SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's = Headquarters

Community News for January 12, = 2007

SimHQ=20 New Forums Conversion Update
(2350 GMT, Sunday 14th=20 January)
The forum = conversion has=20 just been completed =97 over 2,100,000 posts.
The = individual member=20 records and PMs are next. Then optimization and checking=20 over
before re-opening. More updates as we receive=20 them.

Aviation & Air Combat=20 News

News Contributors: Doug "Uther" = Lawrence and=20 Ivan Jozic.

FS2002 / FS2004 /=20 FSX:

The Shockwave Aircraft Powerpack has been released. It = contains a load of aircraft for FSX / FS9 and CFS3. It = consists of=20 the earlier CFS3 Firepower add-on, but with an excellent = new P-51D=20 Mustang added, and the Wings of Power Heavy Bombers and = Jets=20 add-on, upgraded for FSX, with the WoP P-51D Mustang as a = bonus.=20 More information here. Thanks to Hans Heerkens for the = news and=20 link.

General News:

Northrop-Grumman to provide the latest version of = their APG-68=20 radar for Pakistani F-16s. Read here.=20
The wreckage of the missing Indonesian airliner found. = Read here.=20
Austria's new government intends to cancel the = Eurofighter=20 order? Read here.=20
India successfully launches its space rocket. Read here.=20
Navy names the P-3 Orion's replacement P-8A Poseidon. = Read here.=20
Tornado aircraft reaches its 25th anniversary. Read here.

Land & Armor Combat News=20

News Contributor: Chuck = "Magnum"=20 Ankenbauer.

PC Land & = Armor=20 News:

Worthplaying has a new = trailer and=20 screenshots of GRAW2.=20
Worthplaying has the = newly updated=20 Armed Assault demo and server = software.=20
'Europa Universalis = III' has gone=20 gold and should be in stores soon according to Worthplaying.=20
GhostRecon.net has news = of a new Ghost Recon tournament.

Console Land = & Armor=20 News:

GameSpot has a preview = of GRAW2 for the 360.=20
Worthplaying has news = that a free=20 multiplayer map has been released for the 360's Call of = Duty 3=20 game.=20
Team Xbox has a preview = of GRAW2. Mark Rein answers the question, =
"Will Gears of War come to = the=20 PC?", thanks to Planet Xbox=20 for the news.=20
GhostRecon.net has a link to a hands = on article=20 for GRAW2.=20
GameTrailers.com has = new videos of=20 GRAW2 and of the new maps for Gears of War.

Naval Combat News=20

News Contributor: Tom = "NightCrawler"=20 Mauk.

This Day in US = Naval=20 History - January 12:

1813 - U.S. frigate Chesapeake captures the = British=20 warship Volunteer.=20
1848 - Sloop Lexington attacked in San Blas, = Mexico.=20
1953 - Aircraft landings are tested aboard = USS Antietam (CVS 36), the = first=20 angled-deck carrier.

Motorsports=20 News

News Contributor: Jens = "McGonigle"=20 Lindblad.

GTR2:

A multi-languange set up guide has been posted at No Grip. We suspect it will also apply = to other=20 racing sims.=20
Barcelona v. 1.05 has been released for GTR2.=20
This Grand Player Editor should come = in handy=20 when tweaking your plr file in GTR2.

rFactor:

Exciting news from Adrenalin Storm, taking rFactor and = the sim=20 racing experience to new heights. Read this post, and then this.

Richard Burns = Rally:

RSRBRIV continues to evolve. Update 4.00.04 is now = available=20 as well as the Hill Climb add-on. Check them out here, and visit the support forum for tips and tricks. =

Technology = News

News Contributor: Bob = "KnightRyder"=20 Nielsen.

Audio:

Elite Bastards tests out the Auzentech = X-Meridian Sound Card here.

Displays:

Hardware Zone checks out the Sony = Bravia=20 KLV-46X200A 46-inch LCD TV (1080p) here.=20
Extreme Tech tests out Gateway's = FPD2485W=20 24-inch Flat Panel Display here.

Graphics Cards:

Beyond3D analyzes NVIDIA'S G80 Image = Quality here.=20
Technic3D has a comparison of ATi's = new Catalyst=20 7.1 Drivers here.

HMD:

Well this looks cool! Thanks to "Beer = Camel" for the=20 link.

Motherboards:

Overclockers NZ tests out Gigabyte's=20 GV-RX195P256D-RH Motherboard here.

