpose (see next Q/A). But do not worry, Jester is still a young and inexperienced RIO and will follow and require your orders, 100% of the time. Of course, we do recommend to try Multicrew, as the shared experience in the Tomcat, between a human pilot and RIO, is something special indeed. Q: Who and what is "JESTER"? A: JESTER is our RIO-AI. He is not an AI in the classic sense, but provides functionality that a human RIO would provide to the pilot, such as spotting, radar management, systems management, startup and shutdown, checklists, situational awareness calls, etc... He can be interacted with through a command rose, but can also be used with 3rd party software such as voice attack, etc... Not only is Jester meant to provide functionality for the Singleplayer environment for an else 2-seater aircraft, but also immersion and fun - we recorded over eleven thousand (!) voice lines for him, to provide many variations in his calls. Jester has human limitations (he can only see, where he looks at, can only do 1 task at a time in general, he needs to look at the appropriate panel to service it, he pushes the correct buttons, etc.), makes mistakes and even comments on your flying, as well as being aware of what situation the player is in, be it BFM, BVR, WVR, Air to Ground, Landing, Take Off, etc... and will act and behave accordingly. Q: Who and what is "ICEMAN"? A: Iceman is a very - and we want to emphasize: very - rudimentary pilot-"AI". In fact, he is not an AI at all, but he takes over the aircraft, if you choose to select the RIO station in Singleplayer. He will fly straight, left or right, up and down, and is able to orbit and fly to a steerpoint. His sole purpose is so that one can fly as the RIO in Singleplayer between Take off and Landing, which ICEMAN is not capable to do (and will not be). Likewise, he is not capable to fight (dogfight, BVR, A2G) on the player's behalf (and will not be). Please note that ICEMAN was not a planned feature to begin with, which is why we consider him feature complete at any given time, but we may choose to expand his capabilities to improve the singleplayer RIO experience. Q: Is JESTER still missing features? Will he get more features in the future? A: Currently we are still working on implementing JESTER's LANTIRN capability. This will allow the player to use the LANTIRN pod together with JESTER. Beyond that only minor improvements are planned (for example adding more checklists, improving his behavior where possible), but we consider JESTER more or less feature complete. Quality of life features are another area that we will focus our attention to post early access completion. Q: Is the Tomcat difficult to fly? A: Yes and no. It is not a fly-by-wire aircraft and is considered a "pilot's plane", which means it is more hands on. This requires more effort by the pilot, but the upside of it is that the plane "speaks" more to the pilot. It is easier to feel what it wants and what it doesn't like, where the speed and AOA and G forces are at, and thus can make you a much more "aware stick" than a fly-by-wire aircraft (...and will teach you to use rudder!). For example: many claim it is easier to land on a carrier than a hornet, because of its Direct Lift Control (DLC), which the pilot can use to increase or decrease drag or lift, without changing power or pitch and AOA. On the other hand there is also a reason why it was called the "Turkey": roll reversal, flat spins, stalls, cross inputs are all things one has too look out for and train to avoid. But when flown as supposed to, it is very rewarding and it comes with plenty of "oomph". We've put in an unprecedented amount of hands-on work with some of the most experienced Tomcat pilots to make it feel as accurate as possible. This is why "reading off" all the rattling and buffeting and shaking in the cockpit is something that lets you fly it very precisely. Q: Can you fly the Tomcat as RIO in Singleplayer and Multiplayer? A: Yes and yes. However in Singleplayer the Player has to perform take off, landing and any offensive or defensive air combat or else complex maneuvering him- or herself. In Multiplayer the Tomcat is fully Multicrew capable and can be manned by two players, as pilot and RIO. Please note that in Multiplayer a Player cannot switch between seats like in Singleplayer. Q: If I fly alone in Multiplayer, can I switch to the RIO seat? A: Unfortunately no. This is only possible in Singleplayer due to limitations in DCS. In Multiplayer you can fly alone with Jester as your RIO, or as a human pilot with a human RIO or as a human RIO with a human pilot, but a RIO cannot