Not since the long anticipated unveiling of Falcon 4.0 has the combat
flight sim community witnessed such a quantum leap in technology and
excellence. SSI has just released upon the post cold-war world its
momentous Flanker 2.0.
And what a release it is! Flanker 2.0 is a splendor to behold.
There's something here for everyone - not just the bleary eyed hardcore
East Block fanatic that drinks Vodka, reads Cyrillic and lusts over
Nagging Nadia's seductive voice till 5AM daily.
To really appreciate this punctuated quantum leap, and not just
incremental evolutionary change, we should revisit the history of SSI's
Su-27 Flanker.
A Blast at the Past
In 1995, SSI came out with the first Win95 compatible flight simulation
to rival Falcon3 in fidelity, a hardcore simmers nirvana. Armed with 1
MB 2D graphics cards on the first generation Pentiums when Su27
(Flanker 1) arrived - this classic benchmark in flight technology was
truly awesome and helped to define "hardcore."
Fast forward to the present day with the recent release of Falcon4 and
Flanker2. Now running with at least P2 and P3s with 64-128MB RAM, 512KB
CACHE, 16-32MB TNT and Voodoo 3D graphics accelerators, and
V90/ISDN/DSL/Cable modem connectivity technologies - the bar for
benchmark combat flight simulation is reborn.
While the East vs West block nations may appear to be in Glastnost, the
war continues to to rage between Falcon4 and Flanker2. What a great
time for us fans, the fight is definitely on! Talk about Win-Win, but
peacefully co-existing? Nyet!
Su27 1.5
Su27 1.5
With the historical foundation set, and after paying
appropriate respect to Falcon, we move on to take a closer look at
Flanker 2.0 or "F2" as it is affectionately designated.
F2 was born running, and not plagued by crippling bugs as is all too
common today. It is not perfect by a long shot, and in all fairness
didn't try to be everything (including force on force real time active
war as F4 attempts to emulate). As a result, I believe SSI showed great
wisdom and restraint in not trying to one up F4 but to instead stick to
perfecting the basic "gotta haves."
SSI chose not to follow the previous leader into the realm of
quasi-finished production mega-code that may or may not prove to be a
run away bug train. What F2 delivered is: awe inspiring flight model,
cutting edge graphics, industry leading multiplayer stability, easy to
master high quality mission editor, realistic 3D cockpit with unique
padlocking and head movement views, land and sea based operations,
narrated training, improved FM and radar over v1.5, phased campaigning,
realistic 3D terrain, puffy clouds and fog, great manual - just to name
the high points.
Again, what is truly spectacular about F2 is that in its first release,
the multiplayer and overall code stability sets the new benchmark in
the whole simulation industry. This is a crown worthy to be envied by
all developers, and to the benefit of all customers.
After installing F2, you are greeted with a multimedia intro that may
upset those of you that are USAF patriotic, so I warn you. Remember,
Flanker 2 is a simulation of the best dogfighter the East Block has to
offer: the Sukhoi Su-27 and navalized version Su-33
fighter/bomber/interceptors, both designed to deal with the F16 and F15
air superiority fighter. So if seeing a F16s and F18s blown away
bothers you, Flanker may not be for you. Enough said.
The other expectation setting warning I have for the readers is that
you WILL have to do your homework to get proficient at flying and
fighting with the "Zhuravlik" (little crane). While you don't have F4's
600 page manual with its very detailed radar modes, you do have to
learn a new set of weapons, HUD symbology and target designation
concepts.
This actually is another very attractive aspect of F2, that being it
represents the "other side" and with it the different aircraft and
subsystem design concepts. If you're not the hardcore type and the idea
worries you, don't pass over F2 too quickly because the narrated
tutorials, top notch 260 page manual, quick reference cards and
variable users options help bring F2 down to earth.
Furthermore, there are many already existing Flanker community add-ons
that change the avionics symbology to English for the Cyrillic
challenged (and you can go with English HUD via the preferences). For
first timers I do strongly recommend that you go through all the
tutorials and study the avionics explanations in the manual before
getting into a battle, unless you want to go into the instant action
"god" mode - but that's like driving a corvette into a parking lot.
No review of a hot simulation is complete without going
through what I call the fundamental functions: Graphical User Interface
(GUI), Flight Model (FM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cockpit
modeling style, Viewing system situational awareness (SA), Padlocking
system (PL), Graphics and Sounds effects (FX), Mission Editor, Manual,
and Multiplayer (MP). There are many more aspects to a sim, but these
core ones should give the reader enough to get the big picture.
The GUI
F2's GUI is simple and intuitive in its layout, but rich in its feature
offerings. If you are familiar with Su27 v1.5, you will be very
comfortable in Flanker 2.0. There are graphical menu picks that make
choosing between setup options, instant action, missions, network game
play, and encyclopedia. From there you branch out into the details of
each of these.
