Your Thoughts: Is the F-16 Worth Time Investment Now, or Just Wait

[flameoutme]

I know most of the DCS modern fighter modules are in various states of build, some more than others. I own most of them and enjoy them. But I've been a wee bit hesitant to dip my toes into the F-16 (which sits quietly in my hanger as I purchased it) because of all the chatter about its state.

 

Clearly a lot of people are using it, and I've gone out for a few joy rides.

 

My question is, is the radar, weapons and weapons delivery, flight and damage modeling far enough along since launch to invest one's time into learning, or should I keep my F-16 in the oven a bit longer? Opinions?

 

I'm asking this sincerely.

[jimmywa3]

I think, that even in its limited state, there is plenty of stuff to learn about it, and it's a fun bird to fly.

 

I haven't stopped flying it since it came out, still learning the systems, but looking foward to more functionality. Night flying is tough with no taxi or landing lights, really wish that would come sooner than later.

 

If you hop in it, and start learning what is there, and get good at that, then I think the updates will come out frequently enough to keep you interested and in the cockpit.

Edited October 31, 2019 by jimmywa3

[Kappa]

I think, that even in its limited state, there is plenty of stuff to learn about it, and it's a fun bird to fly.

 

I haven't stopped flying it since it came out, still learning the systems, but looking foward to more functionality. Night flying is tough with no taxi or landing lights, really wish that would come sooner than later.

 

If you hop in it, and start learning what is there, and get good at that, then I think the updates will come out frequently enough to keep you interested and in the cockpit.

 

same for me

[MadMonty]

I also have many modules, but unfortunately I don't have much time either.

 

Therefore it is more difficult for me to learn how to fly in well developed aircraft. With the Viper I am happy to learn everything since the first lesson and to master what is currently available as far as possible (for my requirements).

 

What is there is more than enough to have a lot of fun. Air combat works great and there is already a good basic selection of air-to-ground weapons. Only the damage model is still very rudimentary, but that doesn't bother me so much, especially since it's important to avoid damage. :music_whistling:

[rrohde]

If you don't want to be part of a growing and evolving module during early access (whatever ups and downs this may bring in your overall experience), then don't.

 

However, if you're into mil aviation and want to fly her for the sake of flying an F-16 in DCS, and learn the systems and sensors as they become available, then by all means - go for it. It's an amazing module already, and - it's the friggen F-16 finally in DCS. :)

 

I liken myself here as a test pilot, and patch after patch I get to try new things and/or validate existing - but improved - elements of the Viper. I am having a lot of fun thus far.

 

So why not get yourself the DCS F-16C and have some fun with it as well?

[lee1hy]

90% of people recommend F/A-18, If you like the memories of FALCon 4.0 and feeling generation graphics buy it

[Arctander]

You shouldn’t have bought it.

 

It’s obviously far away from the point that it is. Parity complete - and looking at the hornet it could be years. Imo If you already have a stable to fly keep flying those and you should have waited till ED finish a product.

[Eldur]

I think it's worth it. Personally, the worst thing is the fact that you can't properly trim roll axis (it's simply not precise enough by a very huge margin) which is an issue that plagues DCS as a whole. Flying with that TGP without appropriate counter-weight on the left cheek station is NOT fun at all.

[Badlego]

It is far away from finished, but in its actual state it is already a blast to fly!!!

Id say it is worth every penny right now!

 

-very good radar, although it still has some EA bugs (loose lock when jettison, no SAM-mode stabilization)

 

-Mode 4 IFF interrogation feels great although it still is a simplified placeholder

-Awesome handling when you got used to the stiffness at early joystick inputs

-Killer acceleration! I hope its not OP and what i heard so far is its not! Performance without fuel tanks or AG-stores is pretty on point to RL-performance AFAIK. Stores drag is still WP but you get used to it....dont expect to fly like a pure AA-Viper after you pickled all your bombs atm....but you may expect it soon ;)

-AG-capabilities are already decent enough to have fun: LGB with TGP, including buddy lasing and 12xMk82 carpet bombing are my most favourite atm.....

 

They may be more points pro viper, but id say the ones above are already enough to buy it ;)

[Scofflaw]

I don't regret buying it. One of my favorite parts of a new module is learning the startup procedure, radio controls, flight characteristics, and maybe a few basic weapons.

 

The only thing that left a bad taste in my mouth was that the external model, wingflex, and external lights are unfinished. Although had I've known this ahead of time I would have still bought it, it's a big immersion-killer for me.

