Jump to content

Feedback Thread - Tomcat Patch 07-21-2021


IronMike

Recommended Posts

Dear all,

 

as always thank you so much for your great feedback, we ironed out especially the game freezes and crashes in this patch, and would love to hear your feedback again.

Additionally we would like to point out two new great teaser missions for the instant action missions by @Reflected - take a look and enjoy!

Known issue: somehow we managed to unintentionally delete the coop versions of both campaigns (reforger and cage the bear) - these will be added back with the next patch our apologies for that.

Finally, we would like to thank Yae Sekura for the great new Swordsmen skin!

As always, please find the changelog attached below. Thank you for your continued feedback and support!



 

DCS: F-14 Tomcat by Heatblur Simulations

  • Fixed game freezing on load.
  • Fixed game freezing on respawn in Multiplayer and/or mission re-start.
  • Fixed game crashing on mission restart and/or Multiplayer respawn.
  • New: Added VF-32 Swordsmen AB200 (1976) from Yae Sakura. (Thank you!).
  • New: Added “Fear the Bones” and “Zone 5” Teaser Quickstart Missions by Reflected Simulations. (Thank you!).
  • Adjusted Marianas Quickstart Missions and instant action menu naming.
  • Fix for AIM-54 not going active on held tracks.
  • Fix for showing multiple TID tracks in STT modes.
  • Updated threat library to version RB71. Added: CVN-7, NASAMS, Kuznetsov and La Combattante II.
  • Slightly tweaked ACLS reliability and autothrottle gain (WIP).
  • Fixed STBY ADI behavior and controls:
    • white arrow is not hiding when pressing the cage button anymore.
    • caging now works during flight and resets the STBY ADI to the zero position.
    • uncaging during flight will now set the aircraft's current attitude as the new zero position.
    • inputs and controls now work for STBY ADI front cockpit controls, too.
    • STBY ADI now works for both Pilot and RIO correctly.
  • Fixed Mach and Airspeed Indicator behavior and controls: airspeed bug is no longer tied to mach number and will now stay set.
  • Removed incorrect leading plus signs from positive pitch lines on the HUD.
  • Fixed COMP -> COMB typo on hydraulics gauge.
  • Added night illumination to control surface flags on the controls indicator.
  • Added black albedo to helmet slider knob hole.
  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1

Heatblur Simulations

 

Please feel free to contact me anytime, either via PM here, on the forums, or via email through the contact form on our homepage.

 

http://www.heatblur.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heatblur/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just had some weird TWS behavior
Phoenix launching off the rails and not getting TTI on the TWS track. No switches were touched that would make it go active off the rails, but nose QTR speed gate was selected.

 

TWS tracks being lost right off the rails in multiplayer multicrew. Both lead and trail TWS tracks were lost simultaneously out of nowhere, no crank was done, and the shots were done roughly around 50nm.

 

BreaKKer

CAG and Commanding Officer of:

Carrier Air Wing Five //  VF-154 Black Knights

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Impressive ! Thanks for getting out the iron.

 

ALIENWARE R11 - I9 10900KF @ 5.1 GHz - M.2 NVMe 2TB - RTX3090  - XFURY 64GB -3400 MHz RAM

Monitor AW3420DW @ 120Hz - Virpil CM3 Throttle - TM TPR Rudder pedals - Virpil CM2 w/TM Hornet Stick Center - Monstertech Deck Mounts 

RealSimulator FSSB-R3 Lightning Base w/ F16SRGRH SideStick - VR user / Varjo Aero - Big Thx to mbucchia

Start Date April 2020 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 I’ll start by saying congratulations on squashing that pesky crash bug, glad you guys were able to get that done for us and from my testing it’s gone!
 

  But I’ll also be that bloke and ask, surely we must be seeing the Forrestal soon? Since it’s slated along with Jester LANTIRN as being in the ‘Next Major Patch’, is that term used like a pseudo ‘two weeks’ now? Seems these features just keep slipping further and further away. 

