by Leonard (Viking1) Hjalmarson
Gameplay and AI
When I entered the Korean campaign the first time I was on a runway that was under attack! I scrambled and saw ground fire coming from AAA on the runway with enemy aircraft strafing another flight attempting to get airborn. When I exitted and re-entered the Korean campaign the opening mission was completely different. Obviously there is randomness here which will increase playability greatly.
If you have selected FULL effects under sound then you will get in cockput radio chatter. This will either drive you crazy or you will love it! It does add to atmosphere overall. I do wish that my wingman wouldn't use the same line EVERY time I lift off the runway: "Lets go kick some ass!"
As you will know if you frequent combatsim, I am on a hobby horse with regard to flexibility in wingman control. Why? I hoped you would ask! Without solid wingman control, many basic strategies become impossible. Head-on merges are not the best way to live through an initial contact! For example, standard two on one or two on two doctrine requires the ability to send your wingmen off to bracket on one side (preferably 2 of them while the third remains with you) while you and your wing bracket the other. This greatly increases the likelihood of a kill.
By the same token, to command two of your flight to watch a different sector of the flight path with RADAR gives you better situational awareness. SA is the sister to "lose sight, lose the fight." A sanitize or sector scan command enables this control. If you miss your target, (of course this NEVER happens to the rest of us), the ability to have your wingman take your target out could be crucial in cutting off supply lines or stopping that pesky SAM site from killing any more of your allies. Furthermore, separate and comprehensive control of wingmen gives the illusion of being an actual Wing Leader instead of just being a cog in the wheel of a computer run war.
I think you get my drift. How does Fighting Falcon fare in this regard? I'm sorry to say that on a scale of one to ten, with USNF being perhaps 9.0, F16FF scores around 3. You really can't do much with your flight, and they aren't the most incredible pilots anyway. I've been flying on a difficulty scale from six to eight so far, and only twice have I returned to base with a live team mate. Ok, so I take a few risks
Perhaps I need to qualify this by saying that I've only flown a dozen missions with the release version, and none on the highest difficulty rating. Some dynamics will change as I improve in the sim and the difficulty increases. I also need to confess that I've only made it back to base myself in seven of my twelve missions! But then, I'm only a beginner in the F16....
Now what about the command options? Here they are:
In addition to these commands for your AI buddies, you are also given a list of scripted messages to use in net play: ten in total, that are transmitted by text but will be heard by you in voice. These commands add a few commands that are needed in the sim for your AI wingies, including break right/left, break off, etc.
What about enemy AI? At the higher difficulty levels there will be few complaints. I've found them fairly quick to engage and flexible in maneuvers. Ground based SAMs and AAA can be deadly, and don't disregard foot soliders and the machine guns mounted on BMPs and tanks! As in HIND, the ground war is integrated fairly well and includes these smaller details.
In fact, this simulation probably models more weapons platforms than anything else out there. Under the Allies category, you may see:
And for enemy platforms you will see twelve fixed wing aircraft including F16s (Cyprus)eleven types of armored vehicle including the T-80, five types of artillery, nine infantry mounted weapons, fifteen ships including lifeboats.... get the picture? Diversity is the name of the game here.
Here are my two complaints: when you hit an enemy aircraft, they may still fly, in which case they will continue to show on your radar. However, if you make a kill, they simply disappear.. vanish into thin air. I think this modelling needs some work.
Secondly, cannon tracer fire is so small that you have to squint against the
brown background just to see the 1 pixel size tracers. I dont' know if this was a move to realism or not, but it is a challenge to accuracy! To DI's credit, the ground impact can be seen when you are extremely low and the impact area is larger.
AI overall is a complex issue and my experience is still limited, I'll try to provide an update on AI issues soon.
The sim IS action oriented, and you will know that from the start. The music score is lively and I like it, and it suits the sim very well.
Lets start with the radar and LANTIRN modules. These detection systems really lie at the heart of the simulation.
DI has chosen to simulate the LANTIRN equipped variant of the F16, consisting of two pods which are mounted under the air intake. With this advanced equipment the aircraft has the capabilities of a forward-looking IR sensor and terrain following radar. This means the pilot may also access a TV image on his MFD. The targeting pod contains the FLIR tracker and a laser designator/ranger which allows designation of targets at night using laser guided ordinance. Using the LANTIRN equipment the pilot can fly with radar off allowing for greater stealth.
