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#3418372 - 10/25/11 08:12 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
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KCLT
Hmm.. Well, it certainly is a complex question. On one hand, a dynamic campaign offers the attractiveness of relatively unlimited gameplay potential. I always enjoyed the Falcon 4 campaign, but truth be known, I actually preferred the one in Enemy Engaged a little more because I felt it had a more heavily weighted player component to it. You could sort of "go rogue" in EECH and really help the campaign along wheras in Falcon 4, you really do feel more like a small fish in a big pond (not necessarily a bad thing..but I enjoy feeling heroic in my computer flying..<g>). The drawback, of course, is a bit of repetition and not a lot of tailor made, exceptional missions. By that I mean some of the scripted missions in sims like JF-18 and Longbow 2, and the DCS series are truly phenomenal because they can be very complex (with things like triggers) and can feature special events that you wouldn't see in a generic dynamic campaign. Also, the briefings and things for a hand crafted mission are only constrained by the author's imagination. So from that side, I really do enjoy non-dynamic, or semi dynamic branching campaigns.

In my "perfect world" we'd see a whole different side of the DCS programming team devote themselves to DLC (downloadable content) that would keep their titles fresh and ever expanding. User created missions and campaigns are one thing, but how cool would it be to have $5 or $10 mission packs or theaters that had their own story? To tell you the truth, I wouldn't care if DCS feature froze their A-10 right now and didn't update the core engine for 5 years if they would just keep pushing out new modules that kept telling different stories.

And of course, in a second perfect world, DCS would eventually take the bull by the horns and create a dynamic world, but I gather that is a huge job.

Those are my abridge thoughts anyway..and I appreciate that others have a different opinion.. thumbsup

Regards...
BeachAV8R



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#3418621 - 10/26/11 04:06 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Murdock Offline
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Thank you for doing this review. It got my attention and I'm finally flying F4 again because of it. I own Allied Force and the Original F4.0. I am glad I didn't get rid of the original. The install worked like a champ just by having it look for my original F4 rom. Anyhow, I'm stuck with a maximum graphics quality of "3" (as opposed to your card's maximized "7", but I can't complain. I am running an ATI Radeon HD 5770 so I'm a tiny bit surprised it is capped like this, but again, can't complain. This BMS overall is extremely nice. I was getting artifacts in 3d with this card on Allied Force, but now with F4 + BMS 4.32, looks absolutely stunning throughout. Any idea what caps the graphics quality setting? (anyone?) I'm cool with where it's at, but it's nothing like Beach's shots inside the cockpit. Anyhow, nice review, and thanks for getting me back into Falcon again. It's been a while. - Peter, a.k.a. Murdock


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#3419603 - 10/27/11 03:19 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Murdock Offline
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Any guidance as to the "order of precedence" as far as the supplied manuals go? For example, if I want to operate the HARM missle, which manual should I go to first, then which of the additionally provided manuals should I refer to, in order towards final precedence. I must be missing something in the middle, as I've reviewed the original F4 manual, then looked at the BMS 4.32 supplied manual, but something isn't kosher. Instead of telling me how, I'd rather know which manuals to go to in which order; as they supply a bunch of them with the BMS 4.32 install.


Latest Scorched Earth (SEOW) Files:
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#3419668 - 10/27/11 04:41 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Murdock Offline
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I've moved my question and expanded upon it to the more appropriate forum -

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3419667.html#Post3419667


Latest Scorched Earth (SEOW) Files:
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#3420580 - 10/28/11 07:48 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: C3PO_1]  
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Smokin_Hole Offline
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Originally Posted By: C3PO_1
Nice review and sim looks a lot of fun! Some great graphics improvements prove there's life in the old dog yet. Interested to see how the MP performs as this was one of several areas Lead Pursuit invested in heavily for Allied Force. We worked very hard to improve both MP stability with quite a few clients connected and with things like positional updates. I think its strength was demonstrated by the MP campaign servers which ran for days with dozens of clients hopping in and out.

