DCS: F-4E Post Release Update & Changelog (2024)

Dear All,

Once again, we'd like to thank you all for your amazing feedback, comments and well wishes after the launch of our F-4E. We wouldn't enjoy doing what we do without all of your enthusiasm and enjoyment of flying our products. Thank you so much!

We've been working hard after launch day on the 22nd, andhave had some very important changes in the bag since the 23rd; but these have now accrued into a somewhat longer changelog for this weeks' update.

Our primary focus has been on improving performance, and general improvements across the entirety of the module, as well as adding a few features that we cut at the last second. Performance improvements have been focused on very busy multiplayer missions and scenarios, and doubly so on lower end hardwarewhich was causing significant bottlenecks that we were not able to test before release.The F-4E is a very complex simulation; the most complex we've ever created; and so we've fought long and hard- and will continue to do so- to try and eek out every bit of performance we can.

We've also worked hard to squash as many general, aircraft, JESTER or otherwise bugs as possible - some of these have been significantly influencing gameplay- such as JESTER failing to call IFF voice lines or the UI freezing with odd combinations of map markers. Hopefully this hotfix patch will alleviate some of these initial issues, and from next week onwards we will again re-constitute the team and go through all of your wonderful feedback for the next rounds of improvements and fixes.

Some new additions include e.g. the reintroduction of the virtual browser and the addition of online connectivity rules for HBUI - as well as some QoL improvements in JESTER.

The full changelog is as follows:

F-4E ReleaseHotfix Changelog

Performance & Core

Performance: Major improvements to Radar raycasting performance, especially on busy MP servers
Performance: Radar thread affinity changed - may increase performance where the main thread was saturated on busy servers or missions
Performance: Fixed Object Cache being over-saturated causing severe performance loss on busy missions with thousands of objects
Performance: NEW: Added special option to reduce radar performance impact - can improve CPU performance on lower end CPUs at the cost of some additional visual noise and clutter on the radar screen
Performance: Changed amounts of radar threads across different core setups
Performance: NEW: Added Lower Refresh HBUI special option. This option will reduce the UI refresh rate to 30 fps, matching the F-14 Jester UI. This will reduce CPU performance impact on CPU limited machines, especially in heavy missions
Performance: Fixed INS, ADI and other various system bugs with the “Reduced Tickrate” option enabled
Performance: Refactored some JESTER code paths that may have caused lowered performance when an enemy was nearby

CTD: Fixed a crash if Saved Games path had non-standard characters (e.g. Cyrillic)
CTD: Fixed crash if DCS install path had Chinese characters in it
CTD: Fixed crash on empty coords text entry
CTD: Fixed some instances of a CTD after damage and ejection
Multicrew: Fixed a major multicrew desync error when someone leaves and rejoins (can be another WSO) the aircraft
Multicrew: Reduced network load due to an errant buffeting sensor being propagated across the network every frame

JESTER AI

JESTER: Fixed being able to spot bandits very far away on the radar scope during some modes
JESTER: Fixed JESTER breaking some inputs or being unable to correctly set some switches when using HBUI elements (e.g. the Manual)
JESTER: Will no longer call aircraft on the ground as BFM threats or targets
JESTER: Fixed doubled calls for some calls, and fixed him saying “Gear Up” and “Flaps Up” randomly at times far after takeoff
JESTER: Fixed Jester not asking for alignment when starting cold on a runway
JESTER: Fixed missile reports having wrong order of words sometimes
JESTER AAR: Added JESTER automatically saying "Ready Pre-Contact" to the tanker
JESTER: Fixed a bug when cycling the AAR door very fast caused Jester to get stuck in radar-on mode
JESTER: Fixed Jester being in wrong DSCG mode when switching TGT-FIND/DT fast

HBUI

HBUI: Fixed the Map Markers menu causing the Jester UI to freeze and become unusable
HBUI: Fixed a crash when entering empty coordinates in the Nav section of the Jester Menu
HBUI: NEW: Added Virtual Browser, and added “Online Mode” levels to HBUI. UI and Browser access is now controlled using a Special Option dropdown which allows selecting between:

Full - Free browsing
Offline - only offline UI features will work
Whitelist (Default & Recommended) - sites defined by a special whitelist file are allowed, anything else is blocked
Users can customise the whitelist file: hbui_whitelist.txt found in the Saved Games folder.
By default it has regex rules, currently covering:

Google
Youtube
Kneeboard.live

HBUI: The Virtual Browser now also has a new landing page, allowing users to add their own bookmarks
HBUI: Ensured that the Auto Startup clicks use the enforced version bypassing browsers
HBUI: JESTER Radial Menu - Small resizing adjustments to the Jester Wheel (thank you amadeus!)
HBUI: renamed JESTER radial menu "Unknown" to "Bogey" and "Hostile" to "Bandit"
HBUI: JESTER Radial Menu - Added "Navigate To Main Menu" bind for Voice Attack users - will also open the wheel if it's closed, so that it can serve as starting point for any VA macro sequences
HBUI: JESTER Radial Menu - Rename "Jester Presence > Enable" to "Force" for more clarity
HBUI: Added Special Option to select UI Theme (auto, light, dark)
HBUI: Added Special Option to shift head-tracking origin vertically
HBUI: Updated in game manual to latest version
HBUI: Removed browser forward nav button in manual
HBUI: JESTER Radial Menu - Improved keyboard controls (W opens, "Back" closes wheel):

additionally to their regular function of navigating forward and backwards in the wheel, W ("Center/Click") and "Back" can now also open and close the wheel

