DC F-15 updates incoming. Mach 2+

[Dylanear 26]

I know the initial release was far from universally loved on here, for some valid reasons, but I do hope the next update will help a lot. Looks like a real nice list of improvements and the future ones, especially the sounds are quite welcome too. Hopefully it's keep evolving for a while and convince more people it's worth the price. 

Should be out Tuesday the 2nd. 

https://www.facebook.com/DCDesignsAircraft/posts/2893307457656901

 

VERY BIG FRIDAY UPDATE! ( Read the whole post, don’t just look at the pictures! )

This past week has been the busiest, and the most successful, in the history of the company. It’s been hugely exciting to see the sheer scale of the take-up of the F-15 Eagles, and equally rewarding to hear from so many of you who are enjoying the aircraft, as well as seeing so many of them on-line flying in what seems at times like every country on the planet! Keeping up with the equally vast scale of communication has been challenging to say the least, and I hope that I haven’t missed any messages over the past week or so – I was not prepared for the sheer volume of communication to be honest, so it’s been tough to keep track of everything.

With the first launch week out of the way, it’s upgrade time! With any new launch there are always a few bugs, and never more so than when launching on a brand-new platform. Feedback both here and from across the Internet highlighted issues in three main areas, listed here in order of importance:

PERFORMANCE

BUGS

TEXTURES

The performance is listed first because some users were seeing frame rates halve when in the cockpit. I’m delighted to say that I’ve solved that issue and the fix is included in the update. Bugs are next, and there are quite a few, although all of them small. The fix list is below and those of you who bought the Eagles from Just Flight should by now have received an e-mail about them. Finally, textures. This was something that I tried to put out as far and wide before launch as I could, that this was a port from FSX and Prepar3D and textures would be enhanced in upgrades. The Internet is a big place though and I was unprepared for the scale of the interest in the Eagles. The first update introduces the first texture upgrades for the virtual cockpit, with PBR textures gradually replacing the existing textures and new modelling being introduced.

I'm also delighted to report that the Eagles will be getting a full professional custom sound set care of sound legends Sim Accoustics, which will be unveiled in February!

The Eagles are proving hugely popular with their target market, and there are already many mods and new textures being released across the Internet for different colour schemes and altered flight model characteristics. I’m hugely enthusiastic for these sorts of mods, and many of them are being introduced into the main package in the next update, with the permission of the talented folks who have created them

What I’ve learned from this first launch is that it’s very hard to bring these packages to MSFS when there are four aircraft in them – learning and upgrading a single aircraft is tough enough, as developers are discovering, but four at once is enough to give anyone a coronary. As a result, I’m altering my launch schedule to be more manageable. The breakthrough with Mach 2 flight in MSFS also removes one of the main barriers preventing Concorde from appearing, therefore the release schedule for 2021 will be changed to the following;

DC Designs Stearman ( didn’t know about that one, did you )

DC Designs F-14D Tomcat

DC Designs Concorde

DC Designs P-47 Thunderbolt

Thereafter I’ll attempt perhaps converting the FA-18 Super Hornets into MSFS. I’d just like to focus on single-aircraft packages for a little while as it will better allow me to work on building up the higher quality aircraft that MSFS is capable of rendering before circling back to the Super Hornets. I am also almost ready to unveil Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire, UK, for MSFS.

I hope that this all makes sense! The F-15 Eagles Phase 1 update is to be released on Tuesday, as I need the extra two or three days to fix all the gauges in the Strike Eagles so the performance is sustained there too ( they have a lot of screens ). The F-15C is already at full performance now.

That’s everything, hope you’re all enjoying the Eagles, Happy Friday!

BUG FIXES PHASE 1

Gauge performance issue in virtual cockpit that was cutting frame rates in half: Fixed.

Canopy Reflections in virtual cockpit too high: Reflective surface reduced

Missing cameras in cockpit: New camera views added

I and D models hidden in liveries: Models now all have separate folders

Polygon shadowing on ailerons: Fixed

Engine start issue on runway, gate, apron etc: Fixed

Texture fall back issue: Fixed

Canopy able to open in flight: Fixed

Gear handle lever mouse-rect INOP: Fixed

Aircraft restricted to Mach 1: Fixed, now Mach 2 + capable

Lights "move" from positions: fixed

LOD models appear at wrong times or too early: fixed

Polygon shading on control column: fixed

Landing gear lever INOP: Fixed

TEXTURE UPGRADE PHASE 1

First of several FSX and P3D platform textures replaced, PBR added to surfaces along with weathering

Resolution of texture maps increased

UV maps re-done to support higher resolution without performance degredation.

