F-14 Factory Clean Cockpit Mod

[DSplayer]

For those who desire a factory-like clean cockpit for the F-14.

This cockpit mod is still currently a WIP but I've decided to release it early as it is mostly complete but I won't have much time available in the coming months after working on this on-and-off for nearly a year. Feel free to ask questions in the comments, on the forum post, or pinging me on the Heatblur Discord (my discord username is @dsplayer) and I'll try to answer them as quickly as possible.

**IC Compliant**

UserFiles Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333027/

Manual install:
0.     If you want to have this clean cockpit mod both for the F-14A and F-14B, be sure to make a copy of the "F14B_cockpit" folder included in the 7zip file and
rename that copy "F14A_cockpit". Then continue to follow the next step.

1.     Drag and drop the "Liveries" folder into your DCS Saved Games folder (make sure you do not have any other F-14 cockpit mod installed).

2.     Replace all the files that you need.

3.     Done!

OVGME Install:
Coming soon™...

--Changelog--
V0.0.1 - Initial Release
V0.0.2 - L FIRE and R FIRE lights + Master Caution light fix from Magic Zach.

Things To Do/Things I Need To Refine since I hate their current appearance:
- Finish the majority of the screws
- Finish the lighting for the CAP panel buttons
- Finish the knobs
- Finish some normal and roughmets
- Refine the switches
- Refine the handles upfront
- Texture hidden panels
- Redo the flooring and siding
- Do the circuit breakers
- Clean up some of the in-cockpit lights (Fire lights, etc.)
- Have a dedicated F-14A & B version included that has different labeling (ex: Nozzle Percentages, Airstart/Backup Ignition)

 

Screenshots:

Pilot:

Spoiler

 

 

RIO:

Spoiler

 

 

Edited January 14 by DSplayer

[kotor633]

Hi,
Since Heatblure consistently refuses to create such a cockpit: great work! Thank you.

[Q3ark]

That’s brilliant, thank you for posting this! 

[scommander2]

Cool, thanks.

[MAXsenna]

Excellent!! Was looking for one that goes into Saved Games and not core!  

[westr]

I may be wrong but it’s giving me good impressions in VR, I think it’s reduced the shimmering edges and the switches etc look clearer and as a result more genuine looking. I’m not sure if it was your intention to improve its look in VR? Either way I can see you’ve put in a lot of effort and I look forward to seeing the final version. I’d be interested to hear anyone’s else’s opinion on this Mod in VR. 
 

when you do the fire lights is there a chance you could make them so they work clearer in VR? 

Edited September 22, 2023 by westr

[DSplayer]

3 hours ago, westr said:

I may be wrong but it’s giving me good impressions in VR, I think it’s reduced the shimmering edges and the switches etc look clearer and as a result more genuine looking. I’m not sure if it was your intention to improve its look in VR? Either way I can see you’ve put in a lot of effort and I look forward to seeing the final version. I’d be interested to hear anyone’s else’s opinion on this Mod in VR. 
 

when you do the fire lights is there a chance you could make them so they work clearer in VR? 

 

When I do the fire lights, I plan on trying to imitate what @Magic Zach did with his Readable F-14 MASTER CAUTION and L/R Fire Lights mod. Maybe I'll give him a poke and ask if I can use his work in a later version of my mod since I really like what he did.

[westr]

6 hours ago, DSplayer said:

When I do the fire lights, I plan on trying to imitate what @Magic Zach did with his Readable F-14 MASTER CAUTION and L/R Fire Lights mod. Maybe I'll give him a poke and ask if I can use his work in a later version of my mod since I really like what he did.

Thanks a lot. That would be really useful

[Magic Zach]

On 9/22/2023 at 8:16 PM, DSplayer said:

When I do the fire lights, I plan on trying to imitate what @Magic Zach did with his Readable F-14 MASTER CAUTION and L/R Fire Lights mod. Maybe I'll give him a poke and ask if I can use his work in a later version of my mod since I really like what he did.

I don't mind!  Or if you want to edit more lights than those, you can open up the files in my mod and see how I edited it vs the default.

