DC Designs F-15C/E/I Eagle package

[DC1973]

Hi all, a couple of quick shots from the up-coming F-15 C,D,E & I Eagles package for MSFS. Lots of work to be done but it's coming along well, huge amounts to learn too from the SDK ( which contains hardly anything useful! ) but progress is being made.

The sim doesn't yet support supersonic flight, but this isn't a deal-breaker for military jets in my opinion as they spend most of their time subsonic anyway. I've had 620 knots out of the F-15C anyway so it's hardly a slouch!

No dates yet, but if all goes well I'd like to see them published on third party vendors by the end of November, and on the MS store a month or so later if they're cleared.

[Tom Clayton]

Out of curiosity, what happens when you try to go past Mach 1?

[Priller]

Ahhhhh, another military jet!! And the awesome Eagle at that!!

But like Tom, I would love to know what happens if you go over the Mach. Does it involve smoke, debris and flames?

Priller

[DC1973]

Out of curiosity, what happens when you try to go past Mach 1?

Nothing much, the airspeed just declines abruptly as though you'd dropped the spoilers or dragged the throttles to idle. I'm still investigating to be honest, as are other devs. It's an obstacle, but not a crisis as when ASOBO fix it, it'll show up in an update and aircraft will presumably just be able to go supersonic thereafter. Even if they need tweaking, it can all be done in updates.

[Sundog]

This is awesome! I can't wait for this. BTW, will the standard F-15E be available with the GE nozzles, so I can fly it as if it were an F-15EX? If it isn't I'm not complaining, as I'm really looking forward to having this in MSFS. I'm also looking forward to your Super Hornets as well. I haven't flown either since MSFS came out. I haven't been able to fly P3D since this was released. I flew it, P3D, once since the release of MSFS to fly the Mirage F-1, but the scenery just seemed so cartoon like after flying this, I just couldn't handle it, lol.

[BananaBob]

Looking forward to this! Just bought the MB339 and love the work on it. 👍

[DennyA]

As I understand it, there are no afterburners either at this point. Might be able to work around that with afterburner-level thrust/fuel flow and visual effects, not sure. Because even if there's a literal "sound barrier", afterburners are still necessary because they make takeoffs exciting, etc.

[DC1973]

The models will have the same appearance and versions as the P3D release, although there will be PBR throughout and modelling improvements to bring them up to MSFS standard. These are native gLTF models and I'm currently working on the new formats ( Behavior Files ) for coding and systems etc. Currently, MSFS does not support afterburner in the thrust sense, and HUDs are also not supported as a standard, although I'm gradually finding a way around this. Afterburner will instead be presented as an effect based on throttle position, with accompanying sound increase. Once afterburner is supported properly, I'll tweak as required.

There seem to be three trains of thought among developers; the first is that they'll wait until the sim can truly support their aircraft ( mostly the study-level devs like PDMG etc ); the second is that they'll just port FSX or P3D models over; the third is the one that I've taken, native conversions but accepting that not everything will be fully operational out of the box with MSFS. The good thing of course is that upgrades are so easy these days for both developer and customer, and this way those of you who already own my aircraft will see them sooner in MSFS than if I were to wait for ages before releasing them

[pilto von pilto]

The models will have the same appearance and versions as the P3D release, although there will be PBR throughout and modelling improvements to bring them up to MSFS standard. These are native gLTF models and I'm currently working on the new formats ( Behavior Files ) for coding and systems etc. Currently, MSFS does not support afterburner in the thrust sense, and HUDs are also not supported as a standard, although I'm gradually finding a way around this. Afterburner will instead be presented as an effect based on throttle position, with accompanying sound increase. Once afterburner is supported properly, I'll tweak as required.

There seem to be three trains of thought among developers; the first is that they'll wait until the sim can truly support their aircraft ( mostly the study-level devs like PDMG etc ); the second is that they'll just port FSX or P3D models over; the third is the one that I've taken, native conversions but accepting that not everything will be fully operational out of the box with MSFS. The good thing of course is that upgrades are so easy these days for both developer and customer, and this way those of you who already own my aircraft will see them sooner in MSFS than if I were to wait for ages before releasing them

What will be interesting is how the community will react to option 3 regarding price points and how "accepting" the community will be of partial-ports.
I suppose it is early access like the game itself and most people know that MSFS is not yet RC in the true sense of the word so fingers crossed.

[DC1973]

What will be interesting is how the community will react to option 3 regarding price points and how "accepting" the community will be of partial-ports.
I suppose it is early access like the game itself and most people know that MSFS is not yet RC in the true sense of the word so fingers crossed.

The feedback I get from my Facebook followers is that they'd rather have the aircraft now than wait, and they accept that there will be upgrades as the simulator improves and new features are added. It's a little easier for me though as I build aircraft at the entertainment level - developers building ultra-high detail aircraft simply can't produce them for MSFS until the sim can support everything they require. I can't bring Concorde to MSFS for instance, although it's obviously not study level, because without a Mach 2 capability it's not really Concorde at all

[DennyA]

I'd be okay if developers dealt with the current limitations by sticking with WW2 and Korean fighters planes and bombers, while we await high-speed support. I'd be fine with a T-33, FJ-4, Corsair, etc. to hold me off while I wait on an F-16. (Not a shocker given I hang out here.)

But I realize that, sadly, the market is probably much bigger for current planes than classics.

[DC1973]

I'd be okay if developers dealt with the current limitations by sticking with WW2 and Korean fighters planes and bombers, while we await high-speed support. I'd be fine with a T-33, FJ-4, Corsair, etc. to hold me off while I wait on an F-16. (Not a shocker given I hang out here.)

But I realize that, sadly, the market is probably much bigger for current planes than classics.

Funny you should mention that. I heard just today that supersonic flight is not considered a high priority for Asobo or Microsoft, and may not appear until around mid-2021. It's causing me to re-think the next project after the Eagles and Hornets are converted. I may switch to my P-47 Thunderbolt, and I also have some subsonic military aircraft in the pipeline at various stages of development, such as the BAe Hawk T2, A-10C Warthog, and two Spitfires. I can maybe work on the Tomcats in the background and have them ready once proper supersonic support is in place.

[DennyA]

I heartily endorse your business plan.

[guzler]

Ahhhhh, another military jet!! And the awesome Eagle at that!!

But like Tom, I would love to know what happens if you go over the Mach. Does it involve smoke, debris and flames?

Priller

the pc will as a single core tries to follow the aircraft until they get it more balanced 😂

[dummy_74]

I also have some subsonic military aircraft in the pipeline at various stages of development, such as the BAe Hawk T2, A-10C Warthog, and two Spitfires. I can maybe work on the Tomcats in the background and have them ready once proper supersonic support is in place.

oh yes, the A-10C please Maybe you can (and are willing ) consider doing a nice L-39?
Very simple, nice looking trainer. And still in use with air forces and private owners.

Best regards,

Edwin

[Priller]

oh yes, the A-10C please Maybe you can (and are willing ) consider doing a nice L-39?
Very simple, nice looking trainer. And still in use with air forces and private owners.

Best regards,

Edwin

+1 on the A-10C Warthog!!

Priller

[Snurdley]

- P-47 Thunderbolt

Now you're talkin'!