SimHQ.com - The Simulation Community's = Headquarters

3D"F-16C

Community News for=20 Friday, September 7, 2007

The SimHQ Monthly Calendars for = September=20 are available here. This month we feature the = aviation=20 photography of Helmut "RSColonel_131st" Skrdla who = attended=20 this year's MAKS (Moskau Aero Salon) Air Show. Watch = for=20 Helmut's full report on the event soon.

Aviation & Air = Combat=20 News

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

After Action Reports:

Yankee Air Pirate: Short Round = by "8lein."=20

Event=20 Photography:=20

RAF Lossie F&F Day Photos by = "hbxov."=20
Tutorial on how to produce drop = shadow=20 frame by "Yojimbo."

General News:=20

Mi-24 Hind resources (links, = video, etc)=20 compiled by "Avimimus."=20
Airborne Laser completes = low-power=20 flight test. Read more here.=20
Government Accountability = Office=20 suggests to the Air Force to re-bid the CSAR-X, the = new=20 search and rescue helicopter program. More info here.=20
Taiwan surprisingly = displays its=20 fighters and armament on the Taipei air show. Read = more here.=20
Embraer to upgrade = Brazilian AMX=20 light fighters. Read more here .

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

WWI Guts_Glory Server Event. =

Land & Armor Combat = News

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

Announcements:

Late breaking news: = America's Army:=20 Special Forces Patch v2.8.1 - v2.8.2. Download it = from here at Fileplanet.

PC Game = News:

GameSpot has a new Command & Conquer 3: Kane's = Wrath=20 video trailer.=20
GameSpot has a review of the PC = version of=20 Medal of Honor: Airborne. Worthplaying has the new patch = for Age of Empires 3.=20
Worthplaying also has the newest = patch for=20 AoE3: The WarChiefs.

Console = Game=20 News:

GameSpot has a new video of Battlefield: Bad Company for the = PS3.=20
GameSpot has a hands on with Army = of=20 Two with a new video and screens.=20
Team Xbox has a hands on with the = 360=20 version of Team Fortress 2.=20
Team Xbox has a review of Medal of Honor: Airborne.=20
Team Xbox has new screenshots of = Battlefield: Bad Company and Army of Two.

Naval Combat=20 News

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

Attack on Pearl Harbor:

GamersHell reports = that=20 CDV has announced that this title is now = available=20 through Direct2Drive.

Today = (Friday) in=20 US Naval History - September 7:

1776 - David = Bushnell=20 attempts to destroy a British ship-of-the-line, HMS = Asia, in=20 New York Harbor with his submarine Turtle.=20
1814 - USS Wasp captures HMS Avon.=20
1864 - USS Wachusett captures CSS Florida = at=20 Bahia, Brazil.=20
1942 - First air evacuation of casualties = to=20 hospital ships off shore occurs at Guadalcanal.=20

This Saturday in US Naval History - = September=20 8:

1923 - In = disaster at=20 Point Honda, Calif., seven destroyers run aground = through=20 faulty navigation.=20
1939 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt = proclaims=20 a limited national emergency and increases enlisted = strength=20 in the Navy and Marine Corps; also authorizes the = recall to=20 active duty of officers, men and nurses on the = retired lists=20 of the Navy and Marine Corps.=20
1954 - U.S. signs Manila Treaty forming = SEATO=20 (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization).=20
1958 - Lt. R. H. Tabor, wearing a = Navy-developed=20 pressure suit, completes a 72-hour simulated flight = at=20 altitudes as high a 139,000 feet. It was another = step in the=20 development of the Navy spacesuit, which NASA = accepted in=20 1959 for use by Mercury astronauts.