[Rhrich]

This was most excellent, thank you. 
This made the Tomcat a thousand times more enjoyable for an old fart playing in Vr

[Leopardfive]

I've been in many aircraft cockpits. I often visit the National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin, Victoria, and the RAAF Museum in Point Cook, also here in Victoria. I've been in several unrestored cockpits, to name a few - Fairey Firefly, F86 Sabre, F-111, Mirage, Canberra, F4 Phantom, and none of them had had their cockpits restored since they were flying, some of these nearly 60-70 years ago. None of them had cockpits in as bad condition as the Heatblur F14 cockpit. Their f14 cockpit looks unrealistic and more like an arcade game. Where the hell did they get the impression that it was cool to go far beyond the used, and slightly abused look, to a far-fetched trash can look? Did they take photos at the Arizona Graveyard and imagined that actual F14s in service would sometimes look like a public toilet at an Arizona truck stop? Don't get me wrong, I didn't want it to look unrealistically new and I had seen reviews for it before I bought it, so I was a little prepared for it, but after I paid the moula for the F14, I was really disappointed with the result. Now it's almost worth the bucks, thanks you DSPlayer for making it seem much more realistic, you have saved it. I hope Heatblur won't make the F4 look like another wreck...

Edited September 30, 2023 by Leopardfive

[DD_Fenrir]

Christ not this AGAIN…

 

[JupiterJoe]

5 hours ago, DD_Fenrir said:

Christ not this AGAIN…

 

Why such a negative comment?  If some guys want to have a newer looking cockpit, when most campaigns for the F-14 are set during a time when the F-14B was relatively new, what's the harm?  I'd argue it also helps separate B from A, helps make it feel like a different variant and increases immersion.  This gentleman has done the hard work himself.  I for one applaud the commitment.  I bet even HB aren't mad at it.

Edited September 30, 2023 by JupiterJoe

[Naquaii]

8 hours ago, Leopardfive said:

I've been in many aircraft cockpits. I often visit the National Aviation Museum at Moorabbin, Victoria, and the RAAF Museum in Point Cook, also here in Victoria. I've been in several unrestored cockpits, to name a few - Fairey Firefly, F86 Sabre, F-111, Mirage, Canberra, F4 Phantom, and none of them had had their cockpits restored since they were flying, some of these nearly 60-70 years ago. None of them had cockpits in as bad condition as the Heatblur F14 cockpit. Their f14 cockpit looks unrealistic and more like an arcade game. Where the hell did they get the impression that it was cool to go far beyond the used, and slightly abused look, to a far-fetched trash can look? Did they take photos at the Arizona Graveyard and imagined that actual F14s in service would sometimes look like a public toilet at an Arizona truck stop? Don't get me wrong, I didn't want it to look unrealistically new and I had seen reviews for it before I bought it, so I was a little prepared for it, but after I paid the moula for the F14, I was really disappointed with the result. Now it's almost worth the bucks, thanks you DSPlayer for making it seem much more realistic, you have saved it. I hope Heatblur won't make the F4 look like another wreck...

 

The current cockpit is intended to be representative of how the actual cockpits of the represented aircraft looked. This has also been verified by basically all of our SMEs.

[Rhrich]

31 minutes ago, Naquaii said:

The current cockpit is intended to be representative of how the actual cockpits of the represented aircraft looked. This has also been verified by basically all of our SMEs.

You’re artists and you are entitled to portray your work in any way you want. But I do wonder why you are so intent on representing the tomcat as worn as possible, they didn’t all look like that and no one ever rattled.
But I would appreciate it if you took my post into consideration, especially the bold text which in all modesty is a valid point. 
 

Quote

get the impression that people have strong opinions about this, and I don’t see any use in discussing it further. It’s also hard to answer: The SMEs and developers only got access to museum pieces (often the most worn planes, and in all cases handled by workmen to make sure there isn’t any useful parts for Iran) and the airmen and maintainers memory will be clouded by time. The images that exist of cockpits when the plane was in service are not necessarily representative.  

The strongest objection I have is the following: If you make it look like a worn, but still realistic, cockpit on a 4k screen with a excellent graphics card, the average player with more average equipment and the constraints of VR glasses will have a much harder time viewing the instruments than a pilot flying the aircraft would. The attempt at realism therefore makes it unrealistic and further compromises playability. 

Btw: I’m going to guess your SMEs work in or have access to museum pieces. That’s the only way you would end up with so worn instruments and combine them with such crisp screens - with fingerprints. (Pilots vary, but I always wiped those.)

As tomcats, like all planes, varied it would be appreciated if you also tried to make some look decent.  The CAG planes almost never looked like this. 

