- Microsoft 708-00169 Combat Flight Simulator 3.
Product Description
-------------------
Anti-aircraft fire blankets you. Blast debris hurls toward your
propeller. And you wonder why you didn't join the navy. This
ain't no free-flight, cloud-ner, glory ride. This is ground
assault: the real, gritty combat that can make or break a battle,
and take your life in one massive explosion. Bombs shatter enemy
airfields, trains, and tank columns as you streak across the
European countryside in WWII's greatest planes, dodging
small-arms fire, gripping your joystick with sweaty palms and
white knuckles, pumped with adrenaline-living history.
As a U.S. Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, or Luftwaffe pilot in
Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3 you fly in the historical
framework of the air war in northwest Europe starting in
mid-1943, but there's a significant difference. The skill and
perseverance you and your squadron or Staffel bring to each
battle can alter the situation and the timeline of the
campaign. This open-ended and flexible campaign means you can
influence events, alter history, and extend the timeline to add
new technology to your arsenal. How you handle these and
technological advantages will determine the outcome.
In Combat Flight Simulator 3, it's 1943, and no one knows what's
going to happen.
New features include:
* Enhanced campaign play sends you on involved missions
in a campaign where success or failure can move the frontline,
influence the quality of equipment available, and even change the
outcome of the war
* New collection of 18 aircraft featuring bombers with crews (fly
medium bombers and take control of the bombardier or ner
position), stunning 3-D cockpit detail, accurate performance and
damage modeling, medium bomber operations, WWII state-of-the-art
aircraft (including the first jet fighters)
* Custom graphics engine powers super-high detail ground-attack
targets and improved scenery with enhanced 3-D modeling and
texturing
* Cooperative multiplayer missions and free-for-all dogfights via
the Internet and LAN
* Reactive world: areas of the campaign world will trigger
events, spawn aircraft, generate flak, etc. in response to your
presence
* Role playing elements: pilots have qualities like Bombing
Skill, Vision, and
* Strategy: you make decisions that influence how the war is
fought, where to put the pressure on the enemy, and what aircraft
improvements are crucial to the war effort
From the Manufacturer
---------------------
Anti-aircraft fire blankets you. Blast debris hurls toward your
propeller. And you wonder why you didn't join the navy. This
ain't no free-flight, cloud-ner, glory ride. This is ground
assault: the real, gritty combat that can make or break a battle,
and take your life in one massive explosion. Bombs shatter enemy
airfields, trains, and tank columns as you streak across the
European countryside in WWII's greatest planes, dodging
small-arms fire, gripping your joystick with sweaty palms and
white knuckles, pumped with adrenaline-living history.
As a U.S. Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, or Luftwaffe pilot in
Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3 you fly in the historical
framework of the air war in northwest Europe starting in
mid-1943, but there's a significant difference. The skill and
perseverance you and your squadron or Staffel bring to each
battle can alter the situation and the timeline of the
campaign. This open-ended and flexible campaign means you can
influence events, alter history, and extend the timeline to add
new technology to your arsenal. How you handle these and
technological advantages will determine the outcome.
In Combat Flight Simulator 3, it's 1943, and no one knows what's
going to happen.
New features include:
* Enhanced campaign play sends you on involved missions
in a campaign where success or failure can move the frontline,
influence the quality of equipment available, and even change the
outcome of the war
* New collection of 18 aircraft featuring bombers with crews (fly
medium bombers and take control of the bombardier or ner
position), stunning 3-D cockpit detail, accurate performance and
damage modeling, medium bomber operations, WWII state-of-the-art
aircraft (including the first jet fighters)
* Custom graphics engine powers super-high detail ground-attack
targets and improved scenery with enhanced 3-D modeling and
texturing
* Cooperative multiplayer missions and free-for-all dogfights via
the Internet and LAN
* Reactive world: areas of the campaign world will trigger
events, spawn aircraft, generate flak, etc. in response to your
presence
* Role playing elements: pilots have qualities like Bombing
Skill, Vision, and
* Strategy: you make decisions that influence how the war is
fought, where to put the pressure on the enemy, and what aircraft
improvements are crucial to the war effort
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Review
------
With stunning graphics and accurate flight models, Combat Flight
Simulator 3 lets you revisit the Western Front during World War
II as a pilot in a variety of production and prototype period
aircraft. Significant improvements have been made over the
earlier versions of the series, such as the addition of a dynamic
campaign and cooperative multiplayer mode. Plus there is
incredible attention to detail--with a new graphics engine that
combines the ability to render planes in flight with highly
detailed terrain that looks great even at low levels, adding a
new dimension to low-level bombing runs.
There is a price to pay for this attention to detail:
performance. You're going to need a high-end processor and
graphics card to get the most from this game. We would recommend
a Pentium 4 and GeForce4 combination (or equivalent) to get full
satisfaction. Anything less and you have to start compromising on
the in-game detail settings, or accept stuttering frame rates.
There are 18 aircraft that you can fly in the game, plus many
variant models, though there are some notable omissions. While
you can happily take control of a Spitfire, Me-109, P51 Mustang,
or Junkers 88, you won't come across a Flying Fortress anywhere
in the game. The lack of heavy bombers is strange, especially
considering the theatre of operations.
Criticisms aside, there is still plenty to enjoy. The flight
models are excellent, especially when you switch on the realism
settings, with each aircraft having distinct characteristics. The
missions are well thought out, as is the campaign system, which
enables you to gain access to more aircraft as you progress and
acquire skills, which can improve your tolerance to G-forces for
example.
Combat Flight Simulator 3 is a worthy addition to the genre. It
has enough to keep long-time flight sim fans entertained and is
also accessible enough for novices to pick up and play. --Jason
Weston -- .co.uk
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