| Strat/Sim Titles and the Genre Bender
By Leonard "Viking1" Hjalmarson |
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Janes Combat Simulations With 688(I) Hunter/Killer, Janes took a step toward third person/first person strat/sim integration, offering a window on the world through which the player could observe any object in the battlefield environment, from whales to missiles to ships. And 688(I) was designed from the start to connect with another simulation, which was originally conceived as AEGIS. Unfortunately for those who were hoping to see AEGIS this summer, Janes and Sonalysts took a step back to see what was possible, and the coming "Fleet Command" is the result. "Fleet Command" will be Janes first entry into this new genre, firmly cementing the integration of strategy and simulation on a grand scale. How will this work?  If you've ever played a third person strategy title, you know that it's relatively easy to actually control objects using your mouse to select and drag. In order to vector an intercept in ADF or Total Air War you simply click on the allied flight and then drag to the enemy flight. This kind of control could be broadly extended by offering a drop down menu system. Imagine it like this: you drag your flight to command an intercept, but once the red diamond pops up and the flight acknowledges the command, a menu pops up that allows you a finer degree of control. Now you can select INTERCEPT TYPE : -cutoff or stern conversion, and PRIORITY :- all possible speed - all possible stealth - blow through and stealth (this latter so that friendlies bypass intervening targets). I don't know how much command depth Fleet Command will offer, but the player will be able to select individual ships or task forces, or individual aircraft or flights. We will also be able to call up new flights and command undersea assets. (Remember Microprose "Task Force: 1942?" Imagine this in the modern setting, with high resolution and a far more detailed command and map interface, integrated with first person play for the aircraft also). Fleet Command will initially give us first-person control over sea assets only, but this initial release will be shortly followed by an inter-operable simulation of the F/A 18, and if we're lucky, the F14 Tomcat! Who knows, after that we may be able to fly some choppers, and an additional allied submarine is likely too. The 3d perspective will be much like the Smartview perspective pioneered by DiD in EF2000 Tactcom and later in F22:ADF and TAW. The camera will offer real time views with all the trimmings: you'll see all the action, all the weather, and all the damage! Its incredibly immersive just watching the dogfights in the TAW beta! However, Fleet Command will likely add support for multiple monitors, which should allow us the gods' eye view on one screen while issuing orders on the other! |
Jane's plan to model over 1000 different units, all with their actual capabilities. The real time dynamic campaign system will extend to cover 16 different navies including Russia, China, Taiwan and India. Multiplayer support will allow up to eight players via LAN, modem or serial connection. Microprose Microprose has been moving in the direction of tactical integration since the Strat-Falc days, but Falcon 4.0 and M1 Tank Platoon II will extend their efforts to a new level. 
The Tactical Engagement module in Falcon 4.0 goes beyond anything yet seen in allowing the player to determine the nature of the war. I quote from Dan Crenshaw's introductory piece: The TACTICAL ENGAGEMENT module allows players to set up a mission, with full direction of the ground forces, orders, routes etc. It allows the players to set up the opposition’s forces similarly. Once the mission begins, the AI takes over and the war begins. Anything you are not flying will get run by the AI. Even if you set up successive missions and don't get home in time to fly the next one, it will take off and fly the mission. Of course you can always hop out of your current flight, and into the new one whenever you like (except during egress or landing, in all sections of the game you can not jump into a flight in egress or landing. You can leave these flights if you wish and the AI will take them over). Now you and your AI or human cooperative multi-player pilots must perform your tasks to help insure victory. If you are very bold, you can fly low and watch what the forces are doing and even witness a land battle. And, as is becoming an industry standard, you will be able to make your mission and send it to your friends to see how well they do. Once you watch a campaign and start to play with the Tactical Engagement section, you will quickly realize you can create a war of the same magnitude as the campaign if you were so inclined. You can use TE to set up competitions with Win Conditions. You can use it to train, or just learn or test tactics (both air and ground). You can make the missions as easy or as difficult as you like, as cut and dried or complex as you want. Solo or multi-player, cooperative or H2H, the possibilities are virtually endless. This system is only a short step away from becoming a true strat/sim blend. Who knows, perhaps Microprose will later allow manipulation of these same forces in real time DURING the campaign, or perhaps Gunship III, the interoperable sim designed to connect to M1 Tank Platoon II, will become Microprose' first entry into this new genre. (Note: Gunship III will now connect to M1 Tank Platoon III sometime in early 2000.) Go to Part III
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