How complete is the Hornet module

I would like to buy the Hornet module but how complete is it at this point...if not complete what things are still being worked on?

Buying depends on your expectations and needs. If you want to buy more perfect products, then you are advised not to buy for the time being, because it will take a long time to complete. If your standard is that products can be relatively "all-weather", "independently complete air-to-air, air-to-ground attacks" then you can consider buying! Now the air-to-air part: we have data link, active guidance medium-range missile, advanced short-range combat missile, MSI with basic functions, JHMCS. In the Air-to-Ground part, we have laser guided bombs, AGM65 missiles, JDAM, AGM88C, AGM84D harpoon missiles and TGP. In the next update, we may even get AGM62, which will be the first man-in-the-loop weapon we have.

Missing are things like TWS modes, RAID mode, etc. Ground mapping Radar. INS. Any sort of ECM. And many of the aforementioned things like the Tpod, JDAMs etc are a WIP. I'd say its like 50-70% done depending on what you want to do with it.

It is useable but has a ton of bugs. ED introduces new bugs all the time and doesn't fix them. At least not yet. I've found in multiplayer theyve recently broken the AIM7s. Sigh.

Wow..thanks for the feedback...got new pc and updated to 2.5 and now I also have to update my older Warthog and Flaming Cliffs modules hope these are relatively complete and work well...I'll give those a try first.

My older Mustang module is working fine on 2.5.

Well its an EA module. And its a wee bit more complicated than the mustang. FC planes work as always. At10C mostly works though its in need of a cockpit update.

Quite a lot of the systems are working. Quite a lot are not, or modeled very basically. Harlikwin mentioned a few. Base your purchasing decisions only on what is available now, not what's coming later. Hornet has been in so called "Early Access" for over a year, we don't know when and if it will ever be complete.

Overall all, it's more than usable in single or multi-player, but by far not feature complete if you want to study it in depth.

I reckon 1 to 2 years more before the module is mature (all system in, bugs fixed).

ED knows better than we do.

I reckon 1 to 2 years more before the module is mature (all system in, bugs fixed).

This particular software is in development flux, things are progressing as we see it, however, only ED knows their best estimates and plans. However one needs to remember that there are multiple factors, one being company rotation percentage, people join and leave for various reasons.

ED lost their A/G radar person before, and getting a replacement was not an easy task I would imagine. That also reversed the progress in this single task alone.

We can speculate, but it won't push Hornet to a grand finale if we do, so why bother.

Come on, it's awesome enough for you to learn a bunch of new stuff as it is!

That I can confirm 100%

Don't let people deter you... the Hornet is a blast to fly.

Yep. Irrespective of the bugs I've never had so much fun on a sim. I've been waiting for over 15 years for a decent naval aviation platform to be released, since my Jane's F/A-18E days. The DCS hornet is a blast. No matter how far along it is (or isn't) in development you'll spend dozens of hours learning the ins and outs. Go for it.

I've had it since it was released in to EA and have enjoyed it immensely. It's very playable. There's lot to learn so I really don't think you will regret getting this module.

And honestly, in *MAJOR* systems missing, it really is only TWS and A/G at this point, IMHO. Yeah, of course a lot needs fleshing out (Nav system, more TGP stuff, ATFLIR and the new IR render, DDI pages - but that's all already working to some extent), but it is already a deep, rewarding and fun module which is only getting better and better.

Even if its only say 70% done, there is still a lot to learn to master the current options. Also depends of previous experience. And its very playable right now, at least for my standards; never had programme-crashes etc; and if all things, the are still in line would be available tomorrow, this would be actually too overwhelming for me. So its good for me, thats things are coming out one piece at a time.

One thing, I would consider though is, the (for me) "synthectic" FBW-behaviour. Its nice, that you can yank the stick as you like but I very much prefer the feel of the Tomcat, which than can get very tricky again...

Still overall a great and enjoyable plane.

Id wait for the next discount on DCS (like 25% off in early Summer) and then go for it.

Yeah, we complain a lot because we want this module to become the absolute reference in modern military aviation simulation and still is not there, but it's very enjoyable and hopefully development will speed up when the F-16 catches up in features

The facts are there. The viper has a video every day and there isn’t mini hornet update since august 14th.

Summer time......complex system....I don’t believe it anymore. I think Ed has other priorities

Here is your update

DCS: F/A-18C Current News

We know many users are concerned about progress on the Hornet with everything else going on, but we can assure you that we are still hard at work on getting the Hornet completed. Currently, AGM-62 ‘Walleye II’ is making good progress, but we need to develop a new man-in-the-loop data link from scratch for this. This is taking a lot of the team's time currently. When this new tech is completed though, it can later be used for the SLAM and SLAM-ER. As well, this week Range & Bearing Launch mode (R/BL) was added for internal testing for the Harpoon, as well as POP and SKIM options added to Terminal Mode, these should be coming to an Open Beta release very soon.

Let's just continue to enjoy the best naval aviation simulation that is commercially available right now.

Seriously, I don't get people who complain all the time about Hornet development - it is going ahead. ED is releasing fixes and features as soon as they are ready. They could easily say "here is your EA and we will get back to you in 2 years time with the next patch", then deliver all fixes and features in one go, would you be satisfied then?

The facts are there. The viper has a video every day and there isn’t mini hornet update since august 14th.

 

Summer time......complex system....I don’t believe it anymore. I think Ed has other priorities

Not sure how Wags making tutorial videos for an upcoming module correlates to all the the other developers ceasing their work on the Hornet.

The latest weekend news only confuses even more.

ED mentions Walleye II and Harpoon being a priority....but why exactly are these now priorities? What about a TGP you can actually aim?

What about improvements to JDAM?

Improvements to NAV System? We haven’t even got markpoints.

Finish HARM modes?

The data cartridge functions previewed 8 months ago?

Lots of missing radar HOTAS commands?

TWS?

All of these are more important than Walleye. If work continues on these unmentioned systems, then why not mention it. Why not communicate on items that the community actually feels are a priority?

My fear now is that ED will continue to work its way down the published weapons list, half implement all of them, then call Hornet development a day. I appreciate the weekend news, but it does little to actually reassure. Sorry.

My fear now is that ED will continue to work its way down the published weapons list, half implement all of them, then call Hornet development a day. I appreciate the weekend news, but it does little to actually reassure. Sorry.

How do you even reach that conclusion?? Its mind-boggling, nothing in the history of ED hints to them leaving an unfinished module to extents you are describing. Unbelievable.

How do you even reach that conclusion?? Its mind-boggling, nothing in the history of ED hints to them leaving an unfinished module to extents you are describing. Unbelievable.

Yes, maybe harsh, but time (and probably lots of it) will tell won’t it. We shall see.

The latest weekend news only confuses even more.

 

ED mentions Walleye II and Harpoon being a priority....but why exactly are these now priorities? What about a TGP you can actually aim?

What about improvements to JDAM?

Improvements to NAV System? We haven’t even got markpoints.

Finish HARM modes?

The data cartridge functions previewed 8 months ago?

Lots of missing radar HOTAS commands?

TWS?

 

All of these are more important than Walleye. If work continues on these unmentioned systems, then why not mention it. Why not communicate on items that the community actually feels are a priority?

My fear now is that ED will continue to work its way down the published weapons list, half implement all of them, then call Hornet development a day. I appreciate the weekend news, but it does little to actually reassure. Sorry.

100% agree with you. you perfectly described the feeling

Systems aside, key features of the damage model, like damage due to G etc are still not implemented aswell....