1.) What new changes have been made with the last series of Realism patches? The last time I was playing, people still seemed to consider the first RP an option that was inferior to downloading certain things individually. Now it seems they're pretty much required. And what is up with F4patch? What does THAT do?

2.) What ever happened with the hacked source code version of the game?

3.) Has anyone tried one of the new USB Thrustmaster HOTAS rigs? Any good?

4.) What new features have been uncovered? Again, I'm talking since about RP1. I know that people were playing around with weather, where has that gone?

5.) With the latest Realism patch version, how much more system power is needed to keep the game running smoothly? I'm planning on getting a new system in a couple of months, and I'd like to know what the minimum for a good F4 game would be.

6.) On a related note, what new hardware has turned out to be incompatible with F4?

7.) What bugs have been fixed, and what new ones have arrived?

8.) What new mods have been created? Other plane cockpits, new terrain, etc.

Hmmm...maybe more than just a couple of questions, but if you can answer any or all of them, thanks for your help!

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Sushi-The OTHER white meat

quote:

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CTD ?? that sound something from my f4 history book

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Actually I have had more CTD's in RP4 than in RP3, but it is not that bad ... I hardly had any in RP3 and have had 3 in RP4 since it's arrival quite alot of flight hours ago ... But the CTD's happens at the worst place allways, cheated me for 3 excellent missions flown (learned to save after each good mission now ) and a certain Medal run.

Anyway, I have a mere PIII-450 - 256Ram and gForce graphic card, ant it is playable on thet system, but you shouldent go any lower on a new system anyway...

All with F4 is better, your wingman have becomed intelligent and are a big help now (true!) and as all say, it would take forever to answer all your stuff.

The F4Patch 3.1 is a tool to select and deselect all patches to the game easy with a mouseclick, no manual copying end file editing etc. all us automatic at your fingertips, great stuff indeed

Want a different cockpit? "click" and apply
Want a different sky? "click" and apply
Need to strenghten your landing gear? "click" and apply

I am sure you get my drift...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sushi:
1.) What new changes have been made with the last series of Realism patches? The last time I was playing, people still seemed to consider the first RP an option that was inferior to downloading certain things individually. Now it seems they're pretty much required. And what is up with F4patch? What does THAT do?

- Latest incarnation of the RP is version 4. Download the 200+ page manual (I kid you not) from www.rpg.falcon40.com. There you will find what's been changed. Basically updates to weapons systems, AI, ground units and tweaks to make the sim go better (like improved ECM, more realistic radars carried on threat aircraft, too many to list here).

- F4Patch is THE programme to track all the myriad patches. Installed to your F4 directory, it contains the Realism Patch plus other patches, fixes and enhancements made by others. Installing patches is as simple as clicking on a box in a menu. It's just as simple to uninstall one. For more info go to www.bierling.net/joel; look under the Falcon 4 section.

2.) What ever happened with the hacked source code version of the game?

- Standy by for eRazor's version of the F4 executable, 1.0799. It's Direct3D only (no Glide support) and he ahs apparently rewritten the graphics engine to support native DX7. Some people have reported huge increases in frame rates; others (like me) experienced problems that rendered it unplayable. YMMV.
- Work is also done to simulate the block 60 upgrade to teh Viper, with color MFDs and datalink.

4.) What new features have been uncovered? Again, I'm talking since about RP1. I know that people were playing around with weather, where has that gone?

- F4Patch contains a patch which allows clouds to be set down to various altitudes, and also controls how fast they set/clear.
- How about AI no longer being omniscient? Or being able to paint you even when you're on his six. Some have reported being able to sneak up on a bandit's six and nailing him with a 9M/P, w/o using radar and just by uncaging the seeker head. Read the RP4 manual - it'll go into detail what's hot.

5.) With the latest Realism patch version, how much more system power is needed to keep the game running smoothly? I'm planning on getting a new system in a couple of months, and I'd like to know what the minimum for a good F4 game would be.

- Well, I run a PIII 500 MHz machine, a 17" monitor, a TNT2 Ultra vid card by Creative and in campaign I get good 'nuff frame rates (>= 20 in 2d cockpit). The only time it slows down perceptibly is over Seoul which is in my current camapign also near the FLOT.
This is on a graphics setting of one below max, bubble at 3, object density at 6.

7.) What bugs have been fixed, and what new ones have arrived?

- I dare say all game-stopping bugs have been quashed. Problems that people experience nowadays are system -specific (conflicts with drivers or hardware) rather than a software problem. Of course with all the hexing and editing to produce the patches the risk of new bugs surfacing is always there. So far no major new ones have com to light tho'.

8.) What new mods have been created? Other plane cockpits, new terrain, etc.

- New cockpits for the A-10, B-1, F-14 , MiG-29. Balkans terrain, Vietnam and Middle East. Either completed or in progress. I don't follow this I'm afraid.
/QUOTE]

It's a whole new sim - maybe we should call Falcon 4.5 instead of Falcon4.0.