For example, the Options menu is designed very much like a MS
Windows interface. By clicking on the plus sign, you expand the options
below each category. In this way you can go through many user
selections without going through screen after screen. Very efficient
layout.
What is really powerful is the joystick and key mapping setup. There
are three user defined options available: joystick configuration,
button mapping and axis response customization. Joystick configuration
allows you to reassign the functions of your stick depending upon what
game combat mode you're in: BVR, CAC, NAV, HELMET (SHELM), A2G, and
Longitudinal The button mapping lets you directly assign game functions
to each of your controller buttons. The response curve tools let you
customize the "feel" of your stick, throttle and rudders.
This way you can apply the appropriate amount of control surface
pressure by the desired controller deflection. In this way you
effectively can have a programmable controller done in software versus
implemented in hardware like a programmable stick and throttle. Note
that if would you rather use your programmable controllers programming,
my TM F22Pro works fine with F2.
The Flight Model
The FM is the heart and soul of any simulator. SSI's Flanker
has made its reputation on this component, and F2 surpasses v1.5 in
fidelity and that right "feel" a 30,000 kg nimble fighter should have.
There are many simulation components that cause a game to fall into the
categories of "arcade", "mid-level" or "hardcore"; but FM definitely is
primary. In F2 what you get is a solid feel of speed like no other
current flight sim. Just do a fly by at low altitude and you'll become
a believer. No more slow motion action.
Next, start pulling some serious G's and you'll find yourself in hog
heaven. Speaking of hogs, being that the Flanker is huge like the F15
Eagle, you will have to learn to apply stick with a soft hand else you
will be low and slow and dead. In the right hands, the Flanker can turn
with the best of them including the F16 Viper - which is why it is such
a fearsome Soviet fighter.
Next try a take off and land. You will see the nose bob up and down
over the characteristically rugged runways. The big bird will start to
lift off and rise right on the numbers as the specs say. Now go try to
land on the carrier. Yes, I said carrier. The Su-33 is a naval version
with beefed up gear and landing hook (and other upgrades). Use the NAV
mode, line up the ILS needles and land on the deck hitting the 3 wire.
If you miss your approach angle, speed, descent rate, AOA, gear, flaps,
hook or the wires you're a cooked goose.
If you're still not convinced, try dogfighting or doing acrobatics.
Then you will see the power of the Force, Luke. In a dogfight, energy
conservation ("E") is as key as is SA - especially in Flanker.
What you will experience is not only the heavy nature this bird, but
also the power of the dual engines. As you pull high 9 G turns you will
see slip, gravity, stall, spins (including flat spins) effects. Get
some battle damage or even ingest some foreign objects (FOD), and
you'll be flying a crippled bird. You can even set options to emulate
system failures if you want to test your "what if" piloting skills.
Still not amazed? Ok fine, let's turn on the smoke from the wing tips
or even go to high altitude where the contrails from your engines will
show up. After going vertical to the point of stalling, go to F2
external view and watch your plane fall backwards and then nose over.
Pull the stick and rudder hard to port and enjoy the sensation of a
full on flat spin. Post stall departure modeling is superb in Flanker2.
In Part I we introduced Flanker 2.0 and started to go into the core list which I use to measure a sim's mettle. AV8R's Ten Commandments
of Flight Simulations are: GUI, FM, AI, CKPIT, SA, PADLK, SOUNDFX,
MSSNED, DOCS, MULTIP. We started with the first two, and now we
continue on. So sit down, strap in, and let's get rolling.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - AI
As with Flight Modeling (FM), Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a
primary indicator of the complexity designed into a simulation. None of
us like to fly alone for long, or only against ground targets.
So what is AI? It's the complex software algorithms that gives the
computer driven pilot its brains and weapons its smarts. AI provides us
with challenging airborne enemies, missiles, wing persons, AWACS and
tankers.
AI has always been a strength within Flanker, and it continues to be
so. AI is employed in many facets of the environment to help bring it
to life. It is the goal of the programmer to make the AI approach the
HI (Human Intelligence), but in most cases that's just not possible.
However in some other cases, I'd have to admit being out smarted by AI.
Virtual Pilot AI
The best use of AI is in enemy and friendly aircraft. To test this, I
set up a 1v1 gunzo (guns only) mission scenario against an F16 Viper in
expert mode. First I tried the no-brainer of going head on with him. I
was rewarded with an face full of lead and a ride down the silk
elevator. Lesson learned.
Next I tried the more appropriate angle off heads on. Being familiar
with the Su 27, it's best to keep your speed nearest to the corner
velocity (~740 KPH) and lead in your turn at the right time. Too fast,
and you'll have a Viper up your six in no time. Too slow and you'll be
wallowing low and slow and again a dead goose.
My lead turn was more of a downward slice. The Viper immediately went
for angles (circle fight) and the fight was on. I made the rookie
mistake of yanking the stick too hard and my speed bled so rapidly that
the nose was beginning to get mushy, again great FM at work. So I chose
to extend and get some speed back. I hit the cans into full burner and
the Viper wasted a golden opportunity.
