Feedback Thread - Tomcat Update July 11th 2024 - F-14 A/B Complete Rework of Engine Sounds

[IronMike]

Dear all,

After the past months have seen us focus primarily on the F-4E Phantom II and post release hotfixes, we are thrilled to return to more substantial updates extensively focusing on the Viggen and Tomcat, ensuring that these beloved aircraft continue to meet our high standards and improve and we can expand their features.

We want to apologize for the quiet period regarding updates on the Tomcat front. Rest assured however that we have been diligently working on numerous fixes and enhancements behind the scenes and are thus even more thrilled to be able to finally present them to you.

We’re excited to announce a major update for the F-14 Tomcat, including a complete rework of all engine sounds. We’ve replaced previous audio samples and added several new pieces, enhancing the cockpit and external sound with improved code for an even more dynamic audio experience.

The flap damage model has been updated to make flap actuators more sensitive to G loading, with more drag at higher speeds and angles of attack. Damaged flaps can now blow backwards if the actuators are severely compromised due to overspeed or over G conditions. Additionally, the asymmetric flap limiter will not prevent flap movement if the actuators are damaged.

New features include configurable AB detent positions and dead zones in the F-14 Special Options. We’ve boosted the F110 mid-range RPM thrust to make the performance even more realistic. We’ve also added and updated (visual) effects for engine damage, including new oil leak animations, improved engine smoke and fire animations, and a new compressor stall flame animation. Bugs in the fire detection and suppression system have been fixed. But be careful: the F-14 may now explode if engine fires are allowed to linger or propagate.

We have also introduced several flight model improvements. These include an increased pitch effect from thrust in the landing configuration, a slight decrease in the roll power of ailerons and stabs, and a slightly increased dihedral effect in the landing configuration, allowing the aircraft to return to wings level at very small sideslips or bank angles. A big thank you goes to Victory205, who continues to support our efforts with his expertise, helping us to push the Tomcat even further towards realism.

The foreseeable future will see more updates pushing the Tomcat forward to release: the early -A (95GR) variant, the A-6 AI and of course all promises that are still outstanding and waiting to be fulfilled: we have not forgotten, and we thank you all for your very kind patience. Simultaneously we started also investigating the possibilities of what can be backported from newer features, like Jester 2.0 and more that are related to our new Anvil technology.

We hope you enjoy this update and as always, thank you for your kind support and kindly ask you for your feedback.

Your Heatblur Team

 

DCS F-14 Tomcat by Heatblur Simulations

• NEW: Complete re-work of all F-14 engine sounds (cockpit and external): 
  • Replaced previous audio samples and added several completely new pieces of audio.
  • Re-done sdef and sound configuration files. 
  • New code to make sound more dynamic.
     
• Updated flap damage model: 
  • Flap actuators are more sensitive to G loading. 
  • Flaps have more drag at higher speeds and AOAs. 
  • Flaps can now blow backwards if actuators have been severely damaged due to overspeed or over G (asymmetric flap limiter does not prevent flap movement with damaged actuators).
     
• NEW: AB detent position and deadzone now configurable in F-14 Special Options.
• DLC and speedbrake now wait 1.5s to retract while throttle is in MIL or higher.
• Boosted F110 mid-range RPM thrust. 
• NEW: F-14 now may explode if engine fires are allowed to linger or propagate.
• NEW: Added and updated visual effects for engine damage:
  • New oil leak animation. 
  • Improved engine smoke animation. 
  • Improved engine fire animation.
  • New compressor stall flame animation.
     
• Fixed bugs in fire detection and suppression system.
• Increased pitch effect from thrust in landing config.
• Slightly decreased roll power of ailerons and stabs.
• Slightly increased dihedral effect in landing config (aircraft will return to wings level at very small sideslips/bank angles). 
• Fixed main wheel IDs that prevented anti-skid from working properly.
• Added Night Filter bind for VDI and DDD.
• Fixed BINGO knob animating mirrors instead of knob.
• Fixed RIO Master Caution lamp/button not clickable.
• Fixed a bug in Operation Reforger II Mission 3 not allowing the player to progress (thank you Rokkett!) 

