Feedback Thread - F-4E Phantom II Update July 11th 2024

[IronMike]

Dear all,

for this update, significant performance improvements have been made across various systems and subsystems, ensuring smoother operation. Additionally, we have addressed several CTD (Crash to Desktop) issues, including potential fixes for crashes related to bombing table values and funnily enough: ejecting shortly before JESTER does. He, uh, really did not like that we would take away this privilege from him!

In the realm of multicrew functionality, continuous desync issues between the WSO and Pilot have been fixed. HBUI has also seen numerous updates, including fixes for rendering in external views, new special options for UI offsets, and improved menu functionality.

The JESTER AI has been significantly enhanced with new TAS callouts during bombing, improved radar antenna elevation accuracy, and better target spotting capabilities. Several other fixes and improvements to JESTER’s functionality have been implemented, enhancing his overall performance and reliability.

Radar improvements include an increased search angle to cover the main lobe and first three sidelobes, while the weapon systems have received updates like the addition of Smokewinders for airshows and various enhancements to the bombing calculator. Obsolete Bullpup-C loadouts have been removed, and the F-4E unit payloads have been updated.

The RWR has been adjusted with new BIT tests, updated handoff sounds, and improved synthetic audios. System fixes include resolving tanker disconnect issues when external tanks are full and connecting the AAR door to the correct power and hydraulic systems. If following the correct procedure (see changelog), JESTER will now also call ready for pre-contact for you. The AFCS has been tuned for better disengagement during rapid stabilator movements.

Engine updates include fixes for incorrect spool times and adjustments to cartridge engine start times and refuel rates for AAR. Navigation systems have been refined with fixes to the WSO turn needle, magnetic compass animation, and VOR/ILS functionality. The damage model has also been improved with a higher over-G damage threshold for the navigation computer.

Inputs have been expanded and refined, including new keybinds for various functions and improved bind names for clarity. New missions have been added, including a Shrike Caucasus Instant Action Mission, and several existing missions have been updated. Visual improvements include fixes to external LoDs and bombing table visuals, along with updates to the in-game manual and Chinese localization.

Moreover, we are excited to announce that we have started working on the official campaign for the F-4E - “Days of Atonement” - set during the Yom Kippur War. This semi-historical campaign will feature both the Sinai and Syria maps, promising a thrilling and authentic experience for aviators, based on the events of the Yom Kippur War. You can see one of the new assets created for the campaign below, a so-called “IP Tower”. These towers were used over the Sinai to provide pilots and WSOs navigation fix points over an otherwise very featureless desert terrain, when flying low and level. The towers were placed at pre-planned waypoints for a plethora of routes, and the crew were thus not only able to verify their position, but also keep their INS accurate throughout the flight. Note: the IP-Towers are WIP and have not been added with this patch.

We are also preparing new features for JESTER navigation, adding special waypoints like CAP, IT and TARGET; teaching JESTER the ability to manipulate the Aspect switch in BRST, and much more. Naturally one of the focuses over the next time will remain the performance in Multiplayer and in general.

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

Your Heatblur Team

 

DCS: F-4E Phantom II by Heatblur Simulations

• Performance: More Performance optimization for various systems, subsystems and calculations.
   
• CTD: Fixed CTD when entering bad Bombing Table values.
• CTD: Fixed CTD when ejecting shortly before Jester dies.
   
• MULTICREW: Fixed multicrew (continuous) desyncs with the WSO and the Pilot, when having different options selected for 'Use Radar Antenna Hand Control also for Radar Cursor Control Panel'. This would also cause major performance issues in multicrew.
   
• CORE/ANVIL: Reworked and improved the performance of tick distribution for all systems.
• CORE/ANVIL: Significantly improved performance of event handling.
• CORE/ANVIL: Reduced CPU cost of all pneudraulic calculations.
   
• HBUI: Fixed HBUI rendering in external view (F2) and similar.
• HBUI: Added Special Option: HBUI Offset (vertical) - existing Horizontal Offset has to be set again.
• HBUI: Made CEF not ping google.updatapis.com anymore.
• HBUI: Moved "comms check" in the CC menu so that other items have a fixed position.
• HBUI: Wheel chock options now close the CC menu instead of keeping it open.
• HBUI: Renamed "Light"/"Dark" Theme Special Options to prevent l10n clash.
• HBUI: Improved Special Options Page:
  • Fixed special options sliders.
  • Improved special options descriptions. 
  • Increased default values for AFCS breakout dead zones (CAUTION: might reset your values).
     
