dwj@stiatl.UUCP (David Jaquay) (07/20/90)
Seems way back in the dark ages of CGA I had a game called Jet (if memory serves me correctly). I tossed it when I got an EGA monitor because I got lots of other games, and I don't think Jet worked on anything but CGA. Anyway, on to my question: What kind of fighter pilot games are out there for EGA/VGA? I've got Battle Hawks, and would like something that works better off just the keyboard. Once upon a time I played Gunship (I think), which was a 'copter simulation. Is Jet out for EGA/VGA now? Jet's level of realism was what I'm looking for, if possible. I'm sure someone's come out with a bigger/better since 1985. As a side note, I didn't see a comp.sys.ibm.pc.games here. Is there one, or is there another/better place to ask this? Thanks in advance. -- David Jaquay (gatech!stiatl!dwj)
streeter@theory.lcs.mit.edu (Kenneth B. Streeter) (07/21/90)
In article <10325@stiatl.UUCP> dwj@stiatl.UUCP (David Jaquay) writes: >What kind of fighter pilot games are out there for EGA/VGA? I've got Battle >Hawks, and would like something that works better off just the keyboard. Once >upon a time I played Gunship (I think), which was a 'copter simulation. I have recently played the F-19 (Stealth Fighter) game from MicroProse. It accomodates EGA/VGA, and has excellent graphics. The flight is moderately realistic. This game has features that can make nearly anybody happy. Update and response is quick, with excellent out-the-cockpit graphics. The head-up-display (HUD) is also very well done. I strongly recommend it as the best fighter flight simulation game I have ever seen on the PC. With the game, you get a short installation leaflet explaining how to set up the game for your specific machine. It installs on the hard disk, if you have one, but requires reading one of the floppy disks for copy protection upon startup. Also included is a 100+ page book explaining what the F-19 is, a quick tutorial, a more-involved explanation of the machine, takeoff/landing procedures, radar stealth techniques, air-to-air fighting tactics, air-to-ground fighting tactics, specifications and uses for various NATO/Warsaw Pact aircraft and armaments, and a good index. This documentation permits the player to delve into the simulation in varying levels, from just taking the plane up and trying to shoot down bad guys, to really trying to perform a stealth mission carefully and precisely. There are four areas of battle among which you can choose: South Mediteranean (Libya), Persian Gulf (Iran), Central Europe (Warsaw Pact), and Northern Europe (Warsaw Pact.) In all of these arenas, you can choose among 4 different types of missions (training/regular duty for strike and air-to-air missions), 3 different levels of conflict (cold war, limited war, conventional war), 4 different levels of enemy troop expertise, and 3 different levels of landing difficulty. These many choices permit picking a skill level that will keep the game very interesting. The different levels of conflict choices are particularly interesting. They do not vary in difficulty (they are not intended to do so), but rather distinguish between true stealth missions as in a cold war where avoiding detection is nearly as important as destroying/photographing the objective, and outright full conventional war where avoiding detection is only important in that it helps keep you alive. In the simulation, you are the pilot of an F-19. For control, there is an optional joystick mode, but I have always used keyboard only. I found the game easy to pick up and have fun with initially. With the easiest setting, the plane doesn't crash (just bounces) and can't be shot, so one can quickly get a feel for how the aircraft handles, and have some fun. On the highest (realistic) settings, just trying to land this on an aircraft carrier (missions can involve both/either standard or carrier takeoffs and landings) can be quite a challenge. With more expertise, one learns not just how to use "fire-and-forget" guided missiles, but also how to drop bombs (level & dive bombing), strafe ground units with the cannon, dogfight, and avoid detection flying through enemy radar screens. (This is actually quite involved -- there's a lot more to it than just flying low -- direction, speed, radar type, and perspective are all important, as well as altitude.) Basically, this is a GREAT