Great posts everybody!

@MikeTB: Really enjoyed that story!

I hope to see a few more before this thread drops off. I am defintely the nostalgic sort, and in addition to re-living my own sim memories, I really enjoy reading others! My fondest memories of simming were right in this timeframe(1998-2000), lots of good stuff for us pilots.

I started flying Spectrum Holobyte's first F-16 with the release of the original "F-16 Fighting Falcon" in the mid "80's and continued on with "Falcon AT", "Falcon 3.0" and "Operation Fighting Tiger" through the early '90's. I still have the books "Falcon 3.0 Air Combat and "Art of the Kill" written by F-16 pilot Pete Bonanni, who I believe is currently a Brigadier General and Assistant Adjutant General-Air of the VA ANG.

In 1998 the long delayed and awaited Falcon 4.0 was released by Microprose and I immediately purchased a copy and have flown it off and on ever since as it migrated through its many freeware iterations and the payware Falcon 4.0 Allied Force. Now I am transitioning to the freeware BMS 4.32 and having a lot of fun in the process.

Long live Falcon 4.0!

Mike

MikeTB, cool story!

Aren't we by definition all old farts if we bought F4 back then or similar sims

Anyone under 30 here?

*raises hand* 24

43 here. Pretty old, except when I'm hanging with some of my 50 year old friends!

Speaking of Falcon birthdays....anyone remember the loading pie baby? LOL

Hi All,

I'm 52 so definitely in the old fart brigade!

I bought my first PC in 1990 - 91. An AMD chip running at 40Mhz and I think 2 meg of ram, a 42 mbyte hard drive and a soundblaster card. Top specs in those days and I think it cost me something like £1300. God knows what that would equate to in today's money. Got it specifically to run Falcon 3. Obviously had more money than sense.

Slightly more on topic - I installed BMS 4.32 today and am having a blast. Beautiful flight model. AI seems more switched on. Lovely graphics after turning the bloom down. Smooth as silk. Hard to think this is based on something that is 13 years old now. And it cost - nothing. So many thanks to all the people involved in its development over the last 10 years and more.

Regards,

MTB

Well I gut sucked in almost immedietely but never got it working satisfactory on my 233mhz P1. I still have that old PC.. Well I shelfed after about a month of Frustration and didn't pick F4 back up till SP3 came out.. Well Since then I have been playing it ever since..

I am really excited in BMS and THNX to the guys that made it possible Snaps to ALL those Guys and Gals who made BMS possible..

Well since I upgraded my Rig to a Triple screen Setup I shelfed Allied force since it only had single screen capability then BMS happened with DX9 and Triple Screen Functionality My Prayers where answered see you all there is a God..

Well I burned out 2 bulbs and just waiting till after the holidays to get 2 new bulbs so I can go back to triple screen goodness and BMS..

here is to well at least 1 more good year LOL!!

My how time flys!

I got my Falcon 4.0 Binder at Target on my birthday 13 years ago. They had put the "TOPGUN" (Remember that game?. lol) price tag on it for $17.98

Of course, with the combination of bugs and my system it got shelved until I got a new computer, which is still the prime motivator for upgrades to this day. Then due to Delphi (remeber that forum) and Frugalsworld got back into Falcon.

Having beta tested for Thrustmaster in the mid 80's with the MK I hotas, I have stuck to the Falcon/Thrustmaster combo all these years up to the Cougar. The Warthog will have to wait until I win the lotto or that long lost Nigerian Prince finally sends my money.

I would like to thank Falcon 4.0 for the oppertunity it has given me to make the friends I have made throughout the years, being part of the FreeFalcon Team.

Time for another computer rebuild to get BMS4.32 running better.

I bought my day-of-release copy in some giganticus mall in Las Vegas while on a business trip. Made it very difficult to not open the box while sitting in the already pretty boring meetings, while sitting inches away from the package with the monster binder and associated goodies. I swear it was lighting up periodically, and occasionally emitting a #%&*$# Betty voiced, "Open Me now! command."