Announcing the F-4 Phantom for DCS World!

[Czechnology]

It's definitely in the video. They aren't going to just show the Phantoms and not do something with them. It wouldn't have been hard to just do this instead... pardon my on mobile crappy editing. Happy new years BTW.

[RevampedGrunt]

39 minutes ago, Stackup said:

I mean if we want to get technical, the screenshot with F-4's over the pyramids basically confirms in my opinion that the F-4 will be at least featured in the video.  I seriously doubt they would use the current AI F-4E with the low-poly model for something like that with the F-4E from Heatblur being so close.  Heatblur isn't tied to Friday newsletters like ED is so they could still announce something before Jan 4th.  Also, the F-4 isn't the F-14 and the reasons for the delays are very different.  I mean, come on, one is a war.  I honestly think they are purposely avoiding posting anything in the F-4 forums because the devs are really active in the F-14 section for instance.  They don't want to prematurely spoil anything so we get a big surprise when it releases.

20xxAB videos are also pretty large and would definitely be the time to show off a new module. We saw the teaser last year so I don't think it's a stretch to see something like the F-4 shown up in this, even if the devs have been keeping quiet. 

[Horns]

6 hours ago, Stackup said:

I mean if we want to get technical, the screenshot with F-4's over the pyramids basically confirms in my opinion that the F-4 will be at least featured in the video.  I seriously doubt they would use the current AI F-4E with the low-poly model for something like that with the F-4E from Heatblur being so close.  Heatblur isn't tied to Friday newsletters like ED is so they could still announce something before Jan 4th.  Also, the F-4 isn't the F-14 and the reasons for the delays are very different.  I mean, come on, one is a war.  I honestly think they are purposely avoiding posting anything in the F-4 forums because the devs are really active in the F-14 section for instance.  They don't want to prematurely spoil anything so we get a big surprise when it releases.

I agree it will be in the video for sure. It’s also true the reasons are different for this delay and the F-14. I seem to have accidentally deleted part of what I’d written before posting, but my point was that after missing an end-of-year deadline for their previous model, they weren’t rushing to get it out - in fact I’m fairly sure @Cobra847 confirmed at the time that he held it back to get as much done on the TGP and other stuff before putting it out ‘in the wild’, so we may see a similar process.

 Maybe they will let ED announce this module with no advanced hype, but that would be entirely different to the process they’ve followed with other modules.

 Honestly, I highly doubt we’ll get anything in the video but them spruiking the F-4 as a reason to be excited about DCS in 2023. That’s enough for me 

Edit: Happy New Year everyone. I am just guessing and I don't mean to be argumentative, just adding my perspective. I guess the important thing is that we're all looking forward to the F-4, and if it turns out to be announced January Phour (sorry) I'll be very happy I'm wrong!

Edited January 1, 2023 by Horns

[Stackup]

35 minutes ago, Horns said:

Honestly, I highly doubt we’ll get anything in the video but them spruiking the F-4 as a reason to be excited about DCS in 2023. That’s enough for me 

Happy New Year!  Yeah there's a lot to be excited for in 2023.  The F-4E and F-15E are both really close to being ready for release as well as the Sinai map and possibly the F4U Corsair as well.  Maybe there's more stuff that will come out as well, guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we. 

[dcsil2pilot]

So no updates on the timeline at least? I know about the 2023 AB video teaser having the F-4 but that's ED, nothing from Heatblur on missing the date?

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

17 hours ago, Rick50 said:

 

You guys are making the mistake of assuming HB are using the  Gregorian calendar, not the DCS Calendar! There's still plenty of time!

Oh, of course! The Gregorian calendar isn't flawed enough, to be honest.

 

 

31 minutes ago, dcsil2pilot said:

So no updates on the timeline at least? I know about the 2023 AB video teaser having the F-4 but that's ED, nothing from Heatblur on missing the date?

They did make a statement a while ago about how Current Events™ and personal issues have thrown a wrench into their plans. Whether they update the timeline is pretty pointless. They missed their goal, they couldn't do much about it. No sense in getting hung up on it, we just wait a bit longer.

