At $79.99 USD the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet is the most expensive module that Eagle Dynamics has offered in the history of DCS World. Are there good reasons for that? Is the Hornet worth the price? Should you pre-order? Let’s talk about all things Hornet.
The gnashing of teeth pre-order edition
For weeks and months there have been DCS community members asking for a pre-order for the DCS: Hornet. Since the opening of the pre-order yesterday, there have been other DCS community members who have been making comments about why the pre-order is open now. I don’t think Eagle Dynamics (or anyone else for that matter) can win that particular argument so let’s just move past it to more realistic and practical considerations.
The official word is that the F/A-18C Hornet module for DCS World will release sometime in the spring. Let’s reiterate exactly what it says on the e-Store website:
DCS: F/A-18C Hornet is planned to be available for download as Early Access by the end of Spring 2018.
For most people that means that we may see access by June 2018. However, we also have an alternate take on the release date straight from Matt Wagner himself. In an interview he did with Rock Paper Shotgun, “Wags” reported that the late spring release date is extra padding in-case something goes wrong. Here’s what he said:
By the end of January, DCS World 2.5 will be released and the F/A-18C Hornet will be released into Early Access by the end of March 2018.
My guess is that the reality will be somewhere in-between so let’s split the difference and say that a mid-April launch is when the F/A-18C Hornet comes to DCS World. That’s 3 months from now. If it launches in early March that’s only about 6 weeks from now.
Depending on how optimistic or pessimistic you want to be will determine just how far out ahead this pre-order really is.
It won’t be fully featured on launch
The next issue that I’m seeing come up frequently is that the F/A-18C isn’t going to be fully featured on launch. That’s true and Eagle Dynamics hasn’t shied away from talking about it. I reported on it back in November in an update about the roll out.
Simpler features and systems will come first with the air-to-air radar with basic modes of operation. Unguided munitions such as rockets and bombs will be the primary loadout along with the somewhat less sophisticated and already well modeled AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and AIM-7F/M/P Sparrow.
Over time we’re going to see the list of weapons and sensors expanded to include both air-to-air and air-to-ground modes along with more advanced weapons like the AIM-120B/C and the AIM-9X along with the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) needed to activate its off-boresight firing options.
It’s pretty plain to me that on launch we’ll have a fully functional jet fighter that you can start up, take-off, use in combat in both air and ground modes and have a lot of enjoyment out of right off the bat. It’ll grow in capabilities as the team finishes more systems and tackle some of the more complex features.
Pricey, probably for a reason
When Eagle Dynamics tackled the F/A-18C Hornet they did so with years of experience under their belt. Even then, it was a major job to do an aircraft like the Hornet at the level that they wanted to do it at. This will probably be the most in-depth simulator study of the Hornet ever released outside of military simulators and that comes with a lot of complexity.
Complexity adds development time from the research and sourcing of information to the coding and debugging necessary to make it all work properly in the simulation world. I don’t envy the hard work that the team at Eagle Dynamics will have to do to get this working.
I count 21 weapon systems, 2 decoy systems, and 14 radar modes in A/A and A/G modes. There’s also the JHMCS helmet I mentioned before for use with the AIM-9X, a datalink pod, LINK-16, and ATFLIR targeting pod. That’s a lot of systems and munitions and DCS World pilots are going to expect that each work according to their real world constraints and capabilities.
Suffice to say that the F/A-18C is flat out a more complex aircraft than other modules. That isn’t a knock against the fine work done by companies like RAZBAM on the M-2000C or Heatblur on the AJS-37 or aircraft like the Spitfire IX or MiG-15. It’s just the nature of modeling a 2005 era fourth gen plus, carrier borne, multi-role fighter jet that can mount and use a couple dozen different weapons.
All of that complexity and development time adds cost and this is a way for Eagle Dynamics to recoup that cost and continue on as a development house. If they can’t turn a profit then they won’t be able to reinvest it in future products or the constant maintenance of DCS World. Let me be clear that I don’t think the future of Eagle Dynamics rests on just this one module but its important for them to price their content appropriately.
How does it compare versus other sims? If you look at full featured titles like Prepare3D and the aircraft that get sold there, this is probably a steal. I’ve seen a P3D 777 module run for well over $100.
Should you pre-order?
Getting right down to it the answer on pre-ordering goes a bit like this. Do you have the money and are you interested in flying the Hornet early? If so then yes, by all means, pre-order it now or later. If you do, you get a $20 discount knocking the price of the aircraft down to $59.99 which is a little more in-line with some of the other aircraft modules.
If you don’t have the money, are balking at the price, or you aren’t interested in the F/A-18 then the answer is a simple no.
Will there be discounts and sales in the future? Sure there will and I think more people will buy in at that point. Those sales won’t come right away as this is Eagle Dynamics biggest and most complex module but eventually they will start to offer discounts and deals.
There may even be a DCS: Strait of Hormuz and the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet module package deal offered at some point. Nothing has been announced but Eagle Dynamics likes to make those kinds of offers available sometimes and the two go really well together.
Will I pre-order it?
Although I’m not rushing out to pre-order this module just yet I have to say that my own excitement for the module has increased. Watching Wags take the Hornet through its paces in recent live stream modules and doing his low level over the autumn Caucasus map has peaked my interest. With the potential of having a CF-18 livery I’m even more excited about the possibilities of taking the Hornet out for a spin.
I also have to think about what I can do with this plane. I bought the M-2000C because I wanted the DCS level module with multi-role capabilities. I’m still learning those capabilities but I’m making progress and I love being able to do what I want with this jet. The Hornet is a similar proposition although arguably a more full featured one.
