Well at low alt at least yeah, IIRC the RL Cyrano had serious issues being used under 3k feet due to the antenna/sidelobes. But then again, so should alot of DCS radars, but well, its DCS so very few of them actually model it hence you see all the same stupid DCS tactics of flying low, which you'd seldom see IRL. I'm cautiously optimistic about the F4E radar being well modeled, but less optimistic about jester using it. The 23 radar should be well done since the same guy that did the M2k radar and the F15E radar is doing it (these are currently the best modeled radars in DCS), so it should be properly janky, though ironically way more capable than either the Cyrano or the F4E radar. I'm girding my loins to see what ED does with the mig29 radar...

I think the F4 is getting really close

Yeah leave it to HB to do a SEAD video without using shrikes (prolly cuz ED hasn't coded em)...

NGL a bit disappointed in the RWR as well, looks to be ED "perfect" grade.

Think you are right on the first part and yeah the RWRs in DCS are pretty much a joke. I mean, IRL they are pretty good but not even this good and thats coming for IRL experience.

Heatblur F-4 Flight Manual

This has been out for a few days.  Good reading to fall asleep to

A couple of weeks in, how is this working out?

Phanter delayed again if anyone doesn't already know

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-silence

Lots of drama came out today from Razbam - evidently they've ceased updates and bug fixes on all their modules due to (rumor) that ED is not paying them or hasn't paid them in quite awhile.

This seems to explain the delay on the Phantom too - maybe HB feels like ED is going to fuck them too and is refusing to release a super popular module if they're not going to see the money from it.

No idea but this doesn't bode well if true. I really wish this market wasn't so niche and there were other options that used a 2020s engine / graphics / AI. The only other 'real' fighter sim is BMS and while it's awesome, it's also more ancient than DCS and is kept alive by dudes doing it for it fun.

Yeah its really fucked and its been brewing for a few months. HB was involved too which is AFAIK part of the F4 delay.

In other news the owner of ED Nick Grey just also lost a mil or more on his airshow business and pulled money out of ED to cover it as an interest free loan. So who the fuck really knows.

What a fucking shit show.

Yeah seems like they haven't been paying 3rd parties for a few (8) months. I'm sure its all good tho, just buy the next pre-order...

Now I see why the Afghanistan map has to be bought 3 times.

Ah yes good ol halfghanistan...

Awesome. Just as I get a new job and get funds to pay for a gaming system so I can join you all.

Metal2mesh  seems to be keyed in...IIRC he does 3dscanning and modeling for devs. Attached File


My guess is ED is so broke they need to keep the 3rd party cut and is trying to say Razbam forfeited theirs for working on a super tucano outside of DCS for the FAE. That sound right?

Thats what he is saying. And probably there is some truth about it being in part about the Tucano (Which lol, who the fuck even cares about this plane in DCS). Likely what it is, is some sort of contract/IP dispute about it, with ED being pissed about how Razbam went about it, then holding their funds for some breach of contract. Then Ron can't pay his guys, and apparently it hasn't been resolved to anyone's satisfaction and now since the devs haven't been paid for a while they decided to stop work. So no more bug fixes or new features on their modules, which if you know anything about DCS means the modules at some point will be broken enough they don't work with the next patch or the one after that, cuz each patch breaks tons of shit that has to be fixed every month. So potentially 3-4 of the more popular modules stop working in DCS if ED pushes a patch or three out. And the eagle is left half baked, and no mig23. Or alternately ED can't actually push more patches out unless they fix the modules themselves.

Best case is that now its public there is some pressure on ED to resolve whatever their issues with Raz are more quickly. So life might return back to normal. But at this point 3 of the Raz devs have walked, including their radar wizzard, which means Raz is fucked unless they can get him back, and DCS suffers a fair bit if he leaves.