This = Sunday in US=20 Naval History - September = 9:

1825 - USS = Brandywine sails=20 for France to carry the Marquis de Lafayette home = after his=20 yearlong visit to America.=20
1841 - First iron = ship=20 authorized by Congress.=20
1940 - Navy awards = contracts=20 for 210 ships, including 12 carriers and seven = battleships.=20
1943 - Operation = Avalanche,=20 Western Naval Task Force, under Vice Adm. Henry = Hewitt,=20 lands Allied forces at Salerno, Italy.=20
1944 - Fifth Fleet = carrier=20 aircraft begin air strikes on Japanese shipping and=20 facilities at Mindanao, Philippines.=20
1945 - A "computer = bug" is=20 first identified and named by Lt. Grace Murray = Hopper while=20 she was on active duty. It was found in the Mark II = Aiken=20 Relay Calculator at Harvard University. The = operators=20 affixed the moth to the computer log, where it still = resides, with the entry: "First actual case of bug = being=20 found." They "debugged" the computer, first = introducing the=20 term.

Motorsports News=20

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

GTR2:

"Aristotelis" has posted = links to=20 teaser videos from the upcoming Power and Glory mod = for=20 GTR2. A 180MB high resolution version = and a 70 MB lower resolution version. =

RACE 07:

Official skin templates = for=20 painting your customized cars are now available for = RACE 07.

Community:

The new=20 episode of This Week in Sim Racing is = out.=20

Technology=20 News

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

AMD / ATI:

The new gaming site goes = live. Have=20 a look here. Black backgrounds are = "out" guys.=20

Keyboards:

TwitchGuru asks "Why buy a = gaming=20 keyboard?" here.

Community News for Thursday, = September 6,=20 2007

Aviation & Air = Combat=20 News

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

After=20 Action Reports:

Yankee Air Pirate: Short Round = by "8lein."=20

Event=20 Photography:=20

RAF Lossie F&F Day Photos by = "hbxov."=20
Tutorial on how to produce drop = shadow=20 frame by "Yojimbo."

General News:=20

Mi-24 Hind resources (links, = video, etc)=20 compiled by "Avimimus." .

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

WWI Guts_Glory Server Event. =

Land & Armor Combat = News

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

Announcements:=20

Xbox Live Going = Down for=20 Maintenance Sept. 10 (Thanks to Worthplaying for the news.) = "Anybody=20 who logs into his Xbox Live account during the = course of the=20 day will be notified that Xbox Live will be down for = maintenance, starting at 2:01 PDT on September 10th, = for=20 approximately four hours. Whether it is for a fall = dashboard=20 update, or preparing for the Halo 3 launch, no = further=20 details were provided."

PC Game = News:=20

GameSpot has a review of Medal of Honor: Airborne.=20
GameSpot has another preview of = Age of Empires 3.=20
GameSpot has a hardware = performance guide=20 for BioShock.=20
The Wargamer=20 has a link to the retro mod for Medieval 2: Total War.=20
The Wargamer=20 also has a Theater of War update report. =

Console = Game=20 News:

GameSpot has a review of Stranglehold for the Xbox 360. =

Naval Combat=20 News

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

Aquadelic GT:

IGN = PC=20 has published some screenshots of this upcoming ship = simulator.

Tales of Pirates: =

GamersHell reports = that=20 developer Internet Gaming Gate have released = a new=20 v1.36 patch for their MMORPG which is currently in = open beta=20 stage.

World of Pirates: =

GamersHell has news = of another=20 massive multiplayer online game set in the Caribbean = in the=20 17th century, which the gameplay is based on trade,=20 construction and strategy.

Today = in US Naval=20 History - September 6:

1918 - Sailors = fire first of=20 the five railroad batteries at Tergnier, a German = rail head=20 in the Comeigne Forest. These 14-inch, 50-caliber = guns were=20 originally designed for battleships.=20
1939 - Navy begins = formation=20 of neutrality patrol for Atlantic Ocean.=20
1940 - First = destroyers=20 transferred to Great Britain at Halifax, Nova = Scotia, under=20 "Destroyers for Bases" agreement.=20
1944 - USS = Independence (CVL=20 22) begins use of specially trained air group for = night=20 work. First time a fully-equipped night carrier = operates=20 with fast carrier task force.=20
1945 - U.S. troops = begin=20 returning home when Task Force 11 left Tokyo Bay for = the=20 United States.=20
1953 - Exchange of = prisoners=20 of war from Korean War (Operation Big Switch) ends. =

Motorsports News=20

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

rFactor:

DutchDevil has released = Assen 2001 v1.0.

