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#378811 - 02/05/01 10:22 PM Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 485
Wags Offline
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Wags  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2000
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Ahwatukee, AZ. USA
Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon!

GAME Studios / SSI and The Fighter Collection are pleased to announce the scheduled release of the Flanker 2.5 upgrade. The upgrade to Flanker 2.0 will be provided free of charge. The upgrade will be available initially for download and we hope to distribute it by other means in the weeks to come.

This download will be approximately 80 megabytes and will be available at the Flanker 2 website sometime in late February 2001. We are also investigating other opportunities to distribute the Flanker 2.5 upgrade.

Our decision to make the Flanker 2.5 upgrade available for free is based on several factors. With our recent departure from Mattel Interactive, our access to their e-commerce capabilities has ended. The infrastructure to support our own e-commerce sales unfortunately is not available at this time. Additionally, it would be uneconomical for us to attempt to put it on store shelves as it has become difficult to justify placing upgrade products on retail shelves instead of stand-alone new releases. It is doubtful that the costs of packaging and distribution would be recouped in sales. Rather than cancel it, or delay the release of the upgrade any further, we have decided to give it away.

This will be the last stage of the Flanker 2.0 series, patches included. It is time now to invest in the future and concentrate all resources in our next flight sim project, which we are very excited about and we believe most of you will be as well. We will be providing additional details on our next title in the next few weeks.

New Features In Flanker 2.5

Features added in the Flanker 2.5 upgrade include:

The player can now fly the MiG-29K. The MiG-29K is a multi-role, navalized version of the MiG-29 Fulcrum. The Fulcrum is a twin-engine fighter that is renowned for its spectacular maneuverability and deadly weapon systems.

Warships will now move and engage enemy naval units. Using the powerful mission editor, the player can create multiple navigation waypoints for any naval vessel in the game. This includes everything from a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to a patrol boat. Many of the ships are equipped with powerful anti-ship missiles systems that are capable of sinking enemy fleets at over a hundred miles away. Additionally, the advent of moving vessels adds the unique challenge of landing a jet on a moving aircraft carrier.

Players can now aerial refuel while flying the Su-33 and MiG-29K. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges of modern combat aviation, Flanker 2.5 will allow the player to attempt the challenge of snagging the basket.

New special effects have been implemented. These include: new bomb and bullet explosions, new blast effect when armor vehicles are destroyed, new missile smoke, new water explosions, more detailed plane explosions, improved explosions when oil tanks are destroyed, and a special explosion effect for napalm.

Aircraft will now attack as a team against a single enemy aircraft. No longer will a flight of multiple aircraft attack an enemy aircraft one aircraft at a time.

Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) Interface was implemented (Standard Windows Interface). This option allows much greater frame rates while using the mission editor and other menu screens.

Players can now land on roads.

Missions now start in a new paused mode. This removes the stuttering seen at the beginning of mission of previous versions of Flanker 2.0.


MER (Multiple Ejector Racks) and TER (Triple Ejector Racks) have been added to several non-flyable aircraft.


The Kh-65 air-to-surface missile has been added.


Flight model enhancements for both player-flyable and AI controlled aircraft are present.

Additional wingman communication options have been included.

In addition to the features listed above, a large assortment of minor enhancements and fixes have been included.

Matt Wagner
Producer
GAME Studios / SSI
A Division of The Learning Company


Matt Wagner
Producer, TFC/Eagle Dynamics
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#378812 - 02/05/01 10:56 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  

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Matt,

Thanks to the Flanker team and all at SSI!

This is a very generous and unexpected event!

........Thanks

...looking forward to the end of the month for this welcome addition to my Flanker collection!

You've got my support for all future Flanker
releases!

Jim



[This message has been edited by jimvictor46 (edited February 05, 2001).]

#378813 - 02/05/01 11:12 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 970
the Gremlin Offline
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the Gremlin  Offline
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An unexpected turn of events, but a very generous gesture to the Flanker community.
Thank you very much.
Grem

#378814 - 02/05/01 11:26 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 723
jens198 Offline
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jens198  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 723
Nuremberg, Germany
Thank you Matt and all behind the Flanker Team!!!

All future releases of your Team will find your way on my harddrive.

Keep up the great work

jens


"It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue."
#378815 - 02/06/01 12:04 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,013
clansman1 Offline
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Posts: 1,013
Scotland
Thanks Matt. Like the rest of the faithful, I wish you all great success in the future and will support your next release. Its a real pity you could not make a bit of cash on 2.5 as I have no problem paying for upgrades, considering the complexity and effort that goes in to the products. I really hope Flanker attack or whatever its going to be called is a success as well.