  • Like 3

"I'm just a dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Gunslinger22 said:

 I’ll start by saying congratulations on squashing that pesky crash bug, glad you guys were able to get that done for us and from my testing it’s gone!
 

  But I’ll also be that bloke and ask, surely we must be seeing the Forrestal soon? Since it’s slated along with Jester LANTIRN as being in the ‘Next Major Patch’, is that term used like a pseudo ‘two weeks’ now? Seems these features just keep slipping further and further away. 

 

Nah, but it means really what it means: next major patch. Major patches every month is just not doable for us, as much as we would love to. This is not a promise, but: August unlikely, September more likely. Please do take it literally, as in: likely, not sure. It is the same reason for delays as always: playing catch-up with bugs that get in between, and really trying to iron out the best, not just something. But we're getting there, that is a promise. 🙂

  • Like 8

Heatblur Simulations

 

Please feel free to contact me anytime, either via PM here, on the forums, or via email through the contact form on our homepage.

 

http://www.heatblur.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heatblur/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, IronMike said:

 

Nah, but it means really what it means: next major patch. Major patches every month is just not doable for us, as much as we would love to. This is not a promise, but: August unlikely, September more likely. Please do take it literally, as in: likely, not sure. It is the same reason for delays as always: playing catch-up with bugs that get in between, and really trying to iron out the best, not just something. But we're getting there, that is a promise. 🙂

Holy moly...September, maybe?  It doesn't even sound like everything will be completed then...after HB's hopes of having the Tomcat completed this past March...I thought HB was expanding, improving processes and production?  Maybe it's just me but things seem to have slowed down significantly.  There is still a TON of work to do on the F-14B alone before completion.  I just don't get it.  Yeah, I know, early access takes a long time...whatever that means these days.  The constant delays, missed dates...it get's old after several years though when paying for something and still not getting it and constantly being told we would.

  • Like 1

i5 7600K @4.8GHz | 1080 Ti | 32GB 3200MHz | SSD | DCS SETTINGS | "COCKPIT"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Donut said:

I just don't get it.  Yeah, I know, early access takes a long time...whatever that means these days.  The constant delays, missed dates...it get's old after several years though when paying for something and still not getting it and constantly being told we would.

 

Quality takes time and estimating time is notoriously hard in tech, especially in a shifting environment. I don't say this with malice, but HB are also especially slow. So long as the devs stay engaged with us, there's not really a whole lot you can do to speed them up. You can express your frustration, but I imagine they're aware and frustration sadly doesn't add anymore hours to the clock.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, near_blind said:

 

Quality takes time and estimating time is notoriously hard in tech, especially in a shifting environment. I don't say this with malice, but HB are also especially slow. So long as the devs stay engaged with us, there's not really a whole lot you can do to speed them up. You can express your frustration, but I imagine they're aware and frustration sadly doesn't add anymore hours to the clock.

Very well said and I agree.  What I am frustrated with is that their engagement is misleading...coming soon, almost ready, near completion, planned for release in this month or next patch...months/year+ later and still waiting.  If estimating time is so difficult, why does HB keep doing it?  It has reached a level of utter insanity.

  • Like 2

i5 7600K @4.8GHz | 1080 Ti | 32GB 3200MHz | SSD | DCS SETTINGS | "COCKPIT"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Donut said:

Very well said and I agree.  What I am frustrated with is that their engagement is misleading...coming soon, almost ready, near completion, planned for release in this month or next patch...months/year+ later and still waiting.  If estimating time is so difficult, why does HB keep doing it?  It has reached a level of utter insanity.

This perfectly sums up my sentiment with HB currently, I know all the possible replies people will have in defence of them, but please do not take this as an attack. But rather I’d just love to see my favourite developer stop putting their foot in their mouths every month and just say that they’re a while off and need a lot more time with things to ease any pressure they put on themselves. 

  • Like 2

"I'm just a dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, it is rather simple: we give you extra stuff, and extra stuff needs extra time. Most importantly: it needs a lot of extra maintenance work, which of course takes away from the development work.

