From: Subject: SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's Headquarters Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 01:14:33 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C5F939.3FEB8960" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C5F939.3FEB8960 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.simhq.com/ SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's = Headquarters
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SimHQ=20 Community News for December 2, 2005=20     Recent=20 Articles    What's Hot in the Forums?
Google SimHQ = Search    Comments or Questions for SimHQ?=20 webmaster@simhq.com
Have News Items = to=20 Contribute? news@simhq.com    =  Looking for = Archived=20 News? Click here!


Sim Cockpit Systems = SCS-F3

Doug=20 "Uther" Lawrence shows us the SCS-F3 with the = Screen=20 Magnifier FL-3 (fresnel lens) in his review here. He also shows = different=20 configurations for the controllers and=20 keyboard.

Battleground Europe = Contest

For=20 registered SimHQ members in Europe: Enter the=20 "Battleground=20 Europe" = Contest where=20 you can win a copy of GMX Media's Battleground = Europe.=20 Read the details here.

Civilization IV versus = Shattered=20 Union

SimHQ Review: = Chuck=20 "Magnum" Ankenbauer is an avid strategy game fan = in=20 addition to squad-based tactical sims. He bought = two=20 recently released games, Civilization IV and = Shattered Union to = see how the=20 genre has progressed. Read his comments here.

GT Legends

SimHQ Review: = SimBin has=20 been one of the brightest stars in the sim = racing world=20 for the past few years, and now GT Legends =97 their = second=20 offering after the well-known GTR =97 has made = it's debut.=20 Jens Lindblad spent considerable time analyzing = the new=20 racing sim. Read Jens 12-page report here.

Jane's F/A-18 "Second = Look"

SimHQ Feature: = The latest=20 in our "Second Look" Series is another of the = all-time=20 most popular flight sims:=20 Jane's F/A-18. Guest Writers Joe Keefe = and Fredi=20 "Bones" Dangoy present the sim's evolution and = what's=20 new in mods. Read their report here.


The SimHQ = Monthly=20 Calendars for December are here.

Community News for=20 December 2, 2005

Air Combat News

News Contributor: Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

After = Action=20 Reports:=20 Falcon 4.0:=20 Allied Force:=20
  • "Jex =3DTE=3D" has = announced that 24 pilots are needed for TE this = weekend.=20
Fighter = Squadron:=20 Scream 'n Demons Over Europe:=20 Event Photography:=20 IL-2 Series: Forgotten = Battles, AEP,=20 Pacific Fighters:=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109G-6 (Capt. Mario = Bellagambi, 364=20 Squadriglia, 150 Gruppo, Sciacca 1943) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109G-6 ('Black 70-4', 70 = Squadriglia,=20 23 Gruppo, 3 Stormo, Cerverteri 1943) skin. =

Jane's Longbow = Series:=20

LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / = Black=20 Shark:=20
  • "Aladar" has released a = new video - Time to impact. =
Screentshots Gallery: = Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam:=20
  • "The Wrench" has released = a new P.11C hangar screen. =
General News:=20
  • "BeachAV8R" has posted a = link to=20 shots of X-Plane v8.20 global scenery.=20
  • =93Skirmish Pack=94 for = =93Babylon 5:=20 I=92ve Found Her =97 Danger and Opportunity,=94 has = been released.=20 Thanks to "Broamanov" for the information.=20
  • "JimK" has posted a link = to a video=20 of low flying Mirage aircraft.=20
  • "shan2" has posted a link = to a free=20 space simulator - Space Combat 1.40.=20
  • "Freycinet" has posted a = link to a=20 video of an aircraft making a dead stick landing.=20
  • Transatlantic crossing attempt = by=20 Aerosonde miniature autonomous aircraft moving ahead = with=20 new itinerary.=20
  • Boeing Begins Production = Retrofit=20 on NATO AWACS Fleet.=20
  • Pentagon Proposes = Extension of F/A-22 Fighter Production Line.=20
  • Sukhoi Chooses Aircraft = Performance=20 Software Pacelab Mission/SCAP for Its Russian = Regional Jet=20 Program.=20
  • F-16 outperformed by Russian = aircraft.=20
  • A380 wake tests prompt call to = reassess=20 all large aircraft.=20
  • Dart Helicopter Services wins = FAA STC=20 approval for 4-Point Shoulder Harness Kit. =

