Sim-Arena note that Gamespot have posted a preview. Here's a snippet:
"....the vehicle models are simply outstanding. Whether it's a tank-busting mission, an antishipping strike, or a bombing run against a crucial bridge, the ground units involved look better than in some recent tank simulations. The ships also look sharp, and their movement through the water looks convincing as well, as do the torpedo tracks. This kind of detail--like when your mission is to blow up a bridge and the convoy of vehicles heading down the road looks realistic and isn't just a collection of boxy shapes--really enhances the game. The immersion factor in IL-2 is very high, even in this unfinished state."
Thrustmaster have posted the 2nd part of their interview with the Microsoft Program Manager. Here's a snippet:
"Thrustmaster – Obviously naval ops means new aircraft. What are some of the key models under consideration as new aircraft? Will we see any jets?
Tucker Hatfield – We have a lot of new aircraft, and some of them, like the Hellcat and Wildcat, are primarily to support naval ops. We have a total of about 80 aircraft for this version, although it is doubtful anyone will ever see all of them in one arena, because of play balance issues. One way we’ll have to help balance things is that we will have the ability to have a rolling aircraft set, so that new aircraft may become available or old ones unavailable as time passes. The Me 262 will be one of the aircraft that is (sometimes) available."
There's been a number of reviews for WWIIOL since its launch. This one at Intelgamer is more in-depth than most and looks at tanks, transports and aircraft separately. Here's a clip from the aircraft reviews:
"BF-109. The first thing I noticed when flying this aircraft, was that during harder turns, or turns at low speeds, I kept hearing this banging noise. I wondered if they had modeled structural stress into the airframe and I was just hearing the bird groan. Figuring that wasn't the case, I went to the outside view and put her into a hard bank... and would you slap me silly! I saw the leading edges automatically extend."
Thrustmaster have posted the first part of an interview with Microsoft’s Tucker Hatfield regarding sim design. Here's the intro:
"Who is Tucker Hatfield?
Tucker Hatfield is presently working as a Program Manager with Microsoft. Previous to this, Tucker spent some time at Dynamix, Tucker worked as tester on Aces of the Pacific and lead tester on WW II: 1946, Aces Over Europe and Command: Aces of the Deep. He designed the Aviation Pioneers multimedia product for the Aces Collector's Edition, was assistant director on Silent Thunder, and director of the Red Baron II patch and Red Baron 3D. He has been with Microsoft for two years and is the program manager for the CFS series and Fighter Ace."
SimHQ have posted an interview with Jim "Hornit" Campisi head of Team SuperHornet. Here's a snippet:
"We have made good strides in several areas and we are finally working the bugs out of a 3D import/export tool that will allow the introduction of new models into the sim along with modifying existing objects. Once we get this smoothed out we will take on more challenges, such as possible campaign enhancements and some work with terrain. We have successfully imported a lot of the F-15 objects from that sim and that is pretty much finished."
A nice little article on FlightSim.com. Here's the intro:
"“Well… have you ever crashed?” she asked me…
A few years back, the summer I graduated high school to be exact, my friends and I were all trying to spend as much time with each other before we parted ways, which apparently will be for the rest of our lives. I was popular, as I had my Private Pilot Certificate, with at the time impressive 50 or so hours. Trips to places that would’ve taken hours in a car, were reduced, giving us all more time to play. Split the bill 4 ways, and the trips were almost economical... almost."
Costas has posted his latest column at Furballmag. Here's the intro:
"Oh... it's that time of the week again, right? Damn, I can't understand you guys... take a look outside, can't you see the weather? IT'S SUMMERTIME, you freaky monitor-addicts! Drop your HOTAS, put your PCs to Standby mode, and go play outside! Before you know it, it'll be winter again, and you'll be complaining about having to stay inside because of the rain and other miserable meteorological phenomena..."
SimHQ report that RGOnetwork have posted a preview of this add-on. Here's a snippet:
"As the title suggestions the add-on will upgrade Grand Prix 3 to full 2000 season data, physics, Teams, Drivers (including Jacques Villeneuve), track graphics, updated Monza Chicanes and 2 new tracks, Indianapolis and Sepang. You'll be able to replay with these new cars and tracks in a new reply mode that will allow you to reply full races compared to the short 20 second reply's in GP3."
