It’s been a great year for DCS World fans in my estimation with the release and upgrade of a great many aircraft into the sim world and continued development that helps stretch and expand DCS World into so many different corners. The sale announced earlier today is, according to Eagle Dynamics, in part, a thank you to all of the fans for their support over the year and to celebrate they have released a drop dead gorgeous trailer (done, I think, by Glowing Amraam) with a juicy F-16 teaser at the end! Let’s have a watch and speculate!
A thank you trailer
The new trailer captures the scale and scope of DCS World as a combat simulator world with an emphasis on flight but no less beautiful down at ground level. The trailer features, tanks, aircraft, helicopters, naval vessels, and intense warfare from modern day, World War II, and pieces in between. I love how the person creating the trailer blends the tones of modern and 1940s together and contrasts them.
Keep an eye out for a few unreleased items such as the DCS: F-14B and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. And watch through to the end because the tone of the trailer abruptly changes… to the F-16C
Teasing the DCS: F-16C
We’ve known for months that Eagle Dynamics next module would be the DCS: F-16C and today for the first time they teased the aircraft to us at the very end of the trailer. Now, at the end of 2018 they are starting to tease the F-16C with the words “See you soon.” Might that be sooner than expected? I have a theory.
Last year, Eagle Dynamics teased the F/A-18C Hornet to us a few times before it emerged into more regular updates and eventually was released to us in an early access state. The Hornet has grown and while it’s not done yet, it is maturing fairly quickly and is adding new features and systems along the way.
While the Hornet is still being worked on the work is focused on two things:
- Programming weapon systems (LGBs, Mavericks, etc.)
- Programming core features (datalink, air-to-ground radar, etc.)
The art team and flight modeling teams meanwhile are done and were probably done months ago which means that they are busy doing something else. Likely there are multiple projects are underway seeing as Eagle Dynamics rolled Belsimtek up back into their organization earlier this year.
The Mi-24 Hind, F-4 Phantom, AH-1 Cobra, and F-16 Viper were all on the radar for these two organizations and now that they are together I think they have tried to be as strategic is possible with their next modules.
My speculation is this: They made a decision to streamline the pipeline and build the F-16C as their next fixed wing jet fighter module. The Viper shares features with the already under production F/A-18C Hornet showcasing features such as the Link 16 datalink, air to ground radar, updated radar and missile modeling, etc. Programming for some of these features on the Hornet may already have preliminary F-16 work being done at the same time. It explains too why the F-4 Phantom module that Belsimtek was planning is delayed (thought not cancelled).
My prediction is that the F-16C art assets are being readied now and that the programming team is going to start on the Viper once the Hornet features are done. Could we be flying the F-16C in DCS Early Access by the middle part of 2019? Maybe! I’ll buy that hype train so you don’t have to. This could just as realistically be a 2020 module and be more than a year out. Only time will tell!
Confirmed for 2019?
(Updated December 20, 2018 at 3:37 pm)
In a reply to a conversation taking place on the DCS World 2018 and Beyond video on YouTube, the Eagle Dynamics account replied to a sarcastic comment suggesting that the F-16 was coming in 2029 with the following:
Let me fix that for you… 2019.
Eagle Dynamics: Digital Combat Simulation on YouTube
So, does that lock it in for 2019? I would say nothing is certain but it does seem that Eagle Dynamics is currently planning the DCS: F-16 for release in 2019 rather than 2020 or beyond as some have suggested. Proof, of course, will be when it does arrive in early access. Stay tuned folks!
Stormbirds 
What an awesome video! The Viper reveal at the end gave me goosebumps. I’m excited beyond words to see the F-16C in DCS.
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It’s a gorgeous trailer! Beautifully edited! And yeah… goosebumps from the F-16 at the end. 2019 could be an interesting year!
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Come on… like, I’m trying hard to just not throw my wallet at the screen after the Tomcat trailers and now we have a Viper incoming?
Why do you do this to me!
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It’s a good problem to have 🙂
That said, it will be many months still before we see the F-16C come up for sale. I’m being told I’m being optimistic for thinking it will come in 2019 at all… so we’ll see.
You have time to save!
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If not for that “See you soon” at the end of the F-16C reveal, I would believe the Viper is still a couple years away. But the use of that phrase has me hoping for a release in 2019.
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I’ve just updated the post with new information and a comment from Eagle Dynamics that sure makes it sound like they intend for this to be a launch in 2019 aircraft. They’ve overestimated before but this does sound mighty confident at this point.