Land Combat News

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

Pre-orders are being taken = for Steel=20 Beasts Pro Personal Edition

If you haven't heard = already, Esim Games is now taking = pre-orders for=20 Steel Beasts Pro = Personal=20 Edition at their web site. According to the = developers=20 Steel Beasts Pro PE is not a = computer game,=20 but a true simulation of modern armor warfare and = tactics.=20 Steel Beasts Pro is used for military units to train = and fight=20 in a virtual combat zone. Steel Beasts Pro "Personal = Edition"=20 is basically the same simulation made for a personal = computer=20 used by those same military persons, and military = enthusiast=20 to practice and learn at home. Steel Beast Pro PE is a = true=20 simulation in the word, therefore all the bells and = whistles=20 that you would see in a computer game will not be in = the=20 released version. (You'll have to wait for the = consumer=20 version titled "Steel Beasts 2" for that, to be = announced in=20 2006.) Steel Beasts Pro PE is selling for $125.00 US = Dollars=20 and only available from Esim Games=20 web site. You can read the SimHQ preview by John = "Spoons"=20 Sponauer here, done back in February 2005. = You can=20 also check out three gameplay videos that were made = and=20 released by Alpha Sierra here, here, and here.

Here is some information = that I was=20 able to gather about Steel Beasts=20 Pro PE:

Maps: "Maps can be = up to=20 20x20km=B2 large in the Personal Edition. That is, = they can be a=20 segment of that size from anywhere within a larger map = which=20 can be modified in the map editor. Here the maps can = be up to=20 80x80km=B2, but it doesn't make sense to have this = size within a=20 normal scenario."

Area of Operation: = "We have=20 a variety of different locations, but SB Pro PE is not = limited=20 or bound to a specific operational framework. We don't = tell a=20 story in it. We have maps of the National Training = Center, Ft.=20 Irwin, Ft. Polk, 29 Palms, CMTC Hohenfels, a part of = southern=20 Sweden, the revamped infamous Beedenbostel map from = Germany,=20 Swan valley, Suzon valley, a couple of fantasy areas, = and of=20 course all the height maps from Steel Beasts 1." =

Missions: "We're = currently=20 in the selection process. There won't be many actually = (but=20 there will be more to download from day one of the = release) -=20 I expect a dozen, maybe up to 20 different scenarios = (not=20 counting map variations to turn a scenario from summer = into=20 winter setting)."

Worthplaying has the demo for = Hammer and Sickle Here.

Worthplaying also has new = screenshots of=20 R6: Lockdown here.

Worthplaying also has a developer = chat for=20 Ghost Recon: Advance=20 Warfighter here.

Hearts of Iron 2: Doomsday has = there new web=20 site up and running.

Matrix=20 Games signs Battleground Europe. "Matrix Games = and=20 Playnet are very proud to announce a partnership to = bring the=20 new World War II Online: Battleground Europe to North = America=20 for the first time via the Matrix Games digital = download=20 system." Read the full story here.

GhostRecon.net has a new winter = map for=20 Ghost Recon here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = "Teddy=20 B=E4r".

Naval After Action=20 Reports: "Herman" has posted a Harpoon AAR - Qian Kong Kuai = [Spoiler=20 Alert]. Thanks "Uther".=20

Navy News reports that "In = waters off=20 Scotland, hunter-killer submarine HMS Trafalgar had = frigate=20 HMS St
Albans in her sights in a game of = cat-and-mouse -=20 just one element of the world-renowned Perisher = course,=20 educating future submarine executive and commanding = officers."=20 Full story here.

Motorsports News

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

"Wegberg 1967; The Haybale Incident" is a new = "documentary"=20 movie by atumno about this almost forgotten but = historically=20 very important race. The recreation in GPL is well worth the = download.

A Fiat Abarth = S1600 ATR=20 Punto has been released for Richard Burns Rally = and can be=20 downloaded from here.

News from First/iRacing: "iRacing.com = Motorsport=20 Simulations=92 Exactrac technology transforms the raw = point=20 cloud of a race track into a drivable virtual model = that is=20 accurate in all three dimensions to within = millimeters. The=20 technology will also be applied to modeling a race car = chassis. The end result is a cost effective, PC based=20 closed-loop racing simulator useful to race drivers = and=20 engineers alike."

Technology=20 News

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

ThinkComputers looks at the Altec Lansing XT1 = portable=20 speakers here.

