AIM-7 Sparrow update planned?

[dcsil2pilot]

Is there any plan for heatblur to provide any updates to the sparrows?

Or provide any that aren't currently modeled?

[Czechnology]

44 minutes ago, dcsil2pilot said:

Is there any plan for heatblur to provide any updates to the sparrows?

Or provide any that aren't currently modeled?

It's unclear how much input heatblur actually gets on these weapons. They will probably provide models, but unlike the vast majority of module contents, ED gets the final say on weapons and their performance

[Stackup]

1 hour ago, Czechnology said:

It's unclear how much input heatblur actually gets on these weapons. They will probably provide models, but unlike the vast majority of module contents, ED gets the final say on weapons and their performance

This.

2 hours ago, dcsil2pilot said:

Is there any plan for heatblur to provide any updates to the sparrows?

Or provide any that aren't currently modeled?

They provided the AIM-54 for the Tomcat so I assume any weapons that are not currently in game will be added model wise by Heatblur with ED having final say.  Things like napalm are of course waiting on the effects and damage modeling from ED.  I assume the -E sparrows will get proper models and improved flight characteristics. What all we are getting is a different story.  I assume the AIM-7E-2 Sparrow will be added and we might possibly see the AIM-9E as well as an earlier variant of the Sidewinder but minimum earliest the -9J as it's already in game on the Mirage F1.  For now, all we can assume is that the F-4 will eventually be able carry every weapon system, apart from nukes, that it could in real life although loadouts that were only tested are unlikely.  They probably won't all be available at launch using napalm as an example again, but I expect at minimum we see earlier missiles since we are getting the earlier version first.

[MAXsenna]

Aren't all weapons made by ED now?

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[Stackup]

7 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Aren't all weapons made by ED now?

I used to think once it came off the rails it's in ED's hands, but as we've seen with the Phoenix, Heatblur is the one making the fixes and gathering the data on the weapon so it's unclear who actually does what.  I assume that specialty weapon systems like the Phoenix are up to the third party to model, but the basic weapon types/damage have to be implemented by ED first like with napalm.  As there is no effect or damage type for napalm, the weapon type has to be made and implemented by ED, but with missiles it is probably more open since there is already a base functionality for that.  I think the difference is in the commonality of the weapon as I doubt ED would take the time to design and implement a weapon system for a 3rd party aircraft that is the only aircraft to use it like the Phoenix.  On the other hand, Sparrows and Sidewinders see use on almost all of the planes we have in game including many ED modules so it is more likely that those common missiles/weapons would be developed by ED.  Unless one of the devs comes out and tells us the specifics of this we won't really know beyond vague statements and guesswork.

[Exorcet]

19 minutes ago, Stackup said:

I used to think once it came off the rails it's in ED's hands, but as we've seen with the Phoenix, Heatblur is the one making the fixes and gathering the data on the weapon so it's unclear who actually does what.  I assume that specialty weapon systems like the Phoenix are up to the third party to model

The AIM-54 is waiting for transfer to ED's updated missile API.

[Stackup]

27 minutes ago, Exorcet said:

The AIM-54 is waiting for transfer to ED's updated missile API.

Cool.  The API is just the interface that allows someone to easily implement a missile into DCS.  So I guess my answer still stands, Heatblur will make any weapons specific to their modules and ED will implement ones that cover multiple modules, like if they give napalm tanks to the F-5 and the F-18 that can then be used on the F-4.

[Exorcet]

2 hours ago, Stackup said:

Cool.  The API is just the interface that allows someone to easily implement a missile into DCS.  So I guess my answer still stands, Heatblur will make any weapons specific to their modules and ED will implement ones that cover multiple modules, like if they give napalm tanks to the F-5 and the F-18 that can then be used on the F-4.

That doesn't quite match what ED has said in the past. After the SD-10 they decided they would have final say over missiles to keep things consistent. With the introduction of the API, the AIM-54 might become ED's responsibility fully. Or it might remain Heatblur's, but they will have to confirm to ED's standards for missile modeling. I don't think ED ever made a distinction based on how widely used a weapon is.

[Stackup]

1 hour ago, Exorcet said:

That doesn't quite match what ED has said in the past. After the SD-10 they decided they would have final say over missiles to keep things consistent. With the introduction of the API, the AIM-54 might become ED's responsibility fully. Or it might remain Heatblur's, but they will have to confirm to ED's standards for missile modeling. I don't think ED ever made a distinction based on how widely used a weapon is.

Nobody has made any distinctions though which is why I'm speculating the way I am.  I won't pretend I know anything that goes on behind the development of DCS or what happened with the SD-10, but I will say I have absolutely no wish to see things be "consistent".  I just want these modules and weapons to be as accurate as humanly possible so as to have the most realistic experience possible.  I don't want balancing for PvP or anything like that and Heatblur has said they never change things for this which I appreciate.  Who makes the changes is really irrelevant as long as they are accurate to the proper source material they have access to.

[Bozon]

12 hours ago, Stackup said:

Nobody has made any distinctions though which is why I'm speculating the way I am.  I won't pretend I know anything that goes on behind the development of DCS or what happened with the SD-10, but I will say I have absolutely no wish to see things be "consistent".  I just want these modules and weapons to be as accurate as humanly possible so as to have the most realistic experience possible.  I don't want balancing for PvP or anything like that and Heatblur has said they never change things for this which I appreciate.  Who makes the changes is really irrelevant as long as they are accurate to the proper source material they have access to.

“Consistent” is not about balance - it just means that the AIM-7E or AIM-9J or whatever will behave the same regardless of the plane that releases it.