Thoughts after taking a break from BOP

[JOED70]

I took a break for a few months from Il2 on PS3 ( went riding in the Wild West) and have returned to playing what for me is one of the Top Video games of all times. Considering that my video game addiction started way back 79-80 with text adventures on my TRS-80 . and my first flight sim was Chuck Yeager’s Advanced Flight Trainer game for the Tandy 1000 and have owned just about every console system from Atari ,Coleco up thru the Nintendo and Sega years. Sims and particularly flight sims have caused me to part with $1000’s over the years . So the $90 I parted with for this game is the bargain of a lifetime (Anton et,al you guys really have created a masterpiece that now 11 months since release still maintains all it’s lure ) . Mind you the other major factor in this is the great community that this game has . So kudos to all fellow players as well. :mrgreen:
Now that I’m back playing I have noticed a few big improvements in game play one being a few new regular players . :!: But the single most important change is one that has to do with my video setup which I changed during my break from the sky’s . I had my PS3 hooked up to my JVC amp with HD component cables (RGB) then from amp to HD set . In order to play Bluray I switched to Video direct to TV via HDMI audio is still Toslink to amp. Well its like night and day as far online play goes I can now see with much better detail plus I can now tell when I’m hitting or missing can actually see the explosions flash on a bogey when my cannon rounds strike. I can also see the tracer trails both incoming and outgoing as individual trails not just a mixed stream . So many times before it would be a WTF moment and wanting to pull what hair I have left out not being able to figure out why I could not strike any hits or tell exactly were incoming fire was from. So if anyone has the type of setup I was using I highly recommend switching to HDMI if an HD set.
My other observations about the mechanics of this game is the fact that in realistic and arcade gravity ,drag and friction have been greatly reduced , plane will stall but it doesn’t fall out the sky. In simulator mode this is much better but the lack of target id or some limited tracking ability make this to difficult for a lot of players this is after all a 2D version of a 4D environment tracking of some sort is needed to compensate for this as well as the fact that you are missing feel and perspective . This is the reason that the dive speeds for a lot of the aircraft appear off the ability to change these settings when creating a room would be a real plus if a sequel ever makes its way to us consol guys. That is really the only thing missing from making this a 100% perfect game is the ability to have more control in mission parameters for online i.e. gravity, friction, drag, limit type of aircraft i.e. no bombers in dogfights the ability to remove problem players from rooms and improvements in the hit/kill tracking or some incentive for players to bail .
Despite all that I will keep playing and having fun as others will also because of all the wonderful work that went into this piece of art. That and the great community of like minded players . I have missed you all and look forward to zooming around the online skies again with you all.

[olife]

I took a break for a few months from Il2 on PS3 ( went riding in the Wild West) and have returned to playing what for me is one of the Top Video games of all times. Considering that my video game addiction started way back 79-80 with text adventures on my TRS-80 . and my first flight sim was Chuck Yeager’s Advanced Flight Trainer game for the Tandy 1000 and have owned just about every console system from Atari ,Coleco up thru the Nintendo and Sega years. Sims and particularly flight sims have caused me to part with $1000’s over the years . So the $90 I parted with for this game is the bargain of a lifetime (Anton et,al you guys really have created a masterpiece that now 11 months since release still maintains all it’s lure ) . Mind you the other major factor in this is the great community that this game has . So kudos to all fellow players as well. :mrgreen:
Now that I’m back playing I have noticed a few big improvements in game play one being a few new regular players . :!: But the single most important change is one that has to do with my video setup which I changed during my break from the sky’s . I had my PS3 hooked up to my JVC amp with HD component cables (RGB) then from amp to HD set . In order to play Bluray I switched to Video direct to TV via HDMI audio is still Toslink to amp. Well its like night and day as far online play goes I can now see with much better detail plus I can now tell when I’m hitting or missing can actually see the explosions flash on a bogey when my cannon rounds strike. I can also see the tracer trails both incoming and outgoing as individual trails not just a mixed stream . So many times before it would be a WTF moment and wanting to pull what hair I have left out not being able to figure out why I could not strike any hits or tell exactly were incoming fire was from. So if anyone has the type of setup I was using I highly recommend switching to HDMI if an HD set.
My other observations about the mechanics of this game is the fact that in realistic and arcade gravity ,drag and friction have been greatly reduced , plane will stall but it doesn’t fall out the sky. In simulator mode this is much better but the lack of target id or some limited tracking ability make this to difficult for a lot of players this is after all a 2D version of a 4D environment tracking of some sort is needed to compensate for this as well as the fact that you are missing feel and perspective . This is the reason that the dive speeds for a lot of the aircraft appear off the ability to change these settings when creating a room would be a real plus if a sequel ever makes its way to us consol guys. That is really the only thing missing from making this a 100% perfect game is the ability to have more control in mission parameters for online i.e. gravity, friction, drag, limit type of aircraft i.e. no bombers in dogfights the ability to remove problem players from rooms and improvements in the hit/kill tracking or some incentive for players to bail .
Despite all that I will keep playing and having fun as others will also because of all the wonderful work that went into this piece of art. That and the great community of like minded players . I have missed you all and look forward to zooming around the online skies again with you all.