Regardless, this looks like a visual treat and lots of work I can see has gone into the avionics too. That cockpit is gorgeous and looks amazing -- that ICP panel just jumps out at you like real 3D too.

Great job all round.


Wow, C3PO! This update has me crossing paths with all sorts names I haven't heard in years. You should be proud of the stability and playability of AF, especially the tie-in with Hyperlobby. BMS looks and plays awesome. If it works as well in MP I can see that DCS will be collecting some virtual dust on my rig. BTW, C3PO, you won't remember me but I made a nuisance of myself complaining about the "feel" of the Viper in AF. Having never flown an F16 I can't say that BMS is better but it certainly feels much better. Anyway, I'm glad you are still around.

#3425839 - 11/04/11 06:09 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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AV8R Offline
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The review was a good overview of the new BMS release. The video is a "must-see" showcase of the upgrades. Enjoyed it very much.
There remains some of the old bugs that have plagued Falcon4 from the beginning, including the dancing Viper when exiting the a/c in MP. wink
I have a 3 year old computer now, that has a E6600 quad2core with a nVidia 8800GT running Vista and Im getting decent frames at quality level 3.
Beyond that, the frame rates suffer too much for my system.

Another nice feature of BMS is that it has its own built in avionics extractor code that can be turned on with the configuration GUI. This allows many of the primary flight instruments and MFDs to be ported to another monitor. The only problem I had with this feature, is that I use USB LCD monitors along with the TM MFD OSB bezels; and the code does not display the MFDs via DisplayLinked USB LCDs. THe MFDs do extract to another VGA monitor quite nicely though. The cost of running the built in extractor in BMS is that the executable has to be run in a windowed mode, which further reduces the frame rate significantly on my older PC. There is an effort to patch BMS in the future so that it will work for USB LCDs (soon I hope). Programming the TM MFDs was pretty easy using the control key function mapping GUI.



Flying BMS online is a joy now. After being spoiled with the smoothness and stability of: IL2, ROF-ICE, LOMAC and A10c online coding, FalconAF didn't quite do the job for close up flying and had micro-warps and jitters. BMS is very smooth and stable. Another advancement apart from the stability is the connectivity enhancements. According to Nutty of Foxy fame, BMS now supports the connect mode where the host can both host and join on the same or different computer behind the router on LAN, and the clients can join outside the router via WAN IP (just not dynamic IP naming services, has to be an ip addy). No longer does the host need two WAN IP addys.



The Refueling works well in COOP Multiplayer, very smooth. We were able cycle through two human player even when we the lead up gave up and let the wingman go next; then the lead successfully refueled after the wingman was finished. No more worries about keeping a pecking order and breaking the cycle.



Thanks for the review and am looking forward to the part2.


AV8R
#3426776 - 11/05/11 07:29 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

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KCLT
Really nice follow up information there AV8R. You hit on a lot of the points that I did not have the time or opportunity to test. Thanks for taking the time to post your impressions..

thumbsup

BeachAV8R



#3427392 - 11/06/11 03:52 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: BeachAV8R]  
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AV8R Offline
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AV8R  Offline
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No worries BeachAV8R (nice callsign BTW) wink

If there were one feature enhancement Id like to see in the series that would make it a jewel crown in its already classic status; that would be if they would add the ability to share the 2-seater F16B/D model Viper in multiplayer. A shared cockpit as do a lot of other sims (LB2, Battlefield, etc.). Think not only of the ability to share the bombing workload, but the training value alone. Then of course the fun and pucker factor. It would also open up possibilities for the Naval AV8Rs crowd who love the F14 Tomcat. Im sure it could be done with today's bandwidth and computers.



AV8R
#3428559 - 11/07/11 09:33 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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BlueThunder Offline
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Great write up as usual. Any possibility to share in pdf format?

Keep up the great work.

