MigBuster

Thanksgiving Sale 2019 Starts today! Get great savings on that module you have been waiting for! The Thanksgiving sale starts today, November 22nd, and runs until December 8th. Save up to 50% on most DCS World products, the only exceptions being: F/A-18 Hornet by ED - 25% off Persian Gulf Map by ED - 25% off F/A-18 Hornet + Persian Gulf Map bundle -35% off DCS: Christen Eagle II by Magnitude 3 LLC – 25% off DCS: F-14 Tomcat by Heatblur Simulations – not on sale at this time DCS: F-16C Viper by ED – not on sale at this time Note: the sale only applies to released, non-pre-order products. Open Beta Delay We planned and announced the release of our next Open Beta on the 20th of November 2019. However, due to substantial technical issues faced in the development of certain F-16C Viper features we were compelled to move the Open Beta release to the 27th of November 2019. As a small bonus for your patience we have prepared a Thanksgiving gift – our new VoIP in-game feature: DCS Voice Chat gives our players the possibility to talk within DCS multiplayer sessions without the need to use other applications. It's based on WebRTC technology and brings high-quality audio communication to the game right out of the box. For the initial release, DCS Voice Chat contains one common room and separate rooms for each coalition with free movement between common and chosen coalition rooms. Soon after the initial release, we'll add support of user-created rooms with the possibility to create a personal audio chat for you and your friends. Also, you can choose to use an open mic or Push-to-talk function. We have huge plans for further development of the feature including automatically created rooms for multi-crew, radio support with real radio visibility depending on the power of actual radio units and terrain, frequency-based coms etc. F/A-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign Released to Steam The F/A-18C Aggressors BFM Campaign is now available from Steam. The FA-18C Aggressors BFM campaign puts you in the cockpit of an FA-18C Hornet as a new Aggressor pilot with the VFC-12 the "Fighting Omars" on loan to the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Based on real-world procedures, you will fly as Red Air against Blue Air forces. Upon arrival you will fly a familiarization flight around the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) and then face a series of challenging Basic Fighter Maneuver (BFM) missions against similar and dissimilar aircraft. Your opponents include the F-4E, F-5E, F-14A, F-15C, F-15E, F-16C, F/A-18C, M-2000C, MiG-29G, CF-188, MiG-21 and Su-27. 12 single player practice missions with in-air starts to help you perfect your BFM tactics, techniques, and procedures. Over 1000 voice-overs and over 45 pages of briefing material that includes RED FLAG Spins, Red Forces In Flight Guide, Maps, Diagrams, Custom Knee-boards, and Mission Data cards. DCS World Tutorial & Training Range DCS World can be a bit daunting to new players, so this week we introduced a new forum section for those just getting started in DCS World, those still learning, and those that enjoy helping others. You can find it here. If you are a new user, this section is for you! We will be building a repository of the best DCS World tutorials and guides. You can also meet players that want to help you and squadrons looking for new members that want you to have fun and learn. If you are a video tutorial or guide creator for DCS World, this section is also for you. Here you can share all your great content and get feedback from your audience. Do you enjoy helping new DCS World pilots? A rewarding aspect of this hobby is working together to spread knowledge and give a helping hand to new pilots. The goal of this new section is to help flatten the DCS World learning curve, and we look forward to your participation and feedback on how we can further improve it. Development Report #6 Working with our partners at Deka Ironwork, we plan to release the DCS: JF-17 Thunder on December 4th, 2019. It will be available from both the DCS World e-Shop and Steam. Stay tuned for more details! The team has been cranking away on the F-16C Viper, but we needed a few more days to complete the announced features for the next Open Beta. Eagerly awaited features of the next F-16C update will be the Track While Scan (TWS) radar mode, initial data link, external lights, centerline fuel tank, and more. Following this Open Beta, our modern-day fixed-wing jet dev team will focus on the Hornet’s targeting pod, TWS and other radar modes, updates to weapons like the JDAM and JSOW, and more. Supercarrier work continues to revolve around the deck crew animations, improved lighting and visual effects as well as the LSO station. We are on track to release the Early Access of this module in the very near future. Both the A-10C and Ka-50 new cockpits are progressing well with a lot of work invested into realistic textures and effects. We will use these products to take cockpit night lighting to the next level. The Mi-24 cockpits are progressing well and we should be able to show you the first renders in the very near future. The P-47 is looking beautiful inside and out and our flight model engineers have been very busy tuning the flight dynamics to match the real aircraft based on excellent references and first-hand pilot experience. The visual effects of the new WWII damage model are now getting most of the focus because the internal damage effects and the physics are nearly complete. It’s just as important for the damage to look correct as the impact on systems and aircraft performance. The basics of the dynamic campaign simulation engine are working in the map view and we’ve been using this to test the RTS element of the system. To support this, we’ve been adding new icons to the map for items like factories, warehouses, logistic units, and more. Work is also underway on providing visual indications of ground force movements and emplacements in the map view. Thank you all for your passion and support. Sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Master Server Infrastructure Maintenance We will have infrastructure maintenance works to be performed on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 from 04:00 to 06:00 UTC. All users will not be able to connect to the DCS Master server and all account sessions will be reset. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this short downtime. Stable Release updated After a relatively large number of Open Beta updates, we have released a substantial update to the Stable version of DCS World. Among the many highlights of the new Stable version, users will now be able to enjoy the Early Access version of the DCS: F-16C Viper. Other highlights include: AGM-62 Walleye II and AWW-13 Data Link Pod for the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet Many updates and fixes to 3rd Party modules such as the C-101 and M-2000C You can read the entire changelog here. Our next Open Beta is set for 20 November 2019 and is planned to include: F-16C Viper features Track While Scan (TWS) radar mode AUTO steerpoint sequence mode Corrected flight director (sherm) behavior Functional CMDS (countermeasures) DED page New stores drag implementation Initial data link (Link 16 / MIDS) External lights Centerline fuel tank Corrected lock hold when switching master mode Corrected radar lock-only RWR indication Corrected INS steerpoint change Corrected HMCS enable/disable HOTAS command F/A-18C Hornet features Aft Pod Antenna Option Following the 20 November 2019 Open Beta, we will heavily focus on the Hornet to include such items as Track While Scan (TWS) and AACQ radar modes, updates to the targeting pod, and updates to existing weapons systems and countermeasures. Development Report #5 Supercarrier - "Population" of our new aircraft carrier is not limited to the flight deck but also the sailors and pre-flight crew of the island. Following the early access release, it will later it will be possible to occupy the Air Boss and Landing Signal Officer (LSO) locations in both 2D and VR. All of this will be available in the new DCS: Supercarrier module. In the meantime, please enjoy these work-in-progress images. Spitfire Sound Updates - We have greatly improved all the Spitfire LF Mk.IX engine and propeller sounds. New sounds were recorded from an actual Spitfire Mk.IX and added to the game. Our sound engine factors in altitude, airspeed, engine RPM, manifold pressure, and many other elements. You can hear the dramatic difference from within the cockpit and outside the aircraft. The update is available in the current Open Beta and will be available in today’s Stable version! Enjoy this video highlighting the updated sounds DCS: M-2000C by RAZBAM Updates - Working closely with the French Air Force, RAZBAM brings you an all-new Mirage 2000C cockpit! This cockpit features all-new textures, radio panel, ECM, NVGs, and much more. The cockpit mesh has been extensively overhauled with new edge loops for better edging and a doubling of the polygons to improve both the on screen and VR experience. Using their relationship with the French Air Force 2/5 Squadron, RAZAM has created an M-2000C cockpit that is as close as you can get to the real thing. Using this opportunity, RAZBAM has fixed various inaccuracies by using our latest workflow and tools. New Features: New cockpit model New cockpit textures New cockpit lighting New radio panel New ECM panel New Seat Harness New INS Screen Added NVG’s with Mount Added under glare shield lighting assembly Added flashlight Cockpit Update Video The Virtual Festival of Aerobatic Teams 2019 The Virtual Festival of Aerobatic Teams or VFAT is a virtual, international airshow like RIAT or MAKS. The pilots simulate the displays of real aerobatic teams like the Patrouille Suisse, Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, Russian Knights and Blue Impulse; however, many teams also create their own spectacular displays. VFAT is currently the only virtual airshow where such a large group of teams gather to create an event of this size. Spectators can watch the event live using internet streaming technology. VFAT takes place once a year and offers the opportunity for virtual aerobatic teams and solo pilots to present their hard work for the enjoyment of the general public! Watch live Dec. 7th & 8th on Twitch. VFAT Video Yours sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Got to see Midway yesterday at the cinema and was pleasantly surprised at the historical story and characters included. There were a few over the top action moments but overall really good considering some of the WWII films of recent years. This was more towards the Tora Tora Tora direction and certain critics seem to have got this film so wrong.