Radar & Weapons

Radar: Fixed other RWR possibly triggering through terrain
Radar: Fixed WSO maverick slew speed wrong
Radar: Improved CAA lock reliability
Radar: Fixed aspect switch setting wrong closure
Radar: Fixed radar gimbal not boresighting in elevation in cage mode with half action held
Radar: Fixed radar starting in standby mode despite being off
Radar: Fixed caged mode allowing the antenna to be moved in acquisition
Radar: Fixed bug allowing a short half second period of time without raycasting

Weapons: Fixed TV weapon gimbal limits
Weapons: Fixed gimbal limits not being respected
Weapons: Fixed sidewinder gimbal limit
Weapons: Fixed sidewinder half-aperture size
Weapons: Fixed AGM-12C not arming
Weapons: Direct mode now shows the correct solution for the depression value in the bombing calculator
Weapons: Added time of flight and bomb range to the bombing calculator output
Weapons: Fixed various issues with the Shrike WRCS mode
Weapons: Fixed Shrikes not updating after settings changed in rearm menu
Weapons: Corrected missiles (AGM-45 and AGM-12) ejecting incorrectly
Weapons: Made default Shrike volume quieter
Weapons: Updated Shrike range calculations and added Shrike range and altitude bias
Weapons: Corrected the WRCS AGM-45 Behaviour to give shrike range indications before target insert.
Weapons: Changed pylons to rail instead of ejection as this provides a much more realistic profile for AGM-12 and AGM-45A
Weapons: Fixed air to ground missiles being fired unarmed if the fuse switch was in the wrong position
Weapons: Fixed Normal Jettison consent on ground
Weapons: Fixed Mavericks/TV Bombs being jettison despite not being selected

Avionics & Systems

RWR: Fixed the “New Guy” audio frequency not changing sometimes or playing the incorrect sound.
RWR: Fixed diamond not going to new guy contact for a short period of time
RWR: Made aircraft radars that used HPRF for track use MPRF instead (WIP: not yet audible, new sounds will be added)
RWR: Fixes to E-2C carrier frequency and beamwidth
RWR: Fixed Track Only Radars broadcasting with no target
RWR: Added fixed radar for units such as the F-86 Sabre (WIP)
RWR: Fixed range being displayed incorrectly sometimes

Avionics: Fixed JESTER BATH alignment not finishing in conjunction with HDG MEM available
Avionics: Adjusted NWS heading hold toggle function: now the AFCS has to be ON to toggle it
Avionics: Small fix to alignment completion
Avionics: Fixed a bug where the pitch steering needle was jumping on ILS approach
Avionics: Fixed AJB-7 heading oscillations when electric power was being applied
Avionics: Added a kneeboard page with diagrams for INS alignment options
Engines: Fixed nozzles having insufficient oil pressure at idle
Engines: Fixed controls dying too soon with the engines off or windmilling

Systems: Added ejection and canopy jettison inhibit when canopy is open (and not jettisoned)
Systems: Fixed pod and ECM jettison
Systems: Fixed neutral horizontal stab position
Systems: Minor improvements to hit damage

Inputs: Added 2 missing Crew Chief binds (ARI Disengage check and Stab Aug check)
Inputs: Added Slow/Fast binds for HSI course/heading and Reticle Depression
Inputs: Changed SYNC knob to sync with right click instead of left click
Inputs: Updated Chinese keybinds
Inputs: Added bind for "Tanker: Intent to Refuel"
Inputs: Ensured that all backend-called commands are executed properly.
Inputs: Added (fictional) Tape Player Volume Knob (Recorder-On Lamp rotate-to-dim)
Inputs: Fixed following inputs that require rebinding:

Fixed Radar-Missile CW switch [UP]/[DOWN] binds broken
Fixed reversed binds Radar Polarisation CIRC 1 and CIRC 2
Fixed 3-pos switches on radar panel [DOWN]/[UP] binds to skip centre
Fixed Pilot Body SHOW/HIDE binds being reversed (and pedal crank)

Crew Chief: Fixed GPU not appearing on some occasions after moving the aircraft
Crew Chief: Adjusted GPU appearing/disappearing logic
Crew Chief: Fixed GPU spool up sound not playing sometimes

Content & Visuals

Missions: Fixed various issues with training missions (- fixes almost all community reports)
Missions: NEW: Added IA missions by Kaba (thank you!)
Missions: NEW: Added IA mission Paradise Lost Free Flight by Reflected (thank you!)
Missions: Updated missions by Sedlo, Reflected and Activity (thank you!)
Missions: Added more slots to Through The Inferno COOP versions
Missions: Updated Syria Landing mission to LOC RWY 08, added base
Missions: Added base to Caucasus Cold start mission
Missions: Updated training missions 1-4 CN localization

Visual: Made co*ckpit much brighter with Global Illumination Off
Visual: Fixed AI afterburner visuals
Visual: Fixed nozzle and horizontal stab LoDs
Visual: Fixed minor LoD bugs
Sound: Possible fix to random sound playing on spawn in multicrew
Sound: Fixed gear sound bug on spawn in multicrew.
Sound: Fixed Tapeplayer clipping audio

Liveries: JASDF Jets now all have olive drab ALQ-131s
Liveries: Improved JV Jets nose gear door art
Liveries: Fixed JV Jets accidental overpaint on landing light
Liveries: Updated IRIAF and IIAF liveries by ISAAC (thank you!)
Liveries: Helmets on IIAF/USAF Jet fixed to red helmets (thank you!)

We hope you enjoy this update, and thank you again for all of the wonderful support,

Sincerely,
Heatblur