[Rick50]

 

Are we there yet? Are we there yet?Are we there yet?Are we there yet?

 

?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

 

 

jk!

[dcsil2pilot]

6 hours ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

Oh, of course! The Gregorian calendar isn't flawed enough, to be honest.

 

 

They did make a statement a while ago about how Current Events™ and personal issues have thrown a wrench into their plans. Whether they update the timeline is pretty pointless. They missed their goal, they couldn't do much about it. No sense in getting hung up on it, we just wait a bit longer.

That was 2 months ago on Reddit. The update since then was "the F-4 is nearing completion" a month later. The post on Reddit even specifies "sorry about the non-answer" showing they're explaining how things are going in the office, not how the timeline is.

 

All I'm asking for is a timeline update. Obviously they missed their goal of 2022, but some communication would be nice.

[Stackup]

17 minutes ago, dcsil2pilot said:

All I'm asking for is a timeline update. Obviously they missed their goal of 2022, but some communication would be nice.

Heatblur will give us an update when they are ready.  We've waited this long, I think we can survive a little longer without news.  I don't really expect any updates from them until the Phantom is ready for preorder/release, after which I expect a whole deluge of information and video tutorials leading up to its release into the DCS open beta.

[Silver_Dragon]

19 minutes ago, Stackup said:

Heatblur will give us an update when they are ready.  We've waited this long, I think we can survive a little longer without news.  I don't really expect any updates from them until the Phantom is ready for preorder/release, after which I expect a whole deluge of information and video tutorials leading up to its release into the DCS open beta.

And that require ED get a "aproval" to a preorder/release...

[Mike Force Team]

The only clue, which is my opinion only, is for "maybe possible" date for the January 4, 2023.  I base this assumption on the screenshot for the video called 2023 and beyond.  The screenshot for the video shows Egyptian pyramids and two microscopic F-4s in the sky above the pyramids.  

That aside, we might be waiting for a while longer since the software developer and ED have not given us any new updates.  The lack of news leaks, no posting of WIPs, no new posts on interviews with the software developers, and the lack of any new training videos suggests we are still waiting.

@Silver_Dragon is diligent on providing us with new information, when available.

Edited January 1, 2023 by Mike Force Team

[Silver_Dragon]

5 minutes ago, Mike Force Team said:

The only clue, which is my opinion only, is for "maybe possible" date for the January 4, 2023.  I base this assumption on the screenshot for the video called 2023 and beyond.  The screenshot for the video shows Egyptian pyramids and two microscopic F-4s in the sky above the pyramids.  

That aside, we might be waiting for a while longer since the software developer and ED have not given us any new updates.  

 

"202X and Beyond" videos never has been a "release" video, only show what working ED and 3rd parties on that year.

[Mike Force Team]

22 hours ago, Czechnology said:

It's definitely in the video. They aren't going to just show the Phantoms and not do something with them. It wouldn't have been hard to just do this instead... pardon my on mobile crappy editing. Happy new years BTW.

I understand your frustration.  I want the F-4, too.  Be patient.  I know it is easier said than done.

Mike Force Team

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

6 hours ago, dcsil2pilot said:

That was 2 months ago on Reddit. The update since then was "the F-4 is nearing completion" a month later. The post on Reddit even specifies "sorry about the non-answer" showing they're explaining how things are going in the office, not how the timeline is.

 

All I'm asking for is a timeline update. Obviously they missed their goal of 2022, but some communication would be nice.

What will getting it changed to 2023 honestly do? We haven't put money into it yet, at least. And, if they're going over lines of code of systems and the FM, there's not much to share. We'll have to see what happens on Wednesday.

Hopefully we get some screenshots.

[Raviar]

20 pages of speculations
the video is on 4th jan, lets wait & see what does ED have for us

[Horns]

17 hours ago, dcsil2pilot said:

That was 2 months ago on Reddit. The update since then was "the F-4 is nearing completion" a month later. The post on Reddit even specifies "sorry about the non-answer" showing they're explaining how things are going in the office, not how the timeline is.

 

All I'm asking for is a timeline update. Obviously they missed their goal of 2022, but some communication would be nice.