[scommander2]

Hi @IronMike, I am not sure that I see the deadzone option under the F-14 special options, but I do find the AB detent option:

 

Is it the right place?

Thanks.

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2024 by scommander2

[IronMike]

3 minutes ago, scommander2 said:

Hi @IronMike, I am not sure that I see the deadzone option under the F-14 special options, but I do find the AB detent option:

 

Is it the right place?

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

My apologies, if I may have formulated it badly. It means the deadzone for the afterburner detent specifically, this one:

[Coragem]

Could we have a special option for the old sounds back? new sound is very flat and there is hardly any diference from idle to mil power.

Not sure if that was intended, but its much harder to fly without looking at the RPM all the time now.

There is a very loud high pitch whine that drown the engine sound now. Its ear piercing and very annoying. Same can be heard clearly in the external camera from the front. 

If external camera is moved to the back the engine sound is great as it Always were.

[scommander2]

48 minutes ago, IronMike said:

My apologies, if I may have formulated it badly. It means the deadzone for the afterburner detent specifically

Hi @IronMike, my bad.  I thought that the deadzone for AFCS.   Thanks a lots!!

[roobarbjapan]

Thank you for the update!
I imagine it’s more of an ED super carrier thing but upon calling the ball in the tomcat you can hear the new ambient airboss sounds. Changing radio channels doesn’t stop it and it persists after landing on the carrier. 
 

Edit: Seems to happen at random now!

Edited July 12, 2024 by roobarbjapan

[joker62]

Dear HB Team, thank you for this significant update, especially in relation to

• NEW: AB detent position and deadzone now configurable in F-14 Special Options.
• DLC and speedbrake now wait 1.5s to retract while throttle is in MIL or higher.
• Boosted F110 mid-range RPM thrust. 
• Increased pitch effect from thrust in landing config.
• Slightly decreased roll power of ailerons and stabs.
• Slightly increased dihedral effect in landing config (aircraft will return to wings level at very small sideslips/bank angles). 

I have never flown an F-14, but I have been a civilian pilot of single-engine propeller planes for a few years in the past, and the sensations that the F-14 now transmits in landing configuration are excellent, also regarding the response to inputs at the stick and throttle.

Only one little problem for now, mirrors no longer reflect but always remain opaque.

[FR4GGL3]

I am fine with the new Engine Sounds. But first time I was in the B, I checked if it is really the B as it sounded a bit like the A before the Sound Overhaul (hearing like in the helmet).

The increase in Thrust in the Middle of the RPM Range is great. The B now really feels as it has a noticable bigger Motor than the A and it helps in Situations where you felt a lack of grunt before.

Am I wrong? The Missiles must have gotten an Overhaul, too. Yesterday I fired 2 AIM54-C on 2 Mig 29 (Quickstart Mission) from ~30 Miles away in TWS Mode. Both Pheonixes hit just fine where you have been lucky if one of them hit before the patch. Also the Sparrows seem to be more reliable. But I could be wrong - I did just a bit of playing around yesterday.

But I have the Quirk with FC3 and I had to fiddle around with the mirrors. They where disabled without changing anything after the Patch. Not a big issue, but I wondered what happened.

3 minutes ago, joker62 said:

Only one little problem for now, mirrors no longer reflect but always remain opaque.

I also had this: go to the Options and turn the Mirrors on again. I don't know why, but they are disabled by default after the patch. The Mirrors work just fine after that.

[joker62]

18 minutes ago, FR4GGL3 said:

I also had this: go to the Options and turn the Mirrors on again. I don't know why, but they are disabled by default after the patch. The Mirrors work just fine after that.

Thanks, I'll try this afternoon.

[REDEYE_CVW-66]

The new sounds are less than impressive. The same sound is produced equally from the sides and back in front of the nozzles. Cutting to the front those sounds disappear and you are left with a sound sample that has very audible clues that loop, that are jarring. The planes should sound different from the side- the front and the back, and the crossfading between these should be soft and overlapping to make a realistic sound picture. This does not. Hardly any audible difference between idle and full mill from the side. The Hornet and Viper (and I am sure others) does this VERY well.