hello
my first sim plane game was f19 sealth fighter on commodore 64 computer in 1984 or1985.it is funny because it is a sim about the planethat actually we know under the name of f117 sealth bomber but in 84-85 this project was so secret that nobody knew the real name of this plane and the name of this plane in the game was f19!!lol...and if u can see the lines of the plane draw in the box of the game!!!lol!!!totally capricious!!but i had a lot of fun with this game with my brother...and offline!!of course!!!

[Zatoichi_Sanjuro]

I took a break for a few months from Il2 on PS3 ( went riding in the Wild West) ...

Is that game worth picking up? I've heard it doesn't have much lasting appeal. :confused:

Anyway, welcome back to the skies.

hello
my first sim plane game was f19 sealth fighter on commodore 64 computer in 1984 or1985.

Amstrad 464 ftw! Especially with the monochrome screen, every game was in hi-tech night vision! :D

All I can remember is Harrier Attack, and not being very good at it.

[olife]

Is that game worth picking up? I've heard it doesn't have much lasting appeal. :confused:

Anyway, welcome back to the skies.



Amstrad 464 ftw! Especially with the monochrome screen, every game was in hi-tech night vision! :D

All I can remember is Harrier Attack, and not being very good at it.

hello bud

yes i remenber my neighbour had an amstrad 464 and we played a lot harrier attack too!!!green and black screen!!!what a very nice recollection!!and not a blue ray disk!!lol...but a cassette and easy to "pirat" with a double cassette recorder!!!lol!!!!

[edal86]

I also took a break from IL2 Birds of Prey (PS3), but I have been playing for about 3 days now and I have to say that I am impressed to see people online even more than before. I think I had more trouble finding a game back then than now lol (mostly on realistic).

Long Live the flight sims!! :)

[Gilly]

hello
my first sim plane game was f19 sealth fighter on commodore 64 computer in 1984 or1985.it is funny because it is a sim about the planethat actually we know under the name of f117 sealth bomber but in 84-85 this project was so secret that nobody knew the real name of this plane and the name of this plane in the game was f19!!lol...and if u can see the lines of the plane draw in the box of the game!!!lol!!!totally capricious!!but i had a lot of fun with this game with my brother...and offline!!of course!!!


I still have my ZX spectrum and F19 Stealth Fighter! What a superb game it was and to a degree still is!! The four maps provided were huge, for example the northern Europe one takes in the whole of northern Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway!
It's a game I still dig the Speccy out for along with Elite, Turbo Esprit and School Days......,
Oh to be 8 again!!!

[winny]

I still have my ZX spectrum and F19 Stealth Fighter! What a superb game it was and to a degree still is!! The four maps provided were huge, for example the northern Europe one takes in the whole of northern Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway!
It's a game I still dig the Speccy out for along with Elite, Turbo Esprit and School Days......,
Oh to be 8 again!!!

I had the original flight simulator for the speccy, the cessna one, and school days was one of my favourite games ever.

[dkwookie]

This was my fav spectrum game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4vqDT55rNo

[Gilly]

This was my fav spectrum game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4vqDT55rNo

Ahh good old 'southern belle'- still have a copy of that. Never did beat the 48 minute record......

Few more flashbacks
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/882fadf3.jpg
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/479ecead.jpg

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/63369324.jpg

http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/2b6f587d.jpg

[JOED70]

I still have my ZX spectrum and F19 Stealth Fighter! What a superb game it was and to a degree still is!! The four maps provided were huge, for example the northern Europe one takes in the whole of northern Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway!
It's a game I still dig the Speccy out for along with Elite, Turbo Esprit and School Days......,
Oh to be 8 again!!!