• JESTER AI: Added JESTER TAS callouts during bombing:
  • supports TGT FIND, L, OFFSET, LOFT, OS, TLAD and TL.
     
• JESTER AI: Massively improved JESTER’S Antenna Elevation accuracy from 1.5° to 0.005°:
• JESTER now also follows targets with the antenna much faster.
  • Also improves target spotting capabilities at co-alt because JESTER is now better at putting the antenna at 0°.
     
• JESTER AI: Fixed JESTER ejecting after high altitude tail slide.
• JESTER AI: Fixed Jester not setting the mode knob in HDG MEM causing BATH alignment problems.
• JESTER AI: Taught JESTER how to use the pullup tone and light.
• JESTER AI: Moved Jester phrase "Contacts" to "contacts_iff" folder.
• JESTER AI: Added a 3 nm exclusion zone around friendly airfields for JESTER fuel state QnA.
• JESTER AI: Fixed bug where JESTER radar doesn't work in dogfight anymore.
• JESTER AI: Fixed Jester automatically saying "Ready Pre Contact" for AAR:
  • Make sure you are within 100m of the tanker. 
  • Have the UHF panel set up to talk to the tanker. 
  • Already called "Intent to Refuel" yourself (also has a bind). 
  • Then open the AAR door and Jester should say "Ready Pre Contact" automatically.
  • You can cycle the door and he will say it again.
     
• Radar: Increase radar search angle to include main lobe and first 3 sidelobes.
• Weapons: Added Smokewinders (smoke generators for airshows).
• Weapons: Added RoR slant range output and WRCS AGM-45 mode for the bombing calculator.
• Weapons: Removed obsolete and non-functional Bullpup-C loadouts.
• Weapons: Updated F-4E unit payloads.
• Weapons: BombCalc: Small adjustments to default values and steps for input fields (thanks Hawkeye_UK!).
• Weapons: Added NaN protection for the ToF in the bombing calc.
• Weapons: Added weight correction for mils in DL, L and Direct mode in the bombing calc.
• Weapons: Added support for new DCS Laser Code Fuze options.
   
• RWR: Adjusted the RWR BIT (added different PRFs for bands and added launch warning audio test). 
• RWR: Updated handoff sounds (For example: Made aircraft radars that used HPRF for track use MPRF instead).
• RWR: Improved the audios used in case of unknown radar and during BIT.
   
• Systems: Fixed tanker not disconnecting when ext tanks full.
• Systems: Connected AAR door to power (5A No2, D1, ESS 28VDC) and Utility Hydraulic.
• Systems: Fixed countermeasures being dispensable with speedbrakes out.
• Systems: Reduced threshold for AFCS disengagement with rapid stabilator movements:
  • Fixed AFCS sometimes not disengaging during rapid stick movement during AFCS ground check.
     
• Systems: HUD shutter now uses rotation instead of pull.
  • Changed arg for hud shutter to 1200.
     
• Engines: Fixed incorrect engine spool time.
• Engines: Adjusted cartridge engine start time.
• Engines: Improved refuel rate for AAR. 
   
• Navigation: Fixed an issue with the WSO turn needle and some other potential HSI issues.
• Navigation: Fixed reversed WSO magnetic compass animation.
• Navigation: Fixed VOR and ILS when flying away from the selected heading.
• Navigation: Fixed a bug where VOR<->ILS was not always switching correctly at some frequencies.
• Navigation: Changed HDG MEM alignment to be on by default in the Mission Editor.
   
• Damage Model: Temp fix to damaged rudder being usable.
• Damage Model: Slightly raised Nav Comp over-G damage threshold
   
• Inputs: Added temporary Pilot AFCS binds to WSO inputs
• Inputs: Renamed mouse hint for "Show/Hide Radar Boot" to "Screen Glare Shield"
• Inputs: Added Target FREEZE/INSERT lamps (on button)
• Inputs: Improved bind names for Mirrors and Dispense Countermeasures
• Inputs: Made IFF switches spring loaded where necessary
• Inputs: Fixed keybinds for Screen Glare Shield 
• Inputs: Fixed Radar Antenna Elevation inputs and clickable
• Inputs: Removed sound for antenna elevation wheel "switch"
• Inputs: Added slow/fast binds for Antenna Slew and Weapon Slew
• Inputs: Made INS Lamps press-to-test (rotate-to-dim)
• Inputs: Added "[WSO]" prefix for Pilot’s antenna up/down bind.
• Inputs: Fixed the last radio digits knob not working properly in easycomm
• Inputs: Fixed Mirrors being clickable by other crew member
• Inputs: Fixed bind clash with Brake and Pinky (LShift+D)
• Inputs: Following keybinds have been fixed that required rebinding:
  • Fixed reversed 9-VIS/12-VIS ACQ mode binds 
  • Added slow/fast binds to Radar Gain (fine)
     