PC = Perspective=20 tests out Asus' = A8R-MVP Xpress=20 200 Crossfire motherboard here.

Hardware=20 Secrets checks out the ATI=20 Radeon X1300 Pro video card here.

Overclockers Online checks out = Creative's Sound Blaster = X-Fi Xtreme=20 Music sound card here.

The = Tech=20 Report checks out the DFI=20 LANParty UT RDX200 CD-DR motherboard here.

Trusted=20 Reviews tests the Hyundai=20 ImageQuest Q90U - 3ms 19" LCD monitor here.

GDHardware=20 has a GeForce = 7800GT=20 video card roundup here.

SystemCooling tests out the Thermalright V1 Ultra = video=20 card cooler here.

Community News for = December 1,=20 2005

Air Combat News

News Contributor: Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Battle of Britain 2: Wings = of=20 Victory:

  • "maususer" has released = 16 fresnels for 2.03 weather and = time of day.=20
  • "Old Dux" has posted Recognition test #3/3b.=20
  • "killdevil" has posted a = shot of=20 the latest terrain project results. =
European Air War:=20
  • "Vonbeerhofen" has posted = a preview=20 of enlarged ground objects.=20
  • "Vonbeerhofen" has posted = information on more colors in extended stock = palettes.=20
  • "Flying Tiger" has posted = a preview=20 of new mainscreens for the Flying = Tigers=20 scenario.
Event=20 Photography:=20
  • "Top Gun" has posted more = Nellis Airshow pictures. =
Falcon 4.0: Allied = Force:=20 FS2002 /=20 FS2004:=20

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

  • "Graf" has released a new = wallpaper - Redemption. =
Jane's F/A-18:=20 Jet Thunder:=20
  • Pablo Diez has released = three videos - Pucaras and Mirages on = Ceibo=20 2005.
RC = and Scale=20 Modeling:=20 Screentshots Gallery: =
  • "bisher" has posted X3 screenshots.=20
  • "Tripoli" has posted a = series of=20 shots - Kamikazee Attack.=20
  • "SimFreak" has posted = shots of a SMERCH launch.=20
  • "Shadow_12TFS" has posted = a digital painting of a P-51D - = Ridge=20 Runner.
Strike=20 Fighters / Wings Over Vietnam:=20
  • "tflash" has posted a = preview of SAM site engagement zones on the = planning=20 map.=20
  • "capun" has announced the = release=20 of the Cessna T-37C Tweety Bird (Beta). =
  • "Zurawski" has released a = PZL P.11c update.

Land Combat News

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

"xhan2000" has released two = Operation Flashpoint = videos=20 well worth checking out. You can download them here and here.

If that wasn't enough = excitement for=20 you, Peter Kemendi a.k.a. "Daskal", has released a = T-72 Balkans on Fire = video here.

Worthplaying has a few new screens = and game=20 information about East = Front here.

Fileplanet=20 has the new and improved Quake=20 4 single/multiplayer demo here.

GameSpy has a=20 new mini-site for F.E.A.R. here.

IGN = has news,=20 gameplay information, and screens of Hearts of Iron 2: = Doomsday here.

Strategyinformer has a new review = for Blitzkrieg II here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = "Teddy=20 B=E4r".

Buy Silent Hunter III and get a free game! At = least for=20 our British mates. Go on, be a nice guy and get that = game for=20 your nephew, you know you want Silent Hunter III. Find out = the=20 details here.

Motorsports News

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

Ford Focus RS WRC 03 for = Richard Burns Rally = has been=20 released, with car skins for Martin/Park and = Duval/Prevot=20 skins. Here at Blackhole=20 Motorsports are the download instructions as well = as some=20 screenshots of the new car.

New drivers for = Thrustmaster steering = wheels=20 have been released, including support for 64-bit = Windows and=20 an "invert pedals" option. Download them from the official site.

Technology=20 News

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

FrostyTech=20 checks out the Arctic = Cooling=20 Silencer 64 Ultra <= /SPAN>here.

Hardware-Review looks at the BFGTech GeForce 7800 GTX = OC=20 256MB PCI-E video card here.

Guru3D checks=20 out the CoolerMaster = Musketeer=20 3 cooler here.

Tweaknews=20 tests the Enermax=20 Liberty 400W power supply here.

bit-tech=20 tests the Epox=20 EP-8NPA SLI motherboard here.