Speccy? Was that was a eruo version of a Tandy or TRS80?
I would say that other then BOP the my Favorite Flight games would be The old X-Wing vs Tie for the PC Old 486's could run it . Secret weapons over Normandy . Both had very good gameplay /replayablity.
There was a game for the Sega called LHX attack Helicopter that would make a great Download for PS3 store, (as Sega games seem easy to convert ) also 688i Attack class sub game for Sega both games was very ahead of thier time .

I still have mY coleco vision but sadly Dam Buster game will not work along with most of the Cartridges Donky Kong is still going strong that big ape really is tough haha .

[Gilly]

The spectrum was one of a family of 'home computers' made by Sinclair- a very 'british' company.
They started in 1980 with the ZX80 evolving to the Spectrum in 1982 with it's 16k upgradable to 48k. Eventually becoming 48k as standard it was what most of us this side of the pond grew up with during the early 80's. Games were loaded by tape meaning you could easily copy your mates version!!
Ahh the good old days....

[JOED70]

Ah thanks yes sounds very much like the TRS-80 ah good old Data-Cassete Spectrum sounds like a T-1000 I rember it was first hard drive something around 100 meg , Thought then that was an amazing amount storage that would never be all used .hahah
It was that or spend hours typeing code from a computer mag.
Did you guys have the Kings Quest Series of games Roberta Williams made some great stuff over the years. Poor old Sir Graham allways being duped by Mordar .

[JOED70]

From My long ramble above , I am curious to know what your guys thoughts are on the Gravity settings for the differnent modes . That and the fact that if the Ground scores more damage the the attacking aircraft the ground wins ie crash no kill credit . lets say my 109 has a 1000 points of health Gilly comes along in his spit and blasts the hell out my wing with those lead peppering brownings of his that he so dam good with for 425 points My 109 flips over and augers in the ground now scores 475 points damage thus we get a crash not a well deserved kill. I think this is why the water seems to elimnate alot of the no kill crashs it seems to do no or very little damage .

thoughts???

[Gilly]

The 'Beast' itself
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/zxspectrum48k.jpg

[JOED70]

The 'Beast' itself
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/zxspectrum48k.jpg

Wow so sleek and clean looking you europeans and your fashion savy hahah.
Keyboard looks like a precurser to laptop .

[dkwookie]

Speccy is slang for the Sinclair Spectrum 48k. It was a home computer released in the early 80s that took the UK by storm. The guy behind it is re legend Sir Clive Sinclair. He was an eccentric genious who blew it all with the Sinclair C5, a battery powered trike that killed his company.
My dad nearly bought a C5 from Rumbelowes for £40 when they flopped. He always regrets not getting it as they are collectors items now

[dkwookie]

The 'Beast' itself
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad256/paulcgill/zxspectrum48k.jpg

Ah there she is. I had the older model with plastic keys which was meant to be an improvement but I always wanted the original rubber keyed one.

[Gilly]

From My long ramble above , I am curious to know what your guys thoughts are on the Gravity settings for the differnent modes . That and the fact that if the Ground scores more damage the the attacking aircraft the ground wins ie crash no kill credit . lets say my 109 has a 1000 points of health Gilly comes along in his spit and blasts the hell out my wing with those lead peppering brownings of his that he so dam good with for 425 points My 109 flips over and augers in the ground now scores 475 points damage thus we get a crash not a well deserved kill. I think this is why the water seems to elimnate alot of the no kill crashs it seems to do no or very little damage .

thoughts???

It's certainly a good point. I have experimented both accidentally and on purpose with ground vs water. Was in a strike with dave,McQ and winny last night where McQ, dave and winny were team A with McQ and dave had 17's versus myself (17) and I think an IL10. We were on the Britain map and as such I had to bomb and travel like a nutter to keep up with their scoring. On a low bomb pass with winny behind me I dropped a full load from no height and accidentally bombed myself. So from an 8000lbs perspective the 8000lbs won!
Next one was were I had drdeath nobailer chasing me over the ships in an IL10 and having lost engines at 14k ft, glided down whilst bombing. I then could turn anymore and thought I try that over water. Even with the god canons blazing into my rear I managed to 'crash' rather than be shot down by dropping bombs as I glided in. Now I'm aware that a certain couboy carries bombs on his spit in most modes and deliberately bombs himself at ground level and it seems from testing this would also be possible over water. So to a degree whilst being over water helps it doesn't prevent it altogether. I've also noticed that should you clip a house or a tree then it also gives the kill as a crash so whilst what your saying it possibly true it does have exceptions. Just IL2 and it's quirks! After nearly a year of playing nothing surprises me with this game anymore.