The technology for Virtual Reality (VR) has come on enough in recent years for it to be considered viable for home gaming including in some Flight Simulators. The latest set of Headsets released this year have improved on what there was somewhat with some calling them 1.5 or 2nd Generation. Even so opinions on these seem to be mixed with some declaring they are the new messiah and others putting them in the box and sending them back to the shop. So is it the new messiah or just a very naughty Scuba Mask. After patching up my hands (more later) the subject on trial is the Oculus Rift S, which improves on somethings over the Rift CV1 such as: • Resolution and clarity. • Ease of Use. • Price. but is not so good on some other aspects • Sound. • Lack of mechanical IPD setting. The Rift S price seems competitive and includes 2 controllers however, like myself and others you will likely be plugging your own headphones into the provided Jack to improve sound quality: Those ultra cheap earbuds plug right in to the headset! Rift S also has internal tracking using 5 cameras so doesn’t use or need external base stations (Lighthouses) like the Pimax 5K+/8K and Vive do. This means 6 Degrees Of Freedom (6DOF) comes included. Rift S is also said to be one of if not the easiest to setup and live with. All you do is install the Oculus App, plug in the headset and pair the wireless controllers with onscreen tutorial. A spare USB 3 and DisplayPort is what you need to plug in the hefty cable. I am also running Windows 10 with an RTX2080 card which specifically had a USB type C connector on it for VR. So, taking advice from other users I plugged the headset directly into that using a USB 3 to USB C adapter. (Note I am running a mid to high end gaming PC currently and quite frankly anything less might see you disappointed regarding performance if you were say using it for DCS.) Once I had stuck in the AA batteries onto each controller both paired straight away so setup was no issue at all for me. Earlier headsets and others like Pimax 5K+ have a mechanical InterPupillary Distance (IPD) setting. Being a single display Rift S only has a software controlled IPD setting and this seems to be a large negative point people are throwing at it. This is basically the distance between your pupils and so is important to know so you can set the correct value. Rift S comes with snazzy box and two controllers! The initial Oculus “First Steps” program (App) is a joy and really gets you into being able to use the controllers to grab and throw objects and interact with the world. The Oculus App store is an advantage for Oculus being one of the most developed. Here you can find some free gems like BBC VR spacewalk and 1943 Blitz. Screenshots alone are useless on conveying what VR is like you have to try it and get your VR legs, which translates as getting used to things to stop that part of the brain that thinks it is real and making you feel sick. Try a VR spacewalk or a Dogfight in DCS and this is what you initially will be fighting as well. Impressions After using Rift S for a few weeks this is a real showcase for the potential of VR especially concerning interaction with computers and even VR games such as Robo Recall which are really pretty amazing. But I don’t want to give the wrong impression because you still basically have a 3D monitor in Scuba type mask at the end of the day and this will not be for a lot of people. It is advised that you have lots of space around you for games such as this because you are essentially flailing yourself around pretty much blind. Also you will find that although your in game hands can rip robots apart and throw them about – your real hands are no match for the wooden furniture you just hit and need patching up. In fact possibly the first time blood has been shed for real during a computer game. Robo Recall - the only blood shed was outside the game! (Oculus.com) VR games make you sweat and so your VR lenses will steam up. Some get around this by blowing a fan in their face others like myself came up with this solution which also lets me stay in touch with the real world but makes things less comfortable: Yep I have pulled the rubber mask off! Speaking of which Rift S has a promising feature maybe for the future called Passthrough where I can be in any game and switch to a view through the external cameras. If you are thinking just like the F-35 helmet! – erm sort of like the F-35 helmet…….…in 2001 maybe. Was thinking I might be able to make out the keyboard but no chance. (maybe in a few years) When it comes to flight sims there are lots of mixed views and opinions. I can see why some have returned it because some people won’t put up with headaches or bother trying to overcome sickness for computer games. Some will be disappointed at the view in the Rift S which is better than the original Rift but still less than a 1080p monitor. Track IR 5 V Rift S Let me say I have used TrackIR for over 10 years and so SA and positional awareness in Dogfights is not an issue. Nor is Air to Air Refuelling in fact recent DCS patches seemed to make things a lot easier. In Falcon I find it easier to join when the tanker is turning for some reason and do most of this automatically. These are things it seems I will need to spend time practising in Rift S / VR before I can be as proficient as before. The Field of View (FOV) is similar with both but with TrackIR I can still get a more realistic range and look around a lot easier with much better clarity. If I compare 1 v 1 tracking with the Rift S and my head then the FOV is much too small on the Rift S, so it is not just a pain in the neck I am getting. (Note I don’t wear glasses). With Track IR I often have to F12 reset the view or shake my head to get it back to where it is supposed to be (things I do now automatically). The Rift S doesn’t have that issue but it is also not perfect with for example sometimes presenting the HUD display too low or high to use. Other differences with Rift S include a 3D rendered cockpit thus the cockpit switches stick out in a way you won’t be used to if you used a 2D monitor. Also, the sense of scale is different and you can do things like stick your head out of the side of the aircraft which might be Useful for Choppers maybe (something I don’t fly). Also…. Of course there are other changes you need to adapt to……..for example with the VR Headset I can use HOTAS, rudder pedals and mouse fine, but a keyboard is a no. Also not so great having to lift up the scuba mask to look at the many docs I have on tablet for the more complex sims, also if you need to write anything down like coordinates during a CAS mission forget that. So, for example trying out the A-10C the other day and need to eject but no practical way to get at the keyboard and no clicky way to eject myself. Alternatives might be using Voice command software instead and there are ways to get some documentation into the DCS kneeboard such as the third party DCS Kneeboard Builder which may help to a degree. Natural-point Track IR 5 - the King (naturalpoint.com) Potentially I suspect Generation 3/4 headsets could address some of the the current issues and be very good. Something that could add to this in future is Hand Tracking so you can manipulate controls in clicky pits with your hands / fingers. So, in summary if you are tempted by one of these then do research into it and look up the many Pros and Cons or at least make sure you buy from where you can return it easily. Whether it is for you is entirely down to who you are.