The next trick in my bag was to come back at him with lots of E and
start high slicing low. My goal was to make him fight MY fight, not his
in the horizontal. Sure enough, he went for me by going into the
vertical. Nice move on his part. But never count a Flanker out when you
go into the vertical.
Soon my Su-27 was up his six sharing 30mm cannons. Yes those precious
150 rounds. Talk about temerity. Soviet Flanker pilots are confident
that that is all you'll ever need. Note that the radar guided pipper is
not working properly, nor is the A2G CIIP. Thankfully, my WW2 simulator
experience has trained me to conserve on ammo, and how to use lead
gunnery. Using the targeting funnel instead of the pipper is just as
good. Here is another area where SSI promises to patch the sim.
Now we could get real technical on how AI should or should not react. I
figure if you can get into a scrape with AI, sweat bullets, find
yourself complimenting the move that your AI adversary just made, then
you have a great dogfight nad the AI is good in my book.
It's even better if he is not predictable every time you meet the same
type of aircraft. I find F2's AI semi predictable. They have a deep bag
of tricks, but in time you learn them. But heck, most online pilots I
fight are the same way, even to their peril, and even after you warned
them about it.
Friendly AI and Tactical
Another AI application is in wingman behavior and commands, and this is
where F2 is undeniably lean. With a very basic set of wingman commands,
you are limited to sending your wingmen out to attack your target and
controlling them to get back into formation. Just the basics- nothing
fancy. The obvious cost is a lack of control in your environment. What
you do get, however, is wingmen who do just that, and do it well.
Here F2 could be improved a lot. My understanding is that
Soviet fighter tactics are such that they are very much controlled by
Ground Controllers (GC). As such, it would be much more immersive if
you had more GC chatter and direction. There should also be commands to
interact with the GC.
If current Soviet doctrine is more akin to the West, then it would be
appropriate to have more commands for the flight leader to control
their package. I find the appropriate use of AI wingmen is to get them
to deal with interceptors or to provide CAP. You don't have to write
letters to AI mothers in the case of their untimely demise. In F2, they
deliver the goods in spite of their limited control.
Weapon Modeling
The last AI item I will focus on is the weapon behavior. I am not an
expert in the Soviet missiles and targeting systems, so I will be brief
on my input here. What I have done is to employ as many varieties of
the A2A and A2G ordnance as I could.
Remember that the Flanker is an all purpose fighter/bomber, so making
cooperative missions with fighters and bombers makes F2 even more
versatile. As for A2A missiles I had to rely on the specs in the manual
(page 162 - with its funny editor's notes still there). Playing solo
and not online, I found the ranges to be reliable.
In fact the F-Pole concept must be employed to have better PK
(probability of kill). This means that basically your ship's speed and
aspect works in conjunction with the missile's to get to the target
before theirs gets to you. You also have to be aware of whether or not
your missile needs your ship's radar locked on the target for its
entire flight or not. Semi-active missile systems are more work. Many
people think the SARAH missiles are fire and forget and as a result,
they miss their target.
As for SAMs, I have found them to be very formidable and that you have
to learn to use the vertical along with beaming techniques if you plan
to survive long. Making use of countermeasures, chaff and flares, and
Sorbita ECM jammer is a must. Where F2 needs to improve is in missile
padlocking, notching (or beaming), and the appropriate flight behavior
of some A2G and SAMs. It was also found that A2A missiles become
ineffective over time during online multiplayer sessions.
The good news is that SSI has assured me that they know of these issues
and plan to deal with them in a series of patches. To sum it up, F2 has
very challenging AI aircraft, limited but responsive wingman behavior,
and believable weapon envelopes with some remaining anomalies to be
ironed out. I recommend the training missions as a way to familiarize
yourself with the nature of these Soviet weapons deployment systems.
COCKPIT, PADLOCK AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS - CP, PLCK & SA
The next three core aspects of a simulator have to do with the
fighter pilot's environment. The huge challenge to both the sim
developer and virtual pilot is how to take a 3D real world environment,
visual, tactile, and audible senses, and present an immersive and
realistic 2D representation. The fighter's cockpit, the ability to
track moving targets and the viewing system all combine to give us
Situational Awareness (SA). The TopGun fighter's axiom: "Lose sight,
lose the fight" is at issue here.
The cockpit in F2 is implemented in a 3D fashion only. That
means while you don't get a flat 2D cockpit like F4 and F15E with all
the mouse clickable gadgets, you do get a very good looking cockpit
that provides a low frame rate hit. Furthermore, the avionics are all
active and very readable.
The work load of keeping your head down in the cockpit is minimized and
the burden is placed upon the button commands. This is probably why F2
does such a good job of joystick button mapping to sim functions in the
setup options menu. Note that I said button mapping (game function to
button), and not keyboard command mapping (keystroke to game function).