SimHQ have posted a link to a review at Maximum3d.com on an "interesting" piece of hardware that may just make that sim experience a little more immersive. Here's a snippet from the review:
"The force feedback effects are created by digital signal processors that convert bass normally not reproduced on headphones into a rumble effect. Each of the ear cups also contains a small "subwoofer" that supplements the force feedback effects produced by the transducers."
AVSim have reviewed this interesting add-on but has some reservations. Here's a snippet:
"Some other funny things I noticed… for some reason I could not get some of the aircraft to touch the ground in FS2000. The F-18 Hornet floats just above the runway, no matter where I went. And similarly, the standard FS2000 Mooney floated above the deck of the carrier (yes, I know you're not supposed to land a civilian Mooney on the Nimitz)."
SimHQ report that Gamespot have posted a preview of NovaLogic's new sim due for a Q4 release. Here's a snippet:
"Comanche 4 will feature around five or six single-player campaigns, each of which is composed of anywhere between three and five missions. Naturally, these campaigns will take place in existing political hotspots, although Eckhart wasn't willing to elaborate on specifics. Our demonstration consisted of a jungle setting, complete with blue rivers, countless trees, and sharp mountain peaks. According to Eckhart, the game will include several tropical island settings, some desert locales, as well as a mission that takes place over an urban sprawl. In addition to these single-player campaigns, Comanche 4 will boast a robust multiplayer component that will let you duel it out against 31 other players over NovaLogic's own online service, NovaWorld."
I have posted an article where BBall interviews several other real pilots to find out why they fly sims when they get to fly the real thing. Here's a snippet:
"Flying a fighter plane is a sensory-intensive event, almost athletic in nature. One of the most used senses is sight, but that’s not the only sense that gets a workout – sound and touch (seat-of-the-pants feel) also are heavily used. For me, an accurate and challenging flight model is a must and is one of the hardest things to properly model in a sim due to the nature of the PC. It has to convey the feel of flying a real plane, but simply modeling the raw data points from a plane’s specifications does not at all convey the subjective “feel” of flying that plane. In the visual arena, graphical excellence and an intuitive viewing system is also a must. Earlier flight sims never got my attention due to their poor graphics. Flying a plane and employing it in the air combat arena requires keen visual acuity in order to perceive aspect, energy and flight path of your opponents. The better the graphics and views system in a sim, the more this aspect of real flight is captured."
SimHQ note that there's a review on Gamesdomain. It's a informative article discussing WWIIOL and trying to envisage the future for the game. Here's a snippet:
"The trouble for potential buyers of this game, though, is nobody knows for sure how things will turn out (which is why you are getting this "first impressions" article instead of a full-blown review, since it wouldn't be fair to critique the game in its current state). Also notice that the developer CRS has not committed to a command control chain other than giving some players the power to post and control missions. With thousands of players online, one would expect to see leadership at squad, platoon, sector and operation levels to get things running smoothly, otherwise the game may not be able to produce far beyond the endless series of deathmatches it is today, strategic layer or not."
Costas of FurballMag has posted his latest "News From The Front". Here's a snippet:
"I got this game about a couple of weeks ago, after waiting for almost a month, like a cheetah spying on a herd of antelopes in the tall grass of the African savannah... imagine me pouncing on the store's shelves when I finally spotted the object of my desire. (Grrrrrooooowwwwrrrrrr!!!!! :-) I installed the game well and proper, threw in the fresh patch, tweaked everything and went to war. And I was a VERY happy feline with what I was seeing..."
So what game is he refering to?...the full column can be read by clicking
HERE
Sim-Arena have posted an interview with UbiSoft producer, Matt Wagner. Here's a snippet:
"It'll be much like it was in Flanker 2, where you're in the cockpit and you actually have the instructor talking to you. It's a "monkey see, monkey do" type of thing. Essentially it goes through the whole thing, then you take over and you replicate it. But everything from the easy stuff like take off, land, etc. to more complex things like the best defensive maneuvers against a BVR missile or how you go after a SAM site will be included. It's our hope that the vast majority of consumers, except for the hardcore crowd, will never have to look at the manual. All the training you'll need will be right there in the training missions."
