From: bobc@natinst.com (Bob Conyne)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.simulators
Subject: Re: Falcon or Commanche?
Date: 21 Dec 1992 12:58:54 -0600
Organization: National Instruments, Austin, TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: eagle.natinst.com
Keywords: Falcon Commanche


In article <BzLr4D.56E@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca> ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca (Phat H Tran) writes:
>>>Commanche may not be a keeper on your HD.  [Note:  I don't have Commanche,
>>                                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>Obviously not.  Comanche definitely has its faults (too easy to finish, for 
>>one thing), but comparing it to a Nintendo game is moronic.  How about 
>>letting those of us who own it describe its strengths and weaknesses?
>
>Excuse me, Bob.  Though I don't own the game, I've seen enough of it to
>categorize it as "arcade".  The gameplay is essentially Nintendo.  
>

What Nintendo game are you comparing Comanche to, specifically?  I want to
try it.  Maybe I've been selling Nintendo short.

>>>Falcon 3.0, though much harder to get into, will offer greater satisfaction
>>>in the long run.  It took me a few months before I became comfortable in
>>
>>How can you possibly discuss 'long term satisfaction' between a product you
>>own and one you don't?
>>
>
>Arcade games usually lose their novelty rather quickly.  And from the
>many complaints that I've read of Commanche being too easy, the game
>apparently holds true to this axiom.
>

Again, you're making generalizations ("arcade game") about a product you don't
own.  Comanche IS too easy to finish.  That is not the same as being an arcade
game.  I have read both pro- and anti- Comanche comments in this newsgroup, so
at best there is no consensus among its readers (i.e., no generalization can 
be derived from it).

>Falcon, OTOH, has given me enjoyment longer than any game I own.  I
>think it's safe to say that Commanche won't threaten F3's real estate
>on my HD.
>

I like Falcon too.  Lucky for me, there's room on my HD for both.

>>>also unequaled.  Though the game's graphics aren't as pretty as Commanche's,
>>>they are not bad.  The terrain, though convoluted, is not as realistic-
>>>looking as that of Commanche, but Falcon's polygon a/c are much nicer
>>>to look at and much more fluid in motion than the sprites in the chopper
>>>game.
>>
>>Call me crazy.  I would expect a jet's motion to be more fluid than that of
>>a helicopter or tank.
>>
>
>I'll call you obnoxious instead, if you don't mind.  By "fluid", I meant

I don't mind a bit.

>that the a/c can tilt and rotate in fine increments, and be viewable
>from any aspect.  The bitmaps in Commanche are prerendered to show the
>choppers in preset profiles only, whereas the polygons in Falcon are
>rendered on the fly, and thus, can be viewed from infinitely more angles.
>
>Phat.

That's some mighty thin skin you've got there, Phat.  You ought to go and try 
some correspondence in one of the political newsgroups.  You'll find out what 
'obnoxious' means in a hurry.  Interesting, too, that you are 'obnoxious' 
enough to insult those of us who like Comanche by comparing it to a game system 
designed for 12 year olds.  Then, when you come across someone who doesn't 
share your opinion, you are considerably less understanding than you apparently 
expect them to be.

I think there's a larger canvas here, and all the people who complain that
the simulation doesn't have the same X as F3 or isn't as Y as Gunship are
missing the point.  As a game, Comanche is both fun and addictive (still too
easy to finish, as I've said).  As a simulation it definitely has its faults.  
It's terrain rendering is unrivalled, however.  Now that a game exists with 
this calibre of graphics, it will be increasingly difficult for the game 
companies to sell games/simulations that don't live up to this standard.  
Guess who benefits?  Yup, us.  And note that Comanche beat Strike Commander to 
market by (at least) 6 months.  F15 III by a solid month.  In this sense, it 
is (and will always be) a truly groundbreaking product.  Sort of like 
Sublogic's Flight Simulator -- you can find a lot to criticize about it now, 
but it was a brand new technology when there were no other games in town.

--Bob
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.simulators