If you are new to Soviet cockpits, you will see that they are Spartan
in their layout, with basic navigational avionics along with a radar
warning receiver and radar display in a powder blue console. The more
modern Flankers and MiGs have digital MFDs like the F16 and F18, but
that is not the variant modeled in F2.
Thanks to the very talented artwork of Dave "HAM" Hamilton, nice
touches like Cyrillic cardinal axis in the ball compass and the pilot's
reflection in the radar tube can be added. (Look very closely at the
radar MFD in the picture provided). The one flaw I found was the
failure of the landing hook indicator to let you know if it's in the up
or down position, which makes a big difference in carrier landings.
The Padlock
Padlocking (PLCK) is the mechanism whereby the virtual pilot
simulates keeping his/her eyes glued to the object of interest.
Typically the object being padlocked is your air or ground target,
wingman, or incoming missile. In the early days of combat sims there
were primitive padlocking systems that would magically lock on at any
distance and even through mountains.
Those days are long gone, and F2 takes a very realistic approach to
padlocking. If the object is not within range of what they believe is
discernible to the eye or targeting system, then you cannot lock on to
it. I believe the visual range for object identification is about 10 NM
or so on average. Beyond this you will have to track the object with
the radar or IRST Infrared.
Within this visible range you can use the SHLEM or helmet mounted
target lockon and tracking system (even then, only within the range of
the pilot's head movement.) To further qualify Flanker's modeling, you
will have to visually lock your eye onto the target and then slew the
SHLEM monocle over the target and acquire it as you would in the real
system.
What you gain for all this work is an appreciation of the work involved
in having to manually scan the skies and slew the radar antenna, plus
the realistic ability to terrain mask or hide from radar by hiding
behind the geography. The only problems I've seen here is that the
clouds don't attenuate the padlocking or acquisition systems, and the
lack of being able to lock on incoming missiles. Again, SSI knows of
these and considers them hot issues.
How does one keep SA when you're trying to stay alive in a hostile
theatre? Trying to keep your eyes on the skies around you is a real
chore in a 3D world viewed with only a 2D monitor's perspective.
Worse, unless you use virtual reality goggles you lose the sense of
orientation when your view leaves the cockpit or HUD. In the real world
your eyes are attached to your head, and your head to your body through
your neck. This direct tactile feedback allows a real pilot to know the
relationship between his own ship and the target that is out of the top
of the canopy.
Vertigo or lack of orientation is a very common symptom in flight sims.
One of the way you can alleviate vertigo is to have some sort of
indicator that links the pilot's eyes to the cockpit or HUD reference
point. This is done in F2 by 2 methods: first, the "mini-HUD", and
secondly by the cockpit visual cues implemented in the avionics and
helmet reflections on the glass canopy.
You can see in the accompanying pictures that we have both
systems in view. Add to these the SSI provided cues which are some
ingenious lift line and right/left indicators that were crafted by John
"Crunch" Hillman. When combined together, you have the ability to even
fly the plane without ever looking forward through the HUD. On top of
all these, Mark "STINGER" Shepherd has produced a quality PADLOCK
TRAINING narrated tutorial that can be integrated right into the
training GUI.
Mini-HUD and Lift Line
So let's get acquainted with the "mini-HUD" and the concept of a "lift
line." The mini-HUD is a smaller version of the main HUD's pitch, bank,
speed and altitude indicators that follow wherever you slew your
viewing perspective. It is also important to understand that the
placement of this mini-HUD is always closest to the main forward HUD.
SSI could have had a big ugly arrow pointing towards the HUD, but this
method is a much more informative and immersive device.
And what are lift lines and cockpit reflections used for?
Your lift vector is an imaginary pole sticking out of the top of the
canopy, and this is the lift vector that gives lift to the plane. By
placing the enemy along the lift vector, and pulling him down along the
lift line towards your main HUD, you are bringing him into a weapons
solution for the kill.
So to answer the question, these visual cues are just reference
markers to aid the virtual pilot in knowing what position you're
viewing with respect to the cockpit and forward HUD view. The reason
why the one that is central to the top of the canopy is called the lift
line is that it runs along the long axis of the plane's canopy, and
it's along this line that you want to see your bogey during a turn
fight.
With a little practice, you will use your COCKPIT, PADLOCK and view
slewing to gain the necessary SA to bring your weapons to bear on the
enemy. This is a skill that separates the hunters from the hunted. Note
too that if you have AWACs airborne, it can provide you with a picture
of the aircraft around you. The F10 key function also does this, but is
considered a cheat in competitions and can be disabled in the mission
editor options menu.
Flanker2 provides a rich combination of COCKPIT, PADLOCK and viewing to give a realistic SA
environment. Adding missile padlocking will only further aid survivability.
Never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds at a time. Why do
you think fighter pilots wear silk scarves? To keep them from chaffing
their necks with all the scanning they do. So check six, and 9, and 12,
and 3 and high and low continuously.
Part III
In this last of our three part journey through SSI's Flanker 2.0 we now
proceed to the last of AV8R's sim Top Ten core aspects: Special
Effects, Mission Editor, Documentation, and Multiplayer.
