Stormbirds Article

[Czechnology]

Read it and weep.

https://stormbirds.blog/2022/10/29/an-update-on-the-dcs-f-4-phantom/

As in literally weep. I like to imagine they might "get us in the fourth quarter", as the saying goes, but my hopes are down.

Strange mix of "We're still going for it" and "Here's all these reasons we won't make it."

Fingers crossed, praying, but I think we're gonna have to wait for 2023 - not that I'm too upset. 

[Heinlein]

I read that as well. Seems like they lag behind in the modeling & texture department because of the war in Ukraine. But miracles can happen as they say and a big and talented team that heatblur now is I still see it as possible to have it by Christmas, if not a Q1 23 release. I have noted that they have not done much in terms of updates to models lately so that might be because they focusing everything on the phantom. They updated the radar in the F-14 in the last update but I believe that's more of a coding thing rather then modeling thing but hey I know next to nothing about this stuff. 

[IronMike]

Being committed and realistic at the same time is not exclusive. We're trying our best, but we don't want to promise anything yet, because of the reasons as mentioned in @Cobra847's reply.

[Dragon1-1]

Someone go tell Putin to knock this damn war off, we want our Phantom already!  

[Manhorne]

Ever since the war through a wrench in the whole project I pretty much am of the belief it will be another 1 to 2 years before we will see it. If even then. The reason I feel why is that EA seems to be doing constant improvements to DCS and if the Phantom is not ready within the next 6 months those improvements will force further delays to it and it will keep getting pushed further and further down the road....I am not optimistic at all about it at this point.

[Dragon1-1]

I don't think so, HB seems pretty committed to deliver this around early 2023 at the latest. I don't think we'll see major changes that would affect the modules until then, ED is making changes first and foremost to things like AI or rendering, and those don't involve much from the teams themselves. GFM (new AI FM) will possibly be a gamechanger, but we have no timeline on that. I don't think there are any other big items in the pipeline that could delay the Phantom. It doesn't even use the DTC, should they manage to add it soonish.

[shocknawe371]

A bigger issue is the overall release timeline slots still available this year.. Since its EXTREMELY unlikely ED  or its partners want multiple modules releasing in the same month we can safely assume a Ka-50 Nov update because of the big Ka-50 bundle push, a likely F-15E in Dec and F-4 next year not necessarily because of completion delays.  alone but fact we generally have 1 module a month to maximize sales / give each new module the spotlight.

[Heinlein]

hace 4 horas, shocknawe371 dijo:

A bigger issue is the overall release timeline slots still available this year.. Since its EXTREMELY unlikely ED  or its partners want multiple modules releasing in the same month we can safely assume a Ka-50 Nov update because of the big Ka-50 bundle push, a likely F-15E in Dec and F-4 next year not necessarily because of completion delays.  alone but fact we generally have 1 module a month to maximize sales / give each new module the spotlight.

Good point. The F-15E is really being teased these days especially and the fanbois are breathing heavy. It is also good to hear that HB are hiring more people so hopefully that helps with keeping the timeframe as well. But for me a war is a valid excuse for delays. 

[Phantom88]

I wish the best for The Health and Well Being of The Heatblur team around The World.Sometimes We All need to take a steep back and realize these Developers are Real People with the ups and downs of Real Lives.

I'm very confident whenever The Phantom is Released it Will Be The Best and Most Complete Module that The Heatblur Team can provide.

[Germane]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb shocknawe371:

A bigger issue is the overall release timeline slots still available this year.. Since its EXTREMELY unlikely ED  or its partners want multiple modules releasing in the same month we can safely assume a Ka-50 Nov update because of the big Ka-50 bundle push, a likely F-15E in Dec and F-4 next year not necessarily because of completion delays.  alone but fact we generally have 1 module a month to maximize sales / give each new module the spotlight.

I dont see there any problem to be honest. For ED itself, there is actually no reason that speaks against it. Furthermore, it has to be said that the modules are not usually in competition with each other and the group of buyers does not become smaller as a result.

Lets hope the best!

[Mikep821]

I’m still optimistic about it. 
You'll make it!  Go HB! 
9 weeks is lot of time and I lost all passion on other module’s, and I really want to fly before this year end..

[Top Jockey]

6 hours ago, Phantom88 said:

I wish the best for The Health and Well Being of The Heatblur team around The World.Sometimes We All need to take a steep back and realize these Developers are Real People with the ups and downs of Real Lives.

I'm very confident whenever The Phantom is Released it Will Be The Best and Most Complete Module that The Heatblur Team can provide.

 

... and I thought it was the F-14 Tomcat. 

[Czechnology]

Do want to briefly highlight that there is no and should not be any ill will towards the HB team.
Will profess personal slight annoyance with the lack of a solid answer, but at the same time fully get that this is just the situation we're in, but it doesn't go past that, a slight annoyance.

Still expecting the module will drop in an excellent state and will be a personal favorite for a long time, if not forever.

[79Au]

I think they should move EA release to end of march. And finish the AI A-6 tanker first.