Viper and Hornet Update With the early access release of the Viper, we are now focusing on the most pressing bugs and desired new features for the Hornet and Viper. We have been reading all your feedback, and this is the biggest factor in determining our priorities. While not a complete list, here are our priority items for the Hornet and Viper in our roadmap (please note that the items listed are not in any sequential order): F/A-18C Hornet Targeting Pod Slave to waypoint / target point Line of sight indication on the HUD Coordinate display Cursor Zero and Snowplow modes Radar Track While Scan (TWS) mode SPOT mode AACQ mode Weapons Release of the AGM-62 Walleye Dynamic launch zones for JDAM and JSOW Pre-Briefed (PB) mode for AGM-88 HARM Avionics Correct the ability to pull 30 G by disabling the G-limiter circuit breaker as a cheat Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) mode Countermeasures Smaller flares option that can be up to 60 on the aircraft F-16C Viper External Art Complete external skin and provide a template to the public External lights Centerline fuel tank Add wing flex Additional skins Visual damage model Cockpit Art Add pilot body to cockpit view (VR) Systems EEGS Level-5 and Lead Computing Optical Sight (LCOS) gunsight when target is locked on radar Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) system Corrected AIM-120 Dynamic Launch Zone (DLZ) that correctly accounts for A (active) and T (time to impact) times Track While Scan (TWS) radar mode Air-to-Air Radar to include Control page (set PRF, contact fade, etc.) Targeting pod (target range indication, SP/CZ/TGT indications, azimuth indication angle indication [waterline with line], GRAY indication, north arrow, M mask indication) If AIM-9 and AIM-120 are loaded, selected aft on the dogfight switch should select AIM-9 and pressing forward should select AIM-120 Emergency jettison button Ability to create and modify steerpoints form the UFC Steerpoints must auto-sequence when option selected from STPTY DED page Toggle missile type select with missile step button for more than .8 seconds Lock indication on the RWR is missing. It should be a circle. At missile launch, then the circle should flash Complete CMDS manual mode programming When a contact is locked while in NAV mode, changing to AA mode should not remove the lock Only a long press aft on the DMS switch should turn the HMCS on and off. Currently, up, right, and left also have this function AI vs the New Damage Model As the new damage model is being implemented, tested and tuned for all our WWII modules we are making sure that all aspects of gameplay are checked and tuned as well. Is this case, with the new damage model we noticed that the AI can be very accurate, and many times testing vs the AI, they would land all shots center mass, any times scoring a pilot kill before anything else. To deal with this we have added a couple of new functions to the AI. First, we added error aiming offset, this will prevent the AI from shooting at the center of the model, and will be adjusted based on the skill set in the Mission Editor. This makes it more realistic when you manage to get some distance on the AI, but letting them in close will still be as deadly as expected. Secondly, there is also a function for tracers aiming correction, this means that when the AI is using tracer rounds, the AI will correct its aim only as the AI fires on a target. The time required for the AI to adjust its aim is based on skill level as well, so excellent level AI will adjust their aim much faster than lower-skilled AI. Now this is only the first phase of these changes, the next adjustments will focus on targeting of key components and areas of different aircraft, as we were told by Luftwaffe fighter pilot Erich Brunotte, they were instructed to fire on the inner left engine on B-17s as there were some critical systems that were not doubled located there. This will allow the AI to be more precise as far as targeting aircraft components going forward. Lastly, we have tuned how aggressive the AI is when firing on a disabled or already destroyed enemy plane, currently with new damage model testing, the AI would unload on you, and not let up until every part of you was a flaming hunk of wreckage, now, the AI should recognize when you are damaged enough, or dead and stop firing, hopefully this will allow the AI to maintain more ammo, and be more useful in large scale fights. These new AI features should be available in this week's Open Beta update, we ask you to share your experiences with the AI tweaks and give us feedback on your personal experience with it. DCS World Open Beta Update This Friday we are releasing a new Open Beta update with the following highlights: AI Combat Improvements R/BL mode for Harpoons on the Hornet A number of fixes for the DCS: F-16 Viper A number of fixes for the DCS C-101 by AvioDev You can read the complete changelog here. Many thanks to all our faithful community. Yours sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Steam DCS sales are usually at different times.