The "ton" of things that need to be finished with the F-14, is 80% nitpicky stuff, to be rather blunt, and 20% major things that either need fixing or still to be added. Which in total makes maybe somewhere between 1 and 5% of the entire module... It also depends on what point of view you take. "but my pet peeve!" We get it more than you guys think: no one wants to be done with it more than us. But the reality is also: we will never be really done with it. DCS will continue to evolve and we will need to continue to update what we have, on the side of creating new things.

I remember well my days before becoming a developer, when I was only a customer: you want, and you don't understand why you do not get it. We're avid simmers ourselves, and we wait for other things across the industry, just as you do. But why didnt MSFS do this already, or when does XY aircraft in Il2 finally release and so on and so forth... But, once you know what all goes into making modules, not only for the level we strive to achieve, but also with the extra added content, you quickly realise: most of our expectations are rather unrealistic.

Think about it: the Tomcat is now for nigh 7 (!) years in development - and that is not because we like to slack off. But some expect a module every year, a new feature every month, and long twining roads come to an end just beyond the next bend in the road. It would be great if that was possible, and in fact it is: at the expanse of quality and content alike. Neither is an option for us - so we're here for the long run. And we hope you will be, too. 🙂


Edited by IronMike
  • Like 12
  • Thanks 2

Heatblur Simulations

 

Please feel free to contact me anytime, either via PM here, on the forums, or via email through the contact form on our homepage.

 

http://www.heatblur.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heatblur/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Gunslinger22 said:

This perfectly sums up my sentiment with HB currently, I know all the possible replies people will have in defence of them, but please do not take this as an attack. But rather I’d just love to see my favourite developer stop putting their foot in their mouths every month and just say that they’re a while off and need a lot more time with things to ease any pressure they put on themselves. 

 

Did you not just ask when lantirn and Forrestal will be finished? See, and this is exactly why I gave you a rough estimate. I said it time and time again: if it wasn't for you guys constantly asking for estimates, I would never, ever give you one, and always simply reply with: it will be ready, when it is ready. 🙂

 

Quote

But I’ll also be that bloke and ask, surely we must be seeing the Forrestal soon?


 

  • Like 5

Heatblur Simulations

 

Please feel free to contact me anytime, either via PM here, on the forums, or via email through the contact form on our homepage.

 

http://www.heatblur.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heatblur/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, IronMike said:

Well, it is rather simple: we give you extra stuff, and extra stuff needs extra time. Most importantly: it needs a lot of extra maintenance work, which of course takes away from the development work.

The "ton" of things that need to be finished with the F-14, is 80% nitpicky stuff, to be rather blunt, and 20% major things that either need fixing or still to be added. Which in total makes maybe somewhere between 1 and 5% of the entire module... It also depends on what point of view you take. "but my pet peeve!" We get it more than you guys think: no one wants to be done with it more than us. But the reality is also: we will never be really done with it. DCS will continue to evolve and we will need to continue to update what we have, on the side of creating new things.

I remember well my days before becoming a developer, when I was only a customer: you want, and you don't understand why you do not get it. We're avid simmers ourselves, and we wait for other things across the industry, just as you do. But why didnt MSFS do this already, or when does XY aircraft in Il2 finally release and so on and so forth... But, once you know what all goes into making modules, not only for the level we strive to achieve, but also with the extra added content, you quickly realise: most of our expectations are rather unrealistic.

Think about it: the Tomcat is now for nigh 7 (!) years in development. But some expect a module every year, a new feature every month, and long twining roads come to an end just beyond the next bend in the road. It would be great if that was possible, and in fact it is: at the expanse of quality and content alike. Neither is an option for us - so we're here for the long run. And we hope you will be, too. 🙂

 

C’mon mate, did you read what we’ve all said? No one has questioned how hard development is, nor has anyone here questioned the teams dedication to an amazing product. We’re talking about your timelines and how they are presented to your customers.


The phrases mentioned in the post above are frequently used in updates leading to a false sense in confidence with how things are being handled, you haven’t addressed this and what I’m asking is if you could tone down your community timelines and be much more truthful in expected dates.

