SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's = Headquarters

Community News for=20 September 29 - October 1, 2006

Aviation & = Air Combat=20 News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Announcements:

From Combatsim =97 Aircraft=20 Powerpack Goes Gold.

Wild Hare Entertainment, and Shockwave = Productions is=20 pleased to announce that Aircraft Powerpack for = Microsoft=20 Flight Simulator X=AE, Microsoft Flight Simulator = 9=AE and=20 Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3=AE has gone gold = and will=20 be released into retail outlets by October = 18th.

Featured Aircraft: B17F and B17G "Flying = Fortress" , B29A=20 "Super Fortress", B24D and B24J "Liberator", PB4Y-2=20 "Privateer", Lancaster BIII and "Grand Slam", Ar234 = "Blitz=20 Bomber", Ta183 "Huckebein" and He162=20 "Salamander".

While "Uther" is away on leave for a while, Ivan = has=20 volunteered to be an interim Air Combat News = Contributor=20 until his return. Thank you, Ivan.

Real World=20 Aviation:

After the parade has gone: no honorable ending = for a=20 hero plane. Sometimes it's better not to make it.. = Really.=20 See the heartbreakening photo posted in the ARC Forums.

Land Combat

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

Announcements:

Congratulations to America's=20 Army. In it's first week of release, the new = updated=20 version of America's Army, sub-titled Special = Forces:=20 Overmatch v2.7 has been downloaded over 2 million = times.=20
Did you know that SimHQ recently launched it's = own=20 dedicated teamspeak server and Americas Army server? Check them = both out=20 and see you on the virtual battlefield.=20
Did you know? Direct2Drive has re-designed = their web=20 site and have started offering new downloads = including=20 movies and TV shows, along with a collection of PC = games.=20 What you may not also know is that besides some of = the more=20 common, new releases advertised on their front page, = if you=20 go into their dedicated genre types of games you'll = find=20 some hard to find classics like Ghost Recon and = Raven Shield=20 for example. This appears to be the future of = digital=20 download delivery, and worth a checking out. =

Game News:

The Wargamer has new screenshots of = Warhammer: Mark of Chaos.=20
GameSpot has a new designer = diary article=20 related to Medieval 2: Total War.=20
GameSpot has new movies of BioShock.=20
GameSpot also has new = screenshots of Warhammer Online and Field Ops.=20
And finally from GameSpot ,=20 new screens of the just gone gold Battlefield 2142.=20
Worthplaying also has new = screenshots of=20 Warhammer: Mark of Chaos and of = Hellgate London.

From the Forums:

"Cueceleches" has posted more screenshots of = Steel=20 beasts Pro (PE). Check them out here.=20
"Heinzi" has posted a new video of The Regiment. = Check=20 it out here.

Naval Combat = News

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

Pacific = Storm:

CGOnline has reported that it = has shipped=20 to retailers in North America, so Lesta Studios' = World War=20 II action/RTS hybrid is hitting stores a bit earlier = than=20 first announced.

This=20 Day in Naval History - September 29

1944 - USS Narwhal (SS 167) evacuates 81 = Allied=20 prisoners of war that survived the sinking of = Japanese=20 Shinyo Maru from Sindangan Bay, Mindanao.=20
1946 -Lockheed P2V Neptune, Truculent = Turtle,=20 leaves Perth, Australia, on a long-distance = non-stop,=20 non-refueling flight that ends October 1.=20
1959 - USS Kearsarge (CVS 33), with = Helicopter=20 Squadron 6 and other 7th Fleet units, begins six = days of=20 disaster relief to Nagoya, Japan, after Typhoon = Vera.=20

Motorsports News

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

Event Photography:

"Saint Viper" has posted = some=20 magnificent shots from the past week-end's Champ Car = race at=20 Road America here.

rFactor:

An update to the Alfa 147 = GTR mod=20 has been posted at rFactor Central. Get the patch here.

3D"The

Technology = News

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

Business = News:

HP will be buying VooDooPC. Read here at arstechnica.com.=20
AMD Opens New North American Chip Design Center = in Fort=20 Collins, Co. Read here at Hot Hardware.

Processors:

ExtremeTech checks out the Core = 2 Extreme=20 Quad QX6700 here. Hot=20 Hardware also has a performance review here.

