DCS F-4E Phantom II Release Date Announcement- May 21st 2024

[Grundar]

I think the forums will be positive soon enough, as soon as we get our hands on the F4.  People are eager to play and disappointed with setbacks so very close to the finish line.   Heatblur have continued to raise the bar with each module and the F4 is a long desired aircraft, it looks like they have delivered big time from all the media reports very recently.  Honestly, I for one look forward to wielding a combat 'stache and cackling manically as I skim the terrain looking at my two pixel radar display to discern a target while the WSO hangs out of the cockpit waving a coathanger to try and get some better reception for the radar, all while keeping his smoke lit.  

[1Basti1]

It is not the setback so close to the finish line. It is because tomorrow a lot of peoples can't test it like it came today. In Europe we have the problems that the patch will come at the evening and for the most of us start the family life at this time. So the most take a day free from work today, but not tomorrow.

[Kalasnkova74]

The same people complaining about a one business day delay would be ROASTING HB if the F-4E dropped on time with any flaws.

These modules are nearly as complex as real world aircraft, and we know how often delays happen in that profession. It may drop tomorrow, it may be delayed until June 2024…or even later. Stuff happens. I’ll be ready when HB is. 

 

[MichaelJWP15]

This way we are getting it as fast as possible.

For a risk free date, ED/HB would have to aim for a final build probably the week before, then hold on to it if it passed all testing, would people really prefer that?

I was in the videogames business a long time, going back to the days when the only way to get fix patches to your users was on the cover disk of magazines!! (Ok this is a bit of a 'back in my day post  sorry)

[Thump]

8 minutes ago, Kalasnkova74 said:

The same people complaining about a one business day delay would be ROASTING HB if the F-4E dropped on time with any flaws.

These modules are nearly as complex as real world aircraft, and we know how often delays happen in that profession. It may drop tomorrow, it may be delayed until June 2024…or even later. Stuff happens. I’ll be ready when HB is. 

 

Still doesn't sound like an HB issue caused the delay.

Edited May 21 by Thump

[Toga10]

ED really not winning over much favor with the customers right now. What possible excuse is there for only checking this last minute when they're about to release what is perhaps the most hyped and anticipated module that DCS has ever seen? I genuinely want an excuse. A lot of people gave up stuff today so they could play the Phantom and id hope ED shows them the respect they deserve and gives a proper explanation and apology instead of 'Whoopsy guys our bad we forgor to check it earlier, just a teensy snag on the update you've been waiting over 6 months for :3' 

Absolute joke, why am I not surprised

[Viking 1-1]

From what I'm reading the delay isn't even related to the phantom, but to something else ED is trying to implement with the patch.

If this is true I just don't understand why they just don't release the phantom and work on their patch without pressure.

But we will never know, communication has always been an issue and seems to remain like this.

Edited May 21 by Viking 1-1

[Max Thunder]

4 minutes ago, Toga10 said:

ED really not winning over much favor with the customers right now. What possible excuse is there for only checking this last minute when they're about to release what is perhaps the most hyped and anticipated module that DCS has ever seen? I genuinely want an excuse. A lot of people gave up stuff today so they could play the Phantom and id hope ED shows them the respect they deserve and gives a proper explanation and apology instead of 'Whoopsy guys our bad we forgor to check it earlier, just a teensy snag on the update you've been waiting over 6 months for :3' 

Absolute joke, why am I not surprised

+1

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

3 minutes ago, Viking 1-1 said:

From what I'm reading the delay isn't even related to the phantom, but to something else ED is trying to implement with the patch.

Yeah because the Phantom has never been delayed, right?

[Lt_Jaeger]

That is just one drop too much for me.

Given the late track record I'm angry at myself for ordering that Afghan thing from ED. The Razbam show made me step away from the Chinnok and the plan to buy the missing (only very few) modules. In the future I will avoid EA (not aimed at HB) and let my Credit card speak, or better, be silent.

Really pissed right now, even considdering it is only a pc game

[Viking 1-1]

5 minutes ago, Ala12Rv-Tundra said:

Yeah because the Phantom has never been delayed, right?

What's your point?

All I'm saying is that the phantom seems to be ready.

EDs patch not.

So why are they delaying a finished product?

[XCNuse]

I'm honestly just wondering how we got to release day.... and still don't have a video on how to even start the jet.

Where are the startup tutorials we were promised?

