Its tough to be a journalist these days. Its tough to find new words to describe products that are revolutionary, awesome, and a LOT of fun! And its tough to be objective when you view the latest, greatest, and baddest sims out there, especially when other products really don't compare.

Lets face it, when you are writing about military sims you WANT to like them all, and there is a lot to like out there these days. Even the worst sims of 1997 make most of the sims of 1995 look pretty shabby. But what about the BEST sims of 1997? Lets take a peek under the covers at DiDs coming entry, but first, a little history.

In November of 1996 Digital Image Design released their second TFX, titled EF2000. It was obvious that something unusual had happened. A few months later version two broke out, and who wants to even think about the limitations of the first release? Since then the TactCom upgrade has been released in Europe and the 3d patch for Rendition and 3dfx was complete. Tactcom for 3d hardware was released in North America as EF2000 version Two, with both DOS and WIN95 versions and support for Rendition and 3dfx. They even threw in a cut version of Sim Techs excellent Strategy Guide: icing on the cake for this sim!

When came time to decide on the next direction, DiD chose to model an aircraft more familiar to the rest of the world: the F22 Air Dominance Fighter. In light of this past year the choice doesn't seem very revolutionary: F22 simulations are like Santas on the street corner in December...who will notice another one? But as it happens in fantasy land, WHAT IF the real thing showed up?

See, previous F22 simulations have been stripped down models for the masses. In reality F22: ADF is a new approach in the genre. No other F22 simulation offers you the strategic control of the AWACS interface and the gods eye view of the battlefield. Combine this with avionics that make every other F22 simulation look like, well, new editions of USNF95, and you begin to get a sense of what DiD has been up to with TFX3.

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Roger Godfrey: "The general ethos behind TFX3 was that it should be as big a jump over TFX2 as TFX2 was from TFX1. To do this we have had to develop several new software technologies:

• WarGen 2
• SmartViews
• Smart Muse (interactive music system)
• Smart Sound (3D sound effects system)
• New high fidelity F22 flight model
• New six degrees of freedom smart pilot models
• Advanced mission planner
• AWACS tactical system

And the list goes on. 'F22 ADF' and 'Total Air War' will now probably be a far bigger step over EF2000 than EF2000 was over TFX."

Anchoring this new effort is 3rd generation 3d hardware. 3d boards have finally become mainstream, and the dreams long dreamt by simulation designers all over the world are coming to fruition as the overburdened Intel CPUs take a back seat and let the real men play ball!

As we have pointed out in various editorials this past year, every area of simulation design is being impacted by the great leap forward in raw computing power that is now available to every user. F22:ADF benefits not only in new graphics realism but in improved AI, avionics, and strategic control.

Air Dominance Fighter is set in a target-rich environment covering the Red Sea area of the Middle East. The 4.5 million square-kilometre area encompasses eight countries and features some of the world's most dramatic geography including deep deserts, awesome mountain ranges, winding valleys and sprawling cities. Air Dominance Fighter will also feature the next generation of DID's Smart-Pilot system, offering users realistic dogfighting action with all aircraft featuring 6 degrees of freedom flight modelling. Some history is in order here. In the original EF2000 the AI was split in two modules: WARGEN and SMARTPILOTS.

WARGEN II, governing the dynamic campaign system, won't be seen until the TAW upgrade arrives early in 1998. (DiD decided to split the simulation into two modules so that they could release their new simulation this year). Smartpilots, however, looks after all the computer controlled planes (CCPs) in the arena. Each CCP flight leader conducts his flight in response to any situation. The dogfight algorithm used by Smartpliots allows the CCPs to continually recalculate their situation in combat making their manoeuvres potentially more advanced and flexible than another AI. All CCPs in the environment will act as a team, usually splitting up into groups of two. Pilots will also grow in skill as they increase in experience.

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In truth, my first few hours in this early beta left my jaw hanging... From the comms and wingman control to the AWACS interface and avionics, TFX3 is indeed a generation beyond EF2000. No one who fell in love with EF2000 will miss the artistry lavished on this design. The feedback from testers and from the simulations forum has not gone unnoticed, F22: ADF is indeed vectoring for the trophy for best simulation of 1997.

