Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    Just a quick review of some of the flight simms I have.
    
    F29-Retaliator.
    
    Not a very accurate simulator as it is based on a future plane although
    claims are made that this plane is real ( in design ). However I think
    the gameplay and actual 'feel of flight' is terrific in this game. It
    is very fast and very smooth.
    
    Falcon
    
    This is the closest game I know of to the real thing, I have a RAF
    Navigator friend and he was 'shocked' at its realism ( I know the RAF
    dont fly too many F16's but he was talking about instrumentation,
    weapon loads, missions, out of window view etc ). The graphics are
    good and the missions interesting. However unlike F-29 which offers
    hundereds of missions at 6 different levels, Falcon offers about 12
    at 5 different levels although you can buy other mission disks.
    This is a HARD game for a beginner and I reckon a game where you need
    two people ( one for keyboard, one for joystick ).
    
    F1 Fighter Bomber
    
    This is an interesting game, you can fly one of about 8 planes
    including Russian planes. You are restricted to 12 missions although
    there is a mission designer. It is very simple to use and good fun,
    it can now be bought as part of a compilation set and well worth the
    money. My only problem with this game is it can take 20 minutes to
    reach a target, some nice touches though with mid-air refuelling and
    'against the clock' missions.
    
    A10 Tank Killer
    
    See my review in another note.
    
    Wings.
    
    This is a world War I simulator. This is a truly brilliant game.
    Hundreds of missions combined with an excellent game scenarion, you
    basically live the life of a WWI pilot via a diary based on real
    experiences. One of the best buys out this.
    
    ACES - Knights of the Sky
    
    Another World War I simulator. Similar in setup to A10. I have had
    problems with this game ( system crashes when flying Axis planes ).
    In my opinion there wasnt much effort put into place converting this
    from PC to Amiga.
    
    F19 Stealth Fighter.
    
    Microprose. So the documentation is excellent and the game is solid. I
    personaly dont like it but others rave about it. I find it too much
    like other Microprose games ( I already have Gunship and M1 Tank ) so
    there is little new in this game. ( IE missions style is that of
    Gunship and the inflight cockpit looks like so many other Microprose 
    in flight cockpits eg F15 ). The sound is weak as well and its another
    one of these games where you need 4 hands to play it. But there are
    squillions of missions, maybe I just havent gott'n into it enough yet.
    
    Gunship.
    
    Helicopter simulator ( well you did say flight ), this is a very
    interesting game purely from the difference in flying a helicopter
    point of view. Squillions of missions, you do need four hands again
    but a good game. My only whinge about this one would be the number
    of enemies, soemtimes you can just hover above the base and have 6
    nasties in range. A bit over the top, but good.
    
    Battle of Britain - Their finest hour.
    
    By far the best game I have ever bought. Realistic flight, incredible
    documentation and more scenarios than you need plus a mission builder.
    See my review elsewhere in the notes files.
    
     Summary
    
     I would buy 
    
    Battle of Britain, Wings, F-29 and Gunship again.
    
    F1 and Falcon are borderline cases.
    
    A10 is a hmmmmm
    
    F-29 and ACES - Knights of the sky where a waste of my money.
    
    Hope this helps some.
    
    Regards,
        Chris
    		

	Flight Simulator II is very effective; it's the most realistic because
	you can fly around real areas, in the United STates, Japan, and
	Europe, so you can really get into the navigation thing.
	I like that, I can use real aviation charts from the flight
	shop at the air force base.  the program has ILS for some airports,
	and scenery disks for a variety of places.  Only the US is included
	in the basic package, and not very detailed, but Chicago, Seattle,
	LA, San Francisco, New York and Boston at least are on the basic
	disk.  A afew buildings and major streets are visible, even at night.
	You can set clouds, fog, wind at different altitudes.  I prefer
	the Cessna C172.  It's in real time, so it really takes a long
	time to go from place to place.
	It appears to be getting harder to get scenery disks for the Amiga.
	Also, a construction set for making  your own scenery that was
	started was never delivered.  I can't make my own because
	their executable is included with the scenery, i.e., scenery is
	not in a separate data file, so I can't copy the executable.
	I would have to make a patch kit with data to glom onto an old
	scenery/executable file.

	DC10 in AmigaBASIC on a Fred Fish disk.
	This also has real navigation beams in real places, only just
	England, France and Belgium.  There is no scenery, that's why I
	liked it.  You had to concentrate on instruments, which is the
	most realistic way to simlate flight.  I liked this, but when
	I tried to change the data to Boston/New York, it was somewhat
	braindead and I could only take off from Newark.