Community News for September = 28, 2006

Aviation & = Air Combat=20 News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Announcement:

"Uther" will be away on leave for a while, so we = need an=20 interim Air Combat News Contributor until his = return. HTML=20 knowledge would be nice, but not essential. = Interested?=20 Please email "guod". =

FSX:

Gamespot has 3 new screens here.

Land Combat

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

Major SimHQ=20 Announcement:

SimHQ's Land Combat multiplayer area is now = open for=20 business! Read the details here.

Naval Combat = News

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

Deep=20 Six: =

Deep-Six = Online=20 has new screenshots for your viewing pleasure for = this=20 in-development sub warfare PC game. You can review = them here.=20

This Day = in Naval=20 History - September 28:

1822 - Sloop-of-war Peacock captures five = pirate=20 vessels.=20
1850 - Congress outlaws flogging on Navy = ships.=20
1923 - Navy aircraft take first and = second places=20 in international Schneider Cup Race.=20
1944 - Marines occupy islands in Palaus = under=20 cover of naval aircraft and gunfire support.=20
1964 - First deployment of Polaris A-3 = missile on=20 USS Daniel Webster (SSBN 626) from Charleston, S.C. =

Motorsports News

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

Community:

Impressons and videos regarding the use of Track = IR in=20 racing sims: Visit this thread.

rFactor:

Jiading, looking very much like = the=20 Shanghai circuit which will be hosting the Chinese = Grand=20 Prix this week-end has been released for rFactor by = ISI.=20

Technology = News

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

Audio:

Virtual-Hideout tests out the = Bluegears=20 b-Enspirer 7.1 Sound Card here.

Cases:

VIAArena checks out the NZXT = LEXA Classic=20 Case here.
Techgage tests out the Spire = Pininfarina=20 Case here.

Cooling:

Thinkcomputers.org checks out = the=20 Thermalright Ultra-120 CPU Cooler here.

Graphics Cards: =

ViperLair tests out the HIS = X1650Pro IceQ=20 Turbo Dual DL-DVI 256MB GDDR3 PCIe Video Card here.
Neoseeker tests out the X1300 XT = &=20 X1650 Pro cards here.

Event:

HardOCP reports on day one of the Intel = Developer Forum=20 Fall 2006 here.

Motherboards: =

Bit-Tech checks out the Sapphire = PURE=20 Crossfire PC-AM2R580 motherboard here.
OC3D tests out the Abit AB9 P965 = Skt 775=20 Conroe Motherboard here.

Community News for September = 27, 2006

Aviation & = Air Combat=20 News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Announcement:

"Uther" will be away on leave for a while, so we = need an=20 interim Air Combat News Contributor until his = return. HTML=20 knowledge would be nice, but not essential. = Interested?=20 Please email "guod".
The Eastern Front Expansion for Down = in Flames=20 is now on sale. The Eastern Front Expansion adds 29 = new=20 planes (including for the first time: jets!), 2 new = nations,=20 new pilot and wingman skills, and over a dozen new = campaigns=20 along with new gameplay enhancements, customizable = dogfights=20 and greatly improved A.I. to fly against. Learn more = at Battlefront.com.=20
From BluesNews: Air Assault Task = Force=20 Announced.

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

"KingAlbert" has posted the 361st : Chapter 4 - Airfield = Attack.=20
"luke97" has news of New TrackIR 4 Alpha Drivers. =

Land Combat

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

Major SimHQ=20 Announcement:

SimHQ's Land Combat multiplayer area is now = open for=20 business! Read the details here.

Announcements:=20

American Conquest: Anthology Announced (Thanks = to The Wargamer for the news.) = "CDV has=20 announced that they will soon offer American = Conquest=20 Anthology, a collection of their real time strategy = titles=20 from American Conquest series. The Anthology, which = includes=20 American Conquest, American Conquest: Fight Back and = American Conquest: Divided Nation, is being hailed = as a=20 must-have for collectors and a great way to get into = the=20 series for newcomers. The breadth of all three = titles lets=20 players relive events from American history from the = period=20 of 1492 to 1865. The collection includes a total of = over 100=20 missions, 25 campaigns and 22 nations. The diverse=20 campaigns, random map generator and online (LAN and=20 Internet) multiplayer modes will keep players = battling=20 through history for months. American Conquest: = Anthology is=20 expected to ship to North American retail in = November=20 2006."