[Rubberduck85]

I'm happy to have bought it, I fly it daily even in it's limited EA current status and have fun. It will mature as a module as time goes by.

 

Sent from my Xiaomi MI8

[BuzzU]

If I pay $80 for it I want it completely done. I'll wait and if it never gets finished I saved $80.

 

I jumped early on the Hornet. I won't do that again.

[Harlikwin]

It depends. Its pretty bare bones in alot of respects IMO. Yes its flyable and usable, but waiting till its more fleshed out will probably be a better experience. Coming from the hornet and not being able to setup waypoints on cold start MP servers really really really pissed me off as an example. The "fix" is to have 1 or 2 that I can reprogram but lets be honest that this is kludge. Plus then there are all the other weird little bugs, or possibly wierd "WAD" things about the viper.

 

So its just how much do you want to put up with it vs a more mature product. I'm generally much more excited about the JF17 than I was about the viper since that will be far more complete on day 1, but thats just me.

[Airhunter]

100% wait, you'll end up with a ton of negative training as pretty much every system and procedure is WIP currently.

[kengou]

I would say no, not worth it right now. Probably in 6 months or a year it'll be terrific, but right now so many MFD and DED pages don't exist, damage model is WIP, it has no radar gunsight, master modes and weapon logic isn't working properly, no cursor zero... it's just very rough. It will be a difficult learning experience for newcomers and it means that employing the F-16 is going to involve lots of workarounds.

[JumpinK]

I don't regret buying it. One of my favorite parts of a new module is learning the startup procedure, radio controls, flight characteristics, and maybe a few basic weapons.

 

The only thing that left a bad taste in my mouth was that the external model, wingflex, and external lights are unfinished. Although had I've known this ahead of time I would have still bought it, it's a big immersion-killer for me.

 

Same here. At least some lights would be great. But it's already a pleasure to fly the Viper in it's current state.

[flameoutme]

Thank you all. One thing for sure - this community - all of you are a great bunch of people to interact with. I enjoyed reading all your comments. Thank you so much and you have given me so much to think about.

[Covurt]

I've been an F16 geek for 20 plus years so it's a no brainer for me. I feel I've gotten my $60 worth already. It's really going to depend on you and what you are looking for. I'm sure it's going to be a rocky road for a while.

[Mule]

I played the other F-16 sim for many many years going back to the late 90's. I'm going to wait until it's matured a bit and then jump in. It does look superb.

[Wicked.-]

I bought it knowing it would be framework only and it's the only thing I fly. I flew the Viper in another sim for 20 years but once I flew in VR I was done with flying on a monitor and eagerly awaited DCS' Viper release.

Having flown the Viper for 2 decades I'm not worried about negative training because I know what's wrong or missing in it's current state. I simply create new tactics to make it work until it gets fleshed out. That said, how experienced are you in the Viper? If you're brand new to it, I'd wait.

[Skyron]

Save your 80$, it seems thats its too early for the 16.

You should wait for more than one year for the module to be somehow playable.

Its been almost 1,5 years that the same thing happens with the 18.

[BuzzU]

I bought it knowing it would be framework only and it's the only thing I fly. I flew the Viper in another sim for 20 years but once I flew in VR I was done with flying on a monitor and eagerly awaited DCS' Viper release.

Having flown the Viper for 2 decades I'm not worried about negative training because I know what's wrong or missing in it's current state. I simply create new tactics to make it work until it gets fleshed out. That said, how experienced are you in the Viper? If you're brand new to it, I'd wait.

 

I have too and the reason I don't think i'd be happy with an incomplete Viper. I hate waiting but I want to be happy with the DCS version when I finally fly it.

[Oceandar]

If you had to ask then you should not buy it IMHO. Wait untill at least it enters phase 2 in development. It would save you from confusing with bugs and incompleted features, its EA after all.

I bought it because I love the Viper since I was a kid and want to support ED. Never cross in my mind not even a second I've ever regret buying it. Its already blast to fly.

[BuzzU]

A lot of you have missed that the OP already bought it.

[Katj]

I bought it knowing it would be framework only and it's the only thing I fly.

I bought it on the same premise and I don't fly it. It's not that its not enjoyable in its current state, it certainly is. It's just that I can fly other more finished modules, that are even more enjoyable.

 

That said; if you want it, buy it. I don't regret getting it, even though I find it too unfinished to compete with other modules at present. I expect that will change going forward, and I'm a patient guy, well, sort of.