PSU's:

Hardware Secrets tests out the HEC = AcePower 480W=20 PSU here.

Community = News for=20 January 11, 2007

Aviation & Air Combat=20 News

News Contributors: Doug "Uther" = Lawrence and=20 Ivan Jozic.

General News:

F-22 squadron to be deployed in Japan early this year. = Read here.=20
U.S. sending stealth fighters to Korea. Read here.=20
Oldest aircraft in US Air Force service gets high = marks in=20 Iraq. Read here.=20
Syria plans to renew its fighter fleet and air = defense. Read=20 here.

Aviation Photos:

Some MiG-35 and MiG-29SMT photos can be found here and here.

Land & Armor Combat News=20

News Contributor: Chuck = "Magnum"=20 Ankenbauer.

PC Land & = Armor News:

FiringSquad looks at Crysis during the CES. Take a = look here.

Naval Combat News=20

News Contributor: Tom = "NightCrawler"=20 Mauk.

This Day in US = Naval=20 History - January 11:

1863 - CSS Alabama sinks USS Hatteras off = Galveston.=20
1900 - The gunboat Princeton takes possession = of the=20 Batan Islands in the northern Philippines.=20
1944 - Aircraft from USS Block Island (CVE 21) = lead the=20 first aircraft rocket attack on a German submarine. =

Motorsports=20 News

News Contributor: Jens = "McGonigle"=20 Lindblad.

GT=20 Legends:

Long Beach 1979 for GT Legends = has made=20 it's appearance and can be downloaded from here.

GTR2:

Long Beach 1979 for GTR2 has = been updated=20 to v1.1.=20
Adria International Raceway has = now been=20 updated to v1.2.

rFactor:

A preview video of the F1 1992 = mod can be=20 viewed from this link.

Technology = News

News Contributor: Bob = "KnightRyder"=20 Nielsen.

Cases/Enclosures:

Big Bruin checks out the Mini-Box.com = M300=20 Mini-ITX Enclosure here.=20
TweakTown looks at the Rosewill = RX353-S 3.5 SATA=20 to USB-e.SATA External Enclosure here.

Cooling:

Bjorn3D checks out the VIZO Igloo = Self-Contained=20 Water Cooling Heatsink here.=20
GideonTech tests out the Zalman = Fatal1ty VGA=20 Cooler here.

Graphics Cards:

AMD/ATi have released version 7.1 of = their=20 Catalyst Driver Suite. Pick them up here.=20
[H]ardOCP Enthusiast has an evaluation = of the=20 ASUS GeForce EN8800 GTX Video Card here.

Motherboards:

EpiaCenter tests out the Jetway = J7F2WE1G5=20 MiniITX Motherboard here.=20
PC Modding Malaysia checks out the = abit AW9D-MAX=20 board here.

General News:

CNET News reports on CES 2007 here.=20
Game Informer discusses DirectX10 with John Carmack here.=20
American Congress to Take Up Net=92s Future. Read here.

Community News = for January=20 10, 2007

Aviation & Air Combat=20 News

News Contributors: Doug "Uther" = Lawrence and=20 Ivan Jozic.

Event=20 Photography:

Edwards AFB Aircraft photos by = "STORM."=20

First Eagles: The = Great Air=20 War 1918:=20

Bristol M.1C Released.

IL-2 Series: Forgotten Battles, = AEP, Pacific=20 Fighters:=20

New Home for Scorched Earth Forums.

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam / Wings=20 Over Europe:=20

Hi Res F-105D update.=20
Spitfire Mk.IX and Pu-2 released.=20
Yankee Air Pirate: HH-53 released.

General News:

F-35 completes its second test flight with flying = colors. Read=20 about it here.=20
An article on the F-22 capabilities observed during = the=20 exercise over Alaska can be read here.=20
Northrop considers withdrawing from the competition = for USAF's=20 new tanker aircraft because of unfair selection criteria. = Read here.=20
Israel is developing the world's largest drone = aircraft for=20 long-range interceptions of ballistic missiles. Read here.=20
Helicopter crew set to make the first helicopter = flight around=20 the world across the poles has reached the South Pole. = Read here.=20
First deployment of the modernized US Air Force ICBM = missiles.=20 Read here.=20
The MiG Corporation plans to enter the competition for = a new=20 Indian light fighter with their MiG-35 fighter. Read about = it here.

