F-14A/B DEVELOPMENT UPDATE #2

I would even say Battle Of Britain had some pretty alright aerial footage. I mean, not of Tomcats of course, but it kinda makes Top Gun's stuff "precedented".

Count me as one not onboard with DCS: F-14A/B indulging in the Hollywood Tomcat. I want to feel and know what it was like to fly the Tomcat in the real world, not on the silver screen. The last thing I want to hear is Kenny Loggins in the main menu; I want to feel like a professional naval aviator/NFO. The real world may not be as "sexy" as the fake world, but its still a heckuva lot more interesting.

Then Motley Crue would be more your style? The movie may have been full of Tom Cruise ego, but the reality is that F-14 crews, while professional and highly trained, did indeed embrace a sort of rock star lifestyle- to the chagrin of every other wing-wearing individual on the planet.

Then Motley Crue would be more your style? The movie may have been full of Tom Cruise ego, but the reality is that F-14 crews, while professional and highly trained, did indeed embrace a sort of rock star lifestyle- to the chagrin of every other wing-wearing individual on the planet.

How about not indulging in pop culture at all? F-14 flyers may have thought themselves as rockstars and athletes, but was that their day-to-day experience, or a Wednesday night experience at the NAS Miramar nightclub or in Subic Bay?

Its the day-to-day, on-the-job experience these sims are trying to capture, not all this peripheral stuff. That said, it'd be nice if there was an in-game option to visit the base nightclub (Sierra's classic U-boat sim Aces of the Deep allowed for that). There, you can listen to Kenny Loggins and Motley Crue all you want.

(Sierra's classic U-boat sim Aces of the Deep allowed for that).

I worked for Sierra Online from 97-02. Was the most fun I have ever had at a job in my life. I miss those little extras that we had in games back in the day. I often wish DCS had a pre-flight ready room and/or let you spawn in on ramp start, materialize in in 1st person view as you and walk up to your plane with a ground crew there and you climb the ladder into get in while a gc member is there to assist as they are in real life. Add so much to the immersion I think. But probably just me. I guess in general I wish airfields had there own built in mini-AI so to speak that just made them seem, in use and populated without having to try and setup something in the editor on our own that doesn't quite fill the bill. AI towing a jet for service to some part of airfield, crew doing their own tasks and routines independent of my activities or if scenario calls for it set to a 'conflict' mode vs a 'peace time' mode. Sorry, I went off there..more for a Wish thread I am sure.

But thanks for reminding me of a good time back in the day.

I worked for Sierra Online from 97-02. Was the most fun I have ever had at a job in my life. I miss those little extras that we had in games back in the day. I often wish DCS had a pre-flight ready room and/or let you spawn in on ramp start, materialize in in 1st person view as you and walk up to your plane with a ground crew there and you climb the ladder into get in while a gc member is there to assist as they are in real life. Add so much to the immersion I think. But probably just me. I guess in general I wish airfields had there own built in mini-AI so to speak that just made them seem, in use and populated without having to try and setup something in the editor on our own that doesn't quite fill the bill. AI towing a jet for service to some part of airfield, crew doing their own tasks and routines independent of my activities or if scenario calls for it set to a 'conflict' mode vs a 'peace time' mode. Sorry, I went off there..more for a Wish thread I am sure.

 

But thanks for reminding me of a good time back in the day.

1pv getting into the plane with ground crew would be amazing. I'm really hoping the Forrestal flight deck is pretty animated. It would be fantastic if the crew actually ran things according to actual operational instructions.

For all the @$$hole taxiway takeoffs I have done in blue flag, having a more realistic startup and takeoff/landing procedure makes things a lot more fun. Did a great mission with the Adversary Pros and had a blast learning taxiway etiquette and a/a TACAN.

1pv getting into the plane with ground crew would be amazing. I'm really hoping the Forrestal flight deck is pretty animated. It would be fantastic if the crew actually ran things according to actual operational instructions.

 

For all the @$$hole taxiway takeoffs I have done in blue flag, having a more realistic startup and takeoff/landing procedure makes things a lot more fun. Did a great mission with the Adversary Pros and had a blast learning taxiway etiquette and a/a TACAN.

The old space-shooter Starlancer didn't make you go through procedure, but there were briefings by the flight commander and failing to follow orders (or teamkilling the idiotic AI wingmen for blocking your shot on the mission objective) would result in your RIO taking control and flying you back to base for court martial, followed by execution. If you ejected too many times or failed an objective they'd demote you to a transport unit, assuming it was your side that picked you up rather than the evil Coalition. Consequences FTW!

not in my book it's not unprecedented, i felt final countdown had the superior tomcat aerial footage

That movie had superior NAVAL AVIATION footage...what wasn't to like? F-14s, A-6s, A-7s, E-2Cs, S-3s, RF-8G and an A-5A

The best of the early 80s!