[Naquaii]

16 minutes ago, Rhrich said:

You’re artists and you are entitled to portray your work in any way you want. But I do wonder why you are so intent on representing the tomcat as worn as possible, they didn’t all look like that and no one ever rattled.
But I would appreciate it if you took my post into consideration, especially the bold text which in all modesty is a valid point. 
 

Btw: I’m going to guess your SMEs work in or have access to museum pieces. That’s the only way you would end up with so worn instruments and combine them with such crisp screens - with fingerprints. (Pilots vary, but I always wiped those.)

As tomcats, like all planes, varied it would be appreciated if you also tried to make some look decent.  The CAG planes almost never looked like this. 

The only intent here was to represent the aircraft modelled as realistically as possible. And no, our SMEs were not museum curators, they were all aircrew or technicians with many hours under their belt in realistic, deployed (at sea) conditions. And like I've said, they've multiple times verified the look and that they're happy with it.

It's always possible to argue the different points about playability and I'm certainly not saying you're wrong. But we chose what we did because of realism, not the contrary. Granted it makes the learning curve harder until you've memorised all the controls but again, this is not willfully excluding what you're asking for, it was a matter or priority.

And afaik the intent is to eventually release a cleaner cockpit but it's not a quick job. The two years I saw someone posting in another thread seem a bit taken out of thin air but it's gonna take time and reasources to make a new set of cockpit textures with a cleaner look that's up to the expected standard of the official module.

Until then a mod like this is a perfect stand-in while you wait if you need it or wish for it.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Naquaii

[Rhrich]

8 minutes ago, Naquaii said:

The only intent here was to represent the aircraft modelled as realistically as possible. An no, our SMEs were not museum curators, they were all aircrew or technicians with many hours under their belt in realistic, deployed (at sea) conditions. And like I've said, they've multiple times verified the look and that they're happy with it.

It's always possible to argue the different points about playability and I'm certainly not saying you're wrong. But we chose what we did because of realism, not the contrary. Granted it makes the learning curve harder until you've memorised all the controls but again, this is not willfully excluding what you're asking for, it was a matter or priority.

And afaik the intent is to eventually release a cleaner cockpit but it's not a quick job. The two years I saw someone posting in another thread seem a bit taken out of thin air but it's gonna take time and reasources to make a new set of cockpit textures with a cleaner look that's up to the expected standard of the official module.

Until then a mod like this is a perfect stand-in while you wait if you need it or wish for it.

Thank you for your reply. 
 

That sort of works out the same. The technicians would seldom have access to the screens while they where in operation. And as I said, all those who worked on the plane or flew it would have their memory clouded by now. 
 

I agree. As far as I’m concerned this mod solves my issues. 

Thank you for an excellent mod. The Tomcat is more modern than me, and while I disagree in some of your choices I will say that no other sim has given me the same smile and feeling of flying as your Tomcat. I’m very grateful!

[Naquaii]

5 minutes ago, Rhrich said:

That sort of works out the same. The technicians would seldom have access to the screens while they where in operation. And as I said, all those who worked on the plane or flew it would have their memory clouded by now. 

Read that as you will but when pilots and aircrew with 2000+ hours in the real thing says we're good we're going to listen to them.

And thank you for you praise for the module!

And also, like I said, afaik an official cockpit with less wear will happen.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Naquaii

[Rhrich]

17 minutes ago, Naquaii said:

Read that as you will but when pilots and aircrew with 2000+ hours in the real thing says we're good we're going to listen to them.

And thank you for you praise for the module!

And also, like I said, afaik an official cockpit with less wear will happen.

 

That’s very good news! Thank you!

Edited September 30, 2023 by Rhrich

[joker62]

3 hours ago, Naquaii said:

And also, like I said, afaik an official cockpit with less wear will happen.

Thank you very much

[draconus]

On 9/30/2023 at 3:31 PM, Rhrich said:

The strongest objection I have is the following: If you make it look like a worn, but still realistic, cockpit on a 4k screen with a excellent graphics card, the average player with more average equipment and the constraints of VR glasses will have a much harder time viewing the instruments than a pilot flying the aircraft would. The attempt at realism therefore makes it unrealistic and further compromises playability. 

Interesting. You want artists to make things look great on old hardware, low resolution and poor graphic settings? Remember this technique called squint your eyes?

[Grodin]

21 hours ago, draconus said:

Interesting. You want artists to make things look great on old hardware, low resolution and poor graphic settings? Remember this technique called squint your eyes?