2019 Autumn Sale starts today! We are happy to announce that the DCS World Autumn 2019 Sale is here with incredible savings on most DCS World products! Lasting until November 4th, save 50% on most DCS World modules! This applies to aircraft, maps, and campaigns. The only exceptions include: DCS: F/A-18 Hornet by ED - 25% off DCS: Persian Gulf Map - 25% off DCS: Christen Eagle II by Magnitude 3 LLC – 25% off DCS: F-14 Tomcat by Heatblur Simulations – not on sale at this time DCS: F-16C Viper by ED – not on sale at this time Get these deals starting today in the DCS E-shop. We will also be participating in the Steam Halloween Sale. Open Beta update We released a new Open Beta update this week. Much of the focus has been on the Viper and includes initial Basic IFF and fuel tank jettison. On the Hornet front, we are introducing the AGM-62 Walleye ER/DL with support from the AWW-13 Data Link Pod. Along with these highlights, many more fixes have been included and you check out the complete changelog here. Development Report #1 In order to provide greater transparency in our endeavours, we are happy to introduce a new series of Development Reports. These will shed light on some of the most requested features and their progress. New AI FM (GFM) - currently in progress Last week we introduced some new skills for our AI pilots, and we want to thank you for the feedback. We are happy to hear that it’s making a big difference! We are also working on what we term the GFM (General Flight Model), and this is the new FM for the AI that you may have heard us hint at earlier. This FM will support asymmetric payloads, and naturally crosswind landings. We think this will make the AI pilots fly in a more realistic and human fashion. The GFM will not only simulate kinematic movement, but also true stability and controllability characteristics of the plane and their natural behavior at takeoff and landing. The current effort is on building variations of mass and moments of mass in flight. In the future, we will develop the principal functionality to support supermaneuverability. UH-1H Multi-Crew Functionality - currently in internal testing This hugely anticipated feature is close to seeing the light of day. We have begun internal testing of multi-crew functionality for the Huey. The initial testing is progressing well, and it will allow two pilots to fly the Huey as a team. Pilots will be able to interact with each other’s panels, and it should be a beet fun addition to an already excellent module. Next week we will share some new information about Modern Air Combat (MAC) and the Supercarrier module. Thanks for your support. Yours sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

