Thinking to restart various F4 variants including ff5.5 which also needs patch 5.53 and apparently 5.55. Also where are other FF 5.5 downloads now that freeFalcon web site has gone?

Thanks for the info but I have F6. Looking specifically for FF5.53 and 5.55. and any place where all the old FF might be.

Unless I'm mistaken http://freefalcon6.weebly.com/ site is pretty dead except for that one link??

Also trying to find Open Falcon installs. All links seem to be dead!

mongoose44: Try here: http://www.veterans-gaming.com/download.php Last time I looked they had the patches you're after. Good luck!

which of the mods are available?

opinions of 'best'?

FreeFalcon
OpenFalcon
BMS

I do not believe there are really any mods for F4Af, correct? how does it stand up to the above?

I am interested in:

multiplayer capability
looks - graphics
F16
dynamic campaign with tasking
more than just Korea and Balkans if possible
secondarily, ability to fly other aircraft with proper cockpit and flight model (not just an f16 with skins) including the 'bad' guys (opfor group)

does anything exist? I am guessing I would have to compromise somewhere, and some of these mods might be hard to find.

has the community really moved on? DCS maybe?

BTW, I own a web server and am willing to get, upload and permanently (well, as permanent as can be - I have had a server running for over 10 years) share files. I can do it via bittorrent or http. legal files only folks - related to the above mods (since they seem to be difficult to get).

after some perusing, it looks like F4AF or BMS is the way to go.

I am also guessing that all of my desires above are not met by either?

thx for any replies.

Go BMS...very few people ever fly multiplayer on F4AF. The only thing better about AF is being able to control ground forces. Check out http://falcon-online.org/ for multiplayer BMS and here you can also download Red Flag (Korea), Battle for Balkans, and Battle for Sinai (Isreal) theaters.

BMS has accurate flight model, unlike AF which has been described as "flying on rails". BMS also has fully clickable 3D pit, which you won't find in AF. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that, BMS is just superior to AF in just about every possible way. Not saying AF is a bad sim either, but you asked which is better.

AFAIK BMS is the only Falcon in development and most modern in terms of graphics; the best one IMO.

Open Falcon ended in 2008; (although the line goes into BMS from then)
Lead Pursuit (AF) was no more in 2010;
Free Falcon ended 2013; (there were attempt to make it open source - no idea what happened to that)

yeah, I found after I posted that BMS seems to be the only active version.

I do think they focus on F16 only, right?

how is MP capability within BMS?

does it still have dynamic campaign and tasking?

do I really need to sign up for their forums just to download?

thx guys.

Yes, you need to sign up to the forums to download. Or you can find other hosts for it. But really, why not sign up? The community is quite helpful.

BMS also has the A-10, I think. And the F-18 is coming in Falcon BMS 4.33. I've flown in MP flights of 32 players in a wing -- I'm not sure how big events like Battle for Sinai looks like in terms of player count. However, due to the age of the base program, certain "rituals" have been developed in order to reliably connect.

It can be played as a dynamic campaign -- a couple of friends and myself have played one of the campaigns up to about 60-70% completion. It can also be flown as one-off missions created by a mission creator.

As for it being the F-16 only, well, really, the F-16 is a multi-role fighter and it's shortcomings (limited payload, thirsty engine) only makes it more interesting. Whereas the A-10C can loiter for hours without needing refuelling, the F-16 needs careful fuel management or a nearby tanker. The A-10C can also kill more ground targets and it'll probably take 4 F-16s to equal the kill count of 2 A-10Cs, but that just means more players need to cooperate. Unlike the A-10C which excels in ground-pounding but nothing else, the F-16 can do air superiority, SEAD, and a lot of other missions.

Thx Ice. it is just ANOTHER-UGH forum to sign up for just to dl and try it out.

I get all that (old F4 hand), just wanted to see if any of the original features have been lost.

Back in our day of F4, I flew opfor in Russian aircraft and would like to have the ability to do that in a more realistic way, and I really love the Phantom so it would be great to be able to fly those as well. if not, I understand (this is free after all).

I'm not really sure as I've not looked. I know there is the ability to fly other aircraft but from what I understand, it's still and F-16 in a different skin. 4.33 should change that.

If you're an old F4 simmer, the best thing you can do for yourself is sign up and give it a try.

The biggest, bestest feature for me is the fully functioning, fully clickable 3D pit. In F4AF, I had to switch from 3D pit to look around (dogfight, SA, fly formation, etc.) but then go to the 2D pit to check out gauges, MFDs, or to flip switches. Having to activate that button on my HOTAS was such an immersion killer. With BMS, I'm just in the 3D pit, and that's it. Coupled with my Helios profile, touchscreen, and voice-activated program, once I'm in the pit, I never have to touch my keyboard or mouse. Adds so much more to the immersion.

Graphics isn't on-par with DCS obviously, but for what BMS/Falcon does everywhere else, DCS doesn't hold a candle to it.

Thanks for the link which was useful in a small way although many downloads were dead and no main FF5 uploads there. Seems hard to fins. Have both AF and BMS but FF has some good points as well.