fly without a pilot in Multiplayer. Whether or not this will change in the future, we cannot say and is not up to us. Q: What is Multicrew? A: Multicrew means you can fly the Tomcat online in Multiplayer or CoOp together with a friend (or stranger of course) as pilot and RIO. The Tomcat was a two-seat aircraft and is best experienced together with friends, where "two minds think as one and four eyes look out for two..." Q: My friend wants to be my RIO - does he or she need to own the F-14 Tomcat module, too? A: Yes. Creating the RIO part of the Tomcat was as complex, if not more complex as creating the pilot part of it. If you think of it, it is more or less like creating two modules, and a lot of sweat, passion and dedication went into getting it to this point. We hope you will find it equally fair as us, to ask for an appropriate price in return. We thank you for your kind understanding and continued support. Q: What is the Crew Pack on the Heatblur Store - and is it required to play Multicrew? A: If you and your friend want both to get the Tomcat module, we recommend you to get the Crew Pack on our store, which allows you to purchase 2 separate licenses (keys) for a slightly reduced price. Please note: The Crew Pack is only a bundle of 2 single licenses, and not required to enjoy Multicrew. Any 2 licenses purchased separately will work as well, and each owner of a license can join as either pilot or RIO at his or her own leisure. Q: Where can I find out more about the AIM-54 Phoenix missile and how you recreated it? A: Please check out the whitepaper we published about it. Currently Eagle Dynamics is implementing a new API for missiles, which will also benefit the phoenix missile. With this we were finally able to implement a more realistic guidance, which includes SARH guidance before going pitbull in a TWS shot and SARH only guidance during STT. We hope to further improve its mid-term guidance/ flight behavior once the new missile API evolves further. Please find the whitepaper here: http://media.heatblur.se/AIM-54.pdf Q: Will the F-14A have Glove Vanes modeled? A: Maybe to likely. If we will add them, it will only be visually. Their impact on the Flight Model was too small to warrant the amount of work needed to implement them fully. Q: Will you add more skins over the time? A: Yes. If you find we missed some skin after full release that should be included and you have good pictures of it from various angles, please contact us. Q: Will the Tomcat include a pilot body for normal and VR use? A: Yes. However due to the more complex animations we use, creating it takes longer and it will be added only towards the end of Early Access (both for pilot and RIO). Thank you for your kind patience. Q: Will you add customizable cockpits, or the option for a less worn cockpit? A: The short answer is no. We found that the current worn wear of the cockpit is most realistic, as confirmed by many SMEs. Recreating the entire cockpit with a less worn wear, would simply cost us too much time that we do not have. We would kindly like to point you towards community mods for this. We allow for customized cockpits, should you choose to use a mod. Thank you for your kind understanding. Q: Will you implement a dynamic cockpit system? A: Yes, we will. The extent of this system is still in flux, but you will begin seeing initial implementations of this system soon. More info to come. Q: Will you add a TARPS pod, and what will be its capabilities? A: We will add a TARPS pod, however its capabilities will be extremely limited, and it will more or less be primarily a visual implementation. The full integration into the HUD and systems would require simply too much work for the very limited role of reconnaissance in DCS. However, we will try to think of something that will provide at least basic gameplay with it. Q: Does the F-14 Tomcat support DCS Simple Radio in Multiplayer? A: It does. It has been integrated in the development from the get go (thank you, CiriBob!), and functions hand in hand with the radios in the Tomcat. You can even use the KY-28 encryption with it, as well as hot mic, etc. on the ICS between pilot and RIO. Q: Is there a Chuck's Guide for the F-14 Tomcat? A: Yes, there is, many thanks to Chuck Owl. Please find the guide here, it is excellent to get started: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=247236 Q: Where can I find more tutorials for the F-14 Tomcat? A: Please check out this thread containing links to several different tutorials. There are also training missions included with the module of course. Tomcat Tutorials click here. Many thanks