• Inputs: Added reversed binds for 2-way switches (128 new binds):
  • Useful when wanting to map a 2-way switch for example as ON/OFF instead of OFF/ON. 
     
• Inputs: Added temp WSO binds for FREEZE/INSERT/RESET WRCS target:
  • enables OFFSET bombing without hopping back and other useful techniques, especially with the Pave Spike
     
• Missions: Added Shrike Caucasus Instant Action Mission
• Missions: Added missing option to disable pictures in training missions 5-8.
• Missions: Updated several missions by Sedlo. 
• Missions: Updated Chinese localization for training missions 1-3.
   
• Visual: Fixed TGT FRZ button lamp
• Visual: Changed TGT FRZ lamp texture
• Visual: Improved external LoDs
• Visual: Fixed 1 wing poly smooth-group
• Visual: Bombing Tables visual and performance update (thanks to Amadeus!)
   
• Manual: Updated the in game manual
• Manual: Updated Chinese Localization and Manual
   
• Localization: Deleted obsolete l10n folder in Mods (duplicate of CoreMods)

[primus_TR]

Great update, thank you

[MAXsenna]

Incredible update! Thank you! Looking forward to the campaign!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Ziggy123]

Do you intend to add JESTER TAS callouts during air to air combat?

[WinOrLose]

The ability to add coordinates through the jester wheel as the tomcat would be great. 

[SmirkingGerbil]

Fantastic!! Everything seems smoother also frame rate wise. Having fun now with mod 25's against SA-2's!

Seems like I am getting more cockpit shaking effects when in low speed maneuvering also.

The WRCS entry in the BTC is nice.

Just superb, thank you!

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Excellent choice for the official campaign, thank you!

[primus_TR]

10 hours ago, WinOrLose said:

The ability to add coordinates through the jester wheel as the tomcat would be great. 

You can do that already

[r4y30n]

21 hours ago, Ziggy123 said:

Do you intend to add JESTER TAS callouts during air to air combat?

I mean, IAS would be much more useful in my opinion, but I'm sure a2a callouts will be added, either way.

[Cgjunk2]

Thanks for the update!  Feedback about one small thing…the time lag between head movement in VR and the pilot model head movement.    I thought I could get used to it, but I just cant.   Tends to induce the dizzies.  Any chance this can be locked in to actual head movement like the Tomcat?

[Zone5]

Great update to a truly great module. I can see the improvements from this last update, and am just blown away by the realism of this plane. A true study level sim of a truly iconic airplane. You guys have set a whole new bar. Can't wait to see the Campaign. Say what you will, but the IDFAF in the Phantom period truly was the world's largest distributor of MiG parts! It will be really interesting to see that come to DCS. Strong work!

[WinOrLose]

On 7/12/2024 at 8:58 PM, primus_TR said:

You can do that already

Can you send me a screen shot - I currently have to use the keyboard. 

[primus_TR]

4 hours ago, WinOrLose said:

Can you send me a screen shot - I currently have to use the keyboard. 

Here is the section of the F4 manual on how to enter coordinates from the Jester wheel:

https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/jester/navigation.html?highlight=coord#enter-coordinates

You can enter coordinates when editing Primary or Secondary Flight Plan, or setting a divert if I recall correctly. 

Oops. I misunderstood your question. It looks like using the keyboard is the only way to enter coordinates at this time with Jester 2.0. 

Edited July 16, 2024 by primus_TR

[WinOrLose]

40 minutes ago, primus_TR said:

Here is the section of the F4 manual on how to enter coordinates from the Jester wheel:

https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/jester/navigation.html?highlight=coord#enter-coordinates

You can enter coordinates when editing Primary or Secondary Flight Plan, or setting a divert if I recall correctly. 

Oops. I misunderstood your question. It looks like using the keyboard is the only way to enter coordinates at this time with Jester 2.0. 

 

 No problem I thought I may have missed a new feature. The Tomcat way of doing it was really useful especially in VR.