AMDZone=20 checks out the Gigabyte=20 K8N51PVMT-9 motherboard here.

ViperLair=20 tests the Seagate = Momentus=20 7200.1 100GB HDD here.

LanAddict=20 checks out the XG = Vortec=20 600W PSU here.

Hardware=20 Secrets reviews the ATI=20 Radeon X1300 Pro here.

Hooked on the web? Help is on the = way. Read=20 here.

Community News for = November 30,=20 2005

Air Combat News

News Contributor: Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Aircraft Photography: =

  • "Blacklion" has posted = shots of a=20 Russian Jetliner taking off.=20
  • "249th_Jeevz" has posted = an inflight shot of a BiPlane. =
Battle of Britain 2: Wings = of=20 Victory:=20
  • "Shocker1000" has posted = a link to=20 the IGN review.
European Air War:=20
  • "DeanH" has released new = 3D desktops.=20
  • "Captain Kurt" is looking = for=20 feedback on choosing the P-40 tail wheel.=20
  • "Pobs" has posted a = preview of ground attack targets in Spain.=20
  • Sandbagger's latest news has been posted. =
FS2002 / FS2004:=20
  • Wings of Power: The P47 Thunderbolt update has been = released.=20
Helicopter = Sims:=20

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

  • "aussie jim" has posted = Western Front campaign WIP pics. =
  • "VBF_80_Possit" is = looking for unmarked winter skins for a = Hyperlobby=20 COOP campaign (Murmansk map).
Screentshots Gallery: =
  • "PanzerMeyer" has posted = shots of a=20 Su-25T in action. =
Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam:=20
  • "capun" has announced the = release=20 of Task Force 1.=20
  • "capun" has released Cessna A-37x, T-37x eye candy.=20
  • "soulfreak" has posted a = preview of=20 GAF TF-104G skins.=20
  • "Murphy'S" has announced = that Team=20 Mirage has released several updated (IIIC & = IIICJ) and=20 new (IIICJ2 & IIIi) Mirage aircraft.=20
  • "RussoUK2002" has = announced the=20 release of the P-47N-15.

Land Combat News

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

Big news from Battlefront.com: DROPTEAM! is = using High=20 Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering. Check out the 58 new=20 screenshots here. For more=20 information about the game, click here.

The Press Announcement:

DropTeam is TBG / = Battlefront's=20 upcoming "realistic" Sci-Fi game about mechanized = combat in=20 the far future, compatible for the PC, Mac and Linux = systems.

In short, DropTeam uses = advanced=20 lighting and postprocessing effects including High = Dynamic=20 Range rendering and full-scene glow. These = techniques make=20 atmospheric lighting and bright light sources more=20 realistic. For example, muzzle flashes, ion beams, = and=20 bright sunlight cause "glare" that obscures the = outlines of=20 intermediate objects and throws them into sharp = silhouetted=20 contrast.

Clay Fowler from TBG = Software=20 explains how HDR works -

A device's "dynamic = range" is the=20 difference between the darkest color it can display = (or=20 detect) and the brightest color it can display. = Monitors=20 have far less dynamic range than the human eye. = Images=20 displayed on our monitors, even in 32 bit color, = only have 8=20 bits of precision for each color component (red, = green,=20 blue). That means there are only 256 levels of = "brightness"=20 possible on our screens! The human eye, in contrast, = has=20 either millions of levels of brightness or an = infinite=20 number of levels, depending on who you believe, but = either=20 way it's much greater than 256. When you stand = outside and=20 look through the trees at the sun, you're seeing = some very=20 dark colors in the shadows of the leaves all the way = up to=20 searing bright colors from the sun itself - a high = RANGE of=20 intensities.

Hence the graphic = industry's=20 quest for "High Dynamic Range" rendering. HDR is an = attempt=20 to render an image where the dynamic range is closer = to the=20 human eye's - so the bright parts of the image are = really=20 WAY brighter than the other parts, etc. As stated = above,=20 consumer grade video displays are only capable of = rendering=20 256 different levels of brightness, so how can we = really=20 increase the dynamic range of that image on the = monitor to=20 attain this vaunted "High Dynamic Range?"