Together F22:ADF and TAW are a project that is so vast in scope it is staggering. If Longbow 2 is a generation beyond Longbow original, ADF is two generations beyond EF2000. Its a giant step for sim-kind. In reality the AWACS interface is like a sim within a sim, and some gamers are going to find so much here that they may not even actually FLY for the first two weeks, prefering to get into the strategic control end. For more info on the AWACS play, go to the fifth preview in this series.

Note that the screen shots on this page are all from the D3d version of the early beta. Even in this mode the sim looks great. I can only imagine what the Glide version will be like! But enough of that traffic, whats under the hood?

The first noticeable difference over EF2000 was the control given to the flight leader. Hit the TAB menu for COMMS and get this list: 1. Wingmen, 2. AWACS, 3. Airfield, 4. Refueler, 5. Broadcast, and 6. HELP. Unlike EF2000 these initial choices are available via hot key. Choose 1 for wingman access, and get a second list: 1. Formation, 2. Combat, 3. Manouver, 4. Abandon, 5. Radio, 6. Response, 7. Engage, 8. Disengage. Most of these options are followed by another list of 6 to 10 command options. Finally, the level of control that a real flight leader would have!

The next thing I noticed was the voices themselves. Different voices for different wingmen, and no more of that studio quality. These guys sound like they are talking to you while in serious combat situations and from the inside of a proper helmet! Even the radio static varies and the squeaky squelch sound of a channel cutting out is heard on occasion.

On the last mission I flew my wingman took a hit when the two MiGs whose tails he was on detected him and turned. I was engaging another pair. He took out one but the other got a piece of him before I could disengage. Disadvantaged, he was calling for help when he took another hit. I switched to smartview and ap to watch the action. He took another hit and then called me to say he was punching out. I watched him eject seconds before his f22 broke into pieces.

I simply can't convey the improvement this action represented over from the comms in EF2000. I felt like I was on a real radio channel. Wingmen report almost every action they make in proper 3/1. Maybe even better, they also report the bandits and flights they detect in perfect detail! Combine this with the interaction of AWACS and JSTARS and we FINALLY a simulation that lets the single player enjoy almost the same experience as the Network player!!

Speaking of breaking into pieces, there are more bells and whistles than ever before. And damage modelling is progressive. Damage in one system can impact other systems. When you finally break up the effects are quite impressive, and you will see the many pieces of debris flying through the air, or you will see damage on a particular part of the aircraft as on this Su-35 below.

More on the voice comms. DiD has advertised that there voice system has a ten THOUSAND word vocabulary. Hard to believe til you try it: it is simply astounding. From the AWACS command interface to simply flying a mission with two or three wingmen, the flexibility in interaction and the flow of information is awesome. No matter what order you give from the AWACS interface, you will hear yourself send accurate information in standard 3/1 style, and all messages that come your way are similarly detailed.

As for the old familiar Smartview, it too has taken on new life. Die in action and choose from two filters in the smartview list to decide what part of the ongoing battle to observe. F10 filters Objects and F11 filters Allegiance. But you no longer feel like you are out of the picture, you can still listen in on the allied comms while you view your own or other aircraft. Very cool.

The next thing I noticed was the avionics depth. I've been having some fun with iF22 in my spare time (WHAT spare time?), but I was gratified to see that DiD has not spared the gravy in the avionics department. You will find a full featured autopilot, MFD map, fuel management screen, and even 5 selectable EMCON levels! Not only this but each mfd pulls up to a full screen display just as in EF2000, except at up to 800x600 resolution! You're dying for a peek? Wait no longer!

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The attack display is one of the most critical tactical displays. It has four modes: 1. Display sensor information with the emphasis on ranges and heights, 2. Display LANTIRN TV image from the under-fuselage 'eyes' for targeting laser guided weapons, 3. Display interactive Auto-pilot, 4. Display images sent back by a camera equipped weapon (such as a Maverick Air-to-Ground missile). Pull up the LANTIRN display to see this:

As I mentioned, the autopilot is actually even MORE advanced than that in EF2000. In the F22 there are some additional control modes added to the ap system: landing, refueling, and takeoff. Here is the display itself:

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If you pull up the larger image you will see the new functions on the mfd. Not only is the ap this sophisticated, the system can be controlled from any one of three mfds in case of damage to others. And at 800x600, the display looks like the real thing!