1 minute ago, IronMike said:

 

Did you not just ask when lantirn and Forrestal will be finished? See, and this is exactly why I gave you a rough estimate. I said it time and time again: if it wasn't for you guys constantly asking for estimates, I would never, ever give you one, and always simply reply with: it will be ready, when it is ready. 🙂

 


 

Yes I was asking, as you have continually teased the near completion of the Forrestal for over a year.

 

But alas now I shall wait another two months and ask again. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

"I'm just a dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I commend you on the work you have done on the Tomcat and the work you continue to do. We are fortunate that you guys pump out fixes for the game breaking bugs as fast as you do. Unfortunately there are other aircraft that dont get anywhere near the same treatment.

Owned Modules: F-18, F-16, F-14, AV-8B, A-10c, Huey, Hip, KA-50, Gazelle, Mig 15, Mig 19, Mig 21, FC3, P-51, BF-109, C-101, L-39, F-5, YAK-52

 

PC Specs- 8700k at 5.1GHz on Asrock z370 Fata1ity k6, EVGA 1080ti SSC2, 32 GB G.Skill TridentZ, 1TB NVMe m.2 Drive for DCS with a 500gb NVMe M.2 boot drive, Oculus Rift S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Gunslinger22 said:

No one has questioned how hard development is, nor has anyone here questioned the teams dedication to an amazing product. We’re talking about your timelines and how they are presented to your customers.


The phrases mentioned in the post above are frequently used in updates leading to a false sense in confidence with how things are being handled, you haven’t addressed this and what I’m asking is if you could tone down your community timelines and be much more truthful in expected dates.

100% this.  Being a paying customer for some reason doesn't mean much these days for some reason...but I dare say that we are owed some realistic, fair, and accurate timelines.

 

Speaking of the Forrestal and AI A-6 for that matter...I personally think that those can wait and be the very last things after the Tomcat is completed. Why are resources being put into the free extras when the module we purchased, the DCS F-14 Tomcat is still not completed and behind stated schedules?


 

 

  • Like 2

i5 7600K @4.8GHz | 1080 Ti | 32GB 3200MHz | SSD | DCS SETTINGS | "COCKPIT"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So far so good.  Encountered an issue with AIM-54C tracking a MiG-31 in TWS earlier during a Liberation Multiplayer campaign.  Maintained track until 14s to impact when I broke off to evade (and fail to evade) his R-33... missile never went active on a current valid track.  Had this happen earlier in the same mission with a JF-17 at range.  Never lost track, AIM-54C never went active.

I DON'T have a Track File at the moment, I'll have to download the track file and upload it with a bug report.

My YT Channel (DCS World, War Thunder and World of Warships)

 

Too Many Modules to List

--Unapologetically In Love With the F-14-- Anytime Baby! --

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Donut said:

Very well said and I agree.  What I am frustrated with is that their engagement is misleading...coming soon, almost ready, near completion, planned for release in this month or next patch...months/year+ later and still waiting.  If estimating time is so difficult, why does HB keep doing it?  It has reached a level of utter insanity.

 

Why they're doing it? Because you asked!

Giving precise estimates is difficult and the alternative would be not providing estimates at all. Maybe that's what you want, but I prefer having rough estimates. Knowing that the Forrestal (and other addiotions like digital engine instruments for the F-14B) probably won't come in August and maybe not even in September is great info for me and helps me with keeping my expectations in check. Thank you @IronMike for this, despite all the flak you guys recive for it!


Edited by QuiGon
  • Like 5

Intel i7-12700K @ 8x5GHz+4x3.8GHz + 32 GB DDR5 RAM + Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080 (8 GB VRAM) + M.2 SSD + Windows 10 64Bit

 

DCS Panavia Tornado (IDS) really needs to be a thing!

 

Tornado3 small.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, BreaKKer said:

Just had some weird TWS behavior
Phoenix launching off the rails and not getting TTI on the TWS track. No switches were touched that would make it go active off the rails, but nose QTR speed gate was selected.