This F16 is the Mid-Life Update which includes color CRTs. The new radar, similar to the APG 68, gives enhanced detection capabilities and better cluster resolution, letting you know if that blip you are tracking is one aircraft or a whole flight. The Harm Targeting System will let you take on the F-16's new Wild Weasel role. In this move toward modernization, much like the F22, the cockpit design is greatly simplified with the intention of decreasing the pilot's workload.
Radar is nicely modelled, definitely increasing your visibility to detection equipment and with an appropriate resolution delay. Its complex enough to give you flexibility and simply enough to learn in a few hours of play. The radar is nowhere near as complex as the actual F16 systems, and not nearly so intimidating therefore as the modelling in B2B. For the average pilot this is a big advantage since it allows one to concentrate more on the action and eases the learning curve.
The two primary modes of the new radar are TWS (Track While Scan) and ACM (air combat mode). TWS allows automatic id and tracking of airborne targets up to 35 nm. Targets are represented by color coded triangles: the triangles point down if headed toward the pilot, and up if headed away. The radar automatically designates the closest enemy aircraft and superimposes cross hairs on the target triangle. The display shows the altitude of the current target, target type and bearing in degrees. Closing speed is also shown.
If the designated target on the TWS display is a formation of aircraft (shown as a solid triangle), the pilot may zoom in and designate individual targets. This feature is called RCR, "Raid Cluster Resolution." The radar will then display ONLY the formation and will designate a target within the formation.
TWS also allows a choice of three scan modes. The scan pattern may be slewed horizontally (azimuth) and vertically (bar setting) in order to point the radar at the area of interest. Scan mode 1 allows 120 degrees azimuth, 3 degrees vertically, and 35 nm range. Scan mode 2 allows 60 degrees azimuth, 6 degrees vertically, and 25 nm range. Scan mode 3 alows 30 degrees azimuth, 9 degrees vertically, and 15 nm range.
The ACM mode works quite differently and allows a broader horizontal sweep pattern, and a boresight mode which may also be set to lock the nearest bandit automatically. ACM mode automatically arms your missiles and tracks the nearest enemy, slewing and zooming the radar to keep the target on radar as good as possible. You can leave ACM mode active but turn off auto tracking if you wish.
The ground radar can be set to either GVT (Ground Vehicle Track) or FTT (Fixed Target Track). GVT mode represents a plan view of the area ahead of your aircraft, showing ground vehicles ONLY. Maximum range is ten miles.
With the exception of radar-equipped enemy vehicles, the ground radar is not capable of distinguishing between allied and enemy equipment. However, if your TWS systems detects enemy radar transmissions from SAM, AAA or mobile EWR, this info is used to prioritise target designation on the radar display. If the target type is known the name will be confirmed on the display, although it is recommended to confirm the target id with the LANTIRN display before firing. Note: the LANTIRN zoom function (< and > keys) appears broken.
A radar HOLD mode is also available. This allows you to freeze the radar picture and turns off the active radar. The display will remain static and a dotted line will appear to show your position relative to your current target, enabling you to approach the target with radar off. Pressing "H" again resumes radar operation and unfreezes the display. FTT mode displays only fixed targets like buildings and bridges.
Of course, the cockpit display also contains a passive Threat Warning System which graphically represents the different types of radar scanning the aircraft in both a warning indicator system as well as the typical directional display. The appropriate symbol appears on the display for a quick appraisal of your situation, triangles for aircraft borne radar, diamonds for EWR systems, etc. There are also separate warning lights for various threats: IR and Radar missiles, Ground tracking radar, etc.
LANTIRNs greatest advantage is in use with radar off, but you can also employ these abilities in conjunction with air to ground radar. The only advantage in this case is that you can then VIEW the selected target at various levels of zoom using the LANTIRN FLIR mode on the opposite MFD.
WIth your target selected, on the right side of the HUD you will see the range scale and the estimated missile time to target. The laser designator will be automatically slaved to the radar target.