The old AB sound has audible clues (you can hear it looping) still.

The Tomcat still has absent sound when you press fly-by the first time (It pops in after a few seconds). This is an age old issue that ONLY the Tomcat has and has had since day 1.

Before someone comes to smack me around for daring to fault HB; I think Heatblur is THE premiere 3rd party developer and love how they push the envelope. That said; sound wise after a "full rework", I still think it needs tuning....

Edited July 14, 2024 by REDEYE_CVW-66

[JupiterJoe]

The fire suppression system works great.  Thank you Heatblur 

Although, I've yet to create a fireball from a compressor stall .  Anybody? 

EDIT:  I've seen the fireball.  Was looking at the wrong end of the engine  

Edited July 19, 2024 by JupiterJoe

[Coragem]

40 minutes ago, JupiterJoe said:

The fire suppression system works great.  Thank you Heatblur 

 

I would agree there's no longer enough of an audible distinction when the A/B is engaged.  The previous configuration seemed to have more bass (a thump) when it kicked in and a roar.  I'm aware of the 'increase A/B noise in cockpit' option, but still...

 

I use that option and even then is flatter than it was on the old sounds. At least for me the sounds are way worse than before. Especialy the high pitch whine that is the only thing audible in the cockpit now.

[JupiterJoe]

I recommend deselecting 'Hear like in helmet', in the audio menu.  I believe that option doesn't do the nuance of HB's soundscape any favours.

The new howl from the induction noise is amazing.

Edited July 12, 2024 by JupiterJoe

[Coragem]

10 minutes ago, JupiterJoe said:

I recommend deselecting 'Hear like in helmet', in the audio menu.  I believe that option suppresses the nuance of HB's soundscape.

Not selected, old sounds had a lot more nuance, much better idle to mil transition and even with increase A/B noise in cockpit selected old sounds had better AB engaging tud. A simple solution would be to reduce the level of the high pitch whine and raise the engine level. Or give us a slider to adjust the whining sound separete from the engine or maybe a option to disable it completly so the engine can be heard again.

As someone said on another reply above, the B is sounding as underpowered and just like the A now with the new sounds.

[Katsu]

New sounds are amazing, our Turkey sounds like a Turkey now! 

But no news about Phoenix guidance logic or overloft? 

Does Tomcat radar will be upgraded to new technologies? 

Thanks. 

[Nealius]

Was the sound update only for the TF-30s? The B Tomcat sounds still sound the same as before the update.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Thanks for this very impressive change log!

Do you know when we can expect a fix for the TCS, though? I know of the workaround but a proper fix would be great  

[Scotch75]

Thanks for this very impressive change log!
Do you know when we can expect a fix for the TCS, though? I know of the workaround but a proper fix would be great  

What was wrong with the TCS?

Cheers!


Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[Gun Jam]

One issue I have noticed (I think it was always the case) Opening / closing the canopy effects world volume but not engine volume. If the canopy blocks out a lot of the noise on the aircraft carrier it should effect engine volume to some noticeable extent.

In a quiet environment with the engines at idle if you close your eyes you cant tell if the lid is open or closed.

[speed-of-heat]

I can't seem to interact with the deadzone setting at all?  Mouse & keyboard works with the Afterburner setting, but nothing seems to interact with the deadzone, also i have to say its sort of confusing 

[speed-of-heat]

22 hours ago, joker62 said:

 

Only one little problem for now, mirrors no longer reflect but always remain opaque.

for me mirrors were turned off in this build, i had to manually switch them back on in settings 

[wwWolfcom]

46 minutes ago, speed-of-heat said:

for me mirrors were turned off in this build, i had to manually switch them back on in settings 

Seems like it is ST bug. MT works fine

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

6 hours ago, Scotch75 said:

What was wrong with the TCS?
 

 

[Scotch75]

 

Ok, thanks Raven. I guess I hadn't used the F-14 on MT to notice the problem.
Cheers!


Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[scommander2]

3 hours ago, wwWolfcom said:

Seems like it is ST bug. MT works fine

Yes, I have posted it @ patch status:

In addition, the DCS trouble ticket was created 165797 for the mirror issue in ST.