* DCS: F-14 Development Update! Scan, Lock, Fire! *

[Bad Idea Hat]

I'm going to admit that every time I see someone say that we shouldn't expect it in 2017, I think "I CAN'T WAIT AN ENTIRE YEAR FOR THIS!"

 

TIL it's not still 2016. Stupid brain.

[Buckeye]

Thanks for the great update! If I could make a suggestion though... You might want to start tamping down 2017 expectations. It sounds like it may be a while until its ready. I'm happy to wait for quality but you know there will be riots if we don't hear about it until December 31st...

 

I believe that is their intention with the "Road to Release" update that Cobra referenced in his OP...

[Kayos]

I think the Harrier, hopefully a hornet and DCSW 2.5 delivery before the end of the year will carry us through well into next year.

 

I really doubt the Hornet and DCSW 2.5 will be this year.

I give it a 0% chance.

 

Can't wait for the F-14. Hopefully they will still manage to get it out to us in December :)

That would mean pre-sale really soon though so they are running out of time.

[kontiuka]

I really doubt the Hornet and DCSW 2.5 will be this year.

Oh, I don't know about that ... considering the Hornet will be released in an incomplete, early-access state.

 

 

Anyway, nice update Heatblur.

[CheckGear]

Two things stand out from this overview:

 

TCS: I thought the screenshots were of a TCS in use in the real world. It looks amazing and holds even more significance for me, given things I learned while reading a book I'm using for research for an article.

 

Apparently, the TCS wasn't available on all F-14s in every squadron, even well after its introduction into the fleet. In one squadron during a mid-1980s deployment, only three of twelve Tomcats had it. It goes to show you that the F-14 never really became "ultimate" until almost two decades after its introduction.

 

Jester AI: I think this will actually become the "killer app" of the module. We've had AI flight crew in the past, but never to the level of intelligence as Jester appears to be at. Ordering "it" to look in a particular direction, for instance - that's not just a sign of how much flight sims have become sophisticated, but also how advanced AI has become in general.

 

I was playing Fleet Defender a while back and, just seeing screenshots and reading previews for DCS: F-14 makes Fleet Defender look like a cheap survey sim. We've come a very long way in 23 years, baby!

[33-DFTC]

I really doubt the Hornet and DCSW 2.5 will be this year.

I give it a 0% chance.

 

Considering one of the latest SithSpawn’s post on the new Caucasus map thread, your "0% chance" seems a bit excessive. As someone asked if there was hope for a Christmas release, he simply replied : "I have hope."

 

If I remember it correctly, the new Caucasus map will be available with the 2.5, right ?

 

I want to believe

[Destroyer37]

Heatblur, your team is seriously raising the bar for module development in DCS. Well done!

[Fred00]

I do have respect for all of the 3rd party developers. However, none of them beat Heatblur when it comes to photorealistic cockpits. Belsimteks have a plastic kind of look and not so amazing texture work, though the modules themselves are great. Razbam make really good looking cockpits, but Heatblur is on another level. The Mig-21, the Viggen and now this. Amazing!

[Buddy114]

seriously? quoting the 2km long opening post?

Lol. Why say anything more than need be? Great work is great work.

 

Sent from my SM-G928I using Tapatalk

[Top Jockey]

Outstanding news report!

It even shared some light about the Sidewinder modes/functions.

 

Would be great if it gets available in December... who knows ?

[Reflected]

Great update, this module will really raise the bar! The radar system seems very complex at first sight, I'm glad I'll have Jester in my backseat to handle it. I'm especially happy to hear about those 2000+ sound files, I'm sure it will be very immersive.

 

Special kudos for the cockpit textures. Those greasy smudges on that screen...wow...simply wow...

 

Keep these updates coming, and I hope the Tomcat lands under my Christmas tree with an OK 3 wire! :)

[trindade]

Stunning update, looking beautiful. Can we hope for an early access this Christmas?

 

:beer:

[Lt.Seahawk]

Ive never expected DCS to get this deep into the systems, eventhough I always dreamed about it. This really is a work of art, I cant wait to fly this bird!

 

Awesome work!

[Kayos]

Considering one of the latest SithSpawn’s post on the new Caucasus map thread, your "0% chance" seems a bit excessive. As someone asked if there was hope for a Christmas release, he simply replied : "I have hope."

 

If I remember it correctly, the new Caucasus map will be available with the 2.5, right ?

 

I want to believe

 

Ok, 2% chance then.

[VampireNZ]

Stop to update the interwebs whilst finishing up the greatest DCS module of all time....

 

[probad]

Those greasy smudges on that screen...wow...simply wow...

prerelease: omg smudges wow nice

postrelease: someone please make clean screen mod

[Devil 505]

Anybody else hope Jester will be saying watch the birdie and this is a great shot Mav, I should be a photographer!

 

[Harpoon]

prerelease: omg smudges wow nice

postrelease: someone please make clean screen mod

 

well smudges are the mark of a bad ground crew /s

[Scrape]

well smudges are the mark of a bad ground crew /s

 

The smudges are probably from the ground crew who fixed the system that the pilot broke and will soon be using. That's why pilots wear gloves, to wipe off the screen.

[westr]

Hi heatblur guys. Is there a chance you could update us on how you are planning to record sounds or have perhaps already recorded sounds for the distinctive sounding TF-30 engines?

[Cobra847]

Hi heatblur guys. Is there a chance you could update us on how you are planning to record sounds or have perhaps already recorded sounds for the distinctive sounding TF-30 engines?

 

We have a soundset of F-14 engines and for any missing characteristics, these will be synthesized or grabbed from similar aircraft, such as the F-111 TF-30s.

[Robert31178]

Scrape - might be partially true, but the other reason is that those gloves are Nomex and also fire retardant.

[Cobra847]

The screen smudges (whomever they come from) were indeed very much present on active duty cats :)

 

[Destroyer37]

I have this problem at work to, stop touching the damn screen people lol!

[Jester986]

Why do people always assume the G1000 is a touch screen? It's surrounded buy softkeys damn it!