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The legend continues

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 27 / 28
Date: June 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

With a "newbie" 100+ page printed manual, a 700+ page PDF manual, as well as "easy" modes for avionics and flight, this game will allow newbies to get into the hardcore flight simulation arena with ease. Training missions are provided with step-by-step instructions in the manuals that will get new users used to the feel of flying an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet. And then the training will proceed to get you fighting in an F-16.

Although this genre has, in the past, catered directly to the "button-pushers", Falcon 4: Allied Force succeeds in bringing in new gamers with a gradual learning curve, while still maintaining that high level of realism as an option. There is something satisfying in learning step-by-step, bit-by-bit, just how to fly a complex piece of machinary like the F-16. And with gradual "realism" settings, you can work up to flying as realistic as a PC simulation can get.

I'm recommending this game to all those sick of shoot em up games who are ready for a real challenge of skill and intelligence.

Best combat avionics sim comercially available.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: June 30, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If you are looking for an arcade flying game, look elsewhere. But if you are interested in how the F-16 really works and how an air war is really organised, then there is no alternative to this sim besides a commercial simulator.

World's # 1 flight sim...for a reason

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 33 / 35
Date: July 01, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This sim first appeared back in 1998, and was in development for 5 years prior to it's release in 1998.

The development continued after the 1998 release up until present day, with thousands of man hours devoted to making the ultimate, most realistic flight simulator in the world...mission accomplished!

Don't believe me?... then check out the video I made today at www.f16c.com/af1.wmv (more videos to come...see www.f16c.com)

So when you add it all up, this sim has now been in development since 1993 or 12 years!

A word of caution...you will not expereince the richness of this sim in one sitting. The learning curve is significant, however, once an accomplished pilot, you and your buddies can go into the most realistic DYNAMIC war campaigns ever created for online multiplayer ever!

Every thing you do causes the war to change dynamically to your efforts in real time. No two campaigns are ever the same as you push back enemy advances.

This is not a Quake3 type game.

The only way to describe it would be to go join the Air Force.

You take off and fly in formation to your target(hundreds of miles), drop your bombs, watch for enemy jets, refuel in mid-air, navigate your way thru enemy air defences, keep an eye on your fuel(so you can make it back to base), protect other jets flying with you, search and destroy moving targets.

The dynamic war uses NATO forces with "tens of thousands" of units - AIR, LAND, and SEA.

You will not find, or expereince, a more advanced dynamic war campaign anywhere.

The maps are real life size and time and cover thousands of square miles.

The immersion of this sim is what stands out the most. It looks and sounds so real, you will be shocked beyond beleif.

If you are tired of the point and shoot games out there, this genre of computer entertainment is sure to please anyone who takes the time to try it.

To ease the learning curve, our Wing is creating training videos that you can view for free on the internet at www.F16C.com.

Drop us an email with your comments.

_Bramage "See you in the Virtual Sky!"

From the Developers, Lead Pursuit LLC

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 24
Date: July 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, the successor of Falcon 4.0, is an advanced F-16 combat flight simulator for the PC. The player takes on the role of a pilot flying a multitude of missions in either the Balkans Theater of Operations or the Korean Theater of Operations in a fully dynamic, evolving war.

The simulation's features include:

* Multiple threads in the code for true Dual Core processor support
* Revamped graphics engine
* Reworked multiplayer engine
* Highly advanced artificial intelligence
* 716 page advanced .pdf manual, 110-page "new player" printed manual
* Reworked dynamic campaign engine
* Brand new theater of operations
* New high resolution models and cockpits
* Highly detailed terrain and airbases
* Intuitive User Interface

The graphics engine supports real-time terrain lighting, dynamically-shaded 3D volumetric clouds and alpha-blended scattered clouds. Fog is also implemented and combined with new high resolution textures on models and the terrain, the visuals are tremendously improved. Highly detailed and clickable cockpits for three different F-16 aircraft are included: the Block 50/52, 40/42 and MLU variants.

The multiplayer engine features a new, problem-free connection method with support for a centralized, server-system style of play for internet and Local Area Network (LAN) games. Performance and reliability have been greatly improved for both custom made missions and campaign flights.

The Dynamic Campaign Engine (DCE) is the war simulator where any event happening in any part of the theater of combat affects the war's direction throughout that theater. How you perform in your mission directly, and proportionately, determines what happens elsewhere. This is true for the tens of thousands of computer controlled entities in the game. It means that the player really feels part of a living war environment, part of something that is evolving around them in real time.

