Ever the innovator, Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson blends a preview of 1C: Maddox Games' World War II Russian air combat simulation IL-2 Sturmovik with a bit of real military history and a fictionalized air combat engagement to boot.
In the history department, Len tells us of the renowned exploits of Russian pilot Nikolay Terekhin. Then, Viking1 uses his preview copy of IL-2 Sturmovik to recreate Terekhin's suicidal figter tactics himself on a group of Luftwaffe bombers. He then recounts his experience in a fictional narrative that'll make you think you were really there with him. Now this is what immersion in a combat simulation is all about.
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If you like the idea of WWII fighter and bomber combat, against real live opponents, where hundreds of people can play simultaneously, then you need a massively multiplayer online sim like Air Warrior, Aces High, Fighter Ace, or WarBirds. If you want authentic flight, systems, and damage models, as well as outstanding graphics, you'll only want to look at either Aces High or WarBirds.
Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson files this series of four reports on the upcoming WarBirds III.
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Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson continues his preview series on Rage Software's soon to be released Eurofighter Typhoon. In this installment, Len reports on the buzz surrounding EF Typhoon's flight model and handling, cockpit, weapons, wingman interaction, and campaign structure.
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IL-2 Sturmovik's user interface is, as Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson tells us, like their aircraft: powerful, yet simple and easy to use.
In this preview of IL-2, Len shows us the user interface options for building Quick Missions as well as the full Mission Builder interface screens. Modders take note, if you like to create aircraft skins, IL-2 Sturmovik has already built in the functionality to swap them in the interface.
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Rage Software's Eurofighter Typhoon is just the latest installment in one of the most storied air combat simulations of all time. Originally authored by Digital Image Design (DiD) Part One of the story was TFX: Tactical Fighter Experiment, Part Two was EF2000 (and its variants Super and TACTCOM), Part Three was actually two titles—F22: Air Dominance Fighter and F22: Total Air War, and now that DiD has become part of Rage Software, Eurofighter Typhoon is Part Four.
There's a lot of history here and with the planned release of Eurofighter Typhoon about one month away, it seems fitting that one of the most qualified experts on the subject of DiD titles, Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson, give us some background on how we came from the original TFX in 1993 to EF Typhoon in 2001.
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If the impressive variety of clouds, fog, and weather effects weren't enough, we will also be seeing contrails in Maddox Game's / Blue Byte's upcoming IL-2 Sturmovik.
Site Publisher, Douglas Helmer, fires up his antiquated PC and still manages to come up with an image essay on contrails that'll have you wishing this baby was closer to its due date.
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Sometimes it's the little things that count. In his fourth preview of IL-2 Sturmovik, Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson gets down and dirty in a close air ground support mission.
In today's mission, the weather sucks (snow), your rear gunner may black out, and man, those enemy tanks can run and change formation in an instant . . . but they can't hide!
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In the first two IL-2 Sturmovik previews Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson looked at views and padlock, the cockpit itself, and the raw beauty of this landmark sim. In this third of four preview installments, Len will take you through the COMMS system, discuss aspects of the fighting AI, then look at some images of damage and various aircraft.
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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." This is the second in a series of four articles on IL-2 and frankly, we haven't seen Viking1 this stirred up since EF2000. In this installment, Len talks about the evolutionary and revolutionary views (padlock, FOV, etc.) in IL-2.
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Despite changes of ownership and a declining hardcore flightsim base, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) keeps on supporting and improving the Flanker 2.X series. Bob "Groucho" Marks gives you this exclusive look at what's been done in the upcoming Flanker 2.5 Upgrade---the last hurrah in the Flanker 2.X saga.
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Both Jane's WW2 Fighters and IL-2 Sturmovik simulate the Me-109G6, as does European Air War, and B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th!.
In this article, Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson does a side-by-side comparison of the 109 in each of the above-mentioned sims plus, he throws in a shot of a 109 from Rowan's Battle of Britain for good measure. Be warned, what you learn may come as a shock to your system!
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We just received our latest pre-beta preview copy of IL-2 Sturmovik and we've begun our preview testing. In the meantime, we thought we'd provide a few high-rez, in-game screenshots of this highly anticipated offering from Maddox Games and Blue Byte Software.
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An hour with IL-2 Sturmovik. Does it get better than this? Here are a couple dozen screenshots, some showing contrail effects we've never seen in a sim, from Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson's first session with this incredible simulation.
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What is it like to fly the Spitfire and the Hurricane in Rowan's Battle of Britain? Do the Spit and Hurri handle as differently as their real world counterparts? Join Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson for a look at some of the real history of these legendary aircraft and how each performs in this WWII simulation of Britain's finest hour.
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The US may not have a president yet, but there may be a new monarch. While those of us in the Colonies are forced to wait while our friends in the UK enjoy the new Rowan release, Bob "Groucho" Marks kicks the chocks out from a pre-gold build of Rowan's Battle of Britain and explains why this very well may be the new King of the Dogfight Sims.
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Wanna know what Rowan's Battle of Britain looks like on a 1 GHz machine? Bob "Groucho" Marks files these screenshots from Rowan's Battle of Britain demo.
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After innummerable previews, E3 reports, and screenshot pages, B17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty Eighth is on final approach to a retail store shelf near you.
Join Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson for one last vicarious tour of what looks to be one of the most dynamic and immersive simulations ever created.
