Flight sims

It's been a really long while since I've spent time on Flight sims. They're used to be my favorite past time activities.



Some years ago, a company called Microprose produced a really excellent piece of software called Falcon 4.0 The game allows a pc to be configured as the 'command and control' server and other PCs as the client. This command and control server allows a player to take control of the missions and have 'an AWACS' view of the campaign theatre.

Other players can form squadrons that participates in the various campaign missons. The campaign flow is dynamic and missions are available based on the chosen airfield and flight squadrons. The human players can play with any squadrons, either on the 'allied' side or the opposition side. Initial missions are typically escort missions for critical flights such as AWACS or airborne flight tankers. The pattern follows with long distance strategic bombing missions of high value targets. As more successfull missions are achieved, air superiority missions and airfield suppresion missions are introduced, while the front-line are advanced accordingly.

If the players fails in the various missions, the enemy forces will advance and the front-line will move, depending on the theatre of operations, losing grounds in the theatre.

Over the years Microprose have been acquired by Hasbro who decided then to disband and not to continue the excellent product. Perhaps the purchase was only to obtain IP rights and not produce updates and enhancements. Since then, no Flight Sims on a PC can match the features provided by this excellent piece of software.

Some spinoffs were created by a group of fans made up by some original developers and flight-sims enthusiast... these spin offs were released as public domain apps, but still requires the installation CD as base.


Found the original installation cd today, sadly the media is now heavily scratched. The thick manual is still available, albeit aging as this software was purchased in SIN in 1998 on a return trip from IST...

i wonder if Mr. Google has knowledge of a copy of the installation image... and the 1.08 patch.... hmmm



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