Some of the greatest changes have been to improve the interaction of computer controlled aircraft and the hundreds of ground entities in Falcon 4.0: Allied Force. Thousands of hours of work has led to remarkable improvements in artificial intelligence. During missions, computer-controlled aircraft will perform with precision. The role of the Forward Air Controller (FAC) is now implemented, allowing the player to co-operate with other flight aircraft when carrying out ground attacks. Brand new Air Traffic Control intelligently manages the flights in and out of bases.

The F-16's electronic systems simulated in Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, including the avionics, are the most realistic for the home personal computer. Numerous modes and sub-modes in air-to-air and air-to-ground radar are accurately implemented to immerse the player in the feel of operating a modern combat aircraft.

The new theater of operations is the Balkans. There are three time periods stretching from the mid-1990s to 2010, featuring appropriate aircraft, squadrons and units. Each theater period has three campaigns, making nine in total for the Balkans. Falcon 4.0: Allied Force also features a heavily revised Korean theater and associated campaigns.

Great Fun and Scalable to Varying Levels

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 105 / 109
Date: July 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game/sim is great fun. It has a truly dynamic campaign, which means that your actions do impact the outcome. There isn't another game out there where there is so much going on "in the background" that, aside from playing the game, you can see and use to impact on how you play the game.

I'm no kid, so I don't have time to learn many complex features or learn how to do it on a real F-16. So, while you can have all of the true to life features/requirements of the real jet if you want, you can also scale those down to simplified avionics, etc. There are about 30 training missions with specific instructions on completing them, which cover the major aspects of handling the jet.

As for documentation, if you do want to do all of the "realism" options, you can get plenty of reading material as there is a 716 page .pdf manual).

I would recommend this highly.

AAR's are the order of the day

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 48
Date: July 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Pkg#: 802 Callsign: Rapier Type Msn: Sweep T/O:
0545 TOS/TOT: 0630 Land: 0820
Target: Ivangrad-Mostar
Objectives: OCA Sweep. Prevent strike package from engaging A2A

Name: Ordnance Load: Target:
Rapier 10 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 11 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 12 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep
Rapier 13 512 20mm PGU-28, 2x AIM-120B, 4x AIM-120C, 2x 300 gal DT, ALQ-131 OCA Sweep

C/S: Type Msn: #/Type A/C: TOT: Target:
Sting CAS F/A-18 Dubrovnik
Hornet OCA F/A-18 Podgorica
Snake CAS F-16 Tivat
Focus Alpha EW E-3 N/A

Threat Analysis:
MIG-21Mbis, MIG-23 & MIG-29 in a/o with A-50 support. SA-10 batteries around Sarajevo and Sjenica. SA-6 and SA-11 expected below FL200.

ROE: At will
Alternate Airfield: Amendola, Italy TACAN Ch: 054X
SAR Ch: 102A

AAR Follows:

The Rapier flight departed Amendola and linked up with the F/A-18 strike group. We reached the push point about 60 miles west of Tivat and Focus Alpha called out inbounds out of Mostar. #1 and #2 split north west and each launched a AIM-120B with 2x MIG-29s confirmed. Myself in the #3 position continued till feet dry between Dubrovnik and Tivat. The RWR would flash up with high altitude AA radars and search radars painting fairly regularly. Focus Alpha directed myself and #4 toward Ivangrad and a pair of MIG-21Mbis's showed. I fired inside of 15 miles with a 120B, #4 was late and the 120B went maddog as soon as it left the rails. But not before the MIG-21 got an R-60 off. It went wide but #4 still took shrapnel damage and bugged out west. Both MIG-21s had chutes.

Sting, Hornet and Snake called goal post at this time and reported high concentrations of ZSU-23 and SA-9 activity. 2 Hornets were damaged by AA and Snake had a near miss by an SA-7. Below me an SA-10 lit up, but much to my surprise and relief the missiles went west toward the strike package and ignored my flight completely. That didn't last long - an SA-6 went active about 15 west of Ivangrad. At 25K, the music was on and selected zone 5 west - occasionally beaming the radar to break the lock. I observed 4 missiles come through the clouds, but the launch warning continued long past those initial sightings. I continued to blow west for the coast when the RWR finally stopped yelling. Still, with my head on a swivel I was a bit paranoid. SA's don't stop tracking you unless they have to - and usually when they have a friendly in the area. It didn't take long, Focus called a bogie to my right side at 15 miles, which turned out to be a MIG-21Mbis by the radar. Turning toward I was slow at getting the F-16 radar into ACM mode. He was at 8 miles about 30 right of my nose when I saw the puff's of smoke from the 3 R-60's that left the rails. No choice now but to continue the turn and kick out the flares. The nose was almost dead on, I might've been too close for an AIM-120C shot, but pulled anyway. It went maddog the moment it left the rail and impacted just forward of the empenage. The R-60s reached their gimbal limits and couldnt cut the corner, this time - luckily for me. I reached the coast at about M1.5 having stripped most of my stores except the 2 remaining 120's and the ECM pod on the center. Focus Alpha gave a steer toward Palese Macchie but elected to goto Amendola with the rest of my flight. I never did hear a peep from the A-50 AWACS in the area - that was disconcerting.