In parts 1 and 2 we have seen that F2 is chock full of features, and
captures that "right feel" of flight like no other sim before it. On
the
other side of the balance sheet, while Flanker 2.0 is very stable it
has its warts. So without any further adieu, let's suit up and kick the
tires and light the fires.
SPECIAL EFFECTS:
Graphics and Sound
The graphics for Flanker1.5 were a child that only Mother Russia
could love. While 1.5 afforded great frame rates, the drawbacks were in
lack of immersion, navigation, target ID, and linear perspective. Oh,
how many times I crashed into mountain ridges or slammed the runway due
to lack of graphical detail!
Flanker2.0 does not suffer from any of these shortcomings as
you can see for yourself. Whether you are 6000 meters high or just a
few meters off the hard deck, Flanker is great looking with its non
repeating terrain graphics.
What this affords the F2 pilot is the ability to fly dead reckoning, or
by actual terrain recognition - seat of the pants flying. Flanker 2
models a relatively small theatre of operations, the Crimean Peninsula,
using actual satellite mapping and a new graphics engine.
My only issue is with the objects like buildings, roads, rivers, etc
that literally pop up before you as you fly along. Depending upon your
computer's power and the option settings, you do have a handle on how
close to you this happens. You can also use the commands Ctrl-D or
Shf-D to affect this popup behavior. While this detracts from
immersion, it does afford F2 an excellent sensation of speed - one of
those very tough developer tradeoff decisions.
Going on to other FX qualities in F2, we have: lighting,
cockpit reflections, rear view mirrors, fire and smoke, flying objects
from damage, moving flight surfaces, explosions, missile trails,
individual tarmac wheel marks, wingtip smoke, contrails, high-G vapor
compression condensation, clouds and fog, wind and turbulence, sun
glare, "Nagging Nadia", engine growl, and wingman responses, to name
the most noticeable ones.
None of these are unique to F2 alone, except for lovely Nagging Nadia's
voice, but the combination of the whole helps to build that "being
there" immersive environment. For those of you not familiar with
"Nagging Nadia", let me be the first to introduce you to this Soviet
seductress.
"Nagging Nadia" is the "Bitching Betty" of USAF fame gone over to the
Dark Side. Her purpose in life is to give the pilot audible voice cues
such as gear down, low altitude, stall speed warning, damage report,
etcetera, all in Russian accented English. If she bugs you too much, or
with her incessant nagging, just hit the "M" key (M for mute). Thanks
to some ingenious efforts (see add-on links below) by Phantom Dave, you
can also have Nadia speak in her native Russian tongue.
If I were pressed to say what I think were F2's strongest suits, I
would have to say it is flight model and graphics. We could argue all
day about the AI and FM shortcomings, but this author knows that flying
around in F2 is heavenly. There is a cockpit mode that moves the
viewer's perspective as your head would normally move while in turns.
This innovative feature just adds to the fluidity of the sensation of
flight.
The other captivating aspects are in the graphics and special effects.
As I said before, the previous incarnation of Flanker's graphics were
drab. But the graphics in F2 show the quantum leap in this department.
Fly low and near any populated town or city and you are treated with
highly detailed buildings, roads, rivers, bridges, trains, radar
installations, trucks, parked aircraft, armored vehicles, factories,
etc.
Here's a fun trick. Fly slowly through the high tension power lines.
Your plane will register a slight slow down and you'll hear the "zap"
as you cut through them. Look externally and you'll see the sparks fly.
This shows high level of detailed programming. Go on to high altitude
and you can fly through puffy clouds and look down and see most of the
land mass very vividly.
If you have the CPU power, try this. Turn on a high level of fog
density and try a carrier or land based landing where you are forced to
trust the ILS and instrument landing techniques. Don't forget to pop
your drogue chute (Su27 only) or drop your hook (Su33 only) so you
don't over run the landing strip.
As I've said before, there is something here in F2 for everyone, not
just for those who want to engage in mortal combat. If F2 had added
more interactive voice communication chatter (other than just "Roger"),
more wingman control and active ground objects, the immersion factor
would have been totally captivating.
Missiles and Evasion
For those who fly where only eagles and Flankers dare, F2
delivers hard pounding effects. This atmosphere can be had either in
solo or multiplay. In solo game play what you can do is set yourself up
in an A2A guns or missile mission. There are plenty of scenarios in the
Missions folder supplied in F2.
In a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile engagement watch as you launch
your missiles. The missile will drop from its rail before the rocket
motor ignites with a glowing flash and smoke trail. Switch to missile
view and you can watch it reach out for its target in lead trajectory.
As the initial rocket engine thrust is spent, it will continue to puff
smoke as it pulsates and compensates in its final adjustments. Then
Kaboomski! Watch the bandit burst in a ball of light, flames, smoke and
fumes; simply spectacular.