Worst case is Raz closes up shop, and DCS is basically out 4 modules, which do revert to ED but its a real quesiton if they can maintain them. And ED looks like giant dicks. I don't think Raz or ED wants that to happen tho.

The money thing IDK. I've seen tons of speculation about ED being broke, but they are basically giving Nick Grey's other ventures interest free loans so he can go play warbird flyboy and loose millions on his airshows. So I don't think ED is necessarily in dire straits financially. What I think happened is that the eagle released, Raz got some payment for it, but shortly thereafter the Tuco thing blew up and ED basically withheld funds as part of a contract dispute.

So whos the bad guy? We have no idea, just that there is a dispute and its been a shitty time for the Raz employees due to the pay freeze. But ED has a whole shady as fuck history on the "commercial" side of their business and the Tuco thing seems to be related to that.

This is so disappointing. I have all of the Razbam modules and if this continues over half my library will eventually be useless.

https://www.captiongenerator.com/v/2298975/eagle-dynamics-doesn't-pay-razbam-simulations

Well don't get all too doomposting yet, they are working on a solution.

2 weeks

Yeah.... We will see how good it actually is on release, I've heard "things" many of them not good.

And then there is the ongoing Raz/ED drama which at this point has probably killed future development of the Eagle and the mig23.

Apparently the Kola map release was also (predictably) a disaster.

How was the kola map a disaster?
I purchased it and downloaded just like everything else.

Well, I guess you were one of the few guys that bought it.

Overall the community consensus is the map is SA 2.0, pushed waaay too early, half of it looks like shit, its missing a ton of airbases, meaning that many popular MP servers refuse to use it. This is pretty much a 100% repeat of the Falklands map release, and that map may as well be dead in DCS, at least online. There are ton of theories as to why the release map also looks way worse than the promo material, the concensus there is that its due to performance issues they downgraded most of the textures. But, the general consensus though is that the map sold quite poorly.

Due to the ongoing shitshow between ED and Raz ALOT of people are basically boycotting new products from ED or just entirely. And given ED's statements of no support for those modules if things go south between them, if you bought Razbam modules you are out 5 products if it goes south. I can't really blame them.

Its also why the popular theory at this point is that ED is pushing stuff out as fast as they can so they can actually pay Razbam for the F15, which sold quite well. But even then its basically too late anyway as their star coder has basically said fuck it, after redoing the M2k for free and then developing the F15 and not being paid for it, so likely the F15 quality will drop, the mig23 if it even gets released will likely by in a poor state. Ironically same deal for the F4 as HB coders are bailing as well.

Also, never in the past decade of playing DCS have I seen 4-5 modules pushed out in such a short timeframe, this month Kola/F4, next month halfghanistan/ch47 and then probably Kiowa too. Thats basically unprecedented and basically Kola/halfghanistan/Ch47 all look like they could have spent at least an extra year in development. F4 release is 50/50 if it will be done or buggy as hell, but Cobra ran his mouth and took peoples money so they have to release it at some point. And IDK on the Kiowa. So its basically a cash grab, and the two competeting theories are its either to pay razbam, or its for Nick Grey to pump/dump DCS.

Personally over the years I've bought almost every module whether I'm interested in it or not, in order to support new devs or support ED, or because I genuinely was interested in the module. But at this point I'm out, ED can go choke on a bag of dicks. And I am FAR from the only person saying this at this point.

Havent Kiowa and F4 been in development for years though?

They have, but the F4 was supposed to come out first in winter 2022/2023 if you don't recall, then it became "winter 2023" and I Forget when they started taking pre-orders like early fall 2023? Now its like halfway through 2024, so at this point they took peoples money and need to release it. Don't forget ED didn't even see it until the last month or two (i.e. Kate said in March they hadn't even seen the F4 in their builds). If you read between the lines there is some seriously fucked stuff going on between ED and 3rd parties as of late. Like HB started selling the F4 before ED even saw it? WTF.