(yes I know it's in the manual, but the way the manual reads expects you to know the jet and where things are like the back of your hand)

 

We've hit release date (delayed), and don't even have a single [tutorial] from HB; what happened?

edit-to be clear, the 2 videos that have been released relating to aspects of the cockpit and functionality are theorycrafting and how things operate; they aren't tutorials; for anyone who wishes to argue that point.

Edited May 21 by XCNuse

[Ben149]

7 minutes ago, Viking 1-1 said:

What's your point?

All I'm saying is that the phantom seems to be ready.

EDs patch not.

So why are they delaying a finished product?

I asked the same, here's the response

Edited May 21 by Ben149

[davidrbarnette]

I'll be more clear: my frustration isn't with this delay. It is with the pattern of constant delays without acknowledgement that anything should change with how they manage projects and launch products. Wouldn't one think that if it were a clear pattern that something would change? 

Consumer sentiment is like a box of matches; each time you screw up, you burn a few matches out of your box of consumers. Some are harder than others to ignite... they'll stick around even after being struck time and time again. But eventually, even those matches are spent, and if you keep doing it, you run the risk of running out of matches.

Edited May 21 by davidrbarnette

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

7 minutes ago, Viking 1-1 said:

What's your point?

All I'm saying is that the phantom seems to be ready.

EDs patch not.

So why are they delaying a finished product?

My point being they pushed hard to meet a deadline, but failed.
What I mean by "they", it´s ED or Heatblur. Or whichever software company.

What you mean by "they", it´s purely "ED". Which seems quite unfair. Were you so vocal when HB delayed the F-4 last xmas? What´s more, were you so vocal when HB delayed the F-14?

[Islari]

This is clearly not HB fault as we've seen flying a pretty build of the F-4 for few days on content creators screens.

You know how HB could just become the best add on creator ? Giving everyone (who has preordered it) the same key as the content creators.

As mentioned before by someone else, I am one of the guys who took one day off, so this last minute mess will gonna cost me around 200$. If they had told us that delay before, we could have canceled our day off.

Edited May 21 by Islari

[Viking 1-1]

10 minutes ago, Ala12Rv-Tundra said:

My point being they pushed hard to meet a deadline, but failed.
What I mean by "they", it´s ED or Heatblur. Or whichever software company.

What you mean by "they", it´s purely "ED". Which seems quite unfair. Were you so vocal when HB delayed the F-4 last xmas? What´s more, were you so vocal when HB delayed the F-14?

No, honestly I haven't been that vocal. You are right. I usually also stand on the side "chill, it's just a game".

But ED is getting worse in that manner in my opinion and that is why I decided to speak up.

Or can you tell me the last, flawless release in DCS?

Edited May 21 by Viking 1-1

[Slippa]

Since this seems to have brought a lot of people together, while we wait,  let’s all have a sing-song? 

Who’s on guitar?

[Volator]

I can't believe grown-up people really took a day off because of this. Is this your first-ever anticipated release of a DCS module, or of a computer game in general?

"You made a bad choice!"

[primus_TR]

Lesson for ED and HB: Commit to a date range, never to a set date. Better yet,  never commit. That'll give some folks something else to get their pants in a wedgie, and there's never a shortage of that. 

[Ala12Rv-Tundra]

7 minutes ago, Viking 1-1 said:

the last, flawless release in DCS?

 

Never happened and never will. It´s taking more than 15 years and counting to people learn this lesson.

Kiowa is looking good but I dislike having high hopes or expectations.
 

[BIGNEWY]

27 minutes ago, Viking 1-1 said:

What's your point?

All I'm saying is that the phantom seems to be ready.

EDs patch not.

So why are they delaying a finished product?

Modules require the core of DCS to work correctly, if we release and it is broken it would not have been a good experience for you all. Best to delay one day to resolve the issues we found. 

thank you 

[__Mad__]

Unbelievable. 

[Jarhead0331]

9 minutes ago, primus_TR said:

Lesson for ED and HB: Commit to a date range, never to a set date. Better yet,  never commit. That'll give some folks something else to get their pants in a wedgie, and there's never a shortage of that. 

I have a better idea...commit to a date and come hell or high water, just stick to it! There's a novel idea. I mean seriously, why are you doing final checks on something like this literally the DAY OF release? Couldn't this have been simply done the day before? If not, why not? What is the nuance here that prevents simple redundancy or getting ahead of an obvious possible problem before the actual day of release? This is another entirely self-inflicted wound that easily could have been avoided with just a little bit of better planning. This is the frustrating part.

[Major Corvus]

I will never pre-purchase a module again.