Now on the receiving end of the stick, when the opponent fires
their missile at you, it is important that you remember the direction
that your radar warning receiver says that you are being painted from.
This will aid you as you pan the skies for the thin rocket motor smoke
trail as the missile seeks to ruin your caviar. Put this missile on
your 3 or 9 o'clock position.
What I also recommend that you do is make sure your ECM jammer is on
and that you start pumping chaff and flares to spoof the oncoming
missile. Both chaff and flares are rendered nicely in F2. If you want
to have the best opportunity to out turn the missile you must keep your
speed near the corner velocity (approximately 740 kph instantaneous or
810 kph sustained). At that magical moment what separates a fighter
pilot from fodder is to make that break turn just before the missile
strikes you at Mach 4 or greater.
This is a skill that you will undoubtedly have to practice over and
over until you perfect it. Using F2's mission recorder feature will
help you to examine your break timing as you review the video. To be
bluntly honest, I can survive 2 or 3 missiles in a row. But a fully
loaded "missile boat" enemy will eventually destroy me.
This is why the Soviets carry so many BVR missiles. They hope to
overwhelm any opponents before they ever have to get into a CAC (close
air combat) situation. Where F2 needs some serious attention is in the
missile logic in that they can do uncanny things like: go through
mountains and make some hairpin turns (SAMS). Being able to actually
padlock the incoming missile would also make a good user option that
would aid in survivability.
Graphics and Extendability
The remaining item on graphics that I want touch on regarding
F2 is its extendibility. You can alter the cockpit art, the canopy
reflections, and the skins. One of the really great features I enjoyed
about Su27 1.5 was that you could pick different camo skins for your
plane for individual or team visual identification. What was extra nice
about this feature is that it wasn't just seen by you as with Jane's
F15E, or forcing you to be in DOGFIGHT mode within Falcon4.0 to get
this feature.
SSI has chosen to allow players to have access to the graphics files so
that the outcomes are unlimited. You have several options here. You can
simply select the from the built in camo choices within the mission
editor, manually edit out the su27.bmp file with your favorite graphics
editor (like Adobe or Print Shop), grab the work done by others (see
add-on links), or go for the Cadillac of Camo tools: Eric Joiner's Game
Tool Technologies (GTT, see add-on links) Flanker2.0 Camo Commander.
In this review you can see my enhanced version of GTT's "Acrobatic
Team" air show camo. The F2 Camo Commander gives you several new
designs and even improves the MiG29's appearance as well. As you buy,
make and trade camos with buddies, you can use this tool to load the
camos automagically. Note that any user altered camos must be selected
in the F2 mission editor as the "European1" selection to show up in the
simulator.
MISSION EDITOR:
The Mission Editor and Campaigning.
Missions within F2 come in several flavors: instant action,
single, and branched campaigns. Instant action missions provide you
with a quick mechanism to get into the fray without having to actually
go into the mission editor itself. The available choices allow for all
the multi-role combinations as well as choosing what kind of enemy and
skills you will encounter.
Instant action also changes the time and enemy strength to mix things
up. Probably the most valuable use for Instant Action is to use the
automatic padlock and simple radar model mode. This combined with
invulnerability will give the novice the chance to live long enough to
learn how the new targeting and tracking systems work. Apart from that,
IA gets old real quick for the experienced Flanker pilot.
Single missions are both viewed and customized with the Mission
Editor. If you have a powerful mission editor, you can extend the life
span of a sim indefinitely. If you only have canned missions, after
you've flown them all the sim itself gets canned. F2 comes with both a
large complement of canned missions and with the ability to make your
own missions.
The canned missions come in 4 types: Pilot, Squadron, General and Track
or recorded missions. The difference between the first three types
reflects how the missions were made and what impact the individual
pilot has on the overall success of the mission. The Pilot mission's
outcome depends upon the individual pilot to achieve his/her specific
target goals. The Squadron Leader mission's outcome depends upon the
leader's ability to achieve the goals through the squadron's success.
The General mission's success is dependent upon the overall success of
his/her resources compared to the enemy. Note that it is optional if
the General even flies in the mission itself, since he/she may choose
to play as an observer.
The Mission Editor itself in F2 is a very powerful tool. Its
strengths are in its ease of use, a single interface for both solo and
multiplayer, and full control of the mission objects and their
placement by the designer. Its weaknesses are that it bogs down when
50+ object densities are reached, poor cursor control if you use a
Voodoo card (soon to be patched), and multiplayer host/guest user
model.
What is powerful about the Mission Editor is that it is packed with
lots of goodies. It is designed around three mechanisms to run it: pull
down menus, icons, and function key commands. The GUI is built upon a
3D graphics approach. What that gives you is a very attractive theatre
map with colorful objects and menus.
Here is where you not only build your missions and campaigns, but also
the mission briefs, flight package loadouts, video editing of mission
track files, meteorological settings, survivability, and system failure
programming. What mission track files do is allow you to replay your
mission and see what you did right or wrong, as well as a means to
prove competition claims.
