smith@nrl-aic.arpa (Russ Smith) (06/15/88)
[This note sent to the generic ARPA amiga-relay address, so pardon in advance to all the techies that also get it...] A friend got Interceptor the other day, came into my office with the whole package, handed it to me and said "Here, try this out and give me your opinions". Well, I did and here they are... First, copy protection. I thought that the use of a "code wheel" was a good way to protect misuse of a program while at the same way allowing infinite copies/hard-disk versions. Electronic Arts has managed quite handily to ruin that impression. Interceptor doesn't just require the use of the code wheel on program INVOCATION, it requires the damn thing to be used over and over and over again throughout the use of the program. This made my mood go from shocked surprise that the wheel was required "again?", to frustration when I misread the hard-to-read OCR-type font, to gross disappointment in the lack of forethought of the writers. The code wheel, being composed of three disks of thin cardboard attached together with a rivet, will wear out long before the user is ready to stop using the game, that is if the user doesn't throw the game out in anger (I think I used the wheel 20+ times at one sitting in the space of about two hours that I tried the package out...YOU extrapolate that). No good at all. Two, attitude control. Though I wasn't real fond of the "coordinated controls" that JET uses (no rudder), I REALLY DO LIKE using the mouse as a "stick". A mouse applies "position dependent" control forces somewhat analogous to what a real (non-force) stick does. Cursor keys do not. Cursor keys, as used by Interceptor, apply TIME-dependent control forces. Consistently while trying out the "manuever practice" scenario I would turn radically different than the instructor plane with no good way to correct. Try to do "slow roll" for example..."trivial" with a mouse-stick, next to impossible with cursor keys. No good. The rudders were nice, though. Third, scenarios unchanging. I LOVED the plots. Really neat. JET will now be a drag when I retry it. BUT...how hard would it be to put the downed pilot in a different location each time? Couldn't the 2 stolen f-16s fly a different course? Same applies to the presidential plane. I found the above to be only slightly dissappointing I have to admit, but such details ARE what make or break a game as far as THIS typer is concerned. I don't want to "win" a game anytime soon. After you've successfully been through the above scenarios, the next time through rapidly becomes rote. Variation would, well, add variation... On the plus side...some details of this game are NEAT! Sound is used RIGHT. The Amiga excels at same, why isn't it used in more games? Interceptor uses it. The HUD is definitely first rate (but no attitude indication when aimed skyward! A minor lacking...). Missiles are "realistic" as are the tracer-tracked guns. The MIGs actually seem to have human pilots (only ONE "peeled off" to harass me when I caught up with the stolen F-16's!). Explosions, splashes, sounds, movements (the enemy actually seemed to follow realistic trajectories unlike JET). Very very fine. I won't be getting Interceptor myself. I just don't have the patience to deal with that damn code wheel. When enough complaints come down the line and Electronic Arts decides to implement good protection correctly, I'll probably change my mind. I strongly suggest that you, too, try it out before buying. Do a number of different scenarios. Get into the game. Decide if you can tolerate the things I find intolerable. In many ways the game has set new standards for total simulation on the Amiga that I hope are followed SOON by others (realism that only a few others try to achieve (Ferrari...)).
berry@stsci.EDU (Jim Berry) (06/16/88)
From article <3019@louie.udel.EDU>, by smith@nrl-aic.arpa (Russ Smith): > > Interceptor doesn't just require the use of the code wheel on program > INVOCATION, it requires the damn thing to be used over and over and over > again throughout the use of the program. This made my mood go from > shocked surprise that the wheel was required "again?", to frustration > when I misread the hard-to-read OCR-type font, to gross disappointment > in the lack of forethought of the writers. The code wheel, being composed > of three disks of thin cardboard attached together with a rivet, will > wear out long before the user is ready to stop using the game, that is > if the user doesn't throw the game out in anger (I think I used the wheel > 20+ times at one sitting in the space of about two hours that I tried > the package out...YOU extrapolate that). No good at all. I dunno. Compared to standard game disk copy protection, I think this code wheel stuff is a step in the right direction, and certainly preferable to looking up a word in the manual. Since I very seldom complete a mission in 6 min (20 times / 2 hours; it usually takes me more like a half an hour), I haven't gone through the 'wheel frenzy' that you describe. You're right though, it would be nicer to only do it once - and the font sucks. > Third, scenarios unchanging. I LOVED the plots. Really neat. JET will > now be a drag when I retry it. BUT...how hard would it be to put the > downed pilot in a different location each time? Couldn't the 2 stolen > f-16s fly a