Daily News
By Douglas Helmer
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PC Game and Hardware News
The Full Canvas Jacket Superpatch release date is set for April, 2003.
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| Full Canvas Superpatch for RB3D |
The Promised Land is now offering pre-sales of the Full Canvas Jacket Superpatch for a limited time for only $23.00 (shipping included).
Order: Full Canvas Superpatch
From README: The Western Front Patch more than doubles the number of aircraft seen in a Red Baron campaign. To do this, aircraft models, cockpits, skins, historical research, and everything else that makes up a patch were begged, borrowed, or developed from scratch by/from people throughout the RB community.
New Aircraft:
- Flyable:
- FE8
- Fokker DIII
Non Flyable:
- Complete Albatros C series: CI, CIII, CV/16, CV/17, CVII, CX, and CXII
- Halberstadt CLIV
- Rumpler CI
- Junkers J1
- AEG GII and GIV replace the Gotha
Updated Models:
- FE2b
- BE2c
- Fokker DII
- Halberstadt DII
- Hanover CLII
- SPAD XIV
- DH5
- N11
- N16
Other:
- Albatros skins redone using Mark Miller’s profile.
- White skins used on more early German models.
- Bentley Camel gets its own slot.
- Misc bug fixes
Download: Western Front Patch [51 MB]
Press Release:id Software and Activision announced today they are canceling the retail release of Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. Despite a strong effort from talented developers, the single player portion of the game did not progress as anticipated. Canceling the release was a difficult decision made in the best interest of the Wolfenstein franchise and fans. However, we remain excited about the progress and direction of Enemy Territory multiplayer. Over the next several months the focus of our development will be to complete the multiplayer portion of Enemy Territory and provide it as a free downloadable expansion to Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
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| Enemy Territory canceled. |
In Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory Axis and Allied teams do battle in traditional single scenarios, or wage war through a series of linked scenarios in a totally new campaign mode. During combat players gain experience and skill, and through battlefield promotions are awarded additional abilities that remain persistent across an entire campaign. Additionally, new character classes like the covert operative class as well as an enhanced engineer allow teams to perform reconnaissance, steal enemy uniforms, and construct battlefield structures and military installations in the midst of combat to gain tactical advantages for their team. All new game modes, maps and communication abilities require players and teams to develop advanced strategies and tactics in the struggle for front line domination.
Website: Activision
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| New Operation Flashpoint fire effects script |
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| BF1942 Pic of the Day. See the larger version at the link below. |
- Eternal Silence Update
- FilePlanet Contest Soon
- New Guam Map
- BF Tracks Live - Europe
- BF1942 Competition Mod
- 1.3 Working Sound Fix
- Vhavoc Movie
Website: PlanetBattlefield.com
This new IGI 2: Covert Strike sampler is set in a 1950s Soviet weather station, high in the Carpathian Mountains and has David Jones, our IGI (Institute for Geotactical Intelligence) agent, on a reconnaissance mission tracking down a nano-technology chip, held by the local mafia.
Objectives include locating a laser-cutter and a silenced sniper rifle, breaking into offices, deactivating security systems, and launching a weather balloon. Faced with enemy patrols, scientists and snow troopers, Jones needs to engineer an incredible surface-to-air escape on a Hercules plane in a classic blockbuster end sequence.
Gameplay faces Jones with many decisions between using stealth or firepower, use your judgement to see which tactics give the best results. Thankfully, you've got the Satellite Map computer at hand to help you out...
Download: IGI2 SP Demo (Codemasters)
Download: IGI2 SP Demo (3DGamers)
Mike Bowman's Fourth Annual AH CON 2003 is now taking registrations!- Dates: July 17th - 20th, 2003
- Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel in Indianapolis, IN.
- Cost:
- $140.00 if registering before May 31, 2003
- $165.00 (on a space available basis) if registering after May 31, 2003
- Spouse: $70.00
The cost includes three days of play on a direct connection to the Aces High server, an AH CON T-shirt, personalized hat and the Saturday night convention banquet. The spouse cost includes a con T-shirt, personalized hat and the Saturday night convention banquet.
Fees charged to AH accounts will be billed on June 3, 2003.
All con fees are non-refundable.
More Info: AH CON 2003
Flightsim.com is running 33 screenshots from the upcoming release of Microsoft's "Century of Flight" edition of Flight Simulator that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brother's first flight.
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| 1903 Wright Flyer in MS Flight Simulator's "Century of Flight" edition. |
Screenshots: Flightsim.com
FS2002: Blue Angels F/A-18B (AVSIM)
US Navy 'Blue Angels' display team F/A-18B 'Hornet' repaint. A repaint of Dean Reimers CF-18B for FS2002. Features accurate textures with photoreal lettering and badges. The repaint is an accurate representation of the number 3 F/A-18B of the display team. Original model by Dean Reimer, textures by Craig White.