After the Hornet I’ll probably have to be good for a while and not buy anything more but I do think this aircraft gives a lot of bang for the buck offering a lot of different features all rolled into a single package.
Stormbirds 
My module history with Belsimtek was not very complimentary.
They didn’t support the Mi-8 very well, and it took a very long time just to get basic operating instructions. I had a similar experience with the Huey, the MiG-15 and the F-86. Guess I’m a slow learner, but no more for me. I have no faith in Belsimtek, but that’s just me
Just a quick look at the present bug lists will give you a feeling for them.. And don’t get me started on the manuals to learn how to use their products.
I won’t relive that with an $80 module. Brochure performance is great, but after the LNS MiG-21 debacle, I don’t want anymore perpetual-beta products.
Belsimtek can do their own QC.
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I know Belsimtek is an assist on this but this is Eagle Dynamics premier module. They aren’t perfect either but it’ll be one thing if the Mi-8 has some bugs and quite another if their premier module they have been talking up for a while ends up being an issue.
I can certainly understand the reluctance though. Once bitten, twice shy as they say.
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I seriously doubt that ED or the Fighter Collection are doing much more than armchair quarterbacking for Belsimtek. My prediction is only based on my history of using these products all the way back to the SSI version of “Flanker”.
Let’s regroup and take a look at the forums a year from now, say January of 2019 (if I’m still around by then, lol!), and see if the ‘bug’ part of the Hornet forum is relatively quiet or abuzz with chatter. Deal?
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To me the F/A-18C only really makes sense combined with a decent carrier and it kinda bothers me a bit that the revised Nimitz class is gonna be an extra paid module. For the price of the Hornet they could at least have included the new carrier. Instead their future plans are to release a basic version of the carrier for free and a more detailed one as a paid module.
We don’t know the Nimitz module cost yet or just how much is gonna be better than the free version, still I cannot help but feel that they are starting to milk us pretty good with this one. Well, they are a business after all.
That being said, I am gonna hold the pre-order for now and see if they’ll offer some kind of convenience bundle with the “Hornet + Nimitz.” A super bundle with “Hornet + Nimitz + Hormuz” would be even better.
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Expensive, yes! Milk us? Well, it may feel like it, but I don’t think its not a cheap undertaking. Also I don’t think Wags is living it up in gold pillared home, neither are anyone else there.
I don’t know if there is licensing involved in a project like this, but there are all kinds of overhead that is incurred running any business. I don’t like how expensive it is as much as anyone but everything is so complex and expensive to make anymore, I have come to adjust my thinking. I don’t completely trust everyone, but I don’t think everyone is out to get us and scam us, either.
Anyhow, this was not directed at anyone in particular or accusing anyone. I am just thinking we all need accept that, like everything, development costs are increasing as we expect more. 🙂
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Well said! I don’t buy into the milking us aspect either. This is a complex module with a lot of components and that doesn’t come cheap from a research or programming or indeed licensing perspective either.
They must have some deal with Boeing to do this as they have access to official sound files straight from the software. So it will be very authentic… Just not cheap.
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Yeah, don’t get me wrong I didn’t mean to rant and I am 100% for supporting the hard work of the devs. I am just a little disappointed that the more detailed version of the Nimitz is NOT gonna be included in the module of a plane which is basically born for carrier operations.
The price of a complex module like this one is perfectly justifiable, however the inclusion of the detailed Nimitz would have been a very appreciated nice touch.
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Great points Kasta. I did neglect to mention the Nimitz update. As I understand it you can fly from the improved Nimitz model without buying the addon pack but that it wouldn’t have a detailed deck crew and/or some sort of added things like working elevators and the like.
I’m curious to know what the details of that are.
As I’m hoping to fly the Hornet more from the RCAF perspective the naval ops is a little less important to me. Airbases would be fine.
But for a lot of people that will be a key point.
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Isn’t the Tomcat supposed to roll out with an aircraft carrier as part of the base module? Is it going to be usable by the Hornet? Are we going to have a Nimitz and Forrestal carrier types in the straits of Hormuz?
So many questions…
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From the most recent Heatblur statements, yes a Forrestal-class carrier will be included in the F-14A/B module along with a pair of campaigns (one for each type of F-14).
2018 – year of the dueling carriers 🙂
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There seems to be a pattern, or trend, emerging here, though.
The Normandy map came without any 3D objects, other than what you already can employ from the mission editor, which were from Caucasus, I believe. To create any era-specific missions for Normandy, France, customers are going to have to buy Normandy objects. Otherwise, it is an expensive-but-empty era map.
It is just as jarring to use Normandy without its 3D object content as it is to create content for the WWII aircraft in DCSW with modern Caucasus 3D objects. Sort of like the “Museum Relic” campaign, which was a clever way to address the anomaly.
Now the F-18 comes without a home, unless you buy the Nimitz module, too.
My main concern about DCSW has been the lack of content with the modules already released.
The pattern emerges that customers will have to buy the elements needed to CREATE content for new modules. I suppose I am just pessimistic by nature, but this looks a bit like a retrograde movement to me. Unless someone is content to use the Caucasus mission editor for all content creation, (I am guessing that it can be used in Normandy as in the barren desert of Nevada) you are going to have to pay extra for this 3D object layer. Without these 3D objects, you are going to be limited to what can be made combining modern equipment on maps that represent an older time period.
At least Caucasus is still free, the original mission editor still has 3D objects to use to create missions with, and the upgrades to the DCSW environment there look to be on par with IL-2’s.
I’m not trying to persuade anyone here; I am just pointing out what I am seeing, and I am not encouraged.
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