 

TWS tracks being lost right off the rails in multiplayer multicrew. Both lead and trail TWS tracks were lost simultaneously out of nowhere, no crank was done, and the shots were done roughly around 50nm.

 

yep can confirm that there is no TTI counter if there is a player RIO. however, this is there before the today's patch( i manage to take a multicrew flight just before the patch)

 

oh and thanks HB for fixing the freeze 🙂


Edited by ustio
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, QuiGon said:

 

Why they're doing it? Because you asked!

Giving precise estimates is difficult and the alternative would be not providing estimates at all. Maybe that's what you want, but I prefer having rough estimates. Knowing that the Forrestal (and other addiotions like digital engine instruments for the F-14B) probably won't come in August and maybe not even in September is great info for me and helps me with keeping my expectations in check. Thank you @IronMike for this, despite all the flak you guys recive for it!

 

Fair dinkum you’re right. They’ve never had an issue or missed a deadline they’ve set, they’re bloody awesome. 
 

I reckon I was in the wrong, should never have mentioned anything other than absolute praise for HB, amazing patch as usual. Wish they’d make their own sim and dominate the market with their unparalleled quality! 

"I'm just a dude, playing a dude, disguised as another dude."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Gunslinger22 said:

Fair dinkum you’re right. They’ve never had an issue or missed a deadline they’ve set, they’re bloody awesome. 
 

I reckon I was in the wrong, should never have mentioned anything other than absolute praise for HB, amazing patch as usual. Wish they’d make their own sim and dominate the market with their unparalleled quality! 

 

 

The truth is we missed every single estimate we gave. Yet you guys want more. See, I think that is fine, that you do. Because it is a learning process. You want us to predict the future, ok, so we try. It is impossible, we all know that. But: while trying, we all learn something. With future modules, not only will we be the wiser to make maybe better predictions for what they are worth, but the customer also knows - things take time.

@Donut - please explain to me how being a paying customer does not mean anything these days? We cherish our customers above anything, which is why we offer so much more than we actually should, from a business point of view. We don't really do it, because working over-hours is our favourite thing to do. Sure, this job is our absolute passion, but at the end, it would mean nothing without you guys. Not sure, really what you mean by that. We do what we can - always - to make you guys and keep you guys happy. If you do not feel that or see that, I am very sorry for it. I thought this was clear at least.

 

In the end, we do get what you guys mean: we are absolutely horrible in giving timelines, we really are. But not because we just drop a random date to appease you, but because it is nigh impossible to give good timelines. It still would be better to not give any timelines at all, but otoh, like this, even if timelines constantly get pushed, you at least know what we are aiming for, and you are being kept in the loop. Thing is this: if you ask us "where is XY feature now?" - you will always get an honest answer from us, and no bullshitting about what is and what isn't done. When we say "almost done" - it is because it is. That is for example the incredibly frustrating thing from our side: the forrestal indeed has been "almost done" for the past 2 years. And we had to push it back time and time again for various reasons. It makes us feel stupid, and embarrassed, too, you know. It is not like that we just shrug it off and go "ah, what gives..." - to the contrary, it weighs heavily on our shoulders, and we feel always terrible, because we wanted you to have it yesterday, rather than tomorrow. I think what is most important, is that you guys know that you can always ask us anything, and you will always get a straight answer. The only thing is that with estimates, as mentioned by everyone here, being straight is rarely possible.

So for the time being let us agree on this: we are aiming at September for the next major patch. We will also have stuff for you in August. But please don't crucify us, if things, yet again, come in between and we have to postpone yet again. We will wrap up the Tomcat soon, and I can assure you that everyone at Heatblur is pushing hard in that direction. We do hear you. 🙂

 


Edited by IronMike
  • Like 9
  • Thanks 1

Heatblur Simulations

 

Please feel free to contact me anytime, either via PM here, on the forums, or via email through the contact form on our homepage.

 

http://www.heatblur.com/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heatblur/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...