Game = News:

The Wargamer has new screenshots = of Field Ops.
Direct2Drive is now selling Faces of War for digital = download.
GameSpot reviews Just Cause, including a video = review.=20
GameSpot also reviews Joint Task Force and Faces of War.
And finally from GameSpot,=20 a hardware tweak article for Company of Heroes.
Worthplaying has new screenshots = of Field Ops.
Worthplaying also has news that = DEFCON has gone gold.
And Worthplaying shares there own = review for=20 Company of Heroes.
GhostRecon.net has a new Ghost = Recon=20 campaign for download.
SteelBeasts.com has a few new SB = Pro PE=20 missions for download. (You can see the new ones = listed on=20 the right side of the main page.)
VBS1 Resources site also has 2 = new=20 downloads/scenarios. (Will only see them if a = registered=20 owner/member.)

From the = Forums:=20

Don't forget to share your screens and videos in = our=20 forum, along with some nice after action reviews. = Content=20 doesn't grow on trees... members need to post their = stuff!=20

Naval Combat = News

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

Pacific=20 Storm:

CGOnline=20 has a 2 part interview with Aleksey Pshekhonov, = Producer at=20 Buka Entertainment, about the upcoming World War II=20 real-time strategy title. Read both parts here.=20

Worthplaying reports = that=20 CDV Software Entertainment = USA and=20 Buka Entertainment have released four new = screens. You can view them here.=20

Pirates of = the Caribbean:=20 The Legend of Jack Sparrow:

SUBSIM=20 has just posted a review of this big screen to PC = pirate=20 game. You can read it here.=20

This Day in = Naval History=20 - September 27:

1922 - Report on observations of = experiments with=20 short wave radio at Anacostia in the District of = Columbia=20 starts Navy development of radar.=20
1941 - Launch of first Liberty ship, SS = Patrick=20 Henry, in Baltimore.=20
1942 - Armed Guard on SS Stephen Hopkins = engages=20 German auxiliary cruiser Stier and supply ship = Tannenfels.=20 Stephen Hopkins and Stier both sink.=20
1944 - Special Air Task Force (STAG-1) = commences=20 operations with drones, controlled by TBM Avanger = aircraft,=20 against Japanese in Southwestern Pacific.=20
1950 - First Marine Division captures = Seoul,=20 South Korea.

Motorsports News

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

GTR2:

"Sim" has posted a link to a GTR2 trailer in this post.

rFactor:

The Virtua_LM Prototype-C mod is currently being = adapted=20 for rFactor by agreement with Virtua_LM. First = screenshots=20 can be viewed here.
A handy utility if you plan to extract and = create MAS=20 files for either F1C or rFactor has been made = available by=20 Virtua_LM. Check out MAS-Explorer here.

Technology = News

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

Cases/Enclosures: =

MADSHRIMPS checks out the NZXT = Nemesis=20 Elite Case here.

HEXUS.net=20 tests the Origen AE X11 HTPC Enclosure here.

Cooling:

techPowerUp tests out the = Thermaltake Aqua=20 RX R-1 RAM Waterblock here.

OCWorkbench checks out the = Gigabyte G-PAD=20 Notebook Cooler here.

Graphics:

OCModShop=20 checks out the Matrox TripleHead2Go! card here.

NGOHQ has=20 heard there may be a GeForce 7950GS card released. = Read more=20 here.

Motherboards: =

PCStats=20 tests out the Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5 nForce 590 SLI=20 Motherboard here.

Anandtech=20 checks out the ASUS P5B Deluxe: ATi Crossfire & = Intel=20 965 Tango boards here.

Community News for September = 26, 2006

Aviation & = Air Combat=20 News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Announcement:

"Uther" will be away on leave for a while, so we = need an=20 interim Air Combat News Contributor until his = return. HTML=20 knowledge would be nice, but not essential. = Interested?=20 Please email "guod".

F4:AF:

*Panther* has news that the StopWorks MLU Pit is Released. =

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

"Martin" asks " What formations did the Soviet = bombers use in=20 Winter War?"