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| Sweet! |
Strike Fighters: 111st Fighter Interceptor Squadron (AVSIM)
111st FIS in europe one camo by Nathan Anderson.
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| 111st FIS in Europe One camo |
FS2002: Helicopter carrier "Tarawa" (FSPlanet)
This Scenery pack places the Helicopter carrier "Tarawa" and four Strike craft (two of them with landable helipads) about 14NM, at 175 Degrees off Athens, Greece. By Danny Levin.
This patch includes 17 new and improved vehicle and gun models, refinements to several commands and further tweaks to the fatigue and morale systems.
Added Features include a new "pure armor" Quick Battle force type which will only allow "armor" units to be purchased plus dozens of unit and weapon/armor data updates and bug fixes.
Download: CM2:BtB European Patch v1.02 (from 3DGamers)
Download: CM2: BtB v1.02 Patch (various languages) (from CDV website)
Ubi Soft Entertainment, one of the world's leading video game publishers today announced that it will be sponsoring the forthcoming i15 multiplayer gaming event that will be held in Newbury, UK on the 14-16 March 2003.
Ubi Soft had previously sponsored the i14 event held in November 2002 as part of the promotional campaign for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Raven Shield which is released on 21 March 2003.
"Ubi Soft was delighted with the overwhelming response that Raven Shield received at i14, this was the first opportunity for the public to play the game (via the demo) and over 60 teams entered the tournament. At i15 we will be building on this interest with more exciting tournaments and competitions" Said Jim Hill, Senior Brand Manager, Ubi Soft UK.
The Raven Shield tournament will be one of the main events at i15, with a cash prize of £2000 going to the winning team, and the chance for other competitors to win cutting-edge Radeon 9000 graphics cards courtesy of the partnership Ubi Soft has with ATI.
Website: Multiplay UK
Gamespot is reporting that Electronic Arts has signed a long-term publishing agreement with Battlefield 1942 developer Digital Illusions, also known as DICE. The story by Sam Parker goes onto to add that EA has also purchased a minority ownership stake in the studio. With over 900,000 copies sold, and for a WWII military game no less, it's no wonder EA wants to get cozy, eh?
Full Story...
The BBC News website has a story by online technology correspondent, Mark Ward, that says online gaming is good for you.
To people who do not play computer games shoot-em-ups such as Counter-Strike and Quake look very straightforward.
You log on, you shoot everything that moves with a frightening arsenal of weapons, you log off.
But studies of players and teams are showing that these games are much more complex than many people suspect.
They are revealing the deep community and complex culture surrounding the games, as well as some of the reasons why people find them appealing.
Full Story: BBC News World Edition
Defense & Aerospace News
ORLANDO, Fla.—The Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) -led F/A-22 Raptor air dominance fighter flight-test program has for the first time successfully demonstrated between two Raptors the capabilities of the Intraflight Datalink (IFDL), a key component of the Raptor's avionics suite that is designed to enhance a pilot's situational awareness. This achievement moves the F/A-22 closer to being prepared to support the timely start and successful execution of the program's critically important Dedicated Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (DIOT&E) phase.
During the almost four-hour flight from the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., two F/A-22s -- Raptors 4005 and 4006 -- demonstrated the basic functionality of the IFDL, which can broadcast and receive both voice transmissions and data.
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| F/A F-22 Raptor |
"The IFDL is essentially an encrypted radio and wireless communications modem that allows Raptor pilots to covertly talk to and share information with each other without fear of being overheard by potential enemies," said Bret Luedke, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.'s chief F/A-22 test pilot, one of two pilots involved in this IFDL test flight. "The IFDL helps preserve the aircraft's stealthiness without requiring pilots to maintain radio silence or to communicate via visual signals; IFDL is truly a step forward in aircraft interoperability."
The IFDL — part of the Communications, Navigation and Identification (CNI) suite provided by the Radio Systems division of Northrop Grumman Space Technology -- allows formations of Raptor pilots to share information provided by each other's on-board and off-board sensors, including target tracking information provided by the F/A-22's APG-77 radar. Such information helps prevent weapons from being unnecessarily launched or dropped on targets already being engaged by another Raptor. The IFDL also helps the flight leader keep track of his wingmen and the formation's weapons loadout and fuel status so that missions can be successfully executed and all aircraft and pilots involved in that mission can maximize their combat effectiveness and return safely to base.
Prior to this true airborne demonstration between F/A-22s, Boeing's 757 Flying Test Bed (FTB) was used to prove the IFDL's capabilities both in the air and on the ground with but a single Raptor pilot at Edwards AFB. During three days of tests, the FTB showed that the IFDL can share data with a wingman, even when the F/A-22 pilot executed a series of fast and slow rolls and high-g maneuvers. Previous IFDL flight tests have involved the FTB and the ground-based Avionics Integration Lab at Boeing's facility in Seattle. Avionics testing on board the 757 is helping reduce risk and future F/A-22 flight test hours by enabling extensive in-flight testing, evaluation and troubleshooting prior to installation on F/A-22 fighters.