different course? Same applies to the presidential plane. > I found the above to be only slightly dissappointing I have to admit, but > such details ARE what make or break a game as far as THIS typer is > concerned. I don't want to "win" a game anytime soon. After you've > successfully been through the above scenarios, the next time through > rapidly becomes rote. Variation would, well, add variation... The pilot IS in a different place the second time through. The cruise missle comes from a different direction (and doesn't fly straight), the stolen F16's are not as likely to turn back for you, the Mig pilots fly better, etc... > Interceptor uses it. The HUD is definitely first rate (but no attitude > indication when aimed skyward! A minor lacking...). Missiles are That minor lacking is one of my 2 major complaints. It can be really difficult to maneuver in a dogfight without the attitude display when all you see throught the window or in the artificial horizon is solid blue. My other complaint is that, like JET, at some altitude (in this case about 50000') the plane just stops going up. I wish they had implemented an altitude ceiling the way it is in FSII - with the plane just kind-of nosing over as it reaches the ceiling. Anyway, I recommend the game highly, it is as polished a piece of work as I have seen in some time. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jim Berry | UUCP:{arizona,decvax,hao}!noao!stsci!berry Space Telescope Science Institute | ARPA: berry@stsci.edu Baltimore, Md. 21218 | SPAM: SCIVAX::BERRY, KEPLER::BERRY
choinski@hobbiton.prime.com (06/17/88)
[Halt, Evil Line Eater, and return to whence thou came!] From <berry@stsci.UUCP> >My other complaint is that, like JET, at some altitude (in this case about >50000') the plane just stops going up. I wish they had implemented an >altitude ceiling the way it is in FSII - with the plane just kind-of >nosing over as it reaches the ceiling. Or better yet, as you reach the operational ceiling, have the engines flame out. I used another simulator that did this. We would crank an F16 to max speed and stand her on her tail. At about 50,000 feet the engine would flame out and we would continue upward on sheer momentum until we finally slowed, stopped, and began to tumble downward. At 50,000 feet or so you could try to restart the engines (which usually worked). This seems to me to be much more realistic. Besides, we were having competitions to see who could get the highest (I think the best was around 65,000 feet or so). =============================================================================== Burton Choinski Prime Computer Inc. At: choinski@hobbiton.prime.com Framingham, Ma. 01701
hah@inteloa.intel.com (Hans A. Hansen) (06/19/88)
In article <31100001@hobbiton> choinski@hobbiton.prime.com writes:
$Or better yet, as you reach the operational ceiling, have the engines
$flame out. I used another simulator that did this. We would crank an F16
$to max speed and stand her on her tail. At about 50,000 feet the engine would
$flame out and we would continue upward on sheer momentum until we finally
$slowed, stopped, and began to tumble downward. At 50,000 feet or so you could
$try to restart the engines (which usually worked).
$
$This seems to me to be much more realistic. Besides, we were having
$competitions to see who could get the highest (I think the best was around
$65,000 feet or so).
If you want realism then ONLY the F16 can do this. The F16 is the only
modern fighter with a starter. By modern I mean F14, F15 and F18. I do
not know if the F20 has one. BTW the Blue Angles were here in beautiful
Hillsboro OR last weekend.
Hanswilson@nova.laic.uucp (Robin Wilson) (06/30/88)
In article <3019@louie.udel.EDU>, smith@nrl-aic.arpa (Russ Smith) writes: > First, copy protection. I thought that the use of a "code wheel" was a > good way to protect misuse of a program while at the same way allowing > infinite copies/hard-disk versions. Electronic Arts has managed quite > handily to ruin that impression. > > Interceptor doesn't just require the use of the code wheel on program > INVOCATION, it requires the damn thing to be used over and over and over > again throughout the use of the program. This made my mood go from > shocked surprise that the wheel was required "again?", to frustration > when I misread the hard-to-read OCR-type font, to gross disappointment > in the lack of forethought of the writers. The code wheel, being composed > of three disks of thin cardboard attached together with a rivet, will > wear out long before the user is ready to stop using the game, that is > if the user doesn't throw the game out in anger (I think I used the wheel > 20+ times at one sitting in the space of about two hours that I tried > the package out...YOU extrapolate that). No good at all. Why doesn't somebody out there just write a quick and dirty program that simulates the code wheel. At the very least you would have a backup incase yours got lost or stolen. If someone were really clever they could write one that multitasks with interceptor so that the "cardboard" one would no longer be needed. R.D. Wilson (My views.....etc.) "Just a wild hair up my ***." I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines. I hate to add extra lines.
hal@hpscdc.HP.COM (Hal Work) (07/06/88)
There is a patch available on the FAUG bbs.