Storm of = War: The=20 Battle of Britain:

"Solnyshko33" has news of a SoW weather system=20 PowerPoint presentation here.

Land Combat

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

Announcements:=20

'Unreal Tournament 2007' delayed even further. = (Thanks=20 to Worthplaying for the news.) = "According=20 to German Gamestar magazine, Epic's Jay Wilbur = revealed at=20 the Tokyo Game Show that UT 2007 has been further = delayed,=20 until Q2/Q3 2007. While Epic never announced an = official=20 release date, Sony initially mentioned it was to be = a launch=20 title, and while many retailers had it listed for = end of the=20 year, a few months ago The Inquirer reported it was=20 postponed until 2007. Specific reasons for the delay = were of=20 course not provided, but it is safe to assume the = extra=20 development time will be used to polish the=20 game."
Rainbow Six Vegas = is coming=20 to the PC! When Rainbow Six Vegas was first = announced, I=20 shared news that it was for next-gen consoles only. = Though=20 the official web site still says nothing = about it=20 coming to PC. This months issue of Computer Gaming = World=20 (Oct 2006) has an interview with producer, Stephane = Roy,=20 answers questions about the PC version. The article = says=20 it's due out in November 2006.

Game = News:

The Wargamer has four exclusive=20 screenshots of Frontlines.
Armed Assault = Zone has a link=20 and new screenshots to a new Armed Assault Preview. =
GameSpot has a = new video=20 feature of Just Cause.
GameSpot also has = a preview=20 hands on of 1701 A.D.

From the = Forums:=20

Magnum shares a few screenshots of bugs in = Americas=20 Army. Check them out here.

Naval Combat = News

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

Silent = Hunter III:

NYGM Tonnage War 2.2 = now=20 available.

Motorsports News

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

FlatOut = 2:

TechDomain reviews FlatOut 2 here.

Technology = News

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

Cases:

Futurelooks checks into the = ANTEC=20 Performance One P180B Advanced Super Mid Tower Case = here.

HardwareXL peeks into the = Thermaltake=20 Armor JR VC3000BWS Midi-Case here.

Cooling:

OCIA.net tests=20 out the CoolerMaster Blue Ice Pro Chipset Cooler here.

Hardware-Review tests out the = OCZ=20 Technology Tempest CPU Heatsink here.

Graphics Cards: =

Overclock3D tests out the = Gainward Bliss=20 7950 GX2 here.

Motherboards: =

FiringSquad has an ASUS Core = 2-ready=20 Motherboard Roundup here.

Bjorn3D=20 checks out the ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless = Edition=20 Motherboard here.

TweakTown=20 tests out another ASUS motherboard, the Crosshair = "Republic=20 of Gamers" board, here.

Community News for September = 25, 2006

Aviation & = Air Combat=20 News

News Contributor: = Doug "Uther"=20 Lawrence.

Announcement:

"Uther" will be away on leave for a while, so we = need an=20 interim Air Combat News Contributor until his = return. HTML=20 knowledge would be nice, but not essential. = Interested?=20 Please email "guod".

EECH / EACH: =

Screenshot "X-Files" here.

Event = Photography:

Check out "Top Gun's" Oceana pictures here, and "SGT_Rock's" Shoreham = Air Show=20 pictures here. Beautiful shots guys! =

F4:AF:

Welcome our new Forum Moderator, "Panther" here.

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

Scorched Earth: Kursk 1943 offline campaign, = re-started=20 in the north. Read here.

Storm of = War: The=20 Battle of Britain:

Read "A visit to Maddox Games office" here.

Teaser = Tidbit:

Expect an announcement soon on a new flight sim = that=20 you've not heard about before. That's all we can say = =97 for=20 now.

Real World Aviation:

Thanks to "ironroad" for this news on the F-14 = retirement.