#3475973 - 12/17/11 07:23 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Cas141 Offline
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What a great review especially the video - Now i've got to try to get this old brain around F4 once more- after a few years break!


Mankind's problem is not failing to know the difference between right and wrong; - It is failing to know the difference between different and wrong
#3478229 - 12/21/11 07:28 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Nicolaas Offline
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Nicolaas  Offline
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Netherlands
Great review Beach and dito video. But the top of the bill is your article in PCPilot.
After reading that, I run upstairs and check for my microprose falcon f4 cd, and there it was Smile2
Thanks.


Nicolaas
#3480436 - 12/24/11 05:34 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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magicalflyer Offline
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Am I the only one interested in the carrier ops feature? Can anyone gives a detailed review about it? Beach only mentioned in a single paragraph that it's passable. How exactly? I mean, things like whether the carrier is moving, does the meatball work?, does it simulate traps properly or does it simply catch any airplane that lands with tailhook down?, etc.
Thanks.


"It ebbs and flows, shipmate. A hot woman and a cold beer will put all this in proper perspective."
#3495888 - 01/16/12 02:47 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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swampy11 Offline
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Chris-
What a great review. It's been a long time since I have read one of your post and as usual, it was fantastic. Glad to know us ole Falcon drivers still take to the sky.
`swamp

#3497968 - 01/19/12 08:57 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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Hellmann Offline
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Torontario
This review has piqued my interest... I still have the original manual. Will it still be relevant or does this come with its own? or have new training missions? I need to re-learn all the systems again if I decide to put my interest and time back into this.


Up there the world is divided into bastards and suckers. Make your choice.

— Derek Robinson
#3497970 - 01/19/12 09:04 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

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KCLT
It has some new training missions, and it has a slew of legacy and new manuals. The BMS manual is nice for the new stuff like the sniper pod and HARM modes. I think you'd be pleasantly surprised. smile

Thanks Swampy - nice comment..good to see you!



#3498916 - 01/20/12 04:30 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: BeachAV8R]  
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Hellmann Offline
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Torontario
Thanks for the clarification... I DL'd it and dug up my old Falcon4 disc. Now I just need to find the time to wrap my head around it again.


Up there the world is divided into bastards and suckers. Make your choice.

— Derek Robinson
#3554131 - 04/11/12 12:12 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: citizen guod]  
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V3teran Offline
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V3teran  Offline
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What 3d engine does this game use?
I cant find out what its called or what its similar too
Im trying to make an sli compatibility bits flag so we this game will take advantage of sli setups.

Last edited by V3teran; 04/11/12 06:29 PM.
#3554630 - 04/11/12 10:02 PM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: V3teran]  
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MigBuster Offline
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Originally Posted By: V3teran
What 3d engine does this game use?
I cant find out what its called or what its similar too
Im trying to make an sli compatibility bits flag so we this game will take advantage of sli setups.



Its based on the original Falcon 4.0 engine from 1998 - that was probably derived from Falcon 3 etc.

The BMS team modified the Falcon 4.0 engine for this mod to use DX9

try Benchmark sims forums for more info......

PS - its a Simulator. burnout


'Crashing and Burning since 1987'
#3554715 - 04/12/12 12:52 AM Re: Review: Benchmark Sims 4.32 for Falcon 4.0 [Re: MigBuster]  
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V3teran Offline
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V3teran  Offline
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Originally Posted By: MigBuster
Originally Posted By: V3teran
What 3d engine does this game use?
I cant find out what its called or what its similar too
Im trying to make an sli compatibility bits flag so we this game will take advantage of sli setups.



Its based on the original Falcon 4.0 engine from 1998 - that was probably derived from Falcon 3 etc.

The BMS team modified the Falcon 4.0 engine for this mod to use DX9

try Benchmark sims forums for more info......

PS - its a Simulator. burnout





Yeah i asked at BMS forum and got no reply.

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