NASCAR Racing 2003 = Season:

SIModified.com releases = Whelen Modified Tour Mod for = N2k3.=20

Technology=20 News

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

Sound = Cards:

"Snap, Crackle, Pop, SHUT = UP!" Read=20 here at ExtremeTech.

Community News for Wednesday, = September=20 5, 2007

Aviation & Air = Combat=20 News

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

EECH /=20 EEAH:

LIONPRIDE (US) Server Status: = New Campaign=20 Started.

European Air=20 War:=20

3DZ Expert Needed for Ju-52 SAW = Project.=20

Event=20 Photography:=20

Red Arrows Photos by "Yojimbo."=20
USS Midway Photos by "Radooh."=20

Falcon 4.0: = Allied=20 Force:=20

Mission: Challenge II = Strike/Fighter by=20 "Caper."

General=20 News:=20

Fritz the Fox Labor Day cartoon. =
s resources (links, video, etc) = compiled=20 by "Avimimus."

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

Skin Pack: Rumanian Bf-109E by "canonUK."=20

LOMAC / = Flaming Cliffs=20 / Black Shark:=20

Black Sea ShowDown - August = Results.=20

Screenshots = and Video=20 Gallery:=20

Virtual Thunderbirds Movie: = Smoke On Part=20 I. More Virtual Thunderbird Movies can be found here. Thanks "KingAlbert" and=20 "Colt40Five."

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

WIP CANT z 1007Bis - Update. =

Land & Armor Combat = News

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

Announcements:

Medal of Honor Airborne = for both=20 the PC and the Xbox 360 has shipped to stores.=20
'Enemy Territory: Quake = Wars'=20 (PS3/X360/PC) Demo Coming Sept. 10 (Thanks to Worthplaying for the news.) =
"ET: QW=20 pits the armies of Earth against the invading alien = Strogg=20 in this team-based online strategic shooter. Last = week=20 Splash Damage revealed it is working on a demo, = scheduled=20 for mid-September, which has now officially been = pinned down=20 to September 10."

PC Game News:

Worthplaying has the just = released patch=20 for Medieval 2: Total War. This = patch makes=20 the game compatible with the Kingdom expansion. =
GhostRecon.net has new maps for = GRAW2.=20
Armed Assault Zone has the = Switzerland mod=20 and the new CoC mod.

Console Game News: =

Sony Releases v1.92 PS3 = Firmware=20 Update (Thanks to Worthplaying for the = news.)
"While=20 so far there is no official announcement yet, Sony = has=20 released the new v1.92 system software update for = the PS3,=20 adding plenty of new features and adjustments to its = latest=20 console, such as the ability to add flash = wallpapers, faster=20 XMB load times, PS1/PS2 compatibility update, = controllers=20 auto-power-off, internet browser improvements, and=20 more."

Naval Combat=20 News

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

Aquadelic GT:

GamersHell reports = that=20 JoWooD has announced this speed boat racer = which will=20 take you across Russian canals, Greek port towns and = Caribbean islands. The game is scheduled to be = released=20 during Q4 2007 for the PC.