KONA and the Seven Stanes. No better combination
#378816 - 02/06/01 12:14 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 242
Sparfell Offline
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Sparfell  Offline
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Posts: 242
Paris, France
YYYEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Great news Matt! Many thanks to the Flanker Team! I just can't wait

------------------
Check Six
Kertch Patrol @ Dogavitch

#378817 - 02/06/01 12:59 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  

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And I just purchased Flanker 2.0 a few weeks ago! Great news and can't wait to install 2.5 update. Thanks!

#378818 - 02/06/01 01:15 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 623
nico Offline
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 623
Braunschweig, Germany
Das ist ja GEIL!!! I hope that it will be compatible with foreign versions of Flanker 2 (I own the crappy German version). But I have to say that I would have paid for it!

#378819 - 02/06/01 05:03 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,560
THX-1138 Offline
Tyrell Corporation
THX-1138  Offline
Tyrell Corporation
Senior Member

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,560
Miami, Florida - United States...
Matt, you and your team are what keeps the hard core sim torch lit throughout this storm! Your hardwork and dedication is very much appreciated. We will look at your efforts to Flanker2 as the gem back in those times when we used personal computers to play sims on a 2 dimensional screen! Thank you, will support your team in upcoming releases.

------------------
"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."
- Sherlock Holmes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1859-1930)


Domestic Robotics - www.DomesRO.com

#378820 - 02/06/01 05:51 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,536
AV8R Offline
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AV8R  Offline
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,536
Southern California USA
Being that Ive owned Flanker since its first
release, I take this news as both good and
bad. It was my first Win95 flight sim.

Great news to get the v2.5 release soon and
for free.

Bad news to hear this top of the line sim
is finally being put to bed.

Will be interesting to see what SSI does next

Thanks Matt for the report.


AV8R
#378821 - 02/06/01 06:50 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
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Posts: 485
Wags Offline
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Wags  Offline
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Ahwatukee, AZ. USA
"Bad news to hear this top of the line sim is finally being put to bed."

Technically, this really isn't true. The next title will incorporate all the content of the Flanker 2.xx series, plus much, much more. What was Flanker will now grown into something much bigger and better.

I'll be making a formal annoucement about this next flight simulation title in the coming weeks.

Matt Wagner
Producer/SSI


Matt Wagner
Producer, TFC/Eagle Dynamics
#378822 - 02/06/01 09:49 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  

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Anonymous
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Can't really add much to this, but two thumbs waaaay up for SSI for this. I'd have paid for the upgrade anyway, but getting it free is just... well, you know

Good work you chaps!

------------------
Flt. Lt. Bertie "Binky" Farqhuarson,
No.1 AGHL Squadron
"Nous Sommes Tous Les Singes"
----------------------

#378823 - 02/07/01 01:53 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  

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While it will be great to get Flanker 2.5 free... I hope giving it to us free does not hurt SSI's sim program.

I just wanted to express our thanks for decding to give us 2.5 free rather than canning it because you could not make money ou of it anymore.

Great commitment to your product and its customers.

------------------
389th Australian VFS (Callsign: "Rapier")
486sqn Royal New Zealand Air Force
dogfight.com

#378824 - 02/07/01 02:25 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,152
Cat Offline
Egyptian Mau
Cat  Offline
Egyptian Mau
Hotshot

Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,152
Somewhere....over the Rainbow
That's just freakin' cool.

It's good to know that hardcore jet sims are alive and well.

Miao, Cat


Miao, Cat
#378825 - 02/07/01 07:46 AM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,536
AV8R Offline
Senior Member
AV8R  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,536
Southern California USA
Matt,

So Flanker2.5 technology will live on to be
part of the original Electronic Battlefield
weve been seeing in all the SSI sim opening
movies since Panzer, Flanker, etc? eh?

Good to see a guy like your real TopGun
experience at both Janes/EA and SSI.

I toast to your success!

AV8R


AV8R
#378826 - 02/07/01 07:29 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 545
Mike_Toth Offline
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Mike_Toth  Offline
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 545
Cleveland Ohio USA
Matt,

You are a class act.......... thanks from all of us simmers.... It's nice to see that
you are putting forth the same effort of communicating with us in the Flanker world as when you were at Jane's.... :-)

Thanks again


Mike

#378827 - 02/08/01 06:54 PM Re: Flanker 2.5 Upgrade Available Soon  

**DONOTDELETE**
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Anonymous
Unregistered


Most generous Matt! I've been a Flanker fan since day one. In fact Flanker 1.0 was my first serious sim, prior to that I was flying Fury III! Looking forward to more in the series.

"we ain't leaving him behind!"


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