Worlds Best Jet Sim Reborn and made Better!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: August 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Originally released in 1998, Facoln 4 was the most intensely realistic jet fighter simulation ever released for public consumption. Along with an eloborate array of funtional control, Falcon 4 sported a "dynamic campaign engine" i.e. a war that raged within the computer with the player flying missions in this war (along with tens of thousand of other artificailly intelligent units on both sides of the conflict). Very cool! It was also very unstable at the time. The combination of playing complexity - the game really disliked functioning at its simpler, easier levels - and instability kept it from becoming a huge commercial success.
I'm leaving out an enormous middle of the Falcon 4 story intentionally; you can do the research and learn about the "guys who wouldn't let Falcon 4 die". Suffice it to say, the folks at Lead Pursuit (the new game's publishers) had a built-in market before they decided to re-vamp the game. The result is a rock solid, super-stable game that can be played at any level of difficulty chosen by the player. Lead Pursuit has already released one patch and seems committed to the Falcon 4's continued improvement. The graphics are not state of the art - yet - but they are passable and the dynamic campaign engine remains as slick as ever. All told, Falcon 4: Allied Force is likely to become/remain (depending upon your view) the standard by which all combat jet sims are measured. Wanna fly?

Big improvement!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: August 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I was a huge fan of Falcon 4 for many years, following the loyal fan base and user-mods long after Microprose abandoned it. Eventually, though, I moved on to other sims and never went back because the installation and upgrade system had become nothing short of voodoo, requiring a strict process for applying patches and mods in order to make it all work and even then it was pretty fragile.

Allied Force packages all the best mods for Falcon 4 and improves on them still further. It runs well on a late model XP machine (not sure how it runs on older PCs) and seems to support modern graphics cards. The dynamic campaign, the heart and soul of the original, has been greatly improved and it is fascinating to watch the battle going on around you. Other reviews cite a much improved multiplayer function although it sounds as though it requires a fair amount of tweaking to get it to work.

If you have never experienced Falcon in any form you may be disappointed by the graphics which are not state of the art for 2005. They are sufficient to support the battle and simulation and represent a good compromise between frame rates and detail. The simulation is definitely what would be called a "study sim". The manual is awesome and HUGE (you have to print it yourself though!). It will take several weeks to really get comfortable with flying the falcon in combat and understanding the mission interface. You need to practice regularly too or you will lose your skills and knowledge quickly. I would also point out that the sim on maximum realism really requires joysticks with many programmable buttons to simulate the HOTAS system found on modern fighters. That said, the sim does allow users to choose a greatly simplified arcade version but no diehard Falcon fan would settle for that!

This is probably the last of the great study sims and it is a big improvement over the original Falcon 4. It is hard to believe there will be sufficient demand for such a hardcore sim to warrant a completely new version in the future so serious simmers should jump on this.

Best falcon release yet

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: August 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Only bug I found is that if you try hooking up LAN by printer ports it doesn't fing the host. Other than that great game!!!

Great Potential for perfect Combat Sim

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: August 03, 2005
Author: Amazon User

For anyone who remembers struggling with the innumerable patches for the original Microprose Falcon 4 will be delighted with the new F4 AF. It is stable and beautifully rendered. For me the big disappointment was that just like the original F4 this initial release does not support more than one controller. This means that I must choose between my HOTAS COUGAR Stick/Throttle or my CH Pro USB Rudder pedals. Even though the rudder action can be entered via the keyboard <,> and <.> keys and the CH Control manager will allow key mapping, the response is unacceptable loss of control during cross wind landings.

Fortunately this deficiency is to be corrected in the near future - according to the manufacturer.

Until I am able to fly this airplane properly I am not planning to explore the vast possibilities of this potentially awesome Flight Combat Sim

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