Hawk nearly ready

[MigBuster 2,884]

Well hey at least its something for you long suffering DCS fans

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=119201

 

 

Hey guys,
I can't believe it's the middle of January already, this year is going to fly by, excuse the pun!!
Development of the Hawk is going very well and she is up and running in DCS World 1.2.7. with full weapons capability so all my stressing on that front is over, thank you ED!!!

This takes us to the next stage of development, BETA...yes you read that correctly 

We have a small group of public testers that will become the first closed Beta testers alongside our dedicated VEAO testers team. They will be testing all aircraft functions to make sure it's purring like a kitten and biting like a tiger.

Which will then move us to the next stage, hmmm I wonder what that one is, suggestions anyone??

Following a team discussion last night and pending any natural disasters, zombie outbreak, IPR lawyers putting the breaks on or Tango getting hit by a bus; we are pleased to make the following announcement.

Hawk Open Beta will be released as an FC3 level aircraft with fully clickable cockpit before the end of February 2014!!

Confused? yes we thought you might be so please let me clarify.

We are still working on the AFM, in fact that's going very slowly so we will be releasing the open Beta version of the Hawk as an FC3 level aircraft (as it doesn't have AFM) but it will have the fully clickable cockpit as some of you have got used to in the public alpha release.
Should you not wish to use the clickable cockpit, we are looking at an option to turn that off/on.
Now some of you may argue that this is in fact a DCS level aircraft because of the fidelity of the systems and clickable cockpit but we felt that without AFM it would be unjust to call it DCS level.

So do we call it DCS:Hawk or simply Hawk or something else. We think in line with ED's FC3 products we will simply call it T.1A Trainer to differentiate this version from the full DCS AFM version.

Costings; well we have considered the cost of standard FC3 aircraft add-ons and cost of DCS level add-ons (current and future) and have taken a decision as it will come with fully clickable cockpit functionality. 
The product will cost $39.99 and when we have the AFM version ready for release there will be a $10 upgrade charge should you wish to go for that.
Final DCS:Hawk product will be $49.99

We feel that is reasonably priced for what you will get in this version which is basically everything you would expect in a DCS level fidelity aircraft apart from AFM.

By releasing the aircraft next month and taking sales it allows us to further invest in the AFM programming. As you know I have fully funded development over the past few years but further investment is required and this is the best way to do it. We get investment and you get to fly the product, win win on both sides.

To clarify; this will be a paid-for BETA version. Some things will not be implemented fully yet and we will make it very clear at the time of selling what is included and what is still left to be completed.

Thank you again for all of your support and interest in our products.

Chris and the VEAO team.

Also please note that past competition winners will receive the FC3 Hawk and the upgrade to DCS:Hawk when it's available.

[+Stary 2,427]

fake

 

looks good

Edited January 14, 2014 by Stary

[+streakeagle 871]

DCS third party products are like a snow ball rolling slowly down a mountain. Hopefully, the ball starts gets pretty big before the spring thaw comes.

Belsimtek is cranking some top notch products out despite the "beta" status. Even with features missing or still being tuned during extended beta development, these helos are better than anything else I have flown in any other sim.

Throw in the F-15C AFM and F-86 Sabre, and Belsimtek will have pretty much matched or exceeded ED's output with equal or better quality.

The MiG-21bis is supposedly just a hop skip and jump away some time in March, and if successful may lead to a MiG-23MF.

With the completion of the Hawk, perhaps a Typhoon will pop up sometime in the next 2 or 3 years.

The Fw190 shouldn't be too far off, with an entire WW2 map and several more aircraft theoretically available by the end of the year (not holding my breath, might even have wasted my cash on Kickstarter?).

The other 3rd parties are still quietly chugging along. Hopefully, they overcome all the hurdles and get some products on the market this year or next.

DCS development is painfully slow, but eventually pays off with great rewards (like the UH-1 and Mi-8).

[MigBuster 2,884]

DCS third party products are like a snow ball rolling slowly down a mountain. Hopefully, the ball starts gets pretty big before the spring thaw comes.

Belsimtek is cranking some top notch products out despite the "beta" status. Even with features missing or still being tuned during extended beta development, these helos are better than anything else I have flown in any other sim.

Throw in the F-15C AFM and F-86 Sabre, and Belsimtek will have pretty much matched or exceeded ED's output with equal or better quality.

The MiG-21bis is supposedly just a hop skip and jump away some time in March, and if successful may lead to a MiG-23MF.

With the completion of the Hawk, perhaps a Typhoon will pop up sometime in the next 2 or 3 years.

The Fw190 shouldn't be too far off, with an entire WW2 map and several more aircraft theoretically available by the end of the year (not holding my breath, might even have wasted my cash on Kickstarter?).

The other 3rd parties are still quietly chugging along. Hopefully, they overcome all the hurdles and get some products on the market this year or next.

DCS development is painfully slow, but eventually pays off with great rewards (like the UH-1 and Mi-8).

 

 

Well some got their P-51 - I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for now - their organisational skills seem pretty amateur.

 

Although we are the customers you certainly have to put up with what little supply we can get in this business. 

 

I think they will come through.- no radars, MFDs, missiles etc - should be easy this WW2 lark :)

[+ST0RM 145]

I havent touched DCS in months due to a general lack of interest. While I have no immediate plans to get the Hawk T.1 Trainer, it will be nice to see some life put back into the forum boards.

 

For me, I thought DCS would fill that combat sim multiplayer void, but instead it was a bunch of kids flying around being stupid. I couldnt find a group to cooperate with and actually survive the over-exagerated IADS built into every M/P mission.

 

We'll see what February brings and the reaction from the masses.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Sorry to hear that - I thought there were quite a few serious players on the more hardcore side of things 

[+streakeagle 871]

While multiplayer should be the appeal of this sim, I never even tried multiplayer with Lockon. My days of playing Aces High and SFP1/WoX online ended within a year or two of the birth of my son. But the MiG-21bis project pulled me into DCS. Along the way, I have found the flight modeling on the P-51 and UH-1 to be well worth the price of admission. The A-10 and Ka-50 are outstanding, but they don't really interest me. At some point I may go looking for multiplayer fun, as that is absolutely the best air-to-air you can get if you find some good pilots. The only air-to-ground work I might like online is flying the UH-1, but it is too vulnerable to really enjoy. Perhaps when the AH-1 would give me something to do online. If I get proficient in flying the MiG-21bis, I want to hit the multiplayer skies to see if I can get some Eagles. Once the WW2 stuff has more aircraft available, I might try flying the P-51D online. I just want some good ACM. I don't want to be killed within 5 seconds of every time I spawn, nor do I want to slaughter lambs that barely know how to fly. The best situation for me would be a mix of guys a little bit better/worse than me so that everyone could have some victories and maybe even improve each other's skills.

 

I like the idea of P-51D vs Fw190 matchups, co-alt, neutral positions ranging from 1v1 to 8v8.

Similar ones with: F-86F vs MiG-15bis and F-? vs MiG-21bis. The F-15C is too much an overmatch for the MiG-21 and no other contemporaries are going to be available any time soon :(

Edited January 16, 2014 by streakeagle