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Whatever misgivings you may have had about the original MS Combat Flight Simulator (CFS) you will see improved in CFS II. You may or may not like "Bill's Outfit" for this or that reason, but his boys CAN build excellent flight simulators! Tucker Hatfield is one of the main influences on this sim and his experience from our old favorites like Aces Of The Pacific and Aces Over Europe is quite evident in this Pacific based version.
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Trying to keep straight which prop sim is which? The Second World War is back in vogue, and a veritable downpour of sims depicting that struggle is embedded in the coming squall. One wave in particular in this coming storm of WWII combat flight sims is rolling in straight from the Cliffs of Dover---Rowan's Battle of Britain. Bob "Groucho" Marks takes this title around the patch and reports his findings to you.
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Microsoft's Crimson Skies is being touted as an all-new experience in flight combat. In this alternate history, the year is 1937 and the United States is fractured into squabbling nation-states, brought about by the weight of the Great Depression, regional prohibition, and mounting isolationism. As Jim Tittle explains, it's an art-deco fusion of Tales of the Golden Monkey Meets Al Capone.
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In Part One, Bob "Groucho" Marks chats with Rob Brown, the guru behind the CFS 2 editor. In our second interview with the CFS 2 team, Jim "Twitch" Tittle talks with Tucker Hatfield, Program Manager for Microsoft's Simulations Product Unit and lead on CFS.
Combat Flight Simulator 2 - Part II
Combat Flight Simulator 2 - Part I
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Bob Marks had a chance during E3 to sit down with Carl Norman, Director of Product Development for Mattel Interactive's Novato Studio. Special guests from Eagle Dynamics were also present to show the latest version of Flanker. As Bob writes, the Flanker line has a bright future.
Future Flanker - 2.5 and Beyond
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In our first and second interviews with Don Whiteford, Typhoon project leader at Rage Studios, Don took us on a brief overview of the campaign structure and gameplay. In our third and final interview with Rage Studios, Geert gets all the details on this highly anticipated sequel to EF2000.
Final Typhoon Interview
Typhoon Interview with Rage Studios
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We've received some new information about some of the new products Microsoft showed off at the Game Developers Conference. We've got some pictures of the new Strategic Commander, the Sidewinder Voice Commander, as well as some
screen shots of Microsoft's upcoming games.
Microsoft's Upcoming Titles
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Recently Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson interviewed Oleg Maddox of Maddox Games regarding their upcoming IL-2 simulation.
Oleg Maddox Interview Part I
Oleg Maddox Interview Part II
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Commanche Hokum sets up to the plate and takes a swing at helicopter air to air combat. Listed are a couple of preview articles:
Commanche Hokum Preview
Commanche Hokum Update
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It has been quite a while since a dedicated Vietnam era simulation has been released (Flight of the Intruder is the only one that springs to mind), and Kesmai's AW: Vietnam will hopefully not only fill this gap, but set a new standard in simulation and on-line gaming.
Air Warrior: Vietnam Interview
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Some time back Razorworks released Apache-Havoc, simulating
the AH-64 Apache/Mi-28 Havoc combination. Now the interoperable simulation
of the Comanche-Hokum duo will soon follow.
Enemy
Engaged Interview
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On Saturday afternoon I visited Viking1 to check out DI's Super Hornet and JANE'S F/A 18. So began my descent into a hellish nightmare of Hornet addiction. Almost six hours later I dragged myself home, crawled into bed, and shook in anticipation of these coming sims....
Hornet Duel at High Noon
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In the new sim from SIMIS, KA-52: Team Alligator there are some added twists to the flight model that you will need to understand in order to be successful in the air. After many hours of experience, here is a little overview that will help you out.
Team Alligator FM
Team Alligator Late Beta
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Su39 is a stand alone simulation that will connect to Flanker 2.0. In the process of building Su39, the Flanker 2 world will itself be expanded, increasing gameplay as well as the fun factor.
Su39 Preview
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Once in a while something innovative occurs in the simulation world. B17 II is unique enough in design conception and beautiful enough in execution that it has captured our imaginations: a sign of good things to come!
B17 II Index
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Tim Goodlett was the producer of M1 Tank Platoon II. Inevitably, players offered many suggestions for improvement, and many of those were incorporated into a design spec for a new pair of interconnectable sims: Gunship! and M1 Tank Platoon III (Tank).
Gunship! Preview
Gunship: First Look
Gunship Screen Shots
Gunship and M1TP3 Interview
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F/A 18 represents our ideal for JANE'S Combat Simulations. It's hard core and on the cutting edge for graphics and features, yet typically accessible to the novice via a host of configuration options that simplify the simulation and ease the opposition.
F/A 18 Interview
F/A 18 Index
F18 Simulation Tour
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Digital Integration have been adding new features in accord with developments in the actual F/A 18E program itself, and in the past year Super Hornet acquired a new graphics engine. Here are our latest updates.
Super Hornet Carrier Ops
Super Hornet Interview
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While in Los Angeles Neil Mouneimne had a chance to talk to Tim Goodlett about Gunship III. Here are some new details on this coming simulation.
Gunship and M1TP3
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Did you know that there are eleven WWII combat simulators in development? We take another look at what is on the tarmac for '99 and 2000.
Prop Sim Update '99
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You may recognize the name Looking Glass if you're a Flight Unlimited series fan. Their first military submission, FLIGHT COMBAT, extends their prop sim experience to 10 Allied aircraft and 14 German aircraft.
Flight Combat
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