to all content creators! Q: Is there a paint kit for skin creators? A: Yes, please check out the skinner's thread here. The paintkit is included in the first post. Q: Are there DLC campaigns available for the Tomcat? A: Yes, currently you can purchase "Zone 5" by Reflected Simulations. We highly recommend you check it out. We are sure more will follow in the future by the many talented Campaign Creators for DCS. Go check out Zone 5 here: https://forums.eagle.ru/forum/797-f-14a-zone-5-campaign/ Q: Are there community campaigns available for the Tomcat? A: Yes, many great ones indeed. Operation Cage the Bear by Kaba is included with the module (many thanks!), but you can download many more excellent ones here. Q: Does the F-14 Tomcat support simshaker/ buttkicker/ jetseat? A: It does. This, too, has been implemented from release of EA. Q: Where can I find changelogs for recent patches? A: You can find all recent changelogs by clicking here. Additionally we always offer a feedback thread for each patch, which you can find pinned in the same Forum Section (DCS: F-14A&B) as this FAQ. Q: What is the price for the F-14 Tomcat Module and are you offering sales? A: Currently the F-14 Tomcat is priced at 79.99 USD. We believe this to be a fair price - considering the level of simulation and the many extras this module includes. We do not expect to introduce price cuts or deep sales for the foreseeable future. Q: Is the F-14 Tomcat Module by Heatblur Simulations available on Steam? A: Yes. Q: If I own a steam version, and my friend owns a standalone version - can we still fly together? A: Yes. Both standalone and steam version are online compatible with each other and completely identical. Q: Do licenses purchased on the Heatblur Store or on the ED E-Shop work for Steam? A: Unfortunately no. Licenses (keys) purchased on the Heatblur Store or the ED E-shop only work for the standalone version, which can be downloaded here. Q: Where can I buy the Tomcat? A: You can buy the Tomcat either on the Heatblur store: https://store.heatblur.com/collections/all , in the DCS E-shop by Eagle Dynamics: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/ or on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/411893/DCS_F14AB_Tomcat/ . Please note: keys purchased on steam can be transferred to the standalone version, but not vice versa. Q: I purchased the DCS F-14A/B Tomcat on the Heatblur Store - how can I redeem my license (key)? A: All instructions, the key and relevant links should be included in the email you get upon your purchase. For further information please take a look at the thread linked hereafter or feel free to contact our support any time. How to redeem your Heatblur Store purchase - click here. Please remember: licenses purchased on the Heatblur Store are not compatible with Steam. Thank you all for putting your trust in Heatblur Simulations. We sincerely hope you enjoy our products and would like to thank you for your kind and continued support! https://store.heatblur.com/ https://www.facebook.com/heatblur ------------------------------------------------------- Minimum system requirements (LOW graphics settings): OS 64-bit Windows 7/8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Intel Core i3 at 2.8 GHz or AMD FX; RAM: 8 GB (16 GB for heavy missions); Free hard disk space: 60 GB; Discrete video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 / AMD R9 280X or better; requires internet activation. Recommended system requirements (HIGH graphics settings): OS 64-bit Windows 8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Core i5+ at 3+ GHz or AMD FX / Ryzen; RAM: 16 GB (32 GB for heavy missions); Free hard disk space: 120 GB on Solid State Drive (SSD); Discrete video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 / AMD Radeon RX VEGA 56 with 8GB VRAM or better; Joystick; requires internet activation. Recommended VR systems requirements (VR graphics settings): OS 64-bit Windows 8/10; DirectX11; CPU: Core i5+ at 3+ GHz or AMD FX / Ryzen; RAM: 16 GB (32 GB for heavy missions); Free hard disk space: 120 GB on Solid State Drive (SSD); Discrete video card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / AMD Radeon RX VEGA 64 or better; Joystick; requires internet activation. This product can be downloaded and installed through the DCS World Module Manager. If you do not have DCS World installed, you can download the DCS World web-installer by clicking this link. If the product description does not have information about which DCS World version you should install, you only need to have the "Stable" version DCS World 2.5 installed on your PC.