Today = in US Naval=20 History - September 5:

1775 - Adoption of = first=20 uniforms for Navy officers.=20
1813 - USS = Enterprise=20 captures HM brig Boxer off Portland, Maine.=20
1918 - USS Mount = Vernon=20 torpedoed by German submarine off France.=20
1923 - U.S. = Asiatic Fleet=20 arrives at Yokohama, Japan, to provide medical = assistance=20 and supplies after Kondo Plain earthquake.=20
1939 - President = Franklin D.=20 Roosevelt orders Navy to form a neutrality patrol to = report=20 the presence of foreign warships within 300 miles of = eastern=20 United States.=20
1946 - USS = Franklin Delano=20 Roosevelt (CVB 42) and four escorts visit Greece to=20 underscore U.S. support for the Greek government, = which=20 faced a communist insurgency.=20
1990 - USS Acadia = (AD 42)=20 departs San Diego for first war-time deployment of = mixed=20 gender crew on combat vessel.

Motorsports News=20

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

GTR2:

Caterham Hayabusas addon v1.0 = for GTR2 by=20 vayn3.=20
Eurospeedway Lausitz v1.2 for = GTR2 by=20 zwiss.

GT=20 Legends:

Leipzig Stadtparkrennen 1967 = v1.0 for GT=20 Legends by GTI-Heizer and DerDumeklemmer.=20
Shanghai v1.0 - 3 layouts for GT = Legends=20 by DerDumeklemmer.

rFactor:

rF1GP Challenge 2006 v2.03 by=20 Borro/Stephens/Barker.=20
Birmingham Wheels v1.0 by UKSOM. =
ASA LateModel Series v3.0 by = GearHead=20 Gaming.

SimHQ = Motorsports:

Check out the reports = from Tuesday=20 night's Daytona 24 race here.

Technology=20 News

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

CPUs:

ExtremeTech asks "Does Quad Core = Matter?"=20 Read here.

Community News for Tuesday, = September 4,=20 2007

Aviation & Air = Combat=20 News

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

European=20 Air War:

September Calendar.=20
OAW "EASY" : Questions\Answers.=20
OAW "EASY" : INSTALL. =

F-22 Total Air War:=20

New Gun SFX.

General News:=20

Google Earth Flight Simulator.=20

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

VSI War Update.=20
New Server: Warwings.=20
CATAPULT for Glider Competition (dogfight = mission).=20

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

Falklands Project Update.=20
C-130J-30 Version 2.0 close to = completion.=20

Land & Armor Combat = News

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

Announcements:=20

Ubisoft has released four classic = PC games=20 for free, including Ghost Recon and Far Cry. All = these games=20 are ad supported and can be downloaded from Fileplanet.=20
'Command &=20 Conquer' - Free Full Game Available NOW (Thanks to = Worthplaying for the news.) = "To=20 celebrate the 12 year anniversary of the Command = &=20 Conquer franchise, EA has released the first C&C = free of=20 charge. Both the GDI and Nod campaigns are in ISO = format,=20 free for download, which needs to be burned on CD = using your=20 burning software of choice, such as Nero, Alcohol=20 etc."

PC Game = News:=20

'Call of Duty 4: Modern = Warfare'=20 (ALL) Coming to Steam ? (Thanks to Worthplaying for the news.) = "CoD 4:=20 Modern Warfare delivers amazing special effects, = including=20 use of depth of field, rim-lighting, character=20 self-shadowing, real time post-processing, texture = streaming=20 as well as physics-enabled effects to enlist players = into=20 the most photo-realistic gaming experience yet. = Steamfriends=20 claims to have received "an official statement from=20 Activision," that Call of Duty 4 is coming to = Steam."=20
Worthplaying has new screenshots = of 'War Leaders: Clash of Nations'. =

Console = Game=20 News:

GameSpot has a review of GRAW2 for the PlayStation3.=20
XBL has the map pack for = Gears of=20 War free. (Thanks to TeamXbox=20 for the news.)