Next lets peek at the general Systems mfd. On the default display you get a quick glance view of your weapons and engine status. From here you can move to the fuel systems display for a graphical picture of your situation and can manage the flow accordingly. You can also access the Startup mfd which is like a pilots checklist. This mfd also allows access to the autopilot.

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As we grew with EF2000 and TactCom, many asked for more detailed debriefs. DiD has been listening, and not only will we have more detail available to us on the close of each mission, we will also be able to scrutinise combat performance using a unique ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation) system. The ACMI system allows gamers to work out complex spatial relationships and analyse where mistakes were made in air combat. Roger Godfrey:

"Another feature that we have taken our time with on F22 ADF is ACMI. This was one of the most requested features for EF2000. The new F22 ADF ACMI is really cool. It allows you to record and then view engagements within the 3D system. The player can then view the action from any point of presence within the 3D; for example you can view the whole engagement from the view of an enemy pilot."

The ACMI feature is absolutely amazing. Frankly, I dont think I would have believed it possible! You can choose your view: cockpit, free, side track, satellite, track, spin (outside rotating with the ground down below) etc. You can toggle labels on and off, weapons and tracks on and off, even target vectors. You can zoom in and out, change the replay speed, and go full screen or as above. Here is a clip from a full screen "SPIN" shot:

This feature alone will add incredible depth to the play of this sim. Record your flight and go back and check what you did right, what you did wrong, and whom did what when. Find out where that missile came from that finally got you, and what aircraft launched it. You can even switch to other aircraft and track them in relation to your own flight. The log on the left reports the events and the times. About the only thing you can't do is find out your airspeed at a given point, at least not in the beta I have been running...

Other areas that have been greatly expanded include detailed aircraft support operations. Refueling and ATC have now become "by the book," which will really enhance gameplay for those interested in the utmost realism. Here is some data from the On-Line help regarding refueling procedure:

The Refueling HUD can be selected by pressing the H key repeatedly until the REF HUD appears. The Refuel HUD indicates information vital for refueling correctly. Please see the Refueling HUD illustration in Head Up Display.

NOTE your tanker will display white anti collision strobe lights at the tip of its fin and underneath the center fuselage, plus flashing red / white beacon lights above and below the fuselage.

NOTE you should acknowledge the refuelers messages by pressing Y on the keyboard.

You must approach the tanker at an altitude 10'000 feet above the tanker. When you are within 15 miles of the tanker change your radio frequency to PUSH VICTOR 4 by pressing 4 on the keyboard, then you must request permission to refuel from the tanker by picking option 2 Refueler, and then choosing option 2" REFUEL PERMISSION" from the menu on the top left of your Helmet Mounted Display.

The tanker will tell you to "SKIP IT" if refueling is not currently possible, or will give you permission by replying "AFFIRMATIVE, WEAPONS AND NOSE COLD". You must reply by pressing Y on the keyboard, in order for the autopilot to work.

The easy way, refer to 'vector to the nearest refueling aircraft' below.

Ensure that your radar output is reduced by going to manual EMCON 2.

When the refueler says CLEARED, PRE CONTACT" , you can engage the autopilot.

Go to the Systems MFD by pressing 0 on the extended keyboard, press the relevant MFD button to select Auto pilot mode on that MFD, and then select refuelling on the Auto pilot list of buttons, then engage the Auto pilot by pressing A on the keyboard.

The autopilot will handle the refueling from now on, and will switch off automatically once the refuel boom is connected. Refer to 'refueling is complete'.

Manual refuel. Should you need to refuel when no refuellng has been scheduled you can request a vector to the nearest refueling aircraft by selecting radio frequency PUSH 2 or PUSH VICTOR 3, (2 or 3 on your keyboard), pick option 2 AWACS, and then choose option 2 "VECTOR TO TANKER" from the menu on the top left of your Helmet Mounted Display.

