Frequently Asked Questions: The DCS : Eurofighter

[IronMike]

Frequently Asked Questions: The DCS : Eurofighter
by Heatblur Simulations and True Grit Virtual Technologies

 

Q: Heatblur and True Grit: How and why?

A: “Great minds think alike…” is a saying that permeates through the history of invention and creation. Whether our minds are “great” is not up to us to judge, but finding partners who are “of the same mind” opens possibilities and creates synergies with mutual benefit that unlocks new potential for both sides.

While True Grit Virtual Technologies brings the expertise and knowledge required to accurately simulate a modern fighter, in particular the Eurofighter, and also ensures legitimacy not only in terms of data-access, but also in terms of legality/protection of (non-)accessible data – Heatblur Simulations can bring its well-grown experience to bare in order to make the aircraft feel real and alive on your screen. Without a partner like True Grit, with its roots firmly seated in the Eurofighter community – a modern, complex Fighter Aircraft like the EF2000 would have never been possible – and eligible for that matter – for Heatblur to create to its well-known standards. We believe this to be an exciting partnership that will ultimately benefit the flightsim-community in order to enjoy the Eurofighter in its full, unleashed glory.

 

Q: Did Heatblur Simulations and True Grit Virtual Technologies merge?

A: TrueGrit is now part of the Heatblur Simulations family, and Heatblur will rely on TrueGrit as a core part of our team to bring the Eurofighter to life. Such a wonderful group of people will elevate us all in areas beyond just the Eurofighter: in expertise, vision, character, and we’re excited for this new evolution of our team and company. Specifically for the Eurofighter it was the logical step for both sides: each bringing a field of expertise that will let us take on the challenge together. And a modern, in-service, complex fighter aircraft certainly does bring an additional challenge to the development process. We are so excited to call such wonderful people our friends and team!

 

Q: How is development of the Eurofighter split between TrueGrit and Heatblur?

 

A: The Eurofighter will be developed and published by Heatblur, and co-developed by TrueGrit through the addition of subject matter expertise, development support and technical resources. TrueGrit will continue to hold and manage the license agreement with Eagle Dynamics as well as other parties and trademark owners.

 

 Q: What version of the Eurofighter will you focus on?

A: We will focus on a German version of the Eurofighter that may draw from several different Eurofighter versions. For one TrueGrit has its roots in the German fighter community; for the other an amalgamation of different versions lends itself most to what can be achieved and would be allowed to be depicted from the Eurofighter in DCS. As such, and as in real life, the DCS : Eurofighter will be released in steps. The initial release will orientate itself around a Luftwaffe version with air to air capability only.

There are different ways of wording what we're executing, but a specific one would be to say that it's an amalgamation. Service Eurofighters are frequently, rather chaotic, partial upgrades and evolutions, and we are leaning on this fact in order to strike a balance between three important pillars of a DCS aircraft: content (how much do you get for your money?), usability (how relevant and fun to use is this in a simulator/DCS World?) and feasibility (can we do this and make sure it's realistic with the data available?). 

Viewed through this lens, we're not shy to note that our Eurofighter is unlikely to match any real example you could point to, specifically. That isn't by itself unrealistic - again referencing how haphazard the real fleet can be - but we do feel that it is the right balance between the important pillars listed above. It's important to stress the fact that everything we do create and implement will be as realistic as we can possibly make it. This drives the final feature set, more than any specific tranche or serial. There will be no egregiously unrealistic or fantasy Eurofighter- but there will be liberties taken with ensuring that we can do what is possible, and ensure the most rich feature set in such a modern high fidelity module.

 

Q: Will the Eurofighter release in Early Access?

A: Yes. Early Access allows us to realize projects, which would otherwise be too ambitious in scope and size for a small niche market like combat flight simulation. This is due to the fact that we want to simulate these aircraft as deeply as possible. However, we are aware of the huge responsibilities that Early Access brings. Too often, Early Access gets abused as a free pass in the gaming industry to deliver unfinished products, and we ourselves do not have a spotless track record either. However, as with the F-14, or any previous module we’ve published, we will take great care to bring the Eurofighter - in each of its iterations - as finished and polished as possible. This of course not only includes functionality, but also graphics and performance. We thank you for your kind trust and support!

 

Q: What will Early Access include on initial release?

A: Early Access will include a fully flyable, fully clickable and fully functional Eurofighter with air to air capabilities only. This will include a fully functional flight model and Eurojet EJ200 engines (+ hydraulics, etc.), basic and needed Avionics (at the least), functional radar, functional air to air weapons specific to the Eurofighter, such as the Meteor and IRIS-T short-range missiles and the gun in air to air capability. Early Access will of course include a manual as well and the other set of requisite features expected from a Heatblur module.

As always, we will aim to release all systems that are planned for initial release fully developed – however the initial release of the Eurofighter will not include all of its systems, for example multirole air to ground capabilities. This is due to the fact that the Eurofighter is a challenging aircraft to develop, and unlike previous releases, we will be taking a more stepwise release approach. 

 

Q: What will the Eurofighter include on full release?

A: For the time being we cannot yet speak to all of the systems it will include on full release – we will try to depict as many as possible – provided the data needed to simulate them is publically and legally available. Thank you for your kind patience and understanding until we can tell you more. Apart from that we will of course deliver the module “chock-full” with content, as we like to say: You will get Campaigns, training missions, around 100 Quickstart, Singleplayer and COOP Missions and much more. 

Before purchase of the product will become available, all items to be included with the module will be listed.

 

Q: When do you plan on releasing the Eurofighter into Early Access?

A: The Eurofighter is in active development and our team is rapidly growing. We do not currently have a release date set, especially as full releases of the Viggen and F-14 currently have precedence over any future releases.

 

Q: Are you planning on expanding the module with more variants in the future?

A: For the time being we are planning on simulating the German version only. However, the Eurofighter is a truly multinational airplane, and we will try to bring this across as much as we can through liveries, campaigns and other content!

 

Q: Will you develop a DCS:Map suited for the Eurofighter?

A: We have no such plans at the moment.

 

 Q: How will you ensure accuracy of missiles like the Meteor?

A: Like with the AIM-54, a CFD based approach will help us recreate the missile as realistically as possible. The new missile FM and API in DCS is now maturing and we are confident that we will be able to work closely with our partners at Eagle Dynamics to accurately represent these missiles.

We will be making much of our research open-source, as with the AIM-54, to involve the community in our conclusions, simulation and findings- and to avoid any doubt as to how reasonable in-game performance is.

 

 

We’re looking forward to sharing more of this project with great excitement. We’re more ambitious than ever, growing more than ever and are more committed than ever to the world of flight simulation, and DCS Eurofighter is another opportunity to show you the quality that we can achieve as a team and company. We hope that with our combined efforts with TrueGrit now as part of Heatblur, we can truly bring you the most realistic PC-simulation of the Eurofighter that has ever been made!

Thank you for your very kind and continued support!

Sincerely,
Heatblur Simulations

Edited August 3, 2021 by IronMike
updated 08-03-2021