Of course, we can't. = The=20 hardware's not capable. But what we can do is this = commonly=20 used post-processing effect which the industry calls = "High=20 Dynamic Range Rendering":

1. Render the = scene to a=20 floating point texture instead of to the screen. = Colors in=20 this texture have a truly High Dynamic Range = (beyond the=20 normal 0...1 range of normal textures, e.g. the = sun can=20 have an intensity of 2.0 or 3.0).

2. Do a separable = Gaussian blur=20 on the bright regions of the float texture to = obtain a=20 "glow" map.

3. Add the float = texture and=20 glow texture together (so now the glow has been = added to=20 each pixel).

4. "Tone map" = the=20 "glowed", high range floating point texture back = down into=20 the normal 0...1 range. Tone mapping is a way to = map the=20 high range float values down into the normal 0...1 = range=20 for displayable textures (basically by decreasing = the=20 contrast of the darker parts of the scene and = darkening=20 those areas even more than they already are). = There's no=20 magic here - information IS LOST in the mapping, = 'cuz we=20 only have the normal 0...1 range of intensities to = work=20 with now. Tone mapping usually is as simple as = saying=20 newColor =3D original color to the power of 0.555 = or some=20 other fraction.

5. Render this tone = mapped=20 texture to the screen as the final=20 image.

For DropTeam, Pixel = Shader 3.0 is=20 not required for HDR to work. It runs even on low = end NVidia=20 5200 cards and older Radeons (though it does hit = performance=20 on those older architectures, as ANY shaders=20 do!)

Land=20 Combat Screenshots Gallery:

  • "Ironroad" has posted Vietnam War screenshots.=20
  • "Tripoli" has posted a = series of Wild West shots. Thanks "Uther". =

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = "Teddy=20 B=E4r".

Navy News=20 features a video of the USS Arizona Fallen Marines=20 Memorial in honor of the marines at the bombing = in=20 Pearl Harbor.

Motorsports News

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

Some beautiful new = screenshots from=20 netKarPRO are = here. This looks like one to = watch!

CoffeDrinker has posted a = video of=20 Live for Speed = in the=20 Screenshots forum.

"TBird66" has let us know here that the first GT Legends patch is = released.=20 Download it from here.

Technology=20 News

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

Extensive=20 Mods tests out the Altec=20 Lansing AHS602i gaming headset here.

HotHardware looks at the ASUS Extreme N6600GT = Silencer=20 video card here.

ViperLair=20 checks out the Cooler = Master=20 Centurion 531 cooler here.

CNET has an=20 Intel versus AMD=20 Dual-Core desktop CPU bout here.

Virtual-Hideout looks at the ECS KN1 SLI Extreme = motherboard=20 here.

Pro-Clockers=20 tests the fUnc = 1030=20 Archetype mouse pad here.

Trusted=20 Reviews has a Mid-Range=20 Graphics Card round-up here.

ExtremeTech tests the Shuttle XPC M1000 = home theater=20 PC here.

OCModShop=20 has a new article about overclocking and why = people do=20 it. Read here.

Community News for = November 29,=20 2005

Air Combat News

News Contributor: Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

European Air War: =

  • "vonOben" has updated the = FAW page.=20
  • "Crashin' Jack" has = updated the VCG file editing tutorial on the = Wiki.=20
  • "Mr. Johnson. (the 6th)" = has posted=20 a preview of barrage balloons.=20
  • "Captain Kurt" has posted = a P-40E (HR) progress report.=20
  • "VonBeerhofen" has added = another watertile to FXEXE. =
IL-2 Series: Forgotten = Battles, AEP,=20 Pacific Fighters:=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109F-4 (Yellow 1, Lt. Hermann = Graf,=20 9./JG 52, Kharkov-Rogan 1942) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109F-4 (Yellow 9,Uffz. Alfred = Grislawski, 9./JG 52, Kharkov 1942) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109F-4 (Yellow 9, Fw. Walter = Schuck,=20 9./JG 5, Petsamo/Finland 1943) skin.=20
  • "Macwan_SFM" has released = two RNZAF Avenger skin packs.=20
  • "UF_Zargos" has released = a new P-47D-27 (EC 2/2 Alsace plane, = Cpt.=20 Lemaire, Friedricshafen 1948) skin.=20
  • "UF_Zargos" has released = a new P-47D-27 (EC 1/2 Cigognes Head = Quarters,=20 Cpt. Trulla, Coblence-Andernach 1948) skin. =
Jane's F/A-18:=20
  • "Bib4Tuna" has released a = new cloud mod.