	Chuck Yaeger's something or other
	mouse is too sensitive, I guess I should adjust it in the program.
	The scenery is not real, not even representative of something real.
	the cassette of Yaeger telling you how to go through the demo is
	incredibly unnecessary.  However, the graphics of inside the
	plane are the most realistic.  I only just bought it, I'm
	not up on it yet.

	f18 or whatever.
	I didn't like this.  I don't like violent war games.  I guess
	it had a real San Francisco area, but wasn't my cup of tea.

	Tom

    
    FALCON is incredible.
    
    I have logged many pilot hours playing this game, and its still a
    thrill.  You can select different levels of skill for the opposing
    Migs and from 0-3 enemy planes.  There are also many ground targets
    including tanks, landing craft, trucks and trains that all move.
    
    The graphics are great, and the 'feel' is good.  There is a pretty 
    steep learning curve to the game, but once you have it down, things 
    are awesome.  It is a help to beginners if you have an extra body
    running the keyboard... but once you have your most used controls
    memorized its easier to fly yourself.
    
    
    GUNSHIP is a great concept and a fun game, I love helo's, but the
    graphics are pretty plain compared to Falcons.  It is still on my
    list of things to purchase though.
    
    I have played a few others that didnt quite measure up to FALCON so I
    have forgetten their names.  I do want to try out Their Finest Hour and
    Tank-Killer, but havent had the chance yet.
    
    Happy flying!  My recommendation is for FALCON, and as mentioned there
    are new mission disks for it.  
    
    - Jim
    

    
    	Mike,
    
    	I think F-18 Interceptor got a bum rap.  While the graphics
    	are not as detailed as some, the 3-d perspective is absolutely
    	perfect.  I still haven't found a game that comes as lose as this 
    	one does to making you feel as though you are really flying.
    
    	It's biggest disadvantage is that it has limited scenarios and
    	may become boring too quickly (though I still dig it out once
    	in a while just to experience the feeling of flying around
    	San Francisco).
    
    	On the other hand, I've also seen it advertised in Amiga World
    	for as little as $18.00.  If I lost my copy I'd buy it again (if
    	that tells you anything).
    
    
    	Falcon is everything mentioned in this note.  However, they
    	weren't kidding about the learning curve.
    
    	Also, while it's graphics are some of the most detailed, I still
    	don't get quite the same feeling of reality as when playing
    	Interceptor.  The controls are also so detailed that I spend too
    	much time thinking about how to fly, aquire a target and fire
    	the correct weapon and not enough time simply enjoying being
    	in the air.
    
    	
    	As for Battle of Britain (and, to a lesser extent, it's predecessor
    	"Battlehawks 1942") it is by far the best game I've bought for
    	the Amiga.
    
    	The graphics are extremely detailed, the flying is realistic
    	and the action never stops.  Plus, if you get tired of the 40-50
    	missions provided, you can design your own.
    
    	My only 2 complaints (and a minor one at that) are that response gets
    	somewhat sluggish when there are alot of objects in the air (but
    	they are alot of DETAILED objects, so the slowdown is
    	understandable) and that the joystick is so unresponsive that it is
    	almost useless.  This is strictly a mouse driven game.
    
    
    	I liked Gunship because of the challange of learning and
    	co-ordinating enough controls at one time just to get the 
    	chopper in the air.
    
    	What I diskliked was what I felt to be an unrealistic out-of-
    	cockpit view (especially when firing weapons).  I also had a
    	heck of a time just acquiring targets (especially visually).
    
    
    	I hope you have as much fun as I have with these simulators.
    	I've wanted to play these kind of games since I saw the first
    	"Flight Simulator" running on an IBM PC back in the early/mid
    	80's.  As a matter of fact, it's the reason I bought an Amiga
    	in the first place, so if anyone has more reviews I'll be
    	following this note avidly.
    
    
    	Terry
    

	Does anyone know anything about Flight of the Intruder?  This was to
	be a new offering from Spectrum Holobyte (of Falcon fame) and was
	originally to be released around the time of the movie.  And what 
	happened to the movie?  It was month's late then when finally released
 	it went by like a Florida rainstorm! Now I have to wait for the video.
	I really liked the book, so I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of 
	the simulator.  The only review I've seen to date was a brief note in
	the GAMES conference re the I*M version.  The note was NOT very
	encouraging, but since Falcon on the I*M is a totally different game,
	I'm not going to condem the Amiga version quite yet.

	By the way , anyone wanting a complete history of Falcon need only
	read notes 2035 and 2648 in this conference.  There must be over 200
	replies between the two.

	-mike

	In the May issue of ACE is an preview of a new flight sim called
	Birds of Prey.

	It's developed by the team around Jez San, the guy who wrote 
	Starglider II, which has the fastest vector grafx I know.
	It took almost three years to develop the program; ACE mentioned that
	it's one of the most realistic flight sims ever.

	You can fly not only one or two different jets, but I think 14 or so.
	(including F14,F15,F16,B52,B1,B2,Mirage,Mig21,Mig25,Mig29 and even
	X-15).