Naval Combat=20 News

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

Today (Labor Day) in US Naval History = -=20 September 4

1804 - USS = Intrepid (Lt.=20 Richard Somers) blew up in failed attack on Tripoli. =
1941 - A German = submarine,=20 U-652, attacks USS Greer (DD 145), which was = tracking the=20 submarine southeast of Iceland. Greer is not = damaged, but=20 drops depth charges, damaging U-652.=20
1954 - = Icebreakers, USS=20 Burton Island (AGB 1) and USCG Northwind (WAG 282), = complete=20 first transit of Northwest passage through McClure = Strait.=20
1960 - USS = Bushnell (AS 15)=20 and USS Penguin (ASR 12) begin relief operations in=20 Marathon, Fla., after Hurricane Donna.

Motorsports News=20

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

rFactor:

qwaynick has released Tri-City Speedway Final.=20
GearHead Gaming has = released ASA LateModel Series v. 3.0. =

BMW M3 = Challenge:

Blimey is lining up for = giving away=20 BMW M3 Challenge free games. =

Technology=20 News

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

Video:

3DFX board collection goes = online. Read=20 here at The=20 Inquirer.

Community News for Monday, = September 3,=20 2007

Today's SimHQ Deja = News is=20 from the September 1997 SimHQ News Archive.

For this week's 20mm Historic Thread = we travel=20 to time to August 2006. The thread title is = "Fighter Ops=20 crew get rides in T-38's at Laughlin Air Force Base! - = Fun=20 read". It is indeed a fun read! And it's = unique=20 because the story (which is very well written) and = pictures=20 are contained at the Fighter Ops web site. We're more = than=20 happy to have that kind of cooperative effort with = other=20 simulation web sites. This is cool, too. Two Fighter = Ops guys=20 get the ride of a live time in a T-38. Check out the = many Top=20 Gun references, the hot babes love fighter jocks = references,=20 the "please don't ingest massive quantities of Mexican = food=20 prior to flying military jets" references, and oh = almost=20 forgot, drafts and duct tape. It's just funny = and=20 fun. So take a read and go along for the ride = in a=20 high performance USAF jet. I wish I had been = there!

Aviation & Air = Combat=20 News

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

After=20 Action Reports:

Yankee Air Pirate: LZ X-Ray by = "SandyC."=20
Yankee Air Pirate: Bombing of = Lima 85 by=20 "8lein."

Aviation Photos:

Some great air show = photos from=20 MAKS 2007 can be found here.

Combat Flight Simulator = 3:=20

MAW Patch v1.21 Released. =

EECH / EEAH:=20

SimHQ Team Speak Server ... EECH = Room.=20

European = Air=20 War:=20

Sandbagger's Latest News. =

Event Photography:=20

RAF Lossiemouth Fri 31st August = - Some=20 rare visitors by "Blue Toon."=20
RAF Lossiemouth - Saturday 1st = Sep -=20 Families Day by "Blue Toon."

F-22 Total Air War:=20

Managing Game.cfg settings with = TAW=20 Configurator.

Falcon=20 4.0: Allied Force:=20

After Action Report #13. =

FS2002 / FS2004 / = FSX:=20

FS Remote.

General News:=20

FlightGear Free Simulator = Project.=20
The Air Force receives = its 100th=20 F-22 Raptor fighter. Read more here.=20
India issues the tender = for 126=20 multi-role combat aircraft to six vendors. Read more = here.

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

Skin: P-51B, 'Shangri La' of Don = Gentile, 4thFG=20 336thFS, 1944 by "vpmedia."=20
Skins: Bf-109E, Helmut Wick & 16 = North=20 Africa/Sicily Schemes by "CanonUK."=20
Dynamic Campaign: 15th USAAF in = the MTO by=20 "Boelcke."=20
WWI server back up and runnig = 24/7.=20
EnjoyrPatch for DGen: Patch v2.6 = Released.=20
Skin Pack: JG54, Nov 1942- December 1943 by = "RDDR."=20

Pit = Builders:=20

Apache 3D MFD model for CNC or = casting.=20

Red = Baron:=20

Red Baron 2 as free download on = german=20 Sierra site.