Are you misunderstanding him on purpose? Because i completely get what he is saying and thats not it.

While the current cockpit might be realistic when playing with high resolution etc there are many occasions where that is not the case and the end result is not that great because stuff in the cockpit is a bit challenging to read even with large screens @4k and max settings. If the player is not very familiar with the cockpit and labels and hes trying to read the labels looking for some buttons as a new pilot with avarage hardware and settings or a vr headset with avarage resolution the experience might not be that great if you have to spend too much time trying to figure out whats written on some label.

And maybe some people just like to look at new fresh looking cockpits, now they can. Thats why we have options to turn on and off things we like or don't like - it's not a type rated sim, you can do whatever you enjoy doing with it and it's nobodys business if someone thinks its "correct" or not. No matter how difficult or unpleasant it is we are all still just sitting in front of a computer playing a game and enjoying our time, forcing someone to look at something they don't enjoy seems pointless.

Luckily we have this mod and everyone can be happy - those who like it can use it and those who dont like it don't have to use it.

[draconus]

23 minutes ago, Grodin said:

While the current cockpit might be realistic when playing with high resolution etc there are many occasions where that is not the case and the end result is not that great because stuff in the cockpit is a bit challenging to read even with large screens @4k and max settings.

All I say is good artists always work on high end hardware to best perform and present their job of the highest quality possible - and it's completely normal that the end product can look worse if your display hardware is of low quality. But how is that fault of the artist or the game? If you're not familiar with the cockpit use zoom, labels and mods - all the tools you have available. Take your time with the manual.

I have nothing against anyone using the mods for clean cockpits just don't argue that it's more realistic for a Tomcat on deployment when most of the simulated flights happen. Yeah, there were times for all Tomcats when they were shiny new but they were like that very shortly. For those cases we have now a cockpit mod and possible future official cockpit option

[Hiob]

6 minutes ago, draconus said:

All I say is good artists always work on high end hardware to best perform and present their job of the highest quality possible - and it's completely normal that the end product can look worse if your display hardware is of low quality. But how is that fault of the artist or the game? If you're not familiar with the cockpit use zoom, labels and mods - all the tools you have available. Take your time with the manual.

I have nothing against anyone using the mods for clean cockpits just don't argue that it's more realistic for a Tomcat on deployment when most of the simulated flights happen. Yeah, there were times for all Tomcats when they were shiny new but they were like that very shortly. For those cases we have now a cockpit mod and possible future official cockpit option

Also as a minor side note, I assume that real Tomcat drivers didn't rely on labels but rather knew the position and function of any switch by heart.

More importantly I want to emphasize the use of zoom. On a 4K panel (I assume you use high texture settings with 4K) the labels should be ok to read (at least they are for me), but considering the triple digit FOVs that are often used by many players, it is no wonder that it can be hard to read sometimes. Just make yourself aware that a FOV between 60-80 is much more realistic and suddenly the instruments become much more readable.

[Kageseigi]

I want to thank both Heatblur for their commitment to authenticity and also SDplayer for the mod to help visibility.

Personally, I think visibility is a big issue when it comes to DCS (or any flight simulator in general). In the same sense that a "player" cannot feel the plane move like a "pilot" can, a "player" also cannot see the plane like a "pilot" can. If it we had just a static screen like in the old 80's and 90's flight sims, instrument visibility wouldn't be a problem, though awareness of surroundings would be. But now, we have much better visibility of what's around us, but we lose that instrument visibility.

Virtual reality users always have to deal with it due to the extremely limited FOV. Track IR users also have to deal with it because of FOV, but at least there are programs like Helios. I think that's what hurts me most (as a Track IR user)... I don't have a second monitor to put Helios on, so I can't use my head to follow a bandit, and just glance down with my eyes to read my instruments... I have to turn my head back to the instruments if I want to see my speed (or whatever else), and that requires sacrificing sight of the bandit... something that I'm lucky to get back. Sure, I could increase FOV or zoom out to try to see both, but It's difficult enough as it is to see instruments (not just on the F-14... I've been flying the F-5 and A-4 recently) when at a normal FOV/zoom level.

It's so difficult for me that I've actually created a little personal app for my tablet to display my speed in big numbers so I can see it at a glance. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to work on the server I fly on.

Yeah, while I'm happy to be able to fly and fight without the danger of real injury or death, I am very jealous of an actual pilot's visibility.