Falcon 4: Allied Force

[colt 0]

I think I owned all of the Falcon games and Falcon 4 was the first pc game I bought back in 1999. I read about all the ups and downs of the game, numerous patches, different modding groups , blah, blah, blah  and to be honest my interest dwindled in all simulations.

I recently bought a new computer and was checking out some old demos and installed IL2 Sturmovik and thought WOW ! So I thought I'll pick this game up and started mooching aorund some Sim forums and discovered that Falcon 4: Allied Force is being released on June 28th (US) !

It's basically the core of the original Falcon 4, but given quite an overhaul in terms of bug fixes, improvements, AI increase, new Theater of Operation, stability, etc... It's also worth noting that this is a commercial release.

Some links:

Developer's Falcon 4: Allied Force page:

http://www.lead-pursuit.com/news.htm

SimHQ interview with the developers Executive Producer:

http://www.simhq.com/_air4/air_135a.html

There seems to be a few flight simmers here , so I thought it might be of interest.

[Supah 0]

I read this too and am really looking forward to it Hope its as good as it appears, I loved the original This will even have an MLU F-16! Being dutch that would be pretty cool

[EiZei 0]

If its reasonably priced I might even consider it, I was quite put off by the amount of mods/patches/fixes that were available for Falcon 4.

[Snake Man 407]

Hmm interesting...

Looking at the web site I recognize few old friends names there, are these guys all gone from Falcon 4 community members as working to this company? Hmm.

I guess its time for me to go ask around in the Falcon 4 scene to find out the details.

http://falcon4.nekromantix.com is like a ghost town nowadays

[9mm 0]

I'd love to see new Polish F16s C/D Block 52+...

Did they say something aout European theatre...

[ozanzac 0]

Cool! I've been tied up with work (and partying too hard on weekends) and have hardly had the time to keep up with OFP news, let alone the Falcon scene!

This is very pleasant news..... Looks like I might just have something to do during our cold, and miserable winter!

[Shashman 0]

...I was quite put off by the amount of mods/patches/fixes that were available...

Coming from an OFP fan that sounds kinda crazy lol

[EiZei 0]

...I was quite put off by the amount of mods/patches/fixes that were available...

Coming from an OFP fan that sounds kinda crazy lol

At least there is one official patch tree and such.

[Daniel 0]

Quote[/b] ]Looks like I might just have something to do during our cold, and miserable winter!

*Cough* Armed Assault! */Cough*

[EiZei 0]

Daniel @ June 23 2005,15:46)]

Quote[/b] ]Looks like I might just have something to do during our cold, and miserable winter!

*Cough* Armed Assault! */Cough*

Don't count your chickens yet..

[Supah 0]

Daniel @ June 23 2005,15:46)]

Quote[/b] ]Looks like I might just have something to do during our cold, and miserable winter!

*Cough* Armed Assault! */Cough*

Don't count your chickens yet..

Also dont skin the bear before you shoot it.

[the_shadow 0]

dont shout "hey" untill you´re over the creek

[kegetys 2]

Are those cockpits still just 2D panels? I couldn't imagine playing a flight sim with those anymore.

[BOP_101TFS 0]

oooo!! king returns!!

I will buy it and keep waiting for my F5

[Supah 0]

Are those cockpits still just 2D panels? I couldn't imagine playing a flight sim with those anymore.

It says on the site that it now has 3d cockpits

From their site

Quote[/b] ]3D cockpit

All 3D cockpits match their 2D counterparts, meaning the 2D and 3D pits use the same textures. Although 2D cockpits have their advantages, the future is 3D. Looking ahead, we’ll be investing considerable resources into fully-functional 3D pits with detail and functionality to match if not surpass the 2D pits and Track IR is already supported in Allied Force.

read more here

[Fork122 0]

I checked my local game store yesterday and F4 wasn't in yet. Has anyone picked this game up yet? Is it worth the money?

Quote[/b] ]When choosing the LAN option, the player has the choice of either setting up a server to host a session (Dogfight, Tactical Engagement or Campaign) or joining a server to take part in a session. Selecting a game to join is easy: Falcon 4.0: Allied Force queries the local network and finds games for the player to select to join.

The idea of mulitplayer co-op campaigns sounds cool. Co-op campaigns were alot of fun in IL2: Sturmovik.

[Supah 0]

I checked my local game store yesterday and F4 wasn't in yet. Has anyone picked this game up yet? Is it worth the money?

Quote[/b] ]When choosing the LAN option, the player has the choice of either setting up a server to host a session (Dogfight, Tactical Engagement or Campaign) or joining a server to take part in a session. Selecting a game to join is easy: Falcon 4.0: Allied Force queries the local network and finds games for the player to select to join.

The idea of mulitplayer co-op campaigns sounds cool. Co-op campaigns were alot of fun in IL2: Sturmovik.

Check pacific fighters etc. I havent seen it, will buy it if I do!

[crashdome 3]

I too, am a HUGE Falcon fan and I'm gonna get this one soon.

Re 2d cockpits and such:

I think of Falcon 4 in terms of it's playability and emphasis on realism. Screw fancy graphics if it is useless non-functional eye-candy *Cough*lomac*Cough* I'd still fly it if it were Falcon 3 graphics.

and actually, 2d panels were a big blessing in disguise for the pit-builders. It is far easier to mod completely transparent panels when your entire home-made cockpit is in the realist 3d form you can get

I'm not a builder though and yes, a good 3d cockpit is nice when you are banking a tight turn.... mmmmm I'm getting flashbacks.