As F4Community report, Manfred has announced that Balkans V1.0 has been delayed. Here's the important part:
"Falcon pilots, Unfortunately I have to announce that Balkans V1.0 release has to be delayed. Due to some technical problems to be solved, the new release date will be the upcoming Sunday, 24th of June."
Manfred also details some of the features and future plans. Read the whole announcement by clicking
HERE
As SimHQ report, Eurogamer have posted an in-depth review. Here's the intro:
"It's 1985 and Gorbachev has become leader of the Soviet Union, bringing about the end of communist rule. But while we survived perestroika and the collapse of the eastern bloc more or less intact, Operation Flashpoint offers a "what if" scenario in which a maverick Russian General opposed to Gorbachev's reforms decides to force the Kremlin to relent by invading a chain of islands off the coast of Eastern Europe."
Ken "KC23" Cook of SimHQ has posted a look at UbiSoft's Silent Hunter 2 and Destroyer Command. Here's a snippet:
"The reason why you seem to always hear these two titles in the same sentence is because Ultimation is determined to break new ground by simultaneously coming out with two stand alone simulation titles that put together a real working electronic battlefield. Yep, we are talking multiplay between Silent Hunter 2 and Destroyer Command over the Internet and LAN. Early on, I personally felt that this was unlikely to happen, but once the makers of Ultimation (who was already developing Destroyer Command) took over for Aeon in the making of Silent Hunter 2, things started to look brighter for the electronic battlefield to actually come to fruition."
SimHQ have had another look at Operation Flashpoint specifically at the way helicopters are implemented. Here's a snippet:
"One of the things that makes this game cool is that each helicopter handles different from the others. You are not stuck using the same machine no matter what side or mission you fly. The Cobra is the nimble little sports car that has no troop carrying ability, while the Blackhawk can carry lots of troops and put up a bit of a fight, while flying like a tank. The Hind can carry a few guys and put up a good fight while flying much like the Blackhawk, but the Hip on the other hand can carry troops galore, has more rockets than any mission should need, and flies just a bit worse than a tank. Each has a distinct feel that you will need some practice with before you will be a master pilot."
Rob Yurystowski of Sim-News has submitted a new edition of his Weapons Shop column which covers the upcoming Balkans "Powderkeg" v1.0 theater release for Falcon 4, as well as a few eFalcon 1.10 features. Here's the intro:
"One of the most exciting third party addons to be released Monday is the long awaited Balkans theater. The F4 Terrain Group has done outstanding work. I have been testing some missions with an e1.10 beta exe. One word- WOW! The quality of the tiling and object placement I have seen is far better than the default Korean map, in my opinion. Having flown round trip patrols from Aviano to Zagreb Croatia, and SEAD patrols from Gioa Del Colle to Dubrovnik, I think it is safe to say the Falcon community is in for a lot of great flying."
Kurt "Froglips" Giesselman paid a recent visit to Guillemot and checked out their new products on the horizon, including of course, the Cougar. Here's a snippet from Kurt's report:
"I was told the actual quantity that will be produced for the initial run of sticks. I do not wish to put the fear of God into the community but I will say that I have found a vender that will take pre-orders and placed mine before this article was published. Guillemot is being cautious with the initial run. This caution is understandable, as the production costs are very high. I won’t say this is a loss leader for Guillemot but they would not want to be carrying several thousand HOTAS Cougars in inventory, and on their books, at the end of the year. My opinion is that they have dramatically underestimated worldwide demand."
SimHQ Report that GamePower have a review of this slightly suspect shoot'em up. Here's a snippet:
"To begin with, the player never actually gets to fly the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress. Instead, players assume the role of the plane's gunners, moving around the bowels of the four-engine bomber to defend it against incessant enemy attacks. During the bomb run, the player casts aside the guns to become the plane's bombardier, who must drop the plane's bomb load on assigned targets. The problem here is that even with such a limited scope and generous amount of history to fall back on, B-17 Gunner repeatedly shoots itself in the foot like some cockeyed enlistee."
Costas has posted his latest "News From The Front" at FurballMag. Here's the intro:
"HOOO-HAAAAAAA! Oh baby, this town is HOT, this column is HOT, and this flight simmer is HOOOOOT! Here's your weekly News From the Front, melting and bubbling like a piece of butter in a frying pan. Look at all those other poor flight simmers we all know and love (well, sorta, in a competitive kind of way)..."