I’ll be paying close attention to any developments!
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My gut says Viper in 2019 for sure. I’m loving all these high quality modules and commend ED for their work.
I continue to buy most of the modules yet I haven’t been able to get into the game like il2 or Falcon4 in the past. Something is missing and I believe it’s an ecosystem with missions and campaigns. Somehow they need to start tieing these modules together and create a dynamic world for them to operate in.
That’s my personal opinion, perhaps there are others who agree? I hope they will start making this a bigger priority.
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There have been a few statements from people like Matt Wagner at ED who have said that they need to get better at making a good game on top of their simulation. Still hardcore but with more gameplay … I think their dynamic campaign system that they said they are building is a step towards that.
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Even though the Viper is the module that I’d desire the most, I feel exactly the same on the general balance in DCS.
The aircraft are detailed and feel quite realistic, but the world around isn’t, it rather feels dead, at least for “offline” players like me. It looks like an experiment or a showcase, there is no equivalent to the career mode of IL-2, or the dynamic environment of BMS.
There are many campaigns, but they’re unevenly distributed, a few aircraft gather the greater share of the DLC. Not that I complain, the A-10C (for instance) is very fun and there’s a variety of tasks and feature to explore. But other great planes like the Bf-109, the F-5 or the MiG-21 don’t have anything serious yet.
Taking care of a few very old shortcomings which are postponed each year like the ATC, having air traffic, attending some ME limitations, providing persistence, and something “continuous” like the career mode or dynamic theatre of war would definitely go a long way to a more alive and enjoyable DCS!
PS: Actually, I didn’t know the F-16 was a certainty, it’s great news!
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All extremely valid points Mischiew! The offline game part is something that ED needs to work on in 2019 and I will have an article out to that effect before year’s end too. DCS really does shine in multiplayer (I need to write more about that). My experience on Georgia at War has been really amazing and engrossing even.
And yes, F-16 has been locked in and confirmed as have several other modules (the Mi-24 among them) for some time now. What we didn’t know is just how soon we may be seeing some of them. Perhaps sooner than expected!
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Good to see the F-16 finally making its way to DCS. Certainly a lot of carry over from the F-18, but I’m setting my sights on a very late 2019 or 2020 release. Lot of stuff in the pipeline & they tend to take longer than originally planned. They also were alluding to the A-6 as well as WWII aircraft. They have a very full plate… Looking forward to all of it!
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There is certainly a lot of aircraft in the pipeline. The A-6 is an AI project for Heatblur that they could turn into a flyable module so not really on ED’s plate. ED has the Mi-24, AH-1, and F-4 lined up although I think we’ll see the Mi-24 and F-16 before anything else.
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Falcon BMS is still probably the best F-16 simulator out there but finally flying the Viper in a more modern engine enviroment is surely appreciated. While I passed on the other Teen planes this will probably be my first 4th Gen full fidelity plane for DCS (I have the A-10C but could never had the patience to learn it, probably for a dislike of non-multirole jets)
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I do wonder how many Falcon BMS players will come over from that title to DCS World. I suspect it won’t be all of them and there will be some die hard holdouts for quite a long time more but I’m sure this news will pique some attention to be sure.
My understanding from reading on the forums is that some of the HOTAS control schemes from the A-10C are used on the F-16. I’m intending to put in some time with the A-10C over the next few months which should help getting into the F-16.
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The A-10C Stick is the same as the Viper one, while the throttle is the one of F15E.
On the BMS topic, the BMS wing in my virtual squadron is split between the guys who are excited about flying the falcon in a top notch graphical engine and the others who don’t want or just can’t invest in a machine powerful enough to run DCS.
I look forward for them to finally migrate into DCS so we can be a big squadron, but many of them play in standard laptops so I also understand their fears.
I will probably remain fidel to the Hornet, since the Spanish air force fly them and I have been always keen to naval ops, but who knows… the Viper is a legend after all.
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I don’t expect a full migration. Sure the engine in DCS is better but still they will not be able to tackle the sheer numbers of F-16 variants available in BMS as ED’s platform seems less open to aircraft modifications (compared to IL-2 modifications for example). The number of theatres of operation that are available is also in favor of Falcon for the time being at least (an example of both points: I recently started an Israeli campaign in Falcon with myself assigned to a unit still flying the A versions of the F-16 being engaged in CAS and Strike missions against Syrian troops and installations).
I think that Falcon (at least for F-16 lovers) will still live on alongside pilots that also fly in DCS with their Vipers.
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