From: gavin.adams@lso.mts.dec.com (Gavin Adams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games
Subject: Falcon 3.0: Operation Fighting Tiger Notes
Date: 3 Sep 92 19:05:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: newshost.1992Sep3.190530.21265
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
X-Xxdate: Thu, 3 Sep 92 12:30:20 GMT
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d7

OK.  I've had Operation: Fighting Tiger (OFT) for a whole day now, so
here are my "expert" :) comments:

For $25, it's a good deal--I'd probably pay up to $35.  For those who
have renamed OBJECTS to SOBJECTS, re-rename them.  As a test I did the
patch on my F3 directory with the OBJECTS->SOBJECTS, and the program
crashed after loading.  Doing a patch to the 3.0a distribution came out
fine.

The install method, while in practice is ok, has a serious bug--if there
is a problem, it doesn't notify you (unless your watching the screen). 
At minimum, if the patch fails at any point it should tell you what
happened at the end of the install.

You can copy OBJECTS to SOBJECTS once the install is complete.  Haven't
verified it yet, but I think the extra plane detail comes back.  I'll try
the LOADHIGH method tonight and see what happens.

PAS-16 owners will want to know that the digitized sounds now work
better--somewhat.  I haven't lost sound since playing the new version,
but the game will temporarily lock up sometimes when playing a sound. 
This is most noticed in the opening sequence.  The birds will sing, and
the planes start their approach.  The the screen locks, 2-5 second wait,
and then continue.  It may be something to do with DMA transfers or such.
 It would be nice to have PAS support from within F3, but I'd settle for
"true" SoundBlaster emulation.  Hear that SH and MV?

A lot of changes have been made to the campaigns.  As a previous poster
noted, campaign settings can be easy, standard, or difficult (hard).  The
current 'd' patch of F3 has a campaign rating between standard and hard. 
Many new digitized voices, including "Singer High!".  Now I can tell when
my wingmen are being SAM'ed (what good it does me, I'll never know :). 
With the info in the OFT manual and with complete descriptions on what is
required to complete a mission successfully, a lot of campaign'ers
success rate should go up (including mine).

The three new theaters are nice.  I flew around Pakistan, the Himilaya's
look intersting...  I haven't tried Korea yet since I've been spending
most of my campaign time in the Kurile Islands.  The Kurile theater is
the only place you can fly the new FSX, use the Harpoon anti-ship
missile, and engage the Russian forces using Rules of Engagement (ROE). 
This is a trip---flying 3 FSX's towards a large flight of helpless strike
aircraft and NOT being able to fire on them (unless they fire on you). 
This will definitely add a level of subtlety to the campaign.

New missions!  Fly cover for the E-3.  Help other allied flights who call
in an SOS.  Fly reconnasiance (sp) on enemy locations and naval fleets. 
Escort aircraft making supply runs.  Milkrun that C-130 back to base!

Night is now night.  Padlock view is (according to the manual) more
limited at night, and heaven help you if you lose your HUD.  The only nit
I have is when you pull high-G turns and start to black out, the sky
lightens to the point you can see.  A new weather condition--overcast. 
It's kind of coll flying just above the cloud layer and sweeping in and
around the clouds like those old Air Force commercials.

IMO, the flight models for the F-16 *have* changed (both complex and
hi-fi).  I haven't confirmed this, but there is a definite difference in
feel and rudder use.  Some of the enemy aircraft may have changed also. 
I'm going to put together a Red Flag mission against 2 MiG-19's and see
what happens.  Weapon effectivity seems to have increased (even when the
system setting is set to the lowest level).

New planes, weapons, and radar.  If your TWI notes an AMOS (IR) launch
from a MiG-31 at under 50 miles out, pray.  One confusing item, and one
that probably is a real concern is having the same aircraft be both on
allied *and*  enemy forces.  The Jaguar and F-5 are two I can think of.

There's a lot more, and I'm sure someone will fill in the blanks I've
left.  Oh well, gotta go.  There's battle somewhere I have to fight...

--- Gavin
Visualize Whirled Peas!
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games