Using LANTIRN with radar OFF, however, increases your stealth. If the target is a vehicle then the pilot should select the FLIR AUTO mode. This gives automatic recognition and designation of ground vehicles and is primarily used for ripple firing maverick missiles against armored vehicles. You can zoom the view with the < and > keys so long as you have selected the FLIR display. You can also cycle through available targets using BSPACE.
This system works very nicely in F16FF. Employing the ripple fire method, remember to space each shot a couple of seconds. If your first missile makes a kill the LANTIRN will automatically designate the next target and the second missile will change course. But you must continue flying toward the target until all weapons reach their destination.
If the target is not a vehicle, you will need to use FLIR MAN (manual) mode. This mode is usually used for laser guided bombs, but you can use laser guided mavericks for the task also in manual mode. Get the target in your site and steer the designator manually using the ALT and cursor keys (or joystick). Zoom in or out as above and use fire button to lock the sight, then FIRE again to launch.
If you carry the AGM65G (IR) type of maverick missile things get simpler, because this missile is fire and forget. Either manual or automatic mode of the FLIR can be used. When the last weapon is away you can turn away from the target area.
Its in the manual FLIR mode that you will begin wishing for a solid autopilot control, or better yet, terrain following autopilot. True, the F16 is fairly stable and you can let go of your stick for a little while, but if terrain is especially rugged, or if you are flying at night, this gets tricky. Its great to see the LANTIRN capabilities modelled, but the lack of an autopilot is a real let down.
Flight feels excellent. Digital Integration has obviously been doing some good work in this area. Having never flown a serious F16 simulator, the only question I am left with is: is it really this hard? This airplane seems much harder to control than my previous serious sims in F14 Fleet Defender and EF2000. For the first couple of hours I found myself struggling to make crisp turns and smooth realignments, constantly over and under correcting.
Inertia and weight is modelled nicely, and stores make a huge difference in performance. Yanking and banking is NOT an option. The aircraft bleeds speed quickly in high G turns, especially with a full fuel load. Getting off the ground with a heavy payload even on full AB can take almost the length of the runway. Note also that turbine lag is well modelled, and it takes a few seconds to spool up engines or to shut them down.
Damage modelling is incredibly varied. Airbrakes and flaps can fail or incur damage that inhibits flight, gear can fail or get stuck (controlled crashes ARE possible), and engine damage of various severity may be incurred. Fires and cockpit pressurization problems are also possible, as are hydraulic failure. MFDs can fail as can LANTIRN pods, radar, ECM equipment and radio. You can lose or jam your gun, pylons can fail to release weapons, and your TWAS can quit. You can lose your electrical generation ability, and your HUD system can blank out. Whew!
While we are near to the subject, getting off the runway is an exciting task when you have failed a mission or two! This usually places you within range of enemy aircraft and/or tanks and artillery. There can be explosions ripping around you, and/or small arms fire. So you get clearance and put the throttle to the wall and hear those burners ignite! It would have been nice to hear the wheels complain as they separate from the pavement, but sound is very well done, from the threat warnings to the engines and voice. Really it can't get much better. Now lets consider the views and padlock.
View options are good, from the panning views in the virtual cockpit to the traditional snap views. Using the function keys for the panning threw me at first, but if you are going to program them to a stick anyway, whats the difference? Incidentally, I didn't care much for the config files provided and you can give my F16 thrustmaster files a peek.
The headlock system in F16 is excellent. I have seen at least one complaint on the net, but I don't think that the pilot understood how to control the system. The view is activated with key "6" and simulates the pilot's head tracking a target as long as the target remains in the physical field of view.
When you activate the head-lock view on your current target, a number of
things will happen:
As your head turns to track the target, the Field Of View box will move
appropriately within the Range Of Movement box. Movement range is
approximately ninety degrees upwards and thirty down, and 135 degrees left
and right. If the target moves out of the pilot's range of movement, view
returns to standard in-cockpit view until such time as the target re-enters
the pilot's range of movement. This could drive some people nuts but is a fairly good simulation of reality.
The headlock acts as a toggle between normal "look ahead" view and "target track" view. If you activate the headlock then switch to an external view, later pressing F5 (cockpit view) will put you back into the head-locked target track.