Anyways, I've followed all the updates/patches/mods/fixes/dances/ etc... It was a big hassle but the end result was always worth it for me. This new release is a step behind all the current community work but it provides 2 very VERY important items for me:

Alot more stable MP sessions and an official release of continued work (which translates into continued community interest - much like Armed Assault is for OFP)

Add in the fact it's a one click install for everything and it's a big leap.  

Falcon 4 is and always will be an emphasis on realism and immersion - which I believe no modern day flight sim has even come close to. Word of advice to newcomers: If that's not your style, I guarantee your experience will definately be of slight to moderate disappointment.

*EDIT* Re the coop-campaigns: Falcon 4 has the best campaign engine EVER.

Imagine flying a package with your buddy and there are literally 1000s of units (ground/air/sea) involved in a war around you. Imagine it takes a full 30mins to fly from base to frontline because it is that realistic...Imagine that you are flying through the Frontline and you switch your radio to the broadcast channel and hear the A-10s 30miles east of you launching mavricks while chattering "Rifle.. Rifle.. Rifle".. then you hear a flight of F-5Es calling AWACS for help because they just got jumped by Migs... AWACS replies that they are vectoring available fighters....then you hear a package of F-15s calling the tower for permission to land at the base 40miles south of you. Imagine your target is an SA-2 site and you hear the distinctive tones of various Surface-to-Air radars picking you up out of the mess of aircraft in the sky. Imagine suddenly the tones become a solid warning of inbound missles as your buddy calls out that he sees streams of smoke rising from the ground all pointed in your direction. And that's just the beginning.....

*Did I forget to mention the option to do a full 10 minute ramp start if you are really into realism? and having to wait in line to taxi because - unlike other sims you are not necessarily the most important objects in the world at every moment and not always given top priority?*

Want more real? Join your nation's Air-Force.

Like I said... screw fancy graphics.  

[bn880 5]

I think I'm going to buy into this, un-planned expense but... it's the Coop (Dynamic) Campaign that I look forward to. I was told it is a lot like the campaign in Tornado ©, but in MP.

If anyone has any information on how well this coop campaign stuff works and how detailed it is let me/us know. I wonder, does it track each aircraft? Object? Weapon? Fuel reserves in gallons/litres? ;p

This would just be absolute gold, it really would... and besides, from all the reviews, it sounds like a hardcore realism nut like me will love it to no end.

[Snake Man 407]

In Falcon 4 campaign, which is the real Dynamic campaign available, has no different SP or MP modes. Its just campaign, thats it, you can play it SP or MP.

Where OFP missions work both ways too SP or MP, there is tons of that server/client stuff which you Bn880 know great deal about, in F4 world there is no such thing. Just fire up the campaign in MP/COOP mode and fly away.

What does it track... if I'm correct there is no fuel supply tracking, ie litres and such. But lets say you take a bomb load into a mission but you dont use/drop all the weapons, the ones you bring back are put back into the squadrons inventory. So yes there is at least individual weapon amounts tracking. Mostly the tracking is which targets are dead, where units are and their strenghts etc.

One more time I like to remind people, Falcon 4 campaign is the real dynamic campaign and not just scripted stuff.

[Metal Heart 0]

Quote[/b] ]I was quite put off by the amount of mods/patches/fixes that were available for Falcon 4

You only need the final official patch and SuperPAK 4 and you're done.

[Supah 0]

Tornado ©

Man I loved that game! Especially how it put you in command of the air war.

[bn880 5]

Yes exactly, that campaign engine was out of the future, best I've seen to date anywhere. From what Snake_Man says, F4 AF is probably very close. Maybe even better?

[crashdome 3]

I'm not sure of the exact features added into F4:AF as I don't have it ....... yet. However, I can fully vouch for the campaign in regular F4. It is truly a work of art.

@bn880:

There are degrees of management in the orig. F4 campaign but they are merely factors which you can tweak to focus the AI in different areas. You do not issue any direct orders.

ultimately, you are not a commander in F4. You are a pilot. Hence, you are given a task list of available flights. You can choose any one and any position within the flight. When you jump into the 3d world, you are immersed directly into the war. When you get back, your results will have an impact on the rest of the flow of the campaign. Significance of your mission is solely based on your choice of which flight you joined i.e. If you flew CAP over a valuable target and missed the flight of TU-22s that just annihilated it then yes.. that is a significant impact. However, if you fly HAVCAP for an AWACS and succeed in encountering zero threats then the mission is successful but life continues as normal and significance is felt less.

You feel like an actual participant in a war. Just like in real war, everything you do is important to the effort as a whole, but you may encounter periods of dull activities. You may even scrub a mission simply because it doesn't feel right. You are not a 'hero' in this campaign. You are a participant.

Now, I have read that you can issue orders in F4:AF. To what extent, I am not sure, but I think they are more along the lines of 'quick missions' when you as the player would like to deviate from the regular plans. I do not think they are designed to promote an overall authority over the campaign AI. Although, perhaps someone who has actually played the new AF campaigns can tell us the actual level of authority a player now has?

*EDIT* bah.. screw this.. I'm going out right now to see if I can find a copy. Everytime I think about this I feel like a junkie who needs his fix. If I find it, expect a full report on the new features. With Arma coming out later, I'll probably feel the same way - twice in one year too. That's a first for me I think. All we need now is a release of a new naval sim. Fleet Command II maybe?

[KeyCat 131]

However, I can fully vouch for the campaign in regular F4. It is truly a work of art.

The original F4 campaign is one of the best - if not the best - dynamic campaigns. But there is/was quite a few critical issues and flaws (even using the latest community efforts) that made things less enjoyable!

I have high hopes for the new F4:AF and by reading LP's dev. notes it seems they got their priorities right! First fix all flaws and make it stable, then add new things and improve such things as graphics.

Just my 0.20 SEK

/Christer (a.k.a KeyCat)