General Flight Sims:

An article on general misconceptions on air-to-air = combat can=20 be found here at CombatSim.

Land & Armor Combat News=20

News Contributor: Chuck = "Magnum"=20 Ankenbauer.

PC Land & = Armor=20 News:

Worthplaying has the = just released=20 Armed Assault DEMO patch.=20
Worthplaying also has = the just=20 released Warfront demo.=20
Worthplaying also has = the patch to=20 DEFCON.=20
Armed Assault Zone has the Armed = Assault maps=20 redone without grass, for those with frame rate problems. =

Console Land = & Armor=20 News:

Worthplaying has news = that a new=20 Xbox 360 update is available, as soon as you connect.=20
Gears of War has been = patched=20 through XBL. (Along with 2 new MP maps.)

Naval Combat News=20

News Contributor: Tom = "NightCrawler"=20 Mauk.

This Day in US = Naval=20 History - January 10:

1847 - U.S. Naval forces occupy Los Angeles = during the=20 Mexican-American War for the first time.=20
1917 - The Navy places the first production = order for=20 aerial photographic equipment.=20
1934 - Patrol Squadron 10F flies the first = non-stop=20 formation flight from San Francisco to Pearl Harbor, = Hawaii,=20 arriving Jan. 11.=20
1946 - The first Navy nuclear power school is=20 established at Submarine Base New London, Conn.

Motorsports=20 News

News Contributor: Jens = "McGonigle"=20 Lindblad.

GTR2:

Long Beach 79 from the rFactor GPC =B479 mod has been = converted=20 to GTR2. Download from No Grip.=20
Donington is also now available for GTR2. Download = from No Grip.

rFactor:

Preview videos of the Renault Super Clio mod and for Foxhall Raceway / National Hot Rods. =

Technology = News

News Contributor: Bob = "KnightRyder"=20 Nielsen.

Cases/Enclosures:

bit-tech.net tests out the Zalman = HD135 HTPC=20 Enclosure here.

Cooling:

Overclockers Online checks out the = Cooler Master=20 NotePal P1 Laptop Cooler here.=20
GideonTech tests out the Zalman = Fatal1ty VGA=20 Cooler here.

Graphics Cards:

AMDZone tests the XFX GeForce 8800 GTX = XXX=20 Edition Video Card here.=20
[H] Enthusiast tests out the ASUS = EN8800 GTX=20 card here.

Motherboards:

Hardware Zone tests out the Gigabyte = GA-965P-DS4=20 Rev 2.0 board here.=20
Futurelooks tests out ECS' PN1 SLI2 = Motherboard=20 here.

Community News for = January 9,=20 2007

Aviation & Air Combat=20 News

News Contributors: Doug "Uther" = Lawrence and=20 Ivan Jozic.

Enemy Engaged=20 2:

European Air = War:=20

Two new skysets from "VonBeerhofen."=20

First Eagles: The = Great Air=20 War 1918:=20

Second Marne / Hundred Days Campaign = Pack=20 Updated for Patch.

IL-2=20 Series: Forgotten Battles, AEP, Pacific Fighters:=20

IL-2 Dynamic Campaign Generator 3.32 = Released=20 Early.=20
New movie by Direwolf.

LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / Black = Shark:=20

Black Sea Operations 30 Mission = F-15=20 Campaign preview video.=20
Virtual Panel, a utility to = display=20 aircraft gauges on another monitor, is available here.

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam / Wings=20 Over Europe:=20

F-23A cockpit released.

General News:

Department of Defense rejected the Navy and Air Force = plans to=20 cut down the number of F-35 fighters to be bought in 2008. = Read here.

Boeing delivers 11th F/A-18E/F Block 2 Super Hornet to = NAS Oceana=20 which are equipped with new active electronically scanned = radars.=20 Read here.

The search for the missing airliner in Indonesia = continues.

Lockheed Martin has chosen to manage the supply chain of = Michelin=20 tires for US Air Force and Army aircraft. Read here.

Land & Armor Combat News=20

News Contributor: Chuck = "Magnum"=20 Ankenbauer.