As for the Kiowa IDK, I don't keep up on PC much as they have been a disappointing dev from view. They did at least fix the FM on the gaz, but man tons of stuff on the Gaz is really badly modeled when it comes to weapons/systems, and none of it is "top sekrit". But its been teased a bunch, and not released, and at least the way I read that is that either PC hasn't submitted it to ED as a release candidate, or ED found a bunch of things not up to their standards. Neither of which is a great sign. But given the fact its been in development forever it could be the case it is in decent shape and its just being held up for some other reason.

I think the community consensus is that its a cool map and lots of people bought it...

IDK what you are basing that on. If its you and 3 friends cool. But, LOL no. The major PVP servers aren't gonna use it, most PVE servers aren't using it either.

ECW (one of the biggest PVP servers that really wanted to use it)



None of the other big PVP servers are using it, not GS, not BF, Coop, Contention etc.

And really, if you look at the terrain modeling, its basically SA2.0, because, turns out at least a decent part of the Razbam South Atlantic team also work for OrbX. So whatever criticism there was of South Atlantic (which is at this point a dead map in MP land) is basically equally valid for Kola.

I just checked RN there is ONE good European PVE server (4YA) with a reasonable pop (20s). And another regional PVE server from the Nordics (teens). Thats absolutely tragic when compared to previous map releases, where all the big servers would feature a map. None of the populated PVP servers are using it.

I'm on tons of DCS discords and while some people bought it, the reception has been really poor IMO.

Wait what? I pre-ordered the F4 and have all of the Razbam modules. I'm a little annoyed.

Looks like my chances of an A-6:are getting slimmer and slimmer as this drama plays out

Well, the potential worst case if ED and Raz can't figure out their BS is that Raz modules more or less become abandonware. This is per one of lead ED devs. They don't have the manpower/talent to support them even if they get the code base, which isn't really guaranteed. I mean look at how well supported even old ED modules are (hint barely).

In the case of the F15, the main module/radar coder is gone. Those guys don't grow on trees, and he may have taken the radar code with him. And given that eventually DCS "patches" break the plane; IDK if people realize this but basically each patch especially the major ones basically break all the modules in various ways and then they need to get fixed. Then I think the F15 is basically SOL in terms of the high detail modeling that made it one of the best modules in DCS. Also don't hold out much hope for all the stuff they "planned" to add, cuz it was that guy that was going to add it all.

F4 IDK, I've heard their work environment sucks ass and they have extremely high turnover, which is a big part of why its taken so long to get out, and stuff like the F14 variants isn't gonna happen anytime soon. I think they are at lower risk of things going totally wrong. But you never know.

I mean yes and no. Assuming ED/Raz figure it out then short term people get back to work, things at least stabilize, but moving forward is pretty oof. ED basically just starved and beat their LARGEST dev for a year. They treat their other 3rd parties with contempt. Does that make 3rd parties want to work for/with ED? Kinda the opposite.

Due to this crap Raz has basically lost their most talented guy, and given that he basically has a dream gig rn, he is extremely unlikely to be coming back. He was the guy that redid the M2k (for free), and coded most of the F15 (which he expected to get paid for), but most famously the radar models on both which are the best in DCS by a long mile. So basically the "quality" of razbam modules reverts to their earlier, modeled like crap state is the most likely outcome. I know people say coders grow on trees, but well, coders with a PhD in sensor simulation that are willing to work for free don't. So unless they can find someone as talented, esp in terms of sensor simulation, which well, good luck with that, those guys aren't exactly a dime a dozen.

F4, I think the ONE thing helping them is that I suspect they have better control of their code base. But their sensor guy is out too after the f4 is out from what I have heard.

Given that ED keeps doubling down on their idiotic FC3++ level radar "simulation" "now with real(tm) physucks" it honestly doesn't look good for any cold war modern jets in DCS moving forward.

ED is basically relying on the community being clueless consumers waiting for their next dopamine hit.