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The Second Coming of B17
Recently a group from Wayward Design, developers of B17 II, showed up on the COMBATSIM.COM Forum and began talking about a fascinating new simulation. After exchanging some email Iain Howe, the Producer, responded to a short Q&A with these answers.
Q: How does B17 2 build on its predecessor?
A: In many ways. When we sat down to bring the B-17 simulator
up to date there were many obvious areas where advancing technology allowed
us to make improvements. The first and foremost area was adding a crew to
the B-17. All simulators make a passing nod at the men inside the machines,
but we think that B-17 is the first to concentrate on them and crew each
position with a real time motion captured crew member with a learning AI.
Also important was the simulation of the B-17 itself.
Systems and performance are being modeled in the highest detail seen yet,
whilst still being presented palatably to the gamer. One of the key demands
of B-17's initial design was to enable the gamer to do it themselves, but
provide them with AI "helpers" and control shortcuts in case they don't want
to run through the entire pre-flight Checklist.
In addition there was fighter combat - all based around the
stately B-17 formations of course. Being attacked by fighters was one of the
most unnerving parts of a mission, especially if your own Fighter Escorts
were out of range, or already busy elsewhere! Of course, some gamers are
less psychologically suited to manning a turret, and those can engage the
Luftwaffe on their own terms as the pilot of a P-38, P-47 or P-51. Or for
you can take control of the Luftwaffe planes and try to bring down the
Allies.
Click to continue
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Missing from the original was the aspect of "Team" that
players get as part of a Squadron. Although there were always other B-17's
in formation you didn't really ever get to know them. With the addition of
the Squadron Command campaign you not only know them - you're in charge of
them. With that responsibility come the additional tasks of crew assignment,
B-17 readiness and mission planning - all features of the new game that were
missing from the old.
Finally there's the aspect of representing the environment
as realistically as possible. That may sound as if it's a case of simply
upping the resolution and texture usage, but in fact a large amount of what
makes B-17 2 groundbreaking from a technical point of view is the technology
sunk into the terrain, physics and effects.
It's a little difficult to
explain in text but it all boils down to how the player perceives the world
around him - it might be as simple as a sympathetic camera angle or it might
be as complicated as our fractal terrain system. It might be as obvious as
the gorgeous Flak, Tracer and lighting effects or it might be as subtle as
the specular highlighting on the natural metal finish of the aircraft, or
the way that the suspension moves as you taxi.
Go to Page Two
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