F4 Freeware have posted a page where you can acknowledge the work done by the eteam (which is far more than just eye candy and new features, they fixed a lot of bugs and CTD's too).
Dogfighter is reporting that Falcon Balkan Theater will be released June 18th by the F4 Terrain Team.
Here is the statement:
" Falcon pilots, On June 18th, 2001, the F4Terrain Team will release the first all new and complete add-on theater for Falcon 4.0, The Balkan 'Powderkeg' Theater. The Balkan Theater v1.0 release additions includes a completely tiled and populated terrain, an all new and fully dynamic air and ground campaign, proper ATC calls for all the new airbases, and many more exciting additions. This theater has been released with the consent and support of Force 12 and G2 Interactive. The new owners of the world's most recognized flight simulation trademark have encouraged the completion of this theater and will permit continued support and development.
We would like to recognize Force 12, G2 Interactive, and Eric Marlow and Claude Cavanaugh for their unwavering support of the Falcon community. They have embraced the energy of the community and no doubt will take Falcon to the next level that so many of us have dreamed of for so long. "
" Infogrames has made it pretty clear to us that they want to protect their intellectual property (IP). People should realize that just because Hasbro Interactive chose not to do anything about the leaked source code, that didn’t mean they didn't know what was going on. With our licensing deal, Infogrames has elevated their interest in protecting their IP. But we have asked for their consideration to allow us to work with the community and try to find a solution that is in all of our best interests. I think we are nearing an understanding with those who are still actively involved in developing after-market modifications to Falcon 4.0. "
Adam Phillips Administrator posted 06-07-2001 04:01 PM Hello Troops,
" Hi, I am Adam Phillips, Product Manager at Strategy First.
I would like to thank everyone for joining up and checking out World War II Online.
Here is the latest info on the status of the World War II Online situation:
Since the games release, Strategy First has been inundated with reports of line ups outside retailers, people sending multiple copies abroad, and even making plans to meet on the virtual battlefield once they logon. Retail managers are reporting that they have not seen such excitement over a PC title in over 10 years. We are aware of the problems that you, gamers, have been having: 1. Getting registered and 2. Downloading the patch and 3. GETTING INTO THE GAME!!
Here is what is going on:
We are currently upgrading our hardware that supports our servers and upon succsseful configuration we will be rapidly increasing our capacity. This update should also increase gameworld performance. Until this upgrade is complete we are limiting the number of logins. As soon as we have the schedule for this update we will provide more information.
A server status button that will indicate whether the server is on or off will be put on that page shortly.
Please, when looking for technical support, refer to the Playnet.com tech support forum. The guys at Playnet/Cornered Rat will be able to help you out there. http://www.playnet.com/bv/wwiiol/support.jsp
I apprectiate your patience with this matter, it WILL be worth the wait. "
Dogfighter has posted their early take on the much anticipated WWII Online.
Here is a little taste:
"It's an extremely ambitious project, without question. With literally hours before the massively multiplayer online server is set to be launched, the future of online simulations and Playnet lies in the balance. The reception of World War II Online by a worldwide audience will determine the direction which future projects by Playnet and likely dozens of other companies will take. With all the hype that surrounds this groundbreaking game, the question remains: What is it like to play? "
From the AGW Warbirds Forum comes a post from "Killer", a member of the CRS development team.
" We still have a very long development road ahead of us though. I'll tell you what -I- want to see most.
I want to see performance up, memory requirements down. It's possible to get more efficiency from what we have but it won't be quick and it wont' be easy. I will have guys dedicated to that task and nothing else as soon as I can.
I want more more more vehicles, weapons, troop models, cities/towns, and everything that goes with it. Vehicles/weapons/models will be coming at a steady rate, some are almost ready to deploy already. "
" The Adrenaline Vault has received a number of e-mails from people who are experiencing problems running SFI and Cornered Rats’ new game, World War II Online. The ambitious and much-anticipated combat title reached retail stores on June 6. Appearing at the same time was a strapping 70 MB patch that added new content and included numerous bug fixes."