That movie had superior NAVAL AVIATION footage...what wasn't to like? F-14s, A-6s, A-7s, E-2Cs, S-3s, RF-8G and an A-5A

 

The best of the early 80s!

Indeed, ironically I enjoyed the Final Countdown with it's fantasy setting way more than Top Gun regarding authentic and realistic presentation of naval aviation :D

I worked for Sierra Online from 97-02. Was the most fun I have ever had at a job in my life. I miss those little extras that we had in games back in the day. I often wish DCS had a pre-flight ready room and/or let you spawn in on ramp start, materialize in in 1st person view as you and walk up to your plane with a ground crew there and you climb the ladder into get in while a gc member is there to assist as they are in real life. Add so much to the immersion I think. But probably just me. I guess in general I wish airfields had there own built in mini-AI so to speak that just made them seem, in use and populated without having to try and setup something in the editor on our own that doesn't quite fill the bill. AI towing a jet for service to some part of airfield, crew doing their own tasks and routines independent of my activities or if scenario calls for it set to a 'conflict' mode vs a 'peace time' mode. Sorry, I went off there..more for a Wish thread I am sure.

 

But thanks for reminding me of a good time back in the day.

'97 - '02? So you worked there during the Half-Life days! Sierra was truly a giant in the gaming industry; its a shame what eventually came of them.

Older games, despite being more limited technologically, were more immersive because they always threw in extras to give you the feeling of actually "being there." This helped make up for any limitations that existed in terms of gameplay and visuals. "Virtual airfields" are definitely a top-tier feature that even the old-school sims never really capitalized on.

But with the technology of DCS, a lot, if not all, of what you wish for can be implemented. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a pilot who ejects and lands can walk around! If that's possible, I'm sure we can create a full walkable and interactive virtual airfield (or carrier) and "start from stateroom" if that's what a player prefers.

Indeed, ironically I enjoyed the Final Countdown with it's fantasy setting way more than Top Gun regarding authentic and realistic presentation of naval aviation :D

The thing that always got me about The Final Countdown was that the carrier, crew, and flyers participated in Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue the hostages in Iran in 1980. In the film, we're basically seeing them during their work-ups prior to that epic eight-month deployment. When that production crew came onboard, I'm sure many of those guys thought that'd be the highlight of their careers. Now they know differently.

In The Final Countdown, they actually shot the gun and launched a Sidewinder for the movie (the aircraft markings are the same as on the remaining footage). That was heads and shoulders above the special effects used in Top Gun.

Not just that, you can actually see them breaking and rolling out of plane. Much more indicative of the birds capabilities then the "music video" approach of the Top Gun footage. And much more relatable to dogfighting. I mean yeah, Top Gun gave us some very neat angles from both within and without, but try flying like that in an ACM environment and you get yourself killed.

last night i saw this plane was released and it was looking awesome, then i woke up :cry:

Not just that, you can actually see them breaking and rolling out of plane. Much more indicative of the birds capabilities then the "music video" approach of the Top Gun footage. And much more relatable to dogfighting. I mean yeah, Top Gun gave us some very neat angles from both within and without, but try flying like that in an ACM environment and you get yourself killed.

-side note- I agree 100% with the what The Final Countdown showed of the F-14. Both Top Gun and the Final Countdown show the glove vanes being used if you have a sharp eye.

'97 - '02? So you worked there during the Half-Life days! Sierra was truly a giant in the gaming industry; its a shame what eventually came of them.

Yep in fact my first gig there was a tester on HL1, Was my first foray into the world of computers after being in sales(I wanted more relaxed work environment and after buying my 1st PC and trying a game, I realized the company was in my city, got hired..lol) then I moved to one of the support teams and then into production areas. Left shortly after Vivendi bought them and moved HQ from Bellevue to Torrance. It is sad what happened. But happened to many. I went to Atari from there and eventually out of the gaming world other than as a player. At MS now. Well, we make games too I guess. :huh:

will there be update 3?

it has been 6 months since last update

will there be update 3?

it has been 6 months since last update

Yepp, and everytime someopne chips in on the Top Gun vs Final Countdown discussion I think there is something new :(

update 3 is here https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=172708

i'm waiting eagerly for update 4

Well in the Hoggit AMA they did after Viggen's reveal video, they have said quite a bit of more F-14 related content will probably be revealed/shared during the first quarter of this year. So I guess there may be an update one of these months after the Viggen is released later this month :)