CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with FalconC45

[Skyviper 1,101]

CombatACE Spotlight: Interview with FalconC45

“The support on the forum is just amazing… I feel like they are my true friends…”-FalconC45

 

Aviation; according to the encyclopedia, it's the word used to describe the design, production, and operation of heavier-than-air aircraft. It’s defined as an art form by some and yet inspires many children to dream of soaring in the clouds. Some are fortunate enough to not have to extend their arms out their side and make buzzing noises as they get the chance to fly and yet many others enjoy the feel of a joystick and allow their computers to take them places they couldn’t go and let them do things they may never do. Whatever our reasons are many of us enjoy a number of flight simulators and better yet enjoy being in the company of other aviation enthusiast and fellow flight simmers. CombatACE is a great home to many of us who enjoy these things and as time goes on the community grew and while others come and go many of us have stayed; like FalconC45 who has been with us for nine years and has made some really awesome mods. We would like to take a few moments and shine the light on him in the CombatACE Spotlight. Thank you, FalconC45, for doing this interview with us.

 

To start off, please tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m Erik Glascoe. I am in a wheelchair and can’t walk or talk. My disability is Cerebral Palsy. My brain got severely damage when I was very young. According to my mother, she had a difficult birth and I had a real high fever when I first started to walk.  I’m from Dayton Ohio originally. I lived in Ohio many years until my mother got married in ’86. My mother & my step-father moved to Colorado for three years and we moved to Upstate New York for a year. We moved back to Ohio when my Grandmother was really sick. Currently (and in the past) I’m living right under Wright Patterson Air Force Base’s flight paths.

 

What interest you about aviation?

 I guess it was when my mother brought me to the USAF museum when I was about 2 or 3 in a stroller. The impression of seeing the shark mouthed P-40 staring at you was awe inspiring to a kid. From there and on, I was bitten by the military aviation bug. The bug really bit me when I saw both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds flying the F-4s demoing the aircraft. The idea of being a fighter pilot as a kid (without really understanding about my limitations at the time) came to my mind was when watching the TV show “The Black Sheep Squadron” with along my Grandpa. So I studied hard in school and in my teen years, I bought every military aviation book I could find. I studied the details of each era of the wars and such. I even drew 3 sided ID Flash cards so I could ID aircraft in flight (in which I can even today).

 

The realization of being a fighter pilot was just a dream was when I began understanding about my disability and the limitations of it came to light. That sucked hard big time. So I thought hey how about designing military aircraft so the disabled could defend the country as well. That dream lasted a few years when my stupid math teacher said I can’t use a calculator in my dream job; I had to do the formulas in my head.  I knew I couldn’t because I get lost without using a pen and paper or using a calculator.

 

What are your favorite types of aircraft and what do you find most appealing about them?

I like all eras of military aviation. I don’t stick to on era of it like most hobbyists do.  My favorite aircraft from WW1 is the Fokker D7. My favorite aircraft from WW2 is the Spitfire MK 9E. My favorite aircraft from Korea era is the F7F Tigercat. My favorite aircraft from Today is the F-16 (especially the Block 50 C Variant). But I love them all.

 

What got you interested in flight simulation?

My step-dad showed me one on a friend’s computer. My jaw dropped. My dream of being a fighter pilot could be lived through a computer.

 

Do you remember the first flight sim you ever played?

Yes. It was the first F-15E Strike Eagle sim on a Desktop PC with the CH Products Flightstick. After that I was hooked. In my young mind, I was being a fighter pilot.

 

What motivated you to arrive at CombatACE and stay over the years?

Dave who I knew from SIMHQ & Column5’s forum invited me over and I stayed ever since. We tried to meet in RL one year but it failed. But I know if we ever meet in RL, we’ll hit it off in an instant.

 

When did you start modding?

I created the HDR Mods when TK didn’t turn on the dx10 shaders in a SF2 Build. I tried simulating the RL lighting with the shadows on the engine at the time. The surprising part about my mod was when the frame rates increased A LOT. My jaw dropped when reading reports about my mod about it increasing the frame rates. My HDR mods aren’t necessary anymore since TK turned on the dx10 shaders. His shaders are better anyway except for the shadows.

 

What do you enjoy most about modding? 

To create something for the players to enjoy.

 

What do you least enjoy about modding games? 

The headaches of finding bugs LOL 

 

What modding tools do you use and why? 

Notepad for the ENBSeries ini files

 

 What is your favorite mod that you have created?

 The HDR Mod for ATI Card users

 

What is your favorite mod that you did not create?

A tie between the Viper packs & the TMF Tomcat

 

Who is a Modder or group of modders that you admire or has inspired you to start modding?

Stary & Dave.

 

If you had the time and resources what would be a mod that you would like to make?

A JDASF and G-Force mod (Anti-Godzilla force) complete with giant monsters. But I don’t think the SF Engine could handle that. So realistically I would love to help beta test a WINGMAN mod (hint to Wrench). 

 

Fun Question: What song is your theme song? 

Hell on Wheels by Cinderella

 

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

The support on the forum is just amazing when I told them about my cancer. I was overwhelmed with friendship on the site. I feel like they are my true friends even though they are just text on the monitor. I hope someday we’ll meet face to face.

 

Thank you FalconC45 for taking the time to do this interview with us and I wish you the absolute best.

 

Thanks for checking out this CombatACE Spotlight Segment in our next segment we'll be interviewing Gepard. Once again thank you for stopping by and good hunting.

[FalconC45 162]

I'm getting teary eyed... DAMMIT :).

 

Falcon

[TeargasHorse 287]

Inspired. I have no mods. But here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0f5FpRslTg

 

Rock on, buddy! \M/

Edited February 28, 2014 by TeargasHorse