Strike=20 Fighters / Wings Over Vietnam:=20

ME-109G-6/4U,-10/U4.

Land & Armor Combat = News

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

Steel Beasts = Pro PE:=20

Magnum shows screens from = a recent=20 online game here.

Naval Combat=20 News

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

The=20 Ship 2:

IGN = PC=20 reports that this sequel is in the works from = Scottish=20 Developer Outerlight. =

Today = (Labor Day)=20 in US Naval History - September 3 =

1782 - As a token = of=20 gratitude for French aid during the American = Revolution, the=20 United States gives America (first ship-of-the-line = built by=20 U.S.) to France to replace a French ship lost in = Boston.=20
1783 - Signing of = the Treaty=20 of Paris ends the American Revolution.=20
1885 - First = classes at U.S.=20 Naval War College begin.=20
1925 - Crash of = rigid=20 airship Shenandoah near Byesville, Ohio.=20
1943 - American = landings on=20 Lae and Salamaua.=20
1944 - First = combat=20 employment of a missile guided by radio and = television takes=20 place when Navy drone, Liberator, controlled by = Ensign James=20 M. Simpson, flew to attack German submarine pens on=20 Helgoland Island.=20
1945 - Japanese = surrender=20 Wake Island in ceremony aboard USS Levy (DE 162). =

Motorsports News=20

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

rFactor:

321 Development has = released Williams Grove v2.0.=20
SBS_JR has released SBS World of Outlaws 2007 v2.2.=20
GSMF has released PCC 2007 v1.0.=20
Team rF-Nordschleife.de = has=20 released Nordschleife 2007 v2.0. =

SimHQ Motorsports:

As a very spur of the = moment idea,=20 the rFactor stock cars came out to play on Saturday. = Take a=20 look here at the fun.=20
This Wednesday night's = racing event=20 will again be the SuperKarts at Joesville. Read the = thread=20 here.=20
Congratulations to "Vikz" = for=20 winning Sunday's F1 Monaco Grand Prix. After a = difficult=20 first two laps including a full spin, "Vikz" moved = up=20 through the pack to achieve victory. Read the race = reports=20 here.

3D"Vikz

Technology=20 News

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

Open Source: =

ASE = Labs=20 has published a good article on the topic here.

3D"SimHQ

Every Monday for the = remainder of=20 2007 we will take a walk back through the simulation = world=20 timeline. SimHQ Deja News will bring a laugh, a = surprise and=20 maybe a few tears at the way it was from 1997 on as = presented=20 by the best simulation news site on the = Internet.

From the September 1997 = SimHQ News=20 Archive:

Just something to make you = think. Ever=20 notice that why you first start a Janes Combat Sim = product,=20 there's that animation at the beginning, you know, the = sub,=20 the F-15, and Apache. Have any of you noticed that, so = far,=20 most of the vehicles in that animation have come out = or are=20 soon to be released in the next few months. I looked = closely=20 at the opening anim. on a few products and noticed it = changed.=20 With 688i Hunter Killer, they have now added a prop. = plane=20 flying by. Then, they annouced they were working on a = WWII=20 flight sim. Hmmmm! Now look closely, in all of Janes'=20 products, there are 2 soldiers in black coming down = from the=20 lamp. A possible Seal Team 2. I think so. As a matter = of fact,=20 I happened to get info from someone in Janes Combat = Sim that=20 it was in the planning stages. This was almost a year = ago.It=20 seems like this project (if it exists!) is very = secretive.=20 Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Eidos Interactive has put up = new=20 screenshots for Flying Nightmares 2. These were added = on Sept=20 22/97. I must say that they look really good. I like = the smoke=20 and fire from the explosion. The snow looks also=20 convincing.

There are some new = screenshots from=20 Janes' Longbow 2 over at OGR.