Land Combat

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

Announcements:

EA Announces Battlefield 2142 has gone gold. = EA and=20 DICE are pleased to announce that Battlefield 2142 = has gone=20 gold. Meaning that after months of internal testing = and=20 balancing, the game has been handed over to the = quality=20 assurance team for final testing. Congratulations to = everyone involved, and a big thank you to everyone = involved=20 in the Beta testing.
Warhammer = expansion has gone=20 gold. THQ has jovially sent word that the = expansion=20 Warhammer: 40,000 Dawn of War - Dark Crusade is now = in gold=20 status and should be reaching stores October 9. Dark = Crusade=20 is a hybrid expansion as it offers many = expansion-like=20 elements to the original title, but it also is = capable of=20 acting as a standalone sequel as well. Playing the = game with=20 the original Warhammer and expansion (Winter = Assault) will=20 offer bonus material and a few new bells and = whistles.=20 However, gamer's who are new to the series or want = the Dark=20 Crusade experience by itself can play the game as an = independent title. Dark Crusade will add two new = playable=20 races including the technologically devastating Tau, = in=20 addition to an new single player campaign centering = on the=20 conquest of a "meta-map," with each territory = captured=20 giving tangible rewards to the occupying force. THQ = also=20 boasted a vastly improved multiplayer aspect to the=20 game.

Game = News:

Gamespot has a = final preview=20 of the just gone gold Warhammer: Dark Crusade = expansion.
Gamespot has new = screens for=20 Just Cause.

From the=20 Forums:

"PanzerMeyer" has seen the light and purchased = GRAW,=20 sharing his first screens here.
"Cueceleches" has shared a SB Pro PE screen here.

Naval Combat = News

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

Pacific=20 Storm:

CDV has = issued more=20 movie trailers, the original 3D real-time World War = II=20 action strategy hybrid by Lesta=20 Studio. IGN has provided a = page where=20 you can either download or watch the streaming video = here.
SUBSIM=20 has reported that the US release date has been set = for=20 October 1st!
The Official US web site has now been = established here.=20

This Day in = Naval History=20 - September 25:

1912 - Battleship Wyoming (BB 32) = commissioned.=20
1925 - Submarine S-51 (SS 162) sinks = after=20 collision with SS City of Rome off Block Island, = Rhode=20 Island.=20
1941 - In first successful U.S. Navy = escort of=20 convoys during World War II, Navy escorts turn over = HX-150=20 to British escorts at the mid-ocean meeting point. = All ships=20 reach port safely.=20
1957 - In project Stratoscope, Office of = Naval=20 Research obtains sharp photographs of sun's corona = from=20 first balloon-borne telescope camera.

Motorsports News

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

GTR2:

Availability in the USA: Jason at GoGamer = reports=20 they're currently shipping the title. Some Best Buy = stores=20 have also been reported to have it on their shelves. =

rFactor:

Finally a mod specifically for the fans of = racing "Down=20 Under". V8Factor has been released by = ORSM,=20 including the Bathurst track.
Hermanos Rodriguez '88, a.k.a. Mexico City has = been released.

SimHQnet Motorsports:

Congratulations to "Zetallun", winner of the = Series 1=20 "Best of 4" Competition. The 10 lap runoff between = he and=20 "Chunx" provided an exciting show for the spectator = crowd.=20 "Z" (79' Mod Advanced Class winner) and "LazyC" (rF3 = Entry=20 Class winner) look like the drivers to beat in = Series 2=20 which starts October 14th.
This weekend the racers did practice for "The = Deuce".=20 "Zetallun" continued his winning ways with a = practice race=20 win on Saturday, and a big congrats to "Vikz" who = took=20 Sunday's practice race from pole-to-pole! The Deuce: = SimHQ's=20 2.4 Hours Race Event 2 will be held on October 7th = at=20 Orchard Lake. There are still a few slots available = for the=20 grid. Sign-up for the event here.

Technology = News

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

Cases:

TechPowerUp checks out the A+ = Case Twin=20 Engine XCLIO A380 Case here.

HardwareReview.net looks into = the Cooler=20 Master ITower 930 Mid-Tower Case here.

Cooling:

3DGameMan=20 checks out the Cooler Master Hyper TX HSF here.

MADSHRIMPS has an article titled = "The Art=20 of H20 Cooling" here.

Graphics Cards: =

TechSpot=20 tests out the Inno3D GeForce 7950GT 512MB Card here.

Motherboards: =

Hardware Secrets checks out the = Abit=20 IL-90MV Motherboard here.

TweakTown=20 compares MSI and DFI Conroe 975X Motherboards here.