Cephei

You can set it as per game basis:

I have a question: Does the MSAA optimization mentioned here work with NVIDIA control panel forced MSAA (and ingame disabled)?

I've had problems using this since 2.5. According to the patch notes, the data cartridges should no longer require a re-seating to be loaded in multiplayer and should work even if you're already inside the plane. This however has failed every time so far. Any tips?

Expect the plane to be tailored not towards loitering in a target area, but rather get in, drop your load and get out fast, the quintessential strike fighter operating procedure. In that sense it should be very similar to the F-16. I found understanding this key difference to be very helpful in understanding why certain systems are designed the way they are.

If this wasn't clear yet, I don't have a problem with the lack of a LANTIRN or any other targeting pod. I have a huge problem with putting such a system dangling in front of our faces with the big "maybe" sign to it, as if it was some kind of carrot on a stick. I'd prefer if you say "look, we can't afford x amount of extra development time" and as such can't ship it with the product, that being said we'll add it as a DLC later. That way, everyone who wants one know and can rely on one to exist at a later time, even if it costs money (I'd pay for it in a heartbeat, if this means LANTIRN). But right now, if you really want a Bombcat, you're sort of expected to purchase the product and then hope you may deliver one in the future and that's not a good prospect. I will personally buy the Tomcat even if it lacks the LANTIRN entirely, but I bet there's some out there that this capability is the make or break feature and I'd prefer if you can set the expectation straight on it.

That's the problem, I don't want to wait for an IF that statistically has about a 0% chance of actually happening. This sounds exactly like the average marketing phrase that everyone uses for features most of us want to see but that aren't even on the table. Either say it will or won't happen, so I can think about if the module is worth my time and money, because I was looking forward for 2 seater bombing missions more than I was looking forward to anything else. Besides, the F14 was designed and capable from the ground up to be able to employ A/G weapons, it was a navy policy that prevented it from being used in this way. This argument is not only weak, it also screams "excuse". That's the point, that's why we're disappointed, because instead of leaving out some minor details, you cut out the part of the plane that it was used for for the overwhelming majority of combat missions total. See, nobody had a problem if you decided "oh we'll add idk, TARPS or some other non essential systems later", not only would we actually believe you, this would also mean you have your priorities set straight. Core systems are more important than auxiliary ones. Nobody is going to believe you you'll patch in a huge system like the LANTIRN as an after thought in just some casual patch after launch. Absolutely nobody. Bombcat capability isn't some secondary role of the plane, it's what the plane was mostly used for. Besides you had a shot of breaking some new ground in DCS with making the first 2 seater strike aircraft and you blew that too. Sorry if that comes off as too harsh, because you personally aren't responsible for this, I'm blaming whoever set the development roadmap and decided to favor nonessential systems on launch over a more complete product by relegating a huge part of the plane to the mythical "maybe we'll do it later, but not really, because nobody ever actually does this and this is just marketing BS". Like the other guy put it perfectly: Either confirm or deny it later, don't put this "maybe" stuff, it doesn't make you look better.

You would be wrong. I would prefer waiting a bit more for added capability. It is very easy to remove capability in a mission editor if you want your period accurate no A/G allowed Tomcat. But if you want to actually use it this way, you're now unable to. Overall pretty disappointed with this direction.