	The playfield is somewhat huge (it is said that it will take almost
	40 minutes to fly across the map).
	And the siulation is consistent: if you plan to go on a bombing raid
	with a B52, you have to knock out first the SAM-sites with e.g. F15s.

	I know this report is only a preview and in the end often such games
	were not worth the package but I do trust Jez San, cause he's a
	very good programmer. Let's hope it's as good as it looks.

	Watch out for Birds of Prey.

	Helmut

	P.S.: It should be out early summer.

    Re: .5

    The June issue of AmigaWorld has a full page ad from Spectrum HoloByte
    touting Flight of the Intruder. It must be an old ad however, for it
    says "watch for the full-length motion picture coming this summer".
    Anyway, it claims it is "now available on Amiga".

    Pete

		Has anyone else tried MIG-29?  I like the look and feel
	of this simulator but it is evidently PAL (DOMARK) and missing
	the lower third of the cockpit which makes it extremely difficult
	to do the missions since several important instruments are not
	visable.  Sure wish there was someway to remedy this ( running
	PAL helps some ).

						Jim

    Anyone any info on the new flight sim by Microprose F15 II or 
    something, I beleive it was an arcade game before and is currently
    available for PC's. I was under the impression it was more action-
    orientated and less of a strategic sim than Microproses' previous
    offerings.
    
    Gary.

    Anyone interest in Their Finest Hour: The Battle Of Britain might want
    to check out Software Etc. in the Greendale Mall. I bought it there on
    Saturday for only $20! (Not a demo or return!) They have a sale going
    on that also includes Operation Coutnterstrike for Falcon for only $10
    and Populous for $24. All their technical books are 20% off too.
    
    - Doug
    

    I haven't heard anyone mention Lucasfilm's "Secret Weapon's of the
    Luftwaffe" yet. I'm a fan of Lucasfilm games and I'm hoping that
    this game measures up to all the other great games that they've
    come up with so far.
    
    Mike

    Which of these can be used in two player mode.  I am looking for
    something my wife and I can play after the kids are asleep.  We have a
    500 and a 2000, and a null modem cable.  I know Falcon can but any
    others I would prefer a short learning curve, since this is just for
    fun.
    
    Thanks
    Alan
    

    
    	FALCON can, of course.  The only other one I know has 
    	head-to-head mode is one of the first Amiga ports called
    	JET (I think either from Microsoft or Sublogic).
    
    	Terry
    

	What's with F19 ? I've heared that F19 should be capable of
	an advanced two player mode. Not like in Falcon where only a
	dogfight without other targets is possible, but also that you 
	can fly missions together.

	Please can anyone comment on this.

	Thanks
	Helmut

    No can do!
    
    There's no way to two player flying in F-19, but that kind of flying
    should be available in Future Coming Flight of the Intruder were
    you can fly as an wingman or an enemy with a friend.
    
    Also Spygnosis has released a new Strategy/Combat game called Armoud
    Geddon where you can manouver six different machines ranging from
    tank to helicopter(heavy tank, light tank, hover craft(great fun!),
    bomber, fighter, helicopter).
    
    When switched to multiplay, you play opposites and can manouver up to 
    six machine(changin with F1-F6) at each side. It has very fast vector 
    grafix and a very good night flying with nightvision system.
    
    Fun game!!
    
    
    -Kari-
                          

    Ive seen Armour Geddon in the shops any chance of a review, how many
    missions, game scenario etc.
    
    A game due fror release in August ( Ha Ha ) called Air Duel will allow
    two players on the 1 screen to play head to head. The user will have
    the choice of horizontal or vertical split. During combat the ground
    details will become less 'detailed', thus enabling maximum spped for
    head to head combat ( unlike Aces - The Blue Max ). There will be four
    different planes you can fly WW1, WW2, Now and future space conflict.
    
    Regards,
        Chris.

    PINO,
    MY OPINION ON FLY SIM:
    1 FS IV (for MS-DOS)
    2 fs II
    3 FALCON F16, F19,GUNSHIP
    4 F18 interceptor,bomber
    5 f10 tankkiller
    
    I wait,gun ship 2000
    I don't know "battle of britain" and I hope to find it in the future,
    
    
    please,where can I find Dc10 present on fred fish amigabasic disk,
    disk no.??????? thanks a lot in advance.
    
    N.B I LIKE realistic fly,in fact fsII for Amiga and FSIV for MS-DOS are
    the best for me.I don't like air battle.
    

	dc10 is on fish 150
	tom

Any Interceptor owners out there nervous about flying the F-16, in light
of the Air Force's announcement this week that the wings could fail?!!

-peter

    NO. I only have problems with the memory expansion and Interceptor
     :-)
    
    Ralf
    ====