I suspect the silence already tells us implicitly as much as any new statement might tell us explicitly: that they don't have any new information or timeline to share.

Ordinarily I get annoyed anytime an ETA is missed by some margin without warning (even when it's a tradesman), but this might be one time I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. We know their team are directly affected by the Ukraine war, if someone doesn't know how long they'll have power day to day it's impossible to estimate what their work output will be. I believe @Cobra847will get the hype train rolling once we're approaching presale, until then we might just have to bear with them.

[jaguara5]

I'm curious how complete   the FM will be at the beginning. Can we expect something similar to the F-14's initial FM?

Edited January 2, 2023 by jaguara5

[SgtPappy]

7 minutes ago, jaguara5 said:

I'm curious how complete   the FM will be at the beginning. Can we expect something similar to the F-14's initial FM?

 

Realistically, I'm betting it will be like most modules - as best as they can make it and it will eventually need tweaking as people explore the flight envelope. 

I'm not sure if anyone - even HB - can speculate on how "finished" it really will be. 

[Bozon]

6 hours ago, Raviar said:

20 pages of speculations
the video is on 4th jan, lets wait & see what does ED have for us

Nonsense!

We have less than 2 day left - speculate faster! 

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

11 minutes ago, Bozon said:

Nonsense!

We have less than 2 day left - speculate faster! 

We need to start making some serious and insane connections. I want some real muck-rakin' here! We're working on a deadline and I expect to see a connection between Halliburton and Cobra.



Whaddya guys got for me!?

[RevampedGrunt]

47 minutes ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

We need to start making some serious and insane connections. I want some real muck-rakin' here! We're working on a deadline and I expect to see a connection between Halliburton and Cobra.



Whaddya guys got for me!?

HB has a contest ending tomorrow, in which you can win a free F-4, and then the next day is 2023AB, which thr teaser for that had some hints that we'll see the F-4. Maybe... Just maybe, even though they didn't make the 2022 release, they are able to make a Q1 2023 release. Is that good?

[Horns]

2 hours ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

We need to start making some serious and insane connections. I want some real muck-rakin' here! We're working on a deadline and I expect to see a connection between Halliburton and Cobra.



Whaddya guys got for me!?

You mean, like saying HB aren't making F-4 announcements because they're going to release the Eurofighter first to punish Halliburton whistleblowers who are eagerly phoaming for the phantom?

Edited January 2, 2023 by Horns
Saw connection late

[Bozon]

2 hours ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

We need to start making some serious and insane connections. I want some real muck-rakin' here! We're working on a deadline and I expect to see a connection between Halliburton and Cobra.



Whaddya guys got for me!?

Turns out that the HB Ukrainian team of developers were working in an isolated farmstead in east Ukrain when the Russians invaded. The F-4E code was left on the hard drive of a computer, disconnected from the internet, 100 miles behind enemy lines. Cobra847 was tasked with training a team of soldiers to parachute across enemy lines and retrieve the hard drive. The soldiers, recruited from murderers, rappers and criminals on death row, are promised commuted sentences. In spite of their history, the 12 men prove a spirited and courageous unit. However, 2022 passed and the team was not heard from. This is why HB were unable to give us any news or even screenshots of the module.

Now, with just 2 days to the 2023AB video Cobra and IronMike have taken upon themselves to write the entire code from sctratch. They have been frantically hammering away at their keyboards while being sustained by the other HB employees on a strict diet of Redbull, sugar, and espresso shots. Each of them has worked through multiple keyboards already that fell apart sending Caps Locks and spacebars flying everywhere. Will they make it in time for a 2023AB video? It only takes one broken typing finger for this effort to fail.

I dont know bout you all, but I will cheer for them and keep my fingers crossed.

[Elf1606688794]

^^

 

[Czechnology]

5 hours ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

We need to start making some serious and insane connections. I want some real muck-rakin' here! We're working on a deadline and I expect to see a connection between Halliburton and Cobra.



Whaddya guys got for me!?

Halliburton was founded in 1919 and Cobra was born in 1991, just move one digit and you've got 1919 or 1991 from both of those! Must be a connection!