This past winter we did an interview 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 recent release of iF18 Carrier Strike Fighter.
Then a few weeks ago we spoke to Rod Swift, Managing
Director for Digital Integration, and we added new
information to the previous interview with James Baker. The
substance of that information indicates that Super Hornet
is more in the lineage of Tornado than any other simulation
to date. Good news! Super Hornet will include a fully
dynamic campaign system as well as a tactical dimension far
beyond F16.
Now we have new screen shots, including some GUI shots,
from this new simulation. The terrain looks much better
than CSF, but then this is not satellite generated data
(although it is accurately modeled and river and road
placement is based on satellite maps).
The recent press release mentions some features of
interest, including "the gaming world's first ever fully
interactive carrier-deck. The inclusion of a fully
interactive carrier deck is a first for flight sim fans and
means that pilots will now be able to experience exactly
what its like to land and take-off from an active US Navy
Super-Carrier, with aircraft constantly landing and taking
off around them. The complete deck simulation also features
an interactive deck crew - with 15 types of hand signals,
Fresnel light landing systems and talk downs." Here is the
rest of the info:
SUPER HORNET FEATURES
· Two ultra-realistic war-zones: Barents Sea and
Indian Ocean - each 40,000 sq. miles
· Unlimited number of single missions, with easy
to use mission generation system
· Comprehensive dynamic campaign in each war
zone with players controlling up to 32 aircraft across 4
squadrons.
· Four instant action Quickstart missions for
air-to-air combat and ground attack
· Advanced mission planner provides automatic or
manual mission design.
· Two player co-operative gameplay, head to head
action and network gaming for up to 16 players
· On-line interactive tutorial with information
and guidance on flying Super Hornet.
· Carrier take-off and landings, with marshaling
deck crew and vehicles
· State-of-the-art target rich environments.
· High fidelity flight model.
· Wingman control.
· Fully "active" virtual cockpit, with
comprehensive implementation of cockpit instrumentation,
Heads Up Display and "Headlock" view for immersive
air-to-air combat.
· Vast range of weapons including the latest
"smart" munitions.
· Auto-pilot, terrain-following and auto-land
facility.
· Spectacular rendered animations
· High performance 3D visual system with dynamic
coloured lighting and light source shading.
· Integrated MMX and Direct 3D support for
latest 3D accelerator cards.
COMBAT ZONES
Would be Top Guns get to experience for themselves the
pumped up, adrenaline charged excitement of real air-to-air
and ground attack combat across two highly detailed,
realistic war zones; the Barents Sea and the Indian Ocean
In the Barents Sea flash point (based around Murmansk)
pilots fly against a rebel Communist faction of the Russian
Federation which controls the Russian Northern Fleet. This
war zone includes realistic carrier vs. carrier combat with
the impressive Northern Fleet containing the Russian
equivalent of the Super Carrier. This war zone also allows
the player to face the formidable threat of both Bear and
Backfire Bombers as well as the deadly MiG 29 and Su 27.
Over the Indian Ocean pilots do battle against the might of
India, which is attempting an invasion of Sri Lanka. The
Indian Navy is very formidable, featuring two heavily armed
and well defended Harrier carriers. India also flies the
Mirage 2000, so pilots will be up against one of the most
modern and deadly of the French warplanes.
Each realistic war zone features over 18 different ships,
30 different vehicle types and 30 different plane types and
takes place in a flying area in excess of 40,000 square
miles, generated from real world terrain data.
GAME OPTIONS - Varied Levels of Gameplay
F/A-18E Super Hornet's realistic combat simulation features
varied levels of immersive gameplay specifically designed
to appeal to all flight sim enthusiasts, as well as arcade
gamers, thanks to its quick start mission option which
throws the player straight into the no-holds-barred action.
There's also an interactive training area for budding top
guns wanting to push themselves further. Super Hornet's
featured levels of game-play include:
Quickstart: Four instant-action 'free-for-all' quickstart
options involving air-to-air combat and ground attack
Training: A comprehensive range of missions to familiarise
player with aircraft handling and weapon systems
Combat:
Randomly generated, or manually designed, self-contained
single missions based upon roles of the F-18 in modern
warfare, including:
· Air-to-air combat
· Anti-shipping
· Close air support
· Air interdiction
· Defence suppression
· Reconnaissance
· Strategic attack
MISSIONS & THE 'REALITY' OF WAR
Super Hornet features the kind of completely immersive
campaign system flight sim enthusiasts have been crying out
for for years. In "Command" players will be able to
experience what it's really like to be involved in a full
scale war where your every action has repercussions on the
outcome of the war.
Never before have gamers been able to live the fluid
progress of war, to such an extent - each enemy and ally is
programmed to react to the actions of the other. So whilst
would be top guns are flying missions the ground war will
continue to rage on beneath them.
Super Hornet contains a wide variety of mission types,
targets, aircraft, weapon types, escort and AWAC's support.
To create added variety as well as realism to missions
weather conditions have been included alongside the advent
of day, dusk and night.
MM Intro. Click for larger image.
STRATEGIC MISSION DESIGNER
Due to demand from game players across the globe, one of
Super Hornet's strongest features is the inclusion of a
comprehensive Strategic Mission Designer which offers
players fully automated or manual mission planning right
through to the smallest detail.
In "Command" the player's overall objective is to force the
enemy to surrender. Just like in a real war, mission
objectives will depend upon the success or failure of the
player during his previous mission. But in addition to
flying the awesome Super Hornet, players can also
experience what it's like to plan the tactics of the war,
controlling up to a maximum of 32 allied aircraft across 4
squadrons. No missions are pre-scripted and no outcome will
ever be the same. Features include:
· Flight plan generation for multi-aircraft
sorties
Super Hornet has a high performance Direct3D-based 3D
engine that supports MMX and 3Dfx, full 16bit colour,
dynamic coloured lighting and light source shading. The
terrain relief is fully textured, with each war zone having
its own visual 'character' with towns, villages, airfields,
harbours and industrial facilities.
Super Hornet has a virtual cockpit, with a scrollable field
of view of 135 degrees left and right, 90 degrees up, and
30 degrees down. The player will also be able to 'snap' the
view left, right, up and down. Also included is DI's
"Headlock" view which tracks targets during air-to-air
combat. There are over eight different external viewing
modes.
The highly detailed Super Hornet model has full
articulation of tail plane, rudder, landing gear, arrestor
hook, ailerons, flaps, speed brakes and ALE-55 towed decoy.
ACTIVE COCKPIT
Super Hornet features an "active" cockpit which allows the
player to select functions on the instrument panel using
the mouse in exactly the same way that the pilot makes his
selection in the real aircraft.
What's more the "active cockpit" is fully floating, which
allows the player to look left, right, up and down
smoothly. There is also the option of the new "Headlock
View", which allows the pilot to automatically track an
enemy fighter during air to air combat, just as a pilot
would in a real combat situation.
The cockpit of the Super Hornet has been faithfully modeled
on that of the real fighter. Other features include:
Up-Front Control Display
"Touch-sensitive" panel used to select autopilot modes,
communications and navigation functions.
Digital Display Indicators (DDI)
WEAPONS EQUPMENT
When it comes to sheer firepower no other fighter even
comes close to the Super Hornet. It offers a huge selection
of state-of-the-art weaponry, including the latest in smart
munitions:
Air-to-Air
· GUN - M61A1 Vulcan 20mm Rotary Cannon
· AIM-9M "Sidewinder"
· AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air to
Air Missile) - a long range fire and forget, beyond visual
range, air-to-air missile