game. Of course, it will be the most fun with hi-res EGA/VGA graphics, on a fast machine. After playing this game frequently for quite a few months, I still find it to be an awful lot of fun. For me, this game has been almost unique among others I have tried in that it has so many possibilities of things to do that it does not become tiresome. The F-15 Strike-Eagle II (the version II is important) also from MicroProse, is very similar, but doesn't have quite as much room for variation as the F-19 simulation, as the F-19 can be used for dogfighting, just as the F-15, but the radar-detection aspect of the F-19 simulation is unique. >As a side note, I didn't see a comp.sys.ibm.pc.games here. Is there one, or >is there another/better place to ask this? I haven't found one, but think it would be a good idea. >David Jaquay (gatech!stiatl!dwj) -- Kenneth B. Streeter | ARPA: streeter@im.lcs.mit.edu MIT LCS, Room NE43-350 | UUCP: ...!uunet!im.lcs.mit.edu!streeter 545 Technology Square | (617) 253-2614 (work) Cambridge, MA 02139 | (617) 225-2249 (home)
draper@cpsin1.uucp (Patrick J Draper) (07/21/90)
Does anybody have any other recommendations for flight simulators? I've got F-19 and Chuck Yeager's flight trainer. I can vouch for the previous poster's comments on F-19. The game is truly a masterpiece of warfare simulation. I enjoy C.Y. flight trainer because it is much more realistic than F-19, or Microsoft's Flightsim 3.0. Speaking of Microsoft's flight simulator version 4, is it better than 3? I found ver.3 to be incredibly unresponsive to fly. There's nothing worse than pressing a key and nothing happens for 2 seconds --- even on a 20 Mhz 386 machine! Would anybody recommend something called 'Flying with the Blue Angels'? I think there's a second Chuck Yeager program out there, does anybody have any comments on that? Thanks a lot, Patrick Draper ---- Michigan State University
YTHRROUS@MTUS5.BITNET (Roger Rouse) (07/23/90)
Check out the F16 Falcon Simulator. I have the AMIGA version which is really phenomenal. I don't have the IBM version, but I know that there is one. It might be worth checking out. - Roger
bakke@plains.UUCP (Jeffrey P. Bakke) (07/23/90)
Well, as far as a good Fighter Game, I've got F-19, Microsoft Simulator 4.0, Jet, Yeagers Flight Simulator 1.0 and 2.0, F-16 Falcon, and JetFighter. F-19 is fun to play since there is so much to do and a wide variety of missions to choose from. The only quirk is that is that the keyboard control is kind of strange (you hit insert to cycle through 3 modes of sensitivity) and it can be a pain in the butt in combat. MS Simulator 4.0 is exactly that, a Simulator. Its definitely beyond a game in the realism and time that it takes to learn all about it. As was mentioned before, MS was a little chintzy in the fact that you need to mail in a card for the maps in this version. Kind of ticked me off. On the high points its an extremely complex simulator of a Gates Lear Jet, Cessna 150, a WW I Sopwith or a Glider. The glider addition in this version is a nice touch; you can locate thermals over a city or hills and catch a ride up. On the bad side, although you can select a driver to give it processor specific code for the 8086/80286/80386, with all the options turned on and running, you need a 80386/20 to be pleased with the frame rate. Although, if you turn all the complex scenery off, you could be happy with a Slow 80286. 8086 is a joke. The two versions of Yeagers Flight Simulator are both OK (2.0 definite improvement). You can fly upwards of 20 different airplanes each with different flight characteristics. You can try and follow chuck in a plane and stay with his plane is complex maneuvers. Theres a air race that you can take to try and win (against other planes also). Also you can see how good you are in formation flying and see if you can stick with the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angles. Its a game that is part simulator and part test pilot. Theres not true fighting though. F-16 Falcon used to be a favorite of mine but I have upgraded to EGA/VGA 386 and have never plopped down the $50 for Falcon AT. The old Falcon for the CGA used to be great though. The only limitation in this game was the limit to the use of F-16s only. But it simulates the 16 really well in the most difficult level. (Owners of F-AT, is it worth the money?) Finally, probably the