LOMAC / Flaming = Cliffs /=20 Black Shark:

  • "CaptCanada" has released = a new movie.
Screenshots Gallery:=20
  • "Ironroad" has posted a = FAC shot.=20
  • "Magnum MGG" has posted a = series of=20 F-15 shots.=20
  • "249th_Jeevz" has posted = a shot of=20 a Beechcraft over Kansas City.=20
  • "Lemon" has posted a shot = of a Spitfire flying in poor weather. =
Strike = Fighters /=20 Wings Over Vietnam:=20
  • "dfang" has posted a F-16 lights fix.=20
  • "Gepard" has released a = beta Battle of Britain terrain.=20
  • "Edward" has announced = the release=20 of a WWII Solomons All Inclusive Mod. =
  • "The Wrench" has released = a new Korean War Banshee skin.=20
  • "capun" has announced the = release=20 of the beta Cessna T-37B.=20
  • "fubar_512" has released = a Soviet Comms file. =
General News:=20
  • "Orlando" has posted a = link to a=20 video of Battlestar Gallactica mod for = Free Space=20 2.=20
  • Matrix Games has a = big=20 holiday sale event going on. Take a look here.

Land Combat News

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

Strategy Informer has a review of = Vietcong 2 here.

The=20 WarGamer has news that the most violent video = games list=20 is out, and surprisingly there are no simulations or = even true=20 tactical shooters on the list. Read it here.

The = WarGamer=20 also reports on a rumor that Stainless Steel = Studios is=20 closing down. Read it here.

Naval Combat = News

News Contributor: = "Teddy=20 B=E4r".

Navy News Australia reports that = HMAS Collins returned = to Fleet=20 Base West in early November after completing a long = Full Cycle=20 Docking (FCD) in Adelaide. Full story here.

Down to the wire... solving = a 60-year=20 mystery. Has a length of nondescript copper wiring, = found 20=20 meters beneath the waves and in the sand near Lion = Island in=20 Broken Bay, finally solved the mystery of what = happened to the=20 Japanese midget submarine that went missing after it = attacked=20 Sydney Harbor 63 years ago? Full story here. Thanks to SimHQ Member "CV" = for the=20 news.

Motorsports News

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

Patch 1.1 for GT Legends is out and = expands=20 multiplayer mode from 12 drivers to a whopping 36. = Download=20 the patch from the GT=20 Legends homepage.=20

Also, patch 1.5 for GTR has been = released,=20 increasing multiplayer stability. Download it from here.

The GN70 Mod might come to = NASCAR HEAT, = according to this source.

Technology=20 News

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

The = Tech=20 Report tests out Abit's=20 Fatal1ty AN8 SLI motherboard here.

Trusted=20 Reviews checks out the Asus=20 A8N32-SLI Deluxe x16 SLI motherboard here.

Legion=20 Hardware looks at the Asus=20 Extreme AX700 Silencer here.

GotApex looks=20 at the Asus Extreme = AX800=20 Silencer here.

Tweaknews=20 tests the ATI All = in Wonder=20 Radeon X800XL Multimedia PCI Express video card = here.

Velocity=20 Reviews looks at Das=20 Keyboard here.

Tweaktown=20 looks at the Gigabyte = 955X=20 Royal motherboard here.

ViperLair=20 tests the Zalman = CNPS9500=20 LED heatsink here.

Community News for = November 28,=20 2005

Air Combat News

News Contributor: Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

A-OK! The Wings of = Mercury:

Pyramid=20 Design has announced the release of a new version = of its=20 popular space simulator, A-OK! The Wings of = Mercury for=20 Windows XP (and MacOS) bringing this technically and=20 historically accurate simulation to the Windows = platform for=20 the first time. In addition to being available on = Windows,=20 A-OK! The Wings of Mercury 3.5 also features the = following=20 improvements:

  • New=20 Mercury, Redstone and Atlas vehicle 3D models =
  • New=20 Redstone and Atlas launch facility 3D models=20
  • Improved=20 program performance and frame rate=20
  • New=20 cloud generation=20
  • Freedom 7 capsule = now=20 available for suborbital = missions

Screenshots for the space = sim are=20 available here, here, here and here. For more info, click=20 here.

