Knights of the Sky

Thanks for posting my positive comments about Knights of the Sky. Even though the situation/combat AI and ballistics continue to amaze and delight me, it's only fair that I include the negative aspects of KOTS too.

The first is its incompatibility with fast computers; I have to run it on our old 120 MHz computer using a Kraft KC-3 joystick on which I had to replace the No 1 firing button with a Microswitch from the '60s. This is better, actually, since the ubiquitous Star Wars joysticks don't relate well to a Nieuport 17.

Another is a recurring error that shuts down the whole program to ruin many flights. MicroProse just threw their arms up when I asked them to identify and solve.

Escort missions have a glitch which sends RE-8s on one-track flights to the east, completely ignoring their stated targets. I avoid these flights because they have no promotion possibility.

I felt KOTS version 1 had more realistic light biplane flying characteristics, while the version 2 update has the turns etc calmed down more to 747-like modes.

My main gripe is strictly a Canadian thing. KOTS is just too overwhelmingly Amurrican. Operations/patrols have become "missions", Canadian aces have become "Englishmen" (that one REALLY hurts!) and the friendly fire threat is way out of proportion, reflecting, to the chagrin of all other armed forces, the presence of the US military, who have elevated it to an art form.

Another step backwards from the Microprose team. It could have been so much more, but to my mind it lacked everything. The graphics weren't particularly special. The flight dynamics of the aircraft were quite comical, and the accuracy of the machine guns, was, well way-out.

If the target was dead in your sights you could probably miss. If the target was at the edge of the screen - only just in sight - and you were flying straight & level, you would most likely hit & shoot down the "target" as the guns had a spectacular shotgun effect.

Myself and my mate Tom tried this one on the serial connection on a two player "head-to-head". The dogfighting was just bizarre to say the least. Trying to stay on the tail of the opponent and shoot him down was tricky, but only due to the spectacular shotgun effect of the machine guns. In fact, if you just put the power upto full throttle and put the aircraft into a 90deg bank and kept pulling on the stick ( which you could indefinitely!! ) and at the same time, held the trigger down, you shot the other aircraft down far easier and quicker.

I also remember, that you were safe in a fight against another human player as long as you stayed below their altitude - you could score hits on them but they couldn't touch you no matter how many bullets they sprayed in your direction - all thanks to the shot-gun machine guns.

Apart from the head-to-head you also had the campaign, which took you from the early stages of the First World War upto the Armistice in 1918.

The campaign was set in an allied squadron ( you could only fly the Axis planes in the 2 player mode ), and as time went on, you received new aircraft to fly plus between missions you would get all the latest news from the front by hanging around in bars in Paris. When flying a mission in the campaign, you didn't have to wait long for some air combat.

In fact all you needed to do it seemed was get your wheels off the ground and you would be attacked by the "Hun". They were everywhere, and they just kept on coming.

You shoot one down. OK on with the mission. Oh - hang on, there's another one just appeared on my tail! OK, he's down as well. Now, find heading to target and... oh look, another Fokker on my six - and so the missions went on and on and on. Now, I LOVE a bit of air combat, but this sim really started taking the @!^* after a while.

It would have been nice to be allowed a chance to get near the objective!! In fact, it would have been nice to be allowed to get over the front line and into enemy territory!!!!!

As if the ordinary Jerry's weren't bad enough, you also had to contend with the "Aces".

These were particularly nasty pieces of work, zipping along in their brightly coloured personalised fighters. The game kept track of the Aces tally's from all sides - and the names & photos on the score board were of the real legends from the war. Sadly, these guys were knocking up more kills in a single month than the Red Baron did in a whole four year war.

But you thought the biplanes were bad? Just wait 'till you get to go balloon busting!! These suckers could climb & descend vertically quicker than a Harrier Jump Jet!

But, if you got bored with all that, you could challenge an Ace to a duel - that's it! Sod the war effort! I'm off to settle a personal score with a &Square-Head&. Well, of course, that is if you ever got to him for all the other Fokkers about.

My only real happy memory of this one was that I brought it second hand & only paid about a tenth of the original price!