Phantoms Phorever. PRE-ORDER & REVEAL Trailer

[Stackup]

1 hour ago, Ebphoto said:

Just very curios how it will look. Hey on a different note, how are you guys planning on doing the WSO in the A6? Everything ive read about and heard from say they flew with their head down in the scope for almost the whole flight! That will be interesting to see how you guys are going to implement that? Thanks for the reply!

I would expect the experience to be pretty much identical to how the all the other twin seat aircraft in DCS operate.

The B/N (the A-6 has a Bombardier/Navigator not a WSO hence the reason they stared at the radar and map strips for large portions of the flight) will be just another seat with the radar display, armament controls, etc. in front of you that you can look at using either VR, headtracking, or mouse/keyboard camera controls.  The only difference between what we have currently is that the A-6 is side-by-side seating like the Huey and Mosquito instead of tandem seating like all the two-seat jets we currently have in game.  The pilot sits on the left and the B/N sits on the right. 

As for how Jester will be in the A-6, I expect it will be very similar to how it works doing air to ground in the Tomcat.  Jester sets weapon type and release parameters to what you tell him and then the Pilot hits the release to drop the bombs or designate for computer release.  Of course all this with the added functionality of the 2.0 version of Jester.

Since Heatblur is one for detail and we can already see the cockpit bodies moving from the other seat in the F-14, I expect the A-6 will be the same although it is very possible by the time it releases Heatblur will have come up with a way to animate the body entirely, allowing you to watch as Jester moves his arms to flip switches or move the radar/TRAM control stick.  I believe we are getting the cockpit without the MFD but Heatblur has not confirmed which exact variant of the A-6E will be delivered although it will be at least a TRAM upgrade because all the images of the AI that have been released show it with the TRAM turret under the nose.

[Capn kamikaze]

Pre-ordered.

Are we talking weeks or months until this is released?

[Gianky]

4 minutes ago, Capn kamikaze said:

Pre-ordered.

Are we talking weeks or months until this is released?

My advice?

Think months, have a hidden hope for weeks (but don't trust her!).

[LF_Luftmanu]

Pre ordered too!! Couldn't help but also bring my friends! 

[BaronVonVaderham]

Question on the preorder:

ED has a 25% off preorder offer. Hearblur gives all kinds options with extra  goodies. If I order via heatblur, how does ED add it to my module list when it comes it?

[MAXsenna]

Question on the preorder:
ED has a 25% off preorder offer. Hearblur gives all kinds options with extra  goodies. If I order via heatblur, how does ED add it to my module list when it comes it?

Of course!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Lieuie]

17 minutes ago, BaronVonVaderham said:

Question on the preorder:

ED has a 25% off preorder offer. Hearblur gives all kinds options with extra  goodies. If I order via heatblur, how does ED add it to my module list when it comes it?

When you preorder from the Heatblur store you will get an email with a serial number that you will have to enter at the ED site when it becomes available. 

[Tom Kazansky]

18 minutes ago, BaronVonVaderham said:

If I order via heatblur, how does ED add it to my module list when it comes it?

For Standalone DCS (not Steam):

 

[unknown]

12 hours ago, Capn kamikaze said:

Pre-ordered.

Are we talking weeks or months until this is released?

Considering they said winter 2023/2024 google says anywhere between december 22nd 2023 and march 20th 2024. I hope for a earlier EA release but am prepared to wait.

[Gunfreak]

2 hours ago, unknown said:

Considering they said winter 2023/2024 google says anywhere between december 22nd 2023 and march 20th 2024. I hope for a earlier EA release but am prepared to wait.

As a Norwegian i refuse to accept winter starts late December.

Summer ends in August, September and October is fall and winter start November 1st and last until the snow is gone sometime between march and April.

[Beirut]

4 hours ago, Gunfreak said:

As a Norwegian i refuse to accept winter starts late December.

Summer ends in August, September and October is fall and winter start November 1st and last until the snow is gone sometime between march and April.

 

Concur. We had snow last week.  

 

And still no Phantom on Steam. 

[unknown]

5 hours ago, Gunfreak said:

As a Norwegian i refuse to accept winter starts late December.

Summer ends in August, September and October is fall and winter start November 1st and last until the snow is gone sometime between march and April.

That's not my definition of the seasons either, i just wanted to state that the current "release-window" is quite vague. I can already see the pitchforks and torches crowd screaming and shouting in january because they had no phantom unter their christmas tree.

For me it's no problem, i preordered the phantom mainly to support development of the A-6 and EF2k. But i will enjoy her for sure.