Good news for Naval fans! I = got this=20 bit of news from OGR about a possible naval sim = developed by=20 Sonalysts, Inc. These are the same people who = developed 688i=20 Hunter Killer from Janes Combat Simulations. Here's = part of=20 the Virtual Pilot column: Rumor also has it that = Sonalysts,=20 Inc., the makers of 688(I) Hunter/Killer are = submitting the=20 final design specs to Electronic Arts/Janes Combat = Simulations=20 for another contemporary naval simulation, this time = centered=20 around the US Navy's Aegis cruiser. According to = unnamed=20 sources, players will be able to control every aspect = of the=20 ultra-modern cruiser, even going so far as to order up = and=20 monitor aircraft flying off the deck of a nearby = Nimitz class=20 aircraft carrier. Considering their wealth of = expertise,=20 previous DoD-related experience and the first class = effort put=20 forth in the production of 688(I), I'm sure their = upcoming=20 Aegis sim will go down as one of the most accurate and = faithful portrayals of contemporary naval combat this = industry=20 has ever seen.

PCME has a review of = Fighters=20 Anthology by Janes Combat Simulations.

Combat SImulations has a = hands-on=20 preview of Flying Corps Gold from Empire Software. = Some of the=20 screenshots look really impressive.

NovaLogic's Armoured Fist 2 = should be=20 in stores Oct 9/97.

Here some tank sim news. = Combat=20 Simulation has a preview of M1 Tank Platoon2 from = Microprose.=20 One interesting quote I noticed was "This will be the = first=20 installment of a modular "virtual battlefield" = series."

PCME has a first of a 2 two = part=20 preview of Joint Strike Fighter from Eidos = Interactive. Big=20 thanks to Rod White from PCME for telling me that this = sim=20 WILL be 3Dfx accelerated. With hat news, this sim just = went up=20 a few notches on my most wanted list. :-)

Received an email from = LucasArts=20 saying: "LucasArts is very pleased to announce that = Jedi=20 Knight: Dark Forces II has been approved for = manufacturing and=20 is expected to be in stores October 9."

Mission Studios will be = releasing=20 another JetFighter 3. It will be the Platinum Edition. = This=20 will contain new features but the one that stands out = is a=20 mission editor. Go check it for more info. I also = noticed in=20 the "Platinum Edition / Rendition Announcement" that = they=20 mention a JetFighter IV. I'm going to guess that it = will be=20 based the new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. This will = be the=20 trend in 1998 IMO. Same as the F-22 was the trend this = year.

Parsoft, which is developing = Fighter=20 Squadron: The Screamin' Demons over Europe, has = updated their=20 web site for this WW2 flight sim and they also added = new=20 screenshots. This sim will be distributed by = Activision. All I=20 can say about the pix is, OUCH! This one is definitely = on top=20 of my list.

iF-16 from Interactive Magic = will be=20 released on Monday Sept 15. This is according to = Combat=20 Simulations. They also have a review on if based on = the UK=20 version, not that there's any difference with the = North=20 American version. BTW, I have heard of this release = date=20 somewhere else....I just don't remember where. :-)

Saw on Gamepower that they = have a=20 preview of CART Precision Racing from Microsoft. They = also=20 have a Vivio video of the sim in action, just look for = it in=20 the Video Multiplex section.

On of the editors at Combat=20 Simulations gives a small review of Sabre Ace. He = tried it out=20 at the ECTS show. He didn't seem too impressed, = calling it a=20 ATF type sim. Ouch, I have a feeling quite a few = people will=20 be disappointed.

Serious about your sims? = Then check=20 this page out, Desk Top Simulators. Better make some = room in=20 your house or apartment, just don't tell your wife or=20 girlfriend what you making room for. BTW, I'm taking=20 donations, I'm trying to get that Thunderseat F-16D at = $59,000.... maybe I'll be able to get it when I = retire.=20 ;-)

I just thought i'd mention = this new=20 equipment. Here's the latest from CH Products for = racing sims,=20 It's their new CH Racing System.

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

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

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

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