It is a cartoon narrated by someone who has done very little research and has next to zero understanding of how aircraft are developed - please find me a $38m F-15E today because apparently this Muppet doesn't understand such things as inflation. It is beyond laughable, talk about a dog looking at the screen with its tongue out. The aircraft and program is open to criticism like any other program but there were a lot of positives as well. If anyone saw this 3 parter on the RAF/FAA in one of them they have trouble starting it - nothing really out of the ordinary but the sort of thing included in clueless videos above as if the sky is falling in.

Help fund the Strike Fighters 2 Windows 10 update! Strike Fighters 2 is a series of popular PC games we released back in 2008 (over 11 years ago!). It was a unique series of inter-connected light/casual flight simulation games set in the Cold War. Despite its age, it's still being enjoyed by many users, thanks largely to its huge and active mod community. The games were originally designed on (then brand new) Windows Vista, but over the years, new Windows versions have came and gone (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and finally 10), the hardware has evolved at dizzying speed, and internet security and privacy have become major concerns. With all these changes, some people are reporting issues running our old games on newer machines. We'd love to be able to update the series to the latest Windows and Direct X version. But we're a very small independent company with very limited resources, and we do not currently have the funds to do this. And this is where you can help! $25,000 USD is the minimum we need to cover the cost of development and testing. At this level funding, the update will simply be Windows 10/DirectX 12 update with no other fixes, enhancement or improvement. Of course, any funding we get above and beyond the $25K amount would be used to further enhance and improve the series. Our users have asked for Oculus VR support, air-to-air refueling, and many other features. These all cost time and money, a lot of it unfortunately, so they'll need to be prioritized. We'll put the decisions about which additional features to work on to vote among the contributors. So by funding this and becoming a contributor, you're not only helping us with the funding, you'll also have a say in which direction to go with the update. We estimate it'll take 2 months of development and testing for the update to be completed. So if we can get started by mid-September, we should be able to release the basic update by this November before Thanksgiving. (Any features from additional contributions will of course take longer) We'd like to thank our fantastic community, especially the mods community who continue to put out amazing work to improve our games for everyone. We couldn't do this without the community support. Thank you! Contribute here: https://fundrazr.com/31YZNe?ref=ab_A4B60kVy3KOA4B60kVy3KO Answers to some questions asked online: Q. What happens if the funding goal isn't met? A. Not everything will be lost even if we don't make the funding goal. We do plan on securing the amount we're short by through other means (loans) and still get the Windows 10 update done at a later time (probably early next year). If we have to go this route however, the update will have to be a paid update and not free to everyone so we can at least recover part of the cost. It'll be free to only those who contributed to this and those who purchased the SF2 Complete Edition. Please note that this campaign is set as "Keep it all", meaning we keep all the contributions even if the funding goal isn't met. Q. Can we add <xyz> features and fix <abc> bugs? A. We'd love to be able to do everything everyone is asking for, but unfortunately, all these take a lot of time and money. If you're expecting our games to have all the features from other AAA-quality games, then you'll be disappointed. Those games costs 10+ (some over 100+) million budget, and there is simply no way we can even come close to that with $100-500K budget we usually spend on our games. If this crowd funding makes more than the funding goal, we'll have the contributors vote and decide on which features we should spend that extra amount on. Q. Are you going to continue to support the game? A. We wish we could continue to support the game forever, but again, these things takes a lot of money, and we simply can not afford to keep supporting old games for years and decades. This crowd funding goal is enough to pay for just 2 months of operation. In order for us to continue to support the game year after year, we need the community to continue to buy our games (and not just play them) year after year. Q. Isn't it better to do Strike Fighters 3? A. We'd love to be able to do SF3, but we're not ready to commit that much time and money to a new PC game at this point (we still haven't paid off the development cost of SF2NA). A completely new game would take us at least 5 years and cost us at at least 2 million. Plus, everyone expect post-release support for 10-20 additional years, easily doubling the cost. We just don't think we'll be able to raise that amount needed based on numbers we have. We'd love to be proven wrong on this, if this fund raising goes way better than expected, we can re-consider this in the future. Thank you! Update on result from TK

Looks stunning however I will clarify the state it is currently in which is Early Access in fact only the cockpit and external model are anywhere near complete. Even the external skin is a placeholder and I cant even jettison any weapons at the moment, also no gun sight symbology. It is probably about 5 - 10% complete at a push. It needs a few more major patches before you can really use it I would say.