Where track files have an advantage over a simple ACMI recorder is that
you can take over and refly a mission or even edit the viewing for
training purposes. These are excellent features for virtual squadron
purposes! When in multiplayer mode, you can use a chat window to talk
with other players BEFORE the mission begins as a way to synch up
flights and objectives.
On the other hand, the mission editor requires each online player to
add their own flight, routes, and objectives. This inability to have
guests or clients simply add their pre-built mission data to the host
or master's makes the pre-flight work load a chore, and if the master
has a network disconnection then all is lost.
It is a possibility that the ability to have clients add their missions
to the master's may be an upgrade feature in a follow on to Flanker2.0
because this requires a rewrite of the mission editor itself. Again,
note that it is here in the mission editor that one can enable the
player's custom camo skins by choosing the "european1" color scheme.
This is a great feature for virtual squadrons because these camos can
be seen by others online if they also have your camo loaded on their
system.
Campaign Structure, Pilot Records
Campaigns in F2 are not the dynamic force acting upon force as
was the current trend in contemporary deep play simulations. This is
both a pro and a con.
The pro is that F2 does not suffer the processor overhead loading it
takes to manage a real time virtual war. Along with this comes game
stability and fewer bugs for the developer and the customer to suffer.
The cons are that you lose the immersion factor and the lasting effects
of losses and damage.
Missing also is the concept of pilot career and statistics. For the
solo player, this is a big hole in the armor indeed. Campaigns are
implemented in a conditional branching structure. What this means is
that the outcome of each mission, or phase is contingent on a set of
pre-assigned conditions.
Depending upon whether or not certain conditions are met will determine
if the player can advance to the next phase in the campaign. Depending
upon how much planning is built into the success or failure conditions,
there are many different branches in how the campaign can be played
out. In theory, you could design an infinite number of outcomes, but
it's totally within the control of the campaign designer as to the
complexity and the locus of possibilities.
DOCUMENTATION:
Manual, Reference Cards, and the Encyclopedia
The Su27 and Su33 are all purpose fighter bombers. This means the
beginner has the challenge of learning not only how to fly it, but to
dogfight, mud move, carrier ops, SAM avoidance, BVR radar intercept,
helmet mounted targeting system (SHLEM) and other Soviet weapon
systems. For the beginner this can be a very daunting barrier. Throw in
the Cyrillic symbology and its enough to scare novices away.
What SSI has done to make this learning curve more manageable is to
provide training missions with narrated instructions. Then to make it
even more extensible, this GUI can have users make their own recorded
mission with voice narrations (See STINGER's padlock training add-on in
links provided). Next throw in the capability to choose between English
or Cyrillic symbology, and user add-on cockpit labels and reflection
lift lines, and what you get is a very user friendly flying
environment.
Some say that a good measure of the quality of a product is in its
breadth and depth in documentation. I tend to agree - to a point.
Having a 600 page manual for Falcon4.0 pleased a techno-geek like
myself to no end. But it probably scared a lot of others away from even
buying or firing up the sim because the average weekend warrior has
enough to do already.
Flanker2.0 has several means by which to educate everyone from novice
to the hardest of hardcore simmer. The 257 page manual teaches you the
avionics suite, the basics of flight, the weapons and their targeting
systems, BFM tactics, SAM killing and avoidance, the mission editor and
multiplayer. And when you're flying and in the thick of a mission, SSI
supplies you with a single ringed set of quick key and system usage
laminated reference cards. Great for your kneeboard, if you use one!
Manual and quick reference cards are great for learning the sim.
But having an interactive method of learning the specifications,
identification, and capabilities of the objects you will encounter in
your missions is a great way to conduct ground schooling. This is
implemented in F2 with computer based training in a system they call
the Encyclopedia.
From here you can learn the skill of visual ID, which is critical in
obtaining mission objectives, before it's too late. If you are into
designing custom made camo skins, you can also use this tool for
zooming and panning around to view your artwork. The combination of
manual, reference cards and encyclopedia gives the pilot a
comprehensive set of documentation. Add to this the narrated training,
the training track missions, and instant action; the virtual pilot has
everything he/she needs to get up to speed on Flanker.
MULTIPLAYER:
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
The last major aspect to Flanker2.0 that we will examine is
also my personal favorite aspect to flight sims: online game play or
multiplayer. For me, if a sim doesn't support MP, then it's not
complete. MP is what brings a sim to life, literally.
No matter how good enemy and friendly AI can be programmed, it's never
as unpredictable, challenging, maddening or rewarding as it is when you
fly with human friends and foes. It is also where the biggest warts in
any sim show up because that's where unforgiving demands of Internet or
LAN require efficient code to be written and tested.
Online flight is also where you test your mettle as a fighter jock, or
become another ball of fire and smoke. Wimps need not apply, both for
sim developers as for the sim fliers alike.
