By: Len 'Viking1' Hjalmarson
Date: May 13th, 1998
Some time ago we spoke with James Baker, the Project Manager for DIs coming simulation, Super Hornet. As a follow up to F16 its a natural, and will be competing directly with iMagics coming iF18E Carrier Strike Fighter.
Recently we've had an update from Digital Integration, noting that they have added new features in accord with developments in the actual FA 18E program itself. Unfortunately, this has delayed the project and release is now set for Q1, 1999.
Super Hornet Cockpit
However, the delay has also meant addition enhancements to the Super Hornet engine itself. Here are excerpts from the press release:
Micro-textures give a new level of detail to the landscape and terrain to make low level flying more realistic than ever before! Now would-be top guns can actually feel like they're flying at 200ft above the ground at speeds of over Mach 1 - just like the test pilots at Patuxent River Naval Test Centre in Maryland.
Another addition to Super Hornet is the all new 'beefed up' arsenal, that pilots will be tooled up with.
Lock-on and take out enemy outposts over 60 miles away (!!) as you steer by remote control the latest SLAM weapons right through their front door. This is just one example of the cutting edge weaponry DI's Super Hornet will now be carrying.
The new cockpit of the Super Hornet is like no other fighter in service. Super Hornet will be the first game to feature an accurate and wholly mouse click-able F/A-18E cockpit.
Unlike all the other flight sims around, Super Hornet will not be limited to just one or two mouse operated switches or DDI's - every switch in the cock-pit which would be operated manually by the pilot is now completely mouse click-able, for that total gaming experience.
'Intelligent persistent damage modeling' means that any terrain, buildings, vehicles and aircraft damaged during the course of a mission will stay damaged (or as wreckage) in the war-zone through subsequent missions, until the enemy have had enough time to repair it or tow it away.
F18 DDI
As a pilot you'll now be able to re-visit sites and see the damage from previous raids. If you bomb a runway successfully it will be out of action for at least as long as it would take to repair the real thing.
The improved damage AI also means more realistic effects; Pilots will now get the satisfaction of seeing damaged trucks in a convoy careering off the roads, whilst the remaining trucks drive around the carnage (if they can) - allowing real pro's to take out a convoy one truck at a time.
If you destroy an enemy supply column you can rest assured that it will have an effect on the outcome of the enemy's ability to wage war - so, if you take out a supply route to the enemy's front line their lack of ammo, food etc. will mean that your ground troops will have the upper hand, forcing the enemy to retreat - that's if they even get the chance!
Super Hornet Carrier
To make flying at high altitude as realistic as low level flying, Super Hornet also features a completely new cloud system - a multi-layered, paralax, domed cloudscape. So now you really can reach for the skies.
Super Hornet Carrier Signals