Why the F-16C The Viper was the next logical extension to the F/A-18C Hornet. They both have a similar multi-role mission and share many of the same underlying technologies and systems. As such, we can be much more efficient by leveraging core technologies and features for both aircraft. The Viper is also cool aircraft that has been produced in massive numbers, with an equal number of fans around the world. It was a no-brainer. Development Start Every aircraft starts from the engine and flight model and follows by 3D modelling and development of all the systems. We started to develop the heart of the Viper in October 2018 creating the needed design documents and collecting as much information available to us. The main production phase started in April 2019 with many placeholder objects up to what you see now this will continue until the module is considered feature completed and can be moved from Early Access to release. Development Speed We have never developed a product so fast. Not only is this a testament to our amazing development team, but it also showed the value of creating core technologies that can be applied to multiple aircraft. The development of projects that are similar in tech will always help the speed of creating new tech. You can even see this in our WWII aircraft with similar engine types, and new tech for those. Current Early Access Features As development starts, a plan is put into place on what the key features will be required to make an enjoyable product in an Early Access environment. Much thought is always put into what will allow the most gameplay with features still to come. Even development of the Hornet, and what was most popular as it developed, as an example, the targeting pod. Of course, this is all based on how the systems tie together in development, and sometimes that can push much-requested features further out, you can see this with IFF as an example. F-110-GE-129 turbofan engine AN/APG-68(V)5 multi-mode radar AN/ALR-56M Radar Warning Receiver CCIP (Common Configuration Implementation Program) update ALE-47 countermeasure system Color Multifunction Display (CMFD) symbology, Horizontal Situation Display (HSD) format, and Head-up Display (HUD) symbology Digitally TACAN and Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI) RWS, SAM, and ACM A/A radar modes RWS, SAM, and STT air-to-air radar modes BDU-33, GBU-10, GBU-12, Mk-82LDGP, Mk-82AIR, Mk-82SE, Mk-84LDGP, CBU-87 CEM, and CBU-97 SFW unguided bombs 2.75” rockets Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS) AIM-9L/M/P/X Sidewinder AIM-120B/C AMRAAM M61A1 20mm cannon Litening targeting pod New developments for the Viper TWS and other A/A radar modes Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Link 16 Data Link Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) A/G radar modes AGM-65D/G/H/K Maverick AGM-88C HARM AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting System (HTS) GBU-24A/B laser-guided bombs BRU-57/A Smart Rack CBU-103 CEM and CBU-105 SFW Inertially Aided Munitions (IAM) GBU-31/A and GBU-38/B JDAM AGM-154A and AGM-154B JSOW Integration of the JHMCS with the HARM Targeting System (HTS), Link 16, and AIFF Night Vision Goggles (NVG) ALE-50 towed decoy What to wait for next? IFF TWS Programs for CMDS Autopilot (HDG SEL and STRG SEL modes) INS setup and DED page FM/FLCS/engine tuning AA and AG mode missing indication Current Known issues With this Early Access release, we have already identified and are tracking the number of issues that were not fixed for this build. If you see the issue listed here, there is no need for it to be reported in the 'Verified Bug' section for the Viper on the forums. All things Damage Model are currently WIP Pilot body WIP Wing Flex WIP DED symbols not affected by reflection Seat Shadows in the cockpit not complete LAU-3 firing issues after reload LERX vortexes only on-air start Some stores alignment issues remain Tanker can send 'transfer complete' in error OBOGS BIT Switch isn't clickable MPO check shows nothing Depressible Reticle Switch doesn't affect on HUD Some MP sync issues remain AoA bracket is bouncing around while taxiing under 60kts. No animation on the engine inlet fans Pilot shows still in the cockpit after ejection EQUIP HOT caution light doesn't illuminate after for AIR SOURCE selected OFF AWACS Declare not available ENG CONT switch doesn't affect nozzle position Trying to eject with seat unarmed causes ejection soon as the seat is armed HUD IAS delta is too big comparing with info bar In certain cases, Afterburner flame overlaps engine nozzle HUD velocity switch doesn't display Ground Speed AR floodlight and other lights on fuselage doesn't work ALT GEAR Handle isn't clickable HUD Brightness Control Switch not functioning EMER Jettison and GRND jettison not functioning Seat adjustment moves POV but not model PNEU label is not displayed Hook doesn't extend Infobar shows wrong flaps value Stores Drag WIP Active and Time to Intercept calculations for DLZ Q&A from community Q: The number of available skins? A: Default skin only. Q: Can I use bonuses to purchase? A: Yes. Q: Why is the DED not listed at all? Are there no plans to fully simulate the DED? A: DED is an important part of different systems. As functionality for these systems is added, corresponding pages on DED will be added. Q: Are there any plans to include a virtual pilot for the Viper? A: Of course. Q: How is the FBW-based PFM developed from publicly available data to something that is actually so close to reality that a Pilot/SME is able to validate it and sign off on? Q: The FLCS for the F-16 had to be constructed from the ground-up. How was that process? A: Building FLCS from scratch was a difficult task, requiring a lot of research and a lot of effort, due to complexity and a lack of information. F-15C and F/A-18C development experience came in handy. Q: When implementing something like the RWS radar mode into the F-16, how much of that code is able to be transferred straight from the F/A-18C into the F-16C, and how much has to be modified/rewritten completely? Q: How much common codebase do the Viper and Hornet have? Will developing systems and weapons for both be seamless and much easier as EA development continues? Can this common base also be applied to future fixed-wing products like the F-4E? A: Significant amount of code has been reused, which greatly simplified and accelerated development. In the future, this will help in the development of other modules. However, there are still many things we created from scratch. Q: In the future will there be other variants? Q: is there ever going to be DLC's for F-16 that simulate different F-16's? ( i.e Block 40 Night Falcon, Block 30 ) A: Perhaps, we will consider this option. Q: Is the Sniper pod still being considered further down the road? Q: Will the sniper pod make a return? A: Yes. Q: Will Hornet and Viper be feature-tied when it comes to development and update? So if one got AGM-65 (just an example), will the other be getting it at the same time? (or around the same time?) A: We will try to. It is in our interests too. Q: Was wondering if there are plans to implement the Viper's AGCAS to save pilots from GLOC death. A: Too modern for the modelled variant. Q: How will LGB's work starting online from a cold/dark empty plane on day1? I.e. where do you set the LGB code? Will this be a server setting that bombs will default to? A: Laser code is set in a mission in EA. Later we will add the ability to set the code on a runway, similar to F-5E-3. Q: Is there anything more you can share at this point regarding Ground Radar? Q: How far is the development regarding ground radar? A: Work in progress. Q: For us who don't have cool detents on our throttles, is there any plans to add a similar feature the hornet has (the finger lift to after burner) that'll prevent me from accidently hitting the burner when I'm trying to only go to full mil? A: It's already in EA. Q: Can HARM targeting system and Litening targeting pod be mixed in the future? A: Carried together - yes. Q: The F/A-18 already has HARM. Will we be seeing that available for the Viper in POS/HAS modes before the HTS pod is released, or will you be waiting to release them as a bundled upgrade? A: We will start from common modes and then proceed to HTS. Q: When can we expect TWS for the f-16? A: This is one of our priorities for the near future. Q: What are the deliverables expected of the F16 Viper before the developers move back onto completing the Hornet? A: Engineers will return to Hornet development in the near future. Q: Will there be a "Viper mission of the week (month? can't remember)" like you initially did with the Hornet? A: About once a month. Q: How do I turn on TACAN? A: Switch MIDS LVT knob to the ON position. Yours sincerely, The Eagle Dynamics Team