Battle=20 of Britain 2: Wings of Victory:

  • Marcel Aerni has released = new terrain textures.=20
  • "Bader" has released Hurricane Multiskin v1. =
EECH / EEAH:=20
  • "Kimchoc1" has announced = the 911 server is back online. =
European Air War:=20
  • "RAF_Dumoulin" has posted = screenshots of the latest online = meet.=20
  • "Skylark" has released a = new P-51D ("Janie", Maj William = Price, 350th=20 FS, 353rd FG. 8th.A.F. England 1944) skin.=20
  • "sydbod" has posted a = series of screenshots.=20
  • Sandbagger's latest news has been posted.=20
  • "Col. Gibbon" has posted = a preview=20 of the new P-51D.
Event Photography:=20
  • "RSColonel_131st" has = posted Draken pictures.
FS2002 / FS2004:=20

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

  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109E-3 (Oblt. Hans = Scmoller-Haldy,=20 3.J/88, Spain 1939) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Bf-109F-4 ('White 11', Ofw. = Albert=20 Espenlaub, 1./JG 27, El Adem 1941) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new Fw-190F-2 (Red F', II./Schl.G 1, = Deblin/Poland, March 1943 ) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new He-162A-2 (Lt. Gerhard Hanf, = 2./JG 1,=20 Leck/Germany, April 1945 ) skin.=20
  • "CanonUK" has released a = new He-162A-2 (Black 27', Bernburg, = April=20 1945) skin.=20
  • "Tchaika." has released a = new G.50 (150a Sqa and 352a Sqa) = skins pack.=20
  • "Greg_Boyington" has = released Ki-43-I Historical Skinpack Vol = 3.=20
  • "Kristorf" has released a = new P-40 (Lt Cecil O Dean, = 'Sawtooth', 317 FS)=20 skin.=20
  • Kristorf" has released a = new P-40 (Sqn Ldr R Cresswell, 77 = Sqn RAAF,=20 New Guinea 1942) skin.=20
  • "Freycinet" has posted a = link to a=20 Luftwaffe trivia quiz.=20
  • "Monstad" has posted the = results=20 from Screen Shot Art's 11th IL-2 Series Competition.=20
  • "Graf" has released a new = wallpaper - Galland's Hunters.=20
  • "Hynkel" has released La-5F-FN skinpack vol. 1.=20
  • "cueceleches" has posted = a new=20 screenshot - Gotha attacking!
LOMAC / Flaming Cliffs / = Black=20 Shark:=20 Pit Builders:=20 Screentshots Gallery: =
  • "Alex41" has posted a = shot of a=20 parked P-51D.=20
  • "boredvietboi4o8" has = posted F-14 shots.=20
  • "pol" has posted a shot = of F-15's at high altitude. =
Strike Fighters / Wings Over = Vietnam:=20
  • "fubar_512" has released = a Sea Sparrow launch video.=20
  • "capun" has announced the = release=20 of the Henschel Hs-129B-2.=20
  • "Zurawski" has released = the Alpha PZL P.11c Fighter.=20
  • "LloydNB" has announced = the release=20 of the JU-88A-11 II./LG 1.=20
  • "SoulFreak" has released = 3 WTD 61 GAF Skins.=20
  • "Saguanay" has released a = new F-4D=20 non-historical mission.=20
  • "The Wrench" has released = a new VF-211 FJ Fury skin.=20
  • Paul Nortness has = released a new F/A-18 (VFA-22 Redcocks) skin. =

Land Combat News

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

Gamespot has=20 a review of Battlefield 2:=20 Special Forces here.

Worthplaying reports on a = community boycott=20 of Call of Duty 2. "Member of the = official=20 Infinity War forums are up in arms over the lack of = support=20 and communication from Activision and Infinity Ward, = and are=20 planning a 24 hour server boycott to take down their=20 multiplayer servers. The people have been disgruntled = for a=20 little while because of the lack of information = regarding Call=20 of Duty 2 in terms of future support, especially = anti-cheat /=20 Punkbuster integration, etc. but what made the pot = boil over=20 was a recent interview with IW's CEO claiming there is = a lack=20 of interest from the community, and no mods available. = In the=20 meantime tons of clans and its members have announced = their=20 support of the boycott."

GhostRecon.net has news of a = developer chat=20 coming soon for Ghost = Recon:=20 Advance Warfighter, along with news of a GR:AW = preview=20 here, and finally news that the = official web=20 site has been re-done and updated. Check out the = official=20 GR:AW web site