Leatherneck Reshuffling

[near_blind]

Dear everyone,

For almost three years we’ve been enjoying your overwhelming interest and support, successfully walking a very difficult road together and reaching a highly professional level in game development for our beloved platform –Digital Combat Simulator.

As you know, a business development resembles real life in many aspects; and apart from the amazing experiences we’ve had these years, there have also been some business and management issues and disagreements within our team. As in real life, problems have to be dealt with in a rational manner in order to keep things moving forward. This often results in having to make hard decisions for a better and more secure future.

The original “Leatherneck Simulations” four-people team has decided to part ways: three of us (Michael, Radu and Novak) will remain under one umbrella by creating a new company – MAGNITUDE 3 LLC, based in Florida, USA.

MAGNITUDE 3 LLC has acquired the rights to the “Leatherneck Simulations” brand and DCS: MiG-21Bis module. At the moment, we have three permanent staff members and two contract members.

Nicholas Dackard has acquired the rights for the DCS: AJS-37 Viggen and DCS: F14-A/B projects, which will be branded under a different company.

As for the future of “Leatherneck Simulations” and MAGNITUDE 3 LLC, here’s our agenda.

Our short-terms goals (3 months, JAN-MAR 2017) for MAGNITUDE 3 are:

• Regain financial stability,
• Setup stable development infrastructure and staff,
• Setup stable customer support infrastructure and services.

Our medium-term goals (12 months, JAN 2017-JAN 2018) are:

• Improve staff work flow,
• Release a new DCS module, which is now in development,
• Improve customer support for increased workload for modules support.

Our long-term goals (24+ months) are:

• Stabilize stuff work flow (permanent stuff members),
• Release another DCS module.

Our permanent goals are to create superb DCS modules and support our customers.

We are looking forward to these new challenges and sincerely hope to amaze you again with the modules we are developing for DCS.

Last, but not least, we want to express our thanks and gratitude to TFC and Eagle Dynamics for helping through this complex transition.

Wishing you all the best,

“Leatherneck Simulations” guys, MAGNITUDE 3 LLC

Leatherneck Simulations - Organizational changes - Public statement - MAR 2017

Best of luck to neo-leatherneck and the company formerly known as leatherneck!

[fearlessfrog]

Finally, something to talk about regarding DCS!

@nicholas.dackard is going to be busy then. Cobra Simulations? Heatblur Simulations

(@near_blind - you want me to merge this wit t’other one?)

[near_blind]

Your choice

I figured it warranted it’s own thread as it was not directly F-14 related, but I defer to your forumy wisdom.

[fearlessfrog]

I’d rather shut this place down than make moderation decisions. I liked it better when we had no posts.

Dunno, let’s leave it I guess. (the one on the left is owned by FROGENTERPRISES III LLC btw)

[EightBall]

Cobra on Hoggit:

r/hoggit - Winds of Change - Heatblur Simulations

Dear All,

For some time, we have been working on an amicable parting of ways between members of the original MiG-21 development team.

I have relinquished my stake in the Leatherneck Simulations trademark and brand to the newly minted Magnitude 3 LLC, who will continue supporting the DCS: MiG-21bis, along with the development of other exciting new DCS modules. I wish my former colleagues the absolute best in their future endeavours!

The entire DCS: AJS-37, DCS: F-14A & B and other development teams will transition to the new Heatblur Simulations banner, a new trademark and subsidiary owned in full by myself. We continue to look forward to a very bright future, filled to the brim with high quality and exciting products.

Thank you all for your support and understanding, you all represent one of the most amazing and supportive communities ever to exist.

We’re looking forward with excitement to launch our new site and brand in the next few days!

Yours truly,

Nicholas Dackard

Founder & Lead Artist

& the Heatblur Simulations team:

Daniel Malmquist (Ph.D)

Xueqian Zhao (Ph.D)

Bert van Leewuen (M.Sc)

Christoffer W.

Gregory Smiddy (B.Sc)

Andrew O’Donnell (B.Sc)

Teodor Frost

Andreas Sandin

Anders Karlsson

Andrzej Osiecki

Bartosz Lemke

Stirling Rank

Kevin Miller

Alexander Jacobs

Jonathan Törnqvist

Sylwia Raczynska

[sobek]

Oh dear, i hope that doesn’t imply too much turbulence for either company.

[EightBall]

@sobek

i hope that doesn’t imply too much turbulence for either company.

Apparently not:

this has been known for quite a while and will have no demonstrable impact on the development of either Leatherneck or Heatblur products.
It’s business as usual (sort of) for everyone involved.

Winds of Change! A Parting of Ways

[near_blind]

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

So, basically, we have TWO Leathernecks now?

This works for me.

[fearlessfrog]

Yep, I’m kind of hoping it’s a sort of DCS module maker’s mitosis division type thing too. Good luck to them both.

[Mudcat]

Good luck to both teams. Hopefully all goes well for everyone involved from here on out.