Head-locking slaves the view to the currently designated target but is otherwise unconnected to the target designation systems. Once locked, the view will slave to the target UNTIL the view is deactivated with a second press of key 6, or until you choose to view another available target. When the target leaves the range of movement, view returns to normal in-cockpit viewing but the target is remembered. If it re-enters the pilot's range of movement, the viewpoint will swing around and re-acquire the target.
While in head locked view the pilot may cycle through viewable targets with the hash (#) key. Available targets are those within 3 miles of your F-16. If the current target is
destroyed, the next available target is selected automatically. So far I have found the system well designed and user-friendly. I'll try to get a screen shot up today or tomorrow...
What about other physics issues? Missile inertia seems appropriate, with appropriate cruising ranges that change according to your own altitude and air speed. Blackouts are about the best modelled I have yet seen, and if you have blacked out once you are at higher risk for the next while. So far as I know, this is very accurate. Moreover, blackouts may come on suddenly but don't clear up suddenly, and are DEFINITELY dangerous to your health! I haven't seen a red out yet and it could be that the AI has a glitch in that area.
Afterburners are modelled for FIVE stages. Nice! You can monitor your level with the analog guage on the right side of the cockpit display.
After your mission, debriefing is via detailed text overlay (who shot whom with what and when) over your original planning screen and also a voice message that tells you how well you did or chews you out if you blew it...
F16FF offers a two-player option of either leader or wingman or head-to-head combat. Net play supports up to 16 players in Deathmatch or Capture the Flag missions. Unfortunately, campaign play is not available in either two player or network missions.
But worse yet, the multiplayer features seem to be broken.
North American release finally happened about October 13 as iF16. In theory iMagic chose to delay the release after complaints about bugs in the DI release, but there doesn't seem to have been any substantial changes. Frame rate is still challenging to the best systems if detail is full on. On the other hand, a patch is in the works that will apply to both the UK and US versions and hopefully will address multiplayer issues as well as frame rate.
In a mid beta there were detailed autopilot controls in F16FF: heading and altitude hold, attitude hold, track (may be used WITH terrain following), and terrain following. The Track mode allowed following the preset waypoints. An early/late time display could be brought up to enable speed adjustment so as to arrive at the next waypoint at the assigned time. This can be critically important when ground targets are moving rapidly and when support aircraft are timed to allow you air cover for a ground attack.
The terrain following mode was to be selectable only if the LANTIRN was fitted. With the TF system active the ap manoeuvers the aircraft to a radar altitude preset by the pilot. Ride height would be selectable from 100-500 feet and to 1000 feet.
For some reason this excellent AP system did not make it into the UK release, degenerating into a simply Autoland option. I hope that enough players will complain about this loss that DI will consider a patch. After all, the code was already in the works and probably wouldn't require a great deal more time to complete. And after all, this is part of the LANTIRN package.
The other area that begs for expansion is wingman interaction. F16 has followed the path of Apache and Hind and kept things far too simple. With this addition the sim would appeal to even hard core fans, and the immersion and depth added would really add life to the sim. While the voice overlays from other pilots helps add depth, its really a substitute for the "real" thing: ability to comm and control with your wing in a way that enhances tactical ability.
I still haven't yet seen the laser designation of targets by troops, although this kind of action is noted in the manaul. Perhaps this didn't make it to the final release.
CH users have noted that the UP position on the hat doesn't work. Hopefully this will be quickly fixed.
Overall, I think this sim is worth purchasing unless you are looking for solid multiplayer action. Although it lacks a dynamic campaign system, the campaign FEELS dynamic and the action and avionics are great. I don't hesitate to recommend the sim, especially for those who felt lost with B2B but want a high level of realism with some great action. If you have a low end Pentium you might want to have a look over the shoulder of a friend before your purchase. On the other hand, when 3dfx support is added and the connection abilities fixed, it might make a "best of 1997 list" yet!
My TM Config Files: F16
Last Updated October 13th, 1997
Avionics and Flight Modelling
Radar
Click for a larger image...LANTIRN
Flight Model
Views and Headlock
Click for a larger image..
SUMMARY
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