best Fighter "game" that I have is undoubtedly JetFighter by Velocity Inc. The game stems around the idea of an elite anti-terrorist group using F-14, F-18, and F-16. The game takes place in southern california and has chapters just like a book. Once you finish a chapter, the game progresses into the next step. The graphics are probably some of the Smoothest, fastest graphics out there for 3D Solid animation. On a 386-16Mhz, the refresh rate and scrolling is virutally real time it seems. Granted, the graphics are not as detailed as F-19 or FS 4.0 but the plane you fly still looks really good from the outside and still casts a shadow. The simulation is iffy; No weather, Absolute Ceiling of 57000 ft, no jumpy stick, no variations in speed at specific Angles/Altitude. As a realistic flight simulator, its about par with Jet. As a game, it definitely blows the others out of the water. Also as you progress in the game, your opponents get better and better in combat. At level 30 (I'm there now) Migs are extrememly hard to kill in a dogfight and they're really good at bringing you down. Ok after all that it comes down to: If you want a realistic simulator and great scenery, my bet is Microsoft Simulator 4.0. If you want a complex game with lots of options (but a screwy keyboard setup) and things to do, the game is F-19. And if you just want a good, fun challenging game, get JetFighter. P.S. What do people have to say about the Blue Angles simulator? I haven't ever played it. Jeffrey P. Bakke | Internet: bakke@plains.NoDak.edu | "Life... don't talk 2550 15th Str S #23B | UUCP : ...!uunet!plains!bakke | to me about life..." Fargo, ND 58105 | BITNET : bakke@plains.bitnet | - Marvin the PA
dwj@stiatl.UUCP (David Jaquay) (07/23/90)
In article <1990Jul21.035737.5524@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> draper@cpsin1.uucp (Patrick J Draper) writes: >Speaking of Microsoft's flight simulator version 4, is it better than 3? >I found ver.3 to be incredibly unresponsive to fly. If you found v3 to be bad, v4 won't change your mind. It feels very similar. On the other hand, I found v3 (and v4 which I just got over the weekend) to be quite realistic. I'm using a joystick now, but I used v3 with nothing but keyboard, and found it quite satisfying. The joystick does make a big difference. One thing you might try is flying the Learjet. It responds *MUCH* faster than the Cessna. -- David Jaquay (gatech!stiatl!dwj)
mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (Doug McDonald) (07/23/90)
In article <5347@plains.UUCP> bakke@plains.UUCP (Jeffrey P. Bakke) writes: > >Well, as far as a good Fighter Game, I've got F-19, Microsoft Simulator 4.0, >Jet, Yeagers Flight Simulator 1.0 and 2.0, F-16 Falcon, and JetFighter. > > >MS Simulator 4.0 is exactly that, a Simulator. Its definitely beyond a >game in the realism and time that it takes to learn all about it. As was >mentioned before, MS was a little chintzy in the fact that you need to >mail in a card for the maps in this version. Kind of ticked me off. >On the high points its an extremely complex simulator of a Gates Lear Jet, >Cessna 150, a WW I Sopwith or a Glider. The glider addition in this >version is a nice touch; you can locate thermals over a city or hills and >catch a ride up. I have MS V4 and its nice. But I have a complaint: its too hard because the controls are very non-responsive. I have not flown - or even flown in- any of the planes it is supposed to simulate. But in all those I have flown in in the seat next to the pilot - or in the one I have actually flown - the controls are VERY much more responsive. For example, last week I was in a 1947 vintage seaplane flying around mountaintops and glaciers. The time it took this plane to do a 90 degree turn was tiny compared to any of the ones in MSFS. And, of course, the controls were very smooth (analog!). The response was fast enough that one did not have to anticipate the plane's behaviour. For example, if you take off from Meigs Field in MSFS with the default plane it is very hard to fly back around and land at the same airport without going miles away and making an approach. The plane I was in could take off, come back around and land, without passing the ends of the runway or going more than a couple of hundred yards off to the side. Are there any programs that are better in these regards? Doug McDonald