[MAXsenna]

As a Norwegian i refuse to accept winter starts late December.
Summer ends in August, September and October is fall and winter start November 1st and last until the snow is gone sometime between march and April.

Norway is loooong. Here in the south, November will always be fall.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Ebphoto]

So I understand what your saying about how it will be just like other two seat modules like the F-14. The main difference, only going off what I’ve read and heard in interviews and talks I’ve had with a friend who flew A-6’s in the Marines is, they say the BN had their head down in the (Now I can’t remember the exact verbiage) scope visor(?) The scope had a sun visor around it to block out all the light and the BN would have their head in that tube device for almost the whole flight, taking marks points for navigation and updating the pilots MFD throughout the flight and then making sure they had the target points correct and they plotted out course and course corrections on the scope for the pilot. They weren’t just glancing down at the radar as they flew, they literally had their head down in that scope for most of the flight. So, thats what I was referring to and wondering how it would be implemented or not or maybe a type of hybrid option for DCS. Just curios thats all. To me that doesn’t sound too fun but there are people who like things 100% accurate or real. Thanks, and btw great pictures!

[ThorBrasil]

5 hours ago, Beirut said:

 

Concur. We had snow last week.  

 

And still no Phantom on Steam. 

It is already on Steam, but has yet to be released for purchase.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2518950/DCS_F4E_Phantom_II_by_Heatblur_Simulations/

[Stackup]

22 minutes ago, Ebphoto said:

The scope had a sun visor around it to block out all the light and the BN would have their head in that tube device for almost the whole flight, taking marks points for navigation and updating the pilots MFD throughout the flight and then making sure they had the target points correct and they plotted out course and course corrections on the scope for the pilot. They weren’t just glancing down at the radar as they flew, they literally had their head down in that scope for most of the flight

We really need our own A-6 forum section.  (I know IronMike said it wasn't time yet but still, cough, cough pretty please )

The Mirage F1 has an optional glare shield (sun visor tube thingy) for it's radar scope and the backseater in the F1BE version has the same thing(although that one isn't removable afaik) for the HUD.  It will likely be optional if they do add it and they probably will if it was common enough.  I will say you don't need it at night and the A-6 is an all-weather day/night medium attack aircraft after all.

Like you said, some people might not find it fun, but it will be simulated as much as possible, this is Heatblur and DCS afterall.  I prefer piloting myself, and Jester is getting a serious overhaul with 2.0, but the BN will have to do everything like in the real jet, same as the pilot.  It's not like a hard and fast rule that you have to stay head down, but there was a lot of navigation done soley based on the radar picking out reference points on the ground, especially in the earlier models so staying head down for that is more important. 

One other note, the pilot didn't have an MFD, it was a VDI similar to the Tomcats.  The BN/bombing computer could send steerpoints to the pilot to ensure proper headings during navigation and bombing like you said.  I do think it's a bit funny/cool that the A-6 VDI display had little clouds in the sky area.  I believe that the box in the middle of the screen is the course marker and the triangle below angled with it to help the pilot visualize the flight path and corrections.

[Beirut]

18 minutes ago, ThorBrasil said:

It is already on Steam, but has yet to be released for purchase.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2518950/DCS_F4E_Phantom_II_by_Heatblur_Simulations/

 

That's kinda what I meant. 

[hmleao]

I hope we get pre-purchase discount on steam too xd

[Lieuie]

7 hours ago, hmleao said:

I hope we get pre-purchase discount on steam too xd

I would be surprised if you didn't.

[Beirut]

1 hour ago, Lieuie said:

I would be surprised if you didn't.

 

Unfortunate, but possible. But I'll still get it. Too much groovy tech to pass up.

[Lieuie]

6 minutes ago, Beirut said:

 

Unfortunate, but possible. But I'll still get it. Too much groovy tech to pass up.

I mean to say that it will most likely have a discount on steam as well. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.

[Beirut]

13 minutes ago, Lieuie said:

I mean to say that it will most likely have a discount on steam as well. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.

 

One day I'll learn to read properly. 

 

I think the F-15E was full price from the start on Steam, no? 

[Gunfreak]

17 minutes ago, Beirut said:

 

One day I'll learn to read properly. 

 

I think the F-15E was full price from the start on Steam, no? 

Not full price, but full early access price instead of lower pre-order price.

But heatblur ain't razbam. So I hope for a better deal.

[Lieuie]

As I have understood it Steam will have the same price as the ED and Heatblur stores. Once it's released into early access it will go to full price.

[diveplane]

brilliant detail, however the pilot needs some shine to his face as in sweat. :>)