Looks like Eagle Dynamics registered the F-18C.COM domain. ZeroMass, an user from the ED forums made this discovery. When you go there you won’t find anything but you can’t miss the favicon in the address bar. It’s the same one used in their main website. In addition to this, when you look for the domain registration (which I copied below) you will have the final confirmation.

I am very happy if they finally decided to simulate the Hornet for their next title. My main criticism for DCS A-10 has always been the choice of the aircraft (CAS without Air-to-Air) and location of the campaign. But there is no doubt that the Hornet would change everything. I feel excitement just to think about carrier operations. That would be a dream come true, we haven’t had anything like that for decades!

If this happens for real I will be the first one to pay for their work. Heck, I would even pay double just to support an F-18 sim.

Domain name: F-18C.COM
Creation Date: 2011.03.21
Updated Date: 2011.03.30
Expiration Date: 2012.03.21
Registrant ID: 3SAULC7-RU
Registrant Name: Joint Stock Company “Eagle Dynamics”
Registrant Street: 3, Avangardnaya str.
Registrant City: Moscow
Registrant Country: RU
Contact Phone: +7 495 6458770
Contact E-mail: const@eagle.ru

GAMES ON NET: Anything else you’d like to add?

JIM MACKONOCHIE: Coding has already started on the next aircraft in the DCS series. All I can say is that it will be a USA fixed wing aircraft!

(Source: Games On Net)

Looks like it will be the Super Hornet, according to the results of their forum poll. It’s not a F-16 (no luck for cockpit builders) but it’s a carrier based multi-role fighter and it’s a much more interesting choice than the (mission limited) A-10 which I will have to skip completely.

Carrier operations are fun and I still remember the good times with Jane’s F/A-18. If this turns out to be true I may even start liking DCS!

Yes, this proverb doesn’t really apply to software releases. If you buy something that did not complete this release cycle you have to expect bugs and missing features. It’s not so hard to understand why some companies decide to release a product in beta stage. Money is the main reason. Yes, you can call it “open beta” but you are still paying full price for an unfinished product and a promise for future updates.

The decision is up to you. But don’t forget that the users of a beta version are called beta testers. They don’t play, they work. Until the final build you will be doing this job for free. Actually this is incorrect, you will pay to beta test since you are buying in advance. Reporting bugs is not that gratifying and really kills the immersion but if this is your idea of fun go ahead and pay, it’s a personal choice. I will wait until the product is finished.

We all agree that we should support any simulation in development but at the same time let’s be careful to not encourage bad ideas that don’t follow the most basic software quality standards. Beside, if I was the company behind this simulator, I would really care to present my product at its best with all the features implemented and all the lines of code completed. I would hate to read initial beta reviews pointing out all the current issues when a final and complete release could be just a few months away.

Why rushing this beta release and missing the chance to make a better first impression with something that actually completed the release life cycle ?

Eagle Dynamics, you really need to fix the clouds if you want to be taken seriously. This is supposed to be a realistic simulator not a Tom and Jerry cartoon.

Seriously, take a look at real clouds and make some changes. A combat simulator doesn’t stop at the end of the cockpit model. There is also the whole environment to simulate.

This is a new screenshot from the DCS forums showing the new Nevada terrain for their upcoming A-10C simulation. The ground is looking good but I hope the clouds are still work-in-progress. Right now they look too fluffy (just like in FC2) and they need more detail to look realistic. Something like REX clouds for FSX would be nice. They just need to improve the textures. It’s not a code alteration, just an artistic improvement that any good texture artist can do. Clouds are visible all the time in a sim so they should not be underestimated.

I wish this new Nevada terrain could be used for other things and not just training missions. A Red Flag campaign would be more interesting than their Georgian theatre which was already used in their previous titles and it’s getting boring.