[JOED70]

I hear yha Gill but on a very postive note since I started playing again I have noticed a big improvement in crash dept No one droping bombs on themselves yet!!! . Some new players from this side of the ocean. And a much btter mix of aircraft in matches Seen a lot of Yaks La's and 51's and 47's then befor I like that better then 10 guys all in Spits with the odd 109 thrown in by guys like me who just could not turn and shoot . Also discoverd that I would sooner be on the Six of a B17 then a Blenhiem Man those BAR's in the tail of that are more nasty then the 50's on the 17 it seems

[Davedog74]

did u guys play this?it was not good, but it was about a spit- so i played it a lot,
spitfire40 1986,spectrum

[winny]

From My long ramble above , I am curious to know what your guys thoughts are on the Gravity settings for the differnent modes . That and the fact that if the Ground scores more damage the the attacking aircraft the ground wins ie crash no kill credit . lets say my 109 has a 1000 points of health Gilly comes along in his spit and blasts the hell out my wing with those lead peppering brownings of his that he so dam good with for 425 points My 109 flips over and augers in the ground now scores 475 points damage thus we get a crash not a well deserved kill. I think this is why the water seems to elimnate alot of the no kill crashs it seems to do no or very little damage .

thoughts???

I get the feeling that the gravity is the same thru all 3 modes, I could be very wrong but I can't tell the difference between an Arcade flat spin and a Sim one, you never really fall out of the sky like a stone. You're probably right about the damage system. You can land on water and not die till you go under (very quick!) It would make sense if it was based on a points system. I try and look to sse what damage I've got just before I go down and I've had 2 black wings, crashed and still not had the kill credited to the other guy.. I guess the colour coded damage is more to do with how it affects flight and a possible points system to work out when you're dead and who did it?
The saving grace is that it's one of those issues that everyone has to deal with and eventually you just end up laughing to yourself about how much lead you put into someone and still don't get a kill for it.

[Zatoichi_Sanjuro]

hello bud

yes i remenber my neighbour had an amstrad 464 and we played a lot harrier attack too!!!green and black screen!!!what a very nice recollection!!and not a blue ray disk!!lol...but a cassette and easy to "pirat" with a double cassette recorder!!!lol!!!!

Five minute load times only to get the dreaded Read Error B. :-)

http://i38.tinypic.com/b65ykz.jpg

[winny]

Five minute load times only to get the dreaded Read Error B. :-)

http://i38.tinypic.com/b65ykz.jpg

Spectrum..
I remember dreading it as the end of the tape approached because you never knew if it was actually loading, or if it had crashed 10 mins ago and was just pretending to load... or the joy of getting past the bit of the tape where you knew it crashed nearly every time because thats where it chewed it up..

Jeez, the shit I had to put up with as a child.

[Gilly]

Five minute load times only to get the dreaded Read Error B. :-)

http://i38.tinypic.com/b65ykz.jpg

Anyone play Gunship with it's lenslock system where once you'd got through the
terror of loading you had to hold up a little plastic lens provided to decipher the code presented- the frustration of crappy illegible letters drove me insane! As you say winny the crap we put up with.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo&feature=youtube_gdata

[JOED70]

Gilly
You had a red plastic lens you lucky dog you we had to poke our eyes with forks if we wanted to decode hidden secret msgs:-):-):-):-);)

[bobbysocks]

Oh you had forks? we had to use broken pop bottles we found on the road. and you try to tell the young people of today that....and they wont believe ya

[winny]

Oh you had forks? we had to use broken pop bottles we found on the road. and you try to tell the young people of today that....and they wont believe ya

You had pop bottles and roads??!!! you lucky barstards! etc..

[bobbysocks]

and now for something completely different.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_lXqMmevog&feature=player_embedded#!

[vdomini]

Oh cool that's a good retro game topic!!

I remember my first sim game was on a Olivetti Pc-1 8088, it was called F16 Falcon, i was playing in CGA graphic mode....lol


I've had a zx spectrum too... i loved that computer, but one day it broke :(