Dagger

it looks good and the sounds are good..ok other than that it's a half finished alpha build at best.I tried it and was lucky enough to have the place I bought it take it back and give me a full refund. Perhaps in the future when they finish it I'll take another look.it comes with 10 missions,no MP,no mission builder,and loads of bugs. I was going to do a review but I couldn't even play it long enough for that.

Rise Of Flight:Iron Cross Edition Publisher: 777 Studios Rise of Flight official web site: Rise of Flight First Thoughts Every virtual pilot has an era of flight that really gets his juices flowing, starts his heart pumping faster, and makes his palms sweat with anticipation. For me it is WW1 