You will be given the necessary vector and told to contact the indicated tanker on radio frequency PUSH VICTOR 4, (4 on your keyboard).

Easy steps to successful refueling.

• 1. The fighter has a vector to the tanker aircraft
• 2. The fighter requests permission to refuel from the tanker. Once permission is granted, the approach is made from above the tanker's altitude
• 3. The fighter approaches the tanker from a position one quarter mile astern to the pre-contact position.
• 4. The fighter is on the pre-contact position at the correct height and 50 feet astern. The refueler will grant permission to move forward to the contact position.
• 5. The fighter is now in the contact position. The boom will be "flown" into the fighter by the refuel boom operator.
• 6. The boom has made contact and fuel flows
• 7. The boom is disconnected and the fighter backs away before peeling off below tanker.

You must approach the tanker at an altitude 10,000 feet above the tanker. When you are within 15 miles of the tanker change your radio frequency to PUSH VICTOR 4 by pressing 4 on the keyboard, then you must request permission to refuel from the tanker by picking option 2 Refueler, and then choosing option 2" REFUEL PERMISSION" from the menu on the top left of your Helmet Mounted Display.

The tanker will tell you to "SKIP IT" if refuelling is not currently possible, or will give you permission by replying "AFFIRMATIVE, WEAPONS AND NOSE COLD". Reply by pressing Y on the keyboard.

You must ensure that your radar output is reduced by going to manual EMCON 2. (Or manual EMCON 1, if your mission requires stealth). Close the refueler to approximately one quarter of a mile, and slightly below his altitude.

NOTE if you are in manual EMCON 1 you will be able to do a stealthy refuel. The refueler will not speak to you if you are in EMCON 1 you must use your judgement, and the Receiver Director Lights for position information. When the boom is connected a wired voice link will be made enabling you to hear the boom operator's "CONTACT", and "DISCONNECT" messages.

Work your F22 in behind the refueler, approximately 20 feet below his altitude.

When you are within 100 feet behind, the refueler will give the message "CLEARED, PRE CONTACT" , which means you must go to the pre-contact position 50 feet behind the tanker refuel position.

When you are at the pre-contact position the refueler will give the message "CLEARED CONTACT". This means that you are at the right level below the refueler, and 50 feet behind the tanker refuel position, the tanker will turn off his lower strobe light and both upper and lower beacons will flash red only, to indicate he is now `engaged'.

You must now go slowly forward to the contact position. To help you achieve this the refueler displays two patterns of lights called the Receiver Director lights under its forward fuselage. The receiver director lights:

Left Strip: D - Too high, U - Too low, Central mark indicates correct height. Right Strip: F - Move forward, A - Move aft, Central marker indicates correct Fore/Aft position.

From your position the lights on the left indicate if you are high or low of the contact position, Up and Down letter cues will also display at the apparent top or bottom of the left director lights.

The right hand lights indicate the your current forward / aft location of the contact position. Forward and Aft letter cues also display at the apparent top or bottom of the right director lights.

When you are in the correct position the refueler will give the message " STABILISE". You must now hold station with the refueler, he will fly the refuelling boom into the receptacle on the upper fuselage of your F22. When the boom makes contact he will give the message "CONTACT", you will automatically acknowledge the boom operator by saying "AFFIRM".

When you refuel, so do your buddies.

The Receiver Director Lights will now be controlled by the boom position, and will help you to maintain your position within the bounds of permissible movement of the refuelling boom. The extending part of the boom has a series of coloured bands on it, when the narrow yellow stripe of the extending part of the boom is against the lowering part of the boom you are in the right forward / aft location of the contact position. Note: detailed drawings and screen shots of required positions that are present in the Help file have been omitted.

The On-Line Help is exhaustive. Call it up and the sim automatically minimizes while you check out the info you need. Or you can access it from your desktop for a good read without ever opening the program. Want another sample? Part II continues with the information I brought up when I searched for EMCON.

Publisher Note (2005-01-16): Part II has disappeared. If we ever find it again, we'll post it.