Announcements:

Microsoft Integrates IPTV With Xbox 360 (Thanks to Worthplaying for the news.) During = his=20 keynote speech Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' CES unveiled = IPTV on=20 Xbox 360, which will bring TV services into your home over = broadband networks based on the IPTV Edition software = platform.=20 IPTV on Xbox 360 is expected to be available by holiday = season=20 2007.=20
PC Gamer's Will Join Xbox Live Community (Thanks to Planet Xbox for the news.) = Microsoft=20 announced at International CES that gamer's on Windows = Vista will=20 be able to play several games on the Xbox Live community = right=20 from their PCs and they'll even be able to earn = achievements.=20
Novalogic offering = there games for=20 online purchase and download. (Thanks to Stormtrooper for = the=20 news.)

PC Land & = Armor=20 News:

Fileplanet has new game = footage of=20 Crysis.=20
Armed Assault Zone has a Navy mod for = Armed=20 Assault. (And quite a few other basic infantry type mods = also.)=20
GhostRecon.net has a = new updated SBTO v2 mod for Ghost Recon.=20
SteelBeasts.com has a = few new=20 excellent missions for Steel Beasts Pro PE. (Top right = shows the=20 latest uploads.)

Console Land = & Armor=20 News:

Worthplaying has news = that Gears of War for the Xbox 360 will be = patched=20 today, and new multiplayer maps released soon. =

Naval Combat News=20

News Contributor: Tom = "NightCrawler"=20 Mauk.

This Day in US = Naval=20 History - January 9:

1861 - Union steamer Star of the West is fired = on by=20 the Confederates in Charleston Harbor.=20
1918 - The Naval Overseas Transportation = Service is=20 established to carry cargo during World War I.=20
1945 - Carrier aircraft begin a two-day attack = on=20 Japanese forces at Luzon, Philippines.

Motorsports=20 News

News Contributor: Jens = "McGonigle"=20 Lindblad.

GT Legends:

Watkins Glen with all three layouts is now available = for GT=20 Legends over at No Grip.

rFactor:

Clio Cup Racers mod has been released.=20
FSONE has been updated to version 0.8b and is = available from=20 here.=20
Imola 1994 has been released for rFactor. Visit the = release=20 thread here.

Technology = News

News Contributor: Bob = "KnightRyder"=20 Nielsen.

Audio:

Elite Bastards checks out the = Bluegears=20 b-Enspirer Sound Card here.=20
BurnOutPC tests out the Icemat Siberia = In:Ear=20 Headset here.

Cooling:

ExtremeMhz tests out the CoolIT = Eliminator MTEC=20 Liquid CPU Cooler here.=20
PC Perspective tests the Zalman = Reserator 2=20 Fanless Water Cooling System here.

Graphics Cards:

Modders-Inc tests out the Sapphire = ULTIMATE ATI=20 RADEONT X1950 Pro here.=20
HW Upgrade has a 3-card Radeon X1650 = Comparison=20 here.

PSU's:

RBMods tests the Silverstone = SST-ST40EF 400W=20 Power Supply here.=20
Virtual-Hideout tests the 750W & = 850W Dark=20 Power Pro PSU here.

Community News for January 8, = 2007

Aviation & Air Combat=20 News

News Contributors: Doug "Uther" = Lawrence and=20 Ivan Jozic.

After Action=20 Reports:

IL-2 Series AAR: Black Sheep Chapter = III by=20 "KingAlbert."

Aviation Photos:

A pic of a restored Tu-4 belonging to War Eagle = Museum, Texas,=20 can be found here.

Aviation Videos:

Nice promo video of the F-15 Eagle can be seen here.

EECH / EEAH:

Israeli Camo Apache preview. =

European Air War:=20

First Eagles: = The Great Air=20 War 1918 :=20

MP DF Club.=20
New chat room for everyone to use and set = up MP.=20

FS2002 / FS2004 = /=20 FSX:=20

RAZBAM The Skyraiders Vol2 FS9/FSX = patches.=20

IL-2 Series: = Forgotten=20 Battles, AEP, Pacific Fighters:=20

VMFA-531 is looking for leaders. =

LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / Black = Shark:=20

Training Mission #8.=20
Project Cy-27 is near completion. =

Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam / Wings=20 Over Europe:=20

Top Gun Menu Music v1.0. =

General News:=20

3d Program shows you how to perform = tactics.=20
The January Calendars have been released.=20
First Boeing 737-700ER rolls = out of=20 factory. Read here.=20
Boeing completes the delivery = of=20 remanufactured AH-64D Longbow Apache helicopters for = Egypt.=20
NORAD traces space junk which fell over Wyoming to = the Soviet=20 rocket which had re-entered the atmosphere.

