by Leonard "Viking1" Hjalmarson

Imagine F15 in high resolution. Now add clouds like WW2 Fighters, but increase the complexity and variety of formations. Next, imagine an entirely new terrain engine capable of detail beyond that of WW2 Fighters. Then further develop the AI, increase the range of wingman commands available, and add complete cooperative play: single missions or in campaign mode.

Finally, add a mission builder that exceeds the power of Jane's F15. Then add a host of new weapon systems, and carrier ops in all kinds of weather. Welcome to JANE'S F/A 18 Super Hornet!

The Carrier's the Thing

Unlike Digital Integration's Super Hornet, you won't find a fully populated deck in the JANE'S simulation. But you will find all kinds of COMMS, and you will notice a pitching deck as you sit on the cat. Hmm.. that adds a unique atmosphere of its own!

The first time I lifted off the deck I had images of Graphic Simulations Hornet: Korea come to mind. The clouds in JANE'S FA18 rival those incredible formations we saw back then. But the avionics in this new simulation leave that earlier work far behind, and there are more weapon systems in this simulation than ever seen in a single simulation before.

After a series of cat launches, getting off the deck fully loaded is considerably easier in JANE'S simulation than in DI's. This is because the flight controls are handled by the computer until you are off the deck. On the other hand, getting back ON the deck holds plenty of challenge, and the FM feels very good once in the air.

Wingman View

Most people will be surprised, in either simulation, that a loaded F18 Super Hornet doesn't accelerate like a drag racer in the sky. It isn't the pig that the F15 Eagle is, but it's no rocket with wings either.

Tomcat in Silhouette

On achieving some height I noticed a huge increase in the visibility of carrier at distance in the JANE'S game. I think this is for a number of reasons. First, reflectance. You will occasionally get the glint from the deck when you are at the right angle.

Second, the scale of the carrier seems increased at distance in comparison to DI, likely to compensate for the restrictions of a computer display. Third, the wake is also modeled, and you will see the wake before you can actually make out an object in the distance. Generally you will spy the carrier up to 25 miles in good weather.

No Cockpit View

The Skunkworks have included a no cockpit view, a nice option that helps to make up for the fact that you can't zoom the 3d cockpit into a wide angle mode. Better still, the MDI function keys are still clickable on screen!

Click to continue

Custom Arming Interface

The arming interface allows the kind of flexibility we are seeing more often, with pre-built loadouts for typical missions as well as the ability to custom arm all aircraft, and even build and save custom loadouts.

The mission builder looks to be incredible, by far the most advanced one we have seen from JANE'S yet. This module is going to occupy many late evenings for the mission builders out there, and I expect we will see some very complex campaign scenarios constructed.

A populated deck.

The beta appears perfectly solid. My system is an overclocked Celeron (558 MHz) running a Guillemot Xentor 32 (TNT2 the slow version). Frame rate has been excellent over all, with some slowdown on deck with all details to the max. It's likely there is still some optimization to be done.

Mission Planning: Map Zoom

You can use the map zoom feature in mission planning to get a close up of any area you like. If the mission has targeted a fixed structure, then you can use the targeting button to get an instant close up, or to alter the selection of targets for any flight member.

Mission Planning: Targetting

In spite of the fact that this looks to be a fantastic game, involving and flexible according to the whim of the player, I miss the interface from iMagic's iF18 Carrier Strike Fighter. Getting the briefing in a briefing room, then clicking on the door, which would swing open as you head for the flight deck, was a nice way to increase immersion via the interface. No matter, JANE'S is bound for more glory with F/A-18.

Go to F/A 18: Comms and Control.