CombatACE Spotlight: Interview With Spectre8750

[Skyviper 1,101]

Interview with Spectre8750

"I've had a lot of help and support by the community here at CombatACE, and have always felt welcome and enjoyed my time spent here, with such a great community of people…"

-Spectre8750

 

In this week’s CombatACE Spotlight segment we interview a member that has been here since 2009. Spectre8750 has been a part of amazing projects such as the TMF F-14 and Fairchild A-10C projects that has 10,821 between the two of them I’ve you haven’t checked them out yet, you owe it to yourself to do so.

 

Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, Spectre8750. So, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was a Structural Design Engineer. My interests have led me to Graphic Design and Audio Engineering, Mastering, Restoration.

What interests you about aviation?

Well I've always been fascinated since a very early age with World War II era Fighters.  Their design revolved around speed and maneuverability and I was taken aback by their shape and beauty.  They were the thoroughbreds of their time in a very interesting period of history.

What is your favorite aircraft and why?

I would have to say the F-4U Corsair always fascinated me with its shape and power. It's ability as a Fighter and Ground Attack platform.

 

What got you interested in flight simulation?

Probably WWII movies and Documentaries; all the aircraft involved during that period.

 

Do you remember the first flight sim you ever played?

It was the F-15 Strike Eagle by Microprose back in 1985.  I would take the stick while a family member would take the keyboard as Weapons Officer and we would switch off.  I was hooked for life.

 

I remember playing the version that was on SNES and still love that game to this day. So, what motivated you to arrive at CombatACE and stay over the years?

I was at a Gaming Store when someone told me about European Air War and how popular it was, which led me to do some skinning and modding and the community online that offered so much in that area. This led me to some of the Mod sites and eventually learning about Strike Fighters Project One. 

 

When did you start modding?

With Strike Fighters I found the CombatACE Community through searching for updates and through the Strike Fighters Forum at TK's Third Wire Productions.  I was a late comer with the Series and signed up here in 2007.  I downloaded a lot of mods at first, messed with them a little and was out of touch with the site till 2009 when I started a new account.  Then I started out skinning at first and gradually learned some of the ins and outs of Strike Fighters modding through a lot of reading. 

 

What does modding do for you? Is it something that is relaxing and neat hobby etc?

It's one of those things that helps keep your mind busy and what better than Strike Fighters, at least for me, though I have to split my time up more these days with other projects, it's still my favorite. 

 

What modding tools do you use and why?

Just the usual 3DSMax '09 in my case, DXTBmp, SF Terrain Editor, Adobe PhotoShop CS5 and Paint Shop Pro 7. Those are I think probably the most used Tools in this Sim Community and the simplest to use and the ones i happen to have on hand. 

 

I see you were part of the TMF F-14 Tomcat Superpack project. What motivated you to join that project?

Well it started with me wanting to update the F-14 that the Mirage Factory had on hand by Flying Toaster/Olivier to Strike Fighters 2 standards back in 2011 with what I could dig up on the aircraft and deciding to do all the skins for all the active Squadrons that flew the F-14.  Of course I wasn't going to do every scheme ever, but to at least have all Squadrons represented plus a few schemes when they changed down through the course of the Tomcats life. I had some skins already to use as a base to start from by some that had worked on them previously like Dave, Column5 and EricJ.  Then Caesar who is a huge part in the whole project jumped in and made a big difference in keeping the F-14 and the variants real and up to date, along with SupGen and Brain32's work on the Cockpits. 

 

What was your role in that project what did you do to help develop it?

Mainly the skinning, but tweaking the flight model and cockpit modding in the beginning and adjusting some effects. But it is become what is today because of Caesar, SupGen and Brain32.  We have them to thank along with Olivier and Dave for what it is today. 

 

How long did it take to work on the project until everyone was satisfied for it to could be released?

In the beginning it was just my work on the project for a short while till Caesar and Dave joined to make it even better.  There have been several updates since it was started in 2011. It's been about three years since the Project began, so it gradually grew into what it is today. 

 

Now, about the Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II project, I love using that mod by the way. What prompted you to join that project?

It was another aircraft I thought needed updated, but mainly these projects were started so they could be included in the newer Strike Fighters 2 campaigns and other mod projects in the Community.

 

 

Was it easier to work on the A-10 than the F-14?

I would say both were equally challenging with their own quirks or difficulties, being different types of aircraft with their own strengths and characteristics.

 

Would you ever work on a group project again and if so what plane would you like to make?

I would work on other projects in this community because of the great input and team work available here.  There's some great modders here at Combat Ace.

I haven't mentioned that my favorite modern aircraft is the F-16.  It's really designed to be a Dog Fighter and takes the modern role that the P-51D had back in its day.  But the guys here at CombatACE have already done it and continue to make the mods of the F-16 better and fun.  If I was to start a project from scratch or an updated existing model? It would be the F4U Corsair, but Wrench has that one covered, it's in good hands. 

 

What is your favorite mod that you have created?

I guess that really the only mods I can take full credit for are the campaign maps, terrains that I did for Modern Warfare Korea and Operation Hydra, which the latter is going to be all new in the future if and when I can get the time. A lot of the projects here usually have more than one modder's work in it in some form.

 

What is your favorite mod that you did not create?

Well there's so many great mods and it's hard to pick, but I would have to say Olivier ANGUILLE (BPAo) and Kesselbrut's F-18 Hornet is one of the best mods I've seen offered here at CombatACE. 

 

Who is a modder, or group of modders, you admire or inspired you to start modding?

That would have to be Olivier (BPAo).  One of the first projects I took on at CombatACE was a simple Strike Fighters 2 conversion of Oli's and Kesselbrut's F-18 Hornet back in 2009, and he was very kind to let me take it.  Also I have to say that EricJ took me under his wing for a bit in the beginning and i owe him a lot for his help.

 

Do you have any favorite quotes or thoughts about being here at Combat Ace you’d like to share?

I've had a lot of help and support by the community here at CombatACE, and have always felt welcome and enjoyed my time spent here, with such a great community of people, with such a range of expertise, interest and great camaraderie.  I hope to be around to enjoy it and share what I can with the community here.

 

A BIG thanks to everyone here at CombatACE, especially the Staff who put so much work into the Site here, and to those at Third Wire Productions for creating such fun moddable Combat Sim that makes this area of modding possible and great fun.

 

And thank you Skyviper

 

On behalf the community and me, you’re welcome and thank you, Spectre8750, for being here with us. Thank you for taking the time to tell us your story and for sharing your hard work with us. To those reading this segment today, thank you for being here because, like Spectre8750 and so many others have said, its people like you that make this an awesome place to be.

 

If you wish to check out the TMF F-14 Project you can click here and download it or if you wish to check out the Fairchild A-10c Project you can click here to download it. Please read all download instructions and warnings including the associated readme files to get the best enjoyment out of these files. Until next time I'm Skyviper wishing you all good hunting and happy landings.