Never done EA before but gave it a spin and completed all the content without reading or watching a single training vid or manual. Bit surprised at how much was missing but anyway it can stay in the hangar now for a few years.

It's basically the current production (F-15SA?) version with a few USAF changes - was the only way they could get it any where near cheap enough for anyone to consider buying it.

From TK:

IIRC Alt+N jumps to the IP waypoint which can be moved before you start a mission.

Not sure you will get much out of that chip set. Can you clarify: That is a low end HD3000 from around 2011? Can you run a dxdiag and post results? Have you attempted to run the game on high settings? Have you attempted to increase anti aliasing or anything like that? Please note the video has 3rd party mods & effects in it that have been downloaded from this site so it is very different to the stock game.

in 67 they were flying different MiGs with different engines if you are referring to the DCS Bis - which according to all the Bis pilots that test flew and verified the DCS FM the engine flames out as soon as there is much in the way of negative G especially at low speeds as soon as the nose goes forward. That doesn't sound like a cobra........the aircraft that have done that (Su-27 etc) still had some directional stability, likely pitched up to a far higher transient AoA and still appear to be in control and flying when the nose came down.

Nice Work!

More scraps that is - oh and it is released next Month Some text: https://corporate-ient.com/warbirds-2020/

Erm - yes and until somebody gets any kind of reply from TK on that matter then we are all in the dark.