MODELING UPGRADE PHASE 1

Cockpit modeling enhanced, extra detail added to cockpit walls, canopy frame and canopy handle areas

Polygon and Ngon shadowing issues fixed

Rudder pedals re-modeled and textured

KNOWN ISSUES

TAA mode still tears all and any projected-gauge displays. This is a current limitation within MSFS, and at this time Asobo have not issued a fix.

MFD Displays limited to what MSFS can reasonably reproduce, no FLIR or RADAR yet that were featured in Prepar3D but working on replacements.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FUTURE UPGRADES

PHASE 2

More cockpit modeling and texturing improvements, further bug fixes as required, implementation of extra features and animations

Further performance optimisation wherever possible

PHASE 3

Final sound package, full kinetic and stereo 3D WWise custom F-15 Eagle sound package from Sim Accoustics

Any required further bug fixes and refinements.

 

[odourboy 1,289]

Now if they just get the price fixed! 😝

[XCLTM3 112]

@Dylanear

Just a quick question.

In the not too distant future, are you considering adding deployable weapons to the F15 for MSFS? (ie similar to Tacpac?)

[Dylanear 26]

20 hours ago, XCLTM3 said:

@Dylanear

Just a quick question.

In the not too distant future, are you considering adding deployable weapons to the F15 for MSFS? (ie similar to Tacpac?)

ME??! I have nothing to do with the DC Designs F-15s other than being a customer. I posted a pretty detailed review in this thread several pages back that was a mix of criticism and praise. I have no skin in this game other than wanting to have an F-15 I enjoy flying in the sim. And I have to say with the flight model mods out, it's a lot of fun! Was doing mach 2.4 last night! I think the dev is going to incorporate some of those flight model mods and add some of their own on the Tuesday update. 

 I was just pasting that information from their website. Go to the Facebook link in my post and you can ask there. The dev has responded to several of my private messages, so don't hesitate to contact him. 

I think it'd be cool to be able to fire the missiles, drop the bombs and fuel tanks. But I don't think that's going to happen soon and I think it's even less likely they would work for any multiplayer combat type stuff. But there's so much community stuff coming out these days almost anything is possible eventually. 

[XCLTM3 112]

1 hour ago, Dylanear said:

ME??! I have nothing to do with the DC Designs F-15s other than being a customer. I posted a pretty detailed review in this thread several pages back that was a mix of criticism and praise. I have no skin in this game other than wanting to have an F-15 I enjoy flying in the sim. And I have to say with the flight model mods out, it's a lot of fun! Was doing mach 2.4 last night! I think the dev is going to incorporate some of those flight model mods and add some of their own on the Tuesday update. 

 I was just pasting that information from their website. Go to the Facebook link in my post and you can ask there. The dev has responded to several of my private messages, so don't hesitate to contact him. 

I think it'd be cool to be able to fire the missiles, drop the bombs and fuel tanks. But I don't think that's going to happen soon and I think it's even less likely they would work for any multiplayer combat type stuff. But there's so much community stuff coming out these days almost anything is possible eventually. 

You'll have to forgive me for thinking you were the dev. I didn't realize you copied and pasted the material directly, so it sounded as though you were the dev. 😉

I'll get onto the devs social media and ask directly.

[Dylanear 26]

20 hours ago, XCLTM3 said:

You'll have to forgive me for thinking you were the dev.

No worries! I might dabble in some mods at some point, but I'm pretty clueless about it at this point.

[Dylanear 26]

I'll just say, the flight model mods being worked on are in a really cool state if you ask me. They may be irrelevant and/or incompatible with the update release expected on Tuesday, but for the moment they make the jet feel a lot better to me and of course much faster! Keep in mind Dean the F-15 Developer is aware of these mods and they will inform what he puts in the next update. 

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Discussion:
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