wanttaja@ssc-vax.UUCP (Ronald J Wanttaja) (11/26/84)
I'm putting in a quick word on a really neat game for the C-64 I tried this weekend: "F-15 Strike Eagle" by Microprose The program is pushed as a "simulation of a simulator", more specifically, of a air-to-air and air-to-ground attack simulator. The top half of the display is a view out the forward windshield of an F-15, including Heads Up Display. Enemy aircraft, SAMS, and ground targets are displayed here, using "stick figure" graphics, as opposed to solid figures. The sky/horizon is displayed, with grid lines on the ground giving a good illusion of speed and turns. The lower half of the display consists of an area map, showing your location and the position of ground targets, a radar screen, which displays airborne targets, and a weapon status board, indicating the weapon selected (guns, Sparrow, Sidewinder) a schematic layout showing the current armnament load of the aircraft. Aircraft flight instrumentation are non-existant; altitude, speed, heading, and fuel status are included on the HUD. About eight scenarios are available, each with varying aircraft/SAM threats. For instance, the basic scenario, "Libya" is similar to the Gulf of Sidra incident a few years back; no SAMS and SU-7s for opposition, i.e. fairly easy meat. In constrast, the Vietnam scenarios are tougher; MIG-19s, and lotsa SAMs. The neatest thing about this game is the realism in air-to-air combat. I've done some "Rat Racing" in Citabrias, and avidly watch any gun camera footage I come across, and "Strike Eagle" is GOOD! Since they don't bother drawing any ground detail (the grid lines that show are not really terrain features) maneuverablitiy is fast... push the stick over, and the horizon whirls! When chasing "bandits," stick motion is nealy automatic, and the relative position of the bandit changes as you would expect it to. One big disadvantage of the Sublogic Flight Simulator is its slowness; push the stick to the side, and you have to wait a while 'till the display shows a turn. Since "Strike Eagle" doesn't have to worry about drawing rivers, airports, towers, etc., minimal time is taken to redraw the horizon when the stick is moved. The landing phase is not simulated either; so again, the program can get more speed. This is not a simple game... you must contend with fuel flow, throttle settings/afterburner considerations, jamming SAMS, ejecting flares, dropping your bombs and tanks, and marshalling your dwindling cannon ammunition. Flight characteristics seem fairly well simulated- the aircraft is more maneuverable when all external stores are dropped, for instance. Definitely one of the best programs of the year! Check it out... Ron (MIG-Buster) Wanttaja (ssc-vax!wanttaja) "There's a fireball down there, on the hillside, and I've a feeling, we've just lost a friend..."