Or what about Tsuyoshi Kawahito is one of the most famous sim designers. We owe him products such as Jane's Longbow II or, more recently, Microprose's European Air War (EAW). Now he has built up his own company, Third Wire production, and presents Project 1, a simulation centered around a forgotten period of the air military history, the Vietnam and Kippour era. Fighters Anthology, Chuck Yeager's air combat and, of course, Israeli Air Force are the only games that ever talked about this dark time, which is now the point of this new simulation. His creator has accepted to answer our questions. Check-Six: First, thanks for answering our questions Mr Kawahito. Tsuyoshi Kawahito: You’re welcome. 1) C6: Im curious about your long way since EAW. Can you tell us more about your way from MPS's 1998 last golden age to this current Third Wire time? TK: I’m afraid there isn’t much to tell... I left MPS at the end of 1998 to join a small technology start-up company. After about 4 months there, I started my own company, Third Wire Productions, to work on my own games. 2) C6: Can you tell us about the process that has lead P1 to such a choice of period and theater? TK: We wanted to do a simulation title that has “built-in” appeal to both casual and hard-core simmers, ie, a game that can appeal to everyone without having to set all the options to “easy”. We felt that a jet sim without complex modern avionics achieves that goal – you can just jump right in and mix it up with the MiGs without having to spend months reading the manual first. 3) C6: Can we have some additionnal informations about the campaign engine? Do you expect it to be closer to LB2 or EAW's one for instance? TK: It’s a lot closer to EAW than LB2 since Project 1 is an aircraft sim and not a helicopter sim. LB2 maps were tactical in size (50km x 50km), and you moved from one map to another as you progressed through your campaign. Project 1 campaign will take place in a single large map (1000km x 1000km), very similar to EAW campaign. And while missions in LB2 were all focused on ground action – the helicopter modelled in that game was basically a dedicated close-support platform, the missions in Project 1 will have player assigned to strategic targets as well as ground targets. 4) C6: And what about the ground war during this campaign? What importance will the ground battlefield take in the curse of war? TK: The ground war is handled at two levels: strategic and tactical. Between the player missions, army units are moved at strategic level based on their strength, supply level, moral conditions, and their overall objectives. Any combat at this level is resolved using an abstract system. Once in the mission, any army units in contact will actually engage in tactical battle – tanks will maneuver to capture their objectives and engage against defending tanks, artillery will lob indirect fire at enemy positions, etc. The player’s action can affect the result of ground war directly and indirectly. The player might be assigned to a close-support mission for any ground battle, in which case his action can have a direct impact on the outcome of the battle. And, at the end of each mission, the player’s mission result will be used as a modifier when resolving strategic combats, so the player can affect indirectly how the other friendly forces are doing. 5) C6: What will be the 3D engine performance? Do you expect it to equal the current benchmarks (with sims such as Il2?). Do you have further details about it and the computer we will need to run P1? TK: Well, it depends on how you’re defining “performance”. Our engine is designed to run well on today’s mid-range machines, and most of the screenshots you see on our website are taken on a PIII-650 with GeForce 2 MX. 6) C6: Many people here are very worried about P1's level of realism. When you declare that "it will match 90% of pilot's needs", it does make some of us even more perplexed... Can you tell us more exactly what is the level you expect to reach? Will it be closer to an USAF/IAF-like than a hardcore flight sim? TK: Project 1 is designed as a relaxed-realism survey sim, so we are not out to create a hyper-realistic simulation that only hard-core flight simmers can get into. But at the same time, we didn’t want to do a simplistic arcade game either, so what we hope to create is a game with good balance between realism and playability, a game that is fun and exciting to play for everyone. 7) C6: Have you any further detail about how the IR missiles will behave in the simulation? How do you expect to simulate the targeting and homing sequences? TK: Targeting sequence for IR missile is the same as in real life – you aim it using your gunsight. You have to manoeuver to bring your target into the gunsight, and if there is enough heat signatures off the target for the IR seeker to see (ie, you have to be aimed at the rear-aspect of the target), then the missile will lock on. The only indication will be the volume of the growl. 8) C6: And what about comms? Will they be, at least, as evolved than EAW, F4 or Il2 ones for instance? TK: The game will feature a basic comm interface to control wingman and other flight members, as well as requesting help and directions from TACC (Tactical Air Control Center). 9) C6: How will you simulate the Radar Intercept Officer aboard two-seated planes such as the F4? Will you let players use the backseat too? Will it be possible for two people to fly in the same Phantom in multiplayer? TK: No, we are not planning to model any back seat in the initial release. 10) C6: Talking about multiplayer, do you get any informations about multiplay modes planned in P1? TK: Our plan is to have two basic multiplayer modes: Dogfight and Co-op missions. Dogfight mode is just a quick head-to-head combat where you just try to shoot anyone else down, whereas Co-op mission mode is where you fly a single mission toward assigned objective. 11) C6: Have you any news to give us about the Lologramme's Mirage III possible integration? TK: His Mirage III is looking great. We've designed the game so it is very easy to add new skin, new aircraft, new map, new campaign, etc. Adding new aircraft, for example, is just matter of creating a new folder in the aircraft subdirectory, drop your data files in there. Next time the game starts up, it'll automatically be recognized and integrated into the gameplay. 12) C6: Finally, in your opinion, can you tell us about THE point that would make P1 more attractive that another jet sim? What do you think is P1's main, special "thing" that other sims do not have? TK: Well, I think this is a very exciting period of aviation history, one that haven’t really been covered by any other sims recently. C6: Thanks! from: www.checksix-fr.com Tuesday 16 July 2002