In related news, the F/A-22 flight-test program continues to expand the Raptor's flight envelope, and recently the aircraft reached its maximum speed at 15,000 feet of approximately 800 knots. With this, the flight-test program is progressing toward successfully clearing the remainder of the F/A-22's flight envelope, a necessary achievement before the Air Force can begin DIOT&E next year.
In addition, the F/A-22 demonstrated its ability to safely and effectively launch AIM-9 short-range, heat-seeking air-to-air missiles while performing "elevated g" turns. During a recent mission flown from Edwards AFB, Boeing F/A-22 test pilot Fred Knox successfully launched an AIM-9 missile that cleanly separated from the aircraft while flying Raptor 4003 above the Navy's Air Warfare Center, China Lake, Calif.
To date, the Raptors at Edwards AFB have accumulated almost 3,000 flight hours during more than 1,300 test missions.
ROSH HA’AYIN—The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] and BVR Systems (1998) Ltd. [NASDAQ:BVRS], both leaders in advanced military training and simulation, today announced that they are jointly pursuing the P5 Combat Training System (P5 CTS) program for the U.S. Department of Defense.
The program, currently in the competitive phase, will provide complete rangeless air-combat training systems for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The program will include both aircraft-mounted systems and ground stations, enabling tactical aircrews to conduct, monitor and control air combat training and post flight debriefing.
The award decision is expected late this month. The program has a total potential value of approximately $270 million.
“By combining the full commitment and capabilities of Boeing and BVR, we are bringing the best industry has to offer to this important program,” said Tony Robertson, vice president of business development for Aerospace Support, part of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. “The combination of our tactical aircraft development expertise, state-of-the-art training technologies and systems integration processes, with the capabilities and experience of BVR, a world leader in the air-combat maneuvering instrumentation arena, provides an industry team with unmatched qualifications for the P5 CTS program.”
Through its Aerospace Support organization, Boeing provides the full spectrum of training systems and services for military organizations, including complete, integrated training systems for the Navy F/A-18 and
T-45, the Air Force F-15, F-22 and T-1A, and the Army AH-64D and RAH-66 programs. In addition, Boeing is the leader in the innovative U.S. Air Force Distributed Mission Training joint synthetic battlespace concept.
“BVR is proud to partner with Boeing in the area of combat training systems,” said Yoel Katzir, BVR chief executive officer. “We believe there are significant synergies between Boeing’s exceptional capabilities as a world-class integrator and major player in the virtual- and constructive-training domains, and BVR’s extensive experience in the live-training market and, more specifically, in air-combat training systems.”
BVR Systems (1998) Ltd., is a world leader in advanced defense training and simulation systems. The company is part of the Elisra Group of Israel and offers highly efficient, cost-effective solutions for the simulation, training and debriefing needs of modern air, sea and ground forces. Established in 1998 as an independent spin-off, is a world leader in advanced defense training and simulation systems. The Company is part of the Elisra Group and offers highly efficient, cost effective solutions to the simulation, training and debriefing needs of modern air, sea and ground forces.
Website: BVR Systems
Toronto—(NYSE: CGT; TSX: CAE) CAE today announced that the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) C-130H Hercules Full Flight Simulator, designed and manufactured by CAE, has achieved accreditation to Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Level 5 using the tests and standards for MCQFS Level II, which is equivalent to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Level D. This is the highest level of accreditation in full flight simulation.
The accreditation represents the first time a C-130H simulator has achieved accreditation to this level and reflects the high level of fidelity required by the RAAF. The simulator is located at the Airlift Simulator Centre at RAAF Base Richmond, together with Boeing 707 and C-130J Full Flight Simulators, a C-130J Systems Familiarisation Trainer and a C-130J Communications Navigation Identification Systems Management Unit Trainer, all of which were also designed and manufactured by CAE.
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| CAE's C-130H simulator in production |
The C-130H joins the B707, C-130J and S-70 Black Hawk as the fourth CAE military simulator to be accredited in Australia. CAE is the only simulator manufacturer to have achieved accreditation of an Australian Defence Forces simulator to Australian CASA Level 5. CAE maintains all four simulators by providing the full range of training support services.
“We are extremely pleased all four of the high-fidelity simulators we’ve delivered to the Australian Forces over the past several years have achieved this level of accreditation,” said Donald W. Campbell, Group President, Military Simulation and Training, CAE. “This achievement has been the result of an ongoing and close working relationship between CAE, the Defence Materiel Organisation and the RAAF. We are committed to continue this close relationship through the entire lifecycle of these devices, as well as on future simulation programs in Australia.”
CAE is a global leader in providing advanced simulation and controls equipment and integrated training solutions for customers in the military, civil aviation, and marine markets. With annual revenues in excess of $1 billion, CAE employs more than 6,000 people in Canada, the United States and around the globe.
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