 |
|
|
   |
||
|
A History of Military Flight Simulations on the PC
by Len "Viking 1" Hjalmarson The Growth Years: 1990-1996 1991 saw the release of another eleven titles for the PC. Birds of Prey EA included in flight refueling! Microprose's F-117A Stealth Fighter included carrier launches and landings. An atmospheric game, F-117A Stealth Fighter began to show some sophisticated avionics and weapon systems, and required some tactical thinking to survive. Other titles in 1991 included Falcon 3.0, Gunship 2000, Jetfighter 2, MiG-29M Super Fulcrum and Red Baron. Of all the titles, Falcon 3.0 heralded a new generation in simulation technology. Falcon 3.0 had the first dynamic campaign system, involving the player in an ongoing battle in a persistent world, with the forward line shifting with the fortunes of war. Falcon 3.0 was probably the first simulation to have a padlock view, simulating the player turning his head to keep a fix on the bandit. AI wingmen reached a new level of sophistication. They helped in combat, and even warned the player of threats. Damage models had begun to improve, and Falcon 3’s mission designer allowed the creation of complex combat scenarios. |
This article is copyright ThrustMaster and Leonard Hjalmarson. It may not be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without permission. The inclusion of networking features gave birth to virtual squadrons and a true flight simulation community, even before the Internet. Falcon 3.0 also featured a working ACMI recorder, allowing the player to examine his maneuvers after the mission from a variety of perspectives. Finally, Falcon 3.offered a hi-fi flight model which could be activated on the top end hardware of the time, a 486/33 or higher.Email MiGMan with your experiences or any information related to this sim. |
|
|
||
|
The contents of this website are copyright © 1998 - 2007 by MiGMan |
||