Land & Armor Combat News=20

News Contributor: Chuck = "Magnum"=20 Ankenbauer.

Announcements:

Valve Overhauling their Steam Service. (Thanks to Worthplaying for the news.) Valve = announced=20 that it is overhauling its Steam digital delivery service = next=20 week, adding new features such as Guest Passes, Background = Client=20 Updating, and a completely updated user interface, and = more.=20
ShowTime Launches Broadband Games Service (Thanks = again to Worthplaying for the news.) In a = move to play=20 a dominant role in the enormous growth of the online game=20 industry, Showtime Networks and Broadband Libraries today=20 announced the formation of a joint venture, On Broadband = Networks,=20 offering a GameTap-like service of downloadable games and=20 content.=20
Xbox 360 v2: Codename Zephyr (Thanks to TeamXbox for the=20 news.) Engadget reports that the new console will make = use of=20 the upcoming Xbox 360 processor built on a 65nm process = and in=20 addition, Zephyr will incorporate a built-in HDMI port and = a 120GB=20 hard drive.

PC Land & = Armor=20 News:

GameSpot has a new = Q&A article=20 about Crysis, covering graphics, DirectX, = and Windows=20 Vista. Also included is a new video.=20
GameSpot also has a = preview of Supreme Commander.=20
Worthplaying has the = latest update=20 to Soldner: Secret Wars.=20
The Wargamer has new screenshots of Frontline: Fields of Thunder.=20
The Wargamer also has Blitzkrieg 2: Fall of the Reich = screenshots.=20

Console Land = & Armor=20 News:

GameSpot has a preview = of Command & Conquer 3 for the Xbox = 360,=20 included is a new video.=20
GameSpot also has a = preview of Medal of Honor Vanguard for the Wii.=20
Worthplaying has 16 new = screenshots=20 of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the = Xbox 360.=20

Naval Combat News=20

News Contributor: Tom = "NightCrawler"=20 Mauk.

This Day in US = Naval=20 History - January 8:

1847 - The Battle of San Gabriel takes place in = California. The Navy, Marines and Army defeat the Mexicans = in the=20 battle.=20
1916 - A permanent Marine base (later named = Camp=20 Pendleton) is established in San Diego.=20
1945 - Task Group 77.2 delivers intensive shore = bombardment of landing beaches on Lingayen Gulf. The=20 destroyer/minesweeper, Palmer (DMS) is sunk by = conventional=20 Japanese air attack.

Motorsports=20 News

News Contributor: Jens = "McGonigle"=20 Lindblad.

GT Legends:

Silverstone 1988 is available for GTL here.=20
Winton for GTL can be found at No Grip here.

GTR2:

Twice as many raindrops mod for GTR2. available here at No Grip.

NASCAR Racing 2003 Season / Grand = Prix=20 Legends:

How did we miss this extraordinary Christmas present = from Dave=20 Noonan and The Pits? The full NASCAR Racing and GPL track=20 converters have been released for free download.

netKar PRO:

Monaco for netKar PRO has been released. Visit the = release=20 thread here and download from here.

RC and Scale = Modeling:

Stunning Fully Functional 1:3 Scale = Ferrari=20 312PB. Thanks "HardTale."

rFactor:

Daytona Road Course has been released.=20
Calder Park has been released.

Technology = News

News Contributor: Bob = "KnightRyder"=20 Nielsen.

Cases:

Legit Reviews checks into the Ultra = Products=20 Carbon Fiber Case here.=20
PCApex checks out the Aspire = X-Pleasure ATX Case=20 here.

Cooling:

RBMods looks at the Vizo Armada RAM = Cooler here.=20
techPowerUp tests out the Danger Den = Maze 5 GPU=20 waterblock here.

Graphics Cards:

Altgamer checks out the Sapphire = Ultimate X1950=20 Pro here.=20
NGOHQ checks out the GeForce 7800GS = card here.

Motherboards:

Futurelooks tests out the ECS PN1 SLI2 = motherboard here.=20
Phoronix checks out the ASUS P5B = Deluxe=20 motherboard here.

Support SimHQ by = shopping at=20 Amazon.com!

For gift ideas, = check out the=20 SimHQ Library here.
The Library has just been = updated=20 with many new listings!

A percentage of the = sales made=20 through our Amazon.com links at SimHQ help to keep the doors = open.

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