Multiplayer Interface
The story of F2's MP sit rep falls into the good, the bad, and the
down right ugly categories. As I have said in Part I of this review,
Flanker2.0 is the most stable multiplayer code I've ever witnessed,
especially in its unpatched state. By stable I mean how good the flying
stability is when you get online and fly with others. We have had 12
players on various forms of internet connectivity flying together in
one online mission, and very little if any "warping" was noticed.
By warping, we mean the phenomenon where you see other piloted planes
slewing or jittering around the skies in an abnormal sense. This is due
to the ability of the sim's network code to deal with the many
bandwidth and packet losses that are inherent to life on Internet. I
have heard from those that have set up a LAN, (local area network as
opposed to Internet which is a WAN or wide area network), and have had
16 - 20 players working with very little warp or plane jumping.
F2 does also have some bad things here, but they aren't show
stoppers. For example, while it's a great improvement over Su27 1.5 to
have text chat, the in flight text chat window prevents you from using
game keyboard commands until you close the large window. Another nasty
is difficulty in seeing incoming missiles makes both multiplayer and
solo survivability a bear.
In multiplayer, it's great to have wingmen because they can help to
call out incoming missiles, but you are unable to lock missiles and the
smoke trails are very faint and hard to see. And the wingmen do not
audibly call out the incoming threats.
However, if you practice enough, you are able to learn to effectively
dodge missiles. You should train for this offline before going into
battle where it counts and can ruin your and your wing mates day. I
recommend PaleRider's missile training track files, or the Iron Hand
training found on Papa Doc's web page (see links).
The ugly bugs that ruin multiplayer show up once you introduce A2A
or SAMS. There seems to be faulty missile logic code that rears its
ugly head while online and not while in offline or solo game play. If
you fly a COOP mission against enemy AI planes or even just with SAMS,
then both your own and AI missiles will miss. (Note that this doesn't
seem to be true for the master, just the clients).
If you fly against just other human enemies with missiles, you will see
a gradual decline in the ability of the missiles to find their mark.
This is not a simple problem, and I imagine it will take a patch or two
to get it right. But the good news is that SSI is aware of it and has
stated that it is a high priority. This ugly bug reduces multiplay
flight to little more than sight seeing and guns only battles.
Currently, Flanker2.0 is at its best when you get a package together
and you fly with your buddies. If you can get Roger Wilco (included
with the sim) or any other compatible voice comms running, fighting
guns battles or just cross country navigation in formation is superb.
Not only are you flying a hardcore sim, but just the feel of flight
while online is top notch.
Nothing spoils immersion in multiplayer flight worse than when see your
wingies jumping all over the skies. Or even worse, when they ram you
because of warping as you try to fly tight formation. F2 is rock stable
in this respect like no other sim. Now if SSI can fix the missile
logic, then MP will be awesome and Flanker 2 will be King of the skies.
SUMMARY AND RATINGS
With Flanker 2.0 we have a great Soviet fighter simulator. We
have gone through AV8R's Top Ten Flight Sim Commandments to wring this
product out. While it sports cutting edge graphics, sounds, flight
model, cockpit, documentation and multiplayer stability, it suffers
from some maladies in the artificial intelligence, A2A and SAM missile
logic, mission editor robustness, and campaigning depth offerings.
No current military combat flight simulator comes close to
what is in Flanker 2.0, save Falcon4.0, even in its unpatched
condition. Comparing it to patched versions of Falcon4.0 or even
FlankerV1.5 is not comparing apples with apples.
In my conversations with SSI's Carl Norman, (Executive Producer), I am
assured that they know of the critical issues and are going to Russia
to plan their priorities and implementations. If Su27's maturing into
FlankerV1.5 is any indication of their patching commitment then we can
all expect good things to come for Flanker2.0. Personally, I give
Flanker2.0 a hearty two thumbs up with the understanding that prompt
and critical issue stomping patches will soon arrive, and long before
the Su39 release.
In short, Flanker2.0 is positioned to be an all time classic surpassing
even Su27 1.5; but it is now in the hands of SSI to deliver the goods
and complete the great start that they have made. Let's hope that
Flanker 2.0 ends on a high note and doesn't fall to mediocrity.
Till we meet in the virtual skies, Check Six.
Ed. Note: All images in this article are copyright of COMBATSIM.COM™
Learning Curve: 5 hours for basic gameplay, continued education to master
Overall Rating: 85% (unpatched, 100% or Classic if critical issues are patched)
System Requirements:
Win95/98 (DOS not supported)
Pentium 200, (P2 300 or greater recommended)
32 MB RAM, (128 MB or greater recommended)
600 MB Hard Drive (for full game installation)
8X CDROM (24X and greater recommended)
Video cards: DirectX compatible 3D cards
(TNT AGP cards work best, PCI and Voodoo cards supported but not optimal until patched)
Reviewer's System:
Win98, Intel P2 400, 128 MB RAM, 300 MB Static Swap, 32X CDROM,
16 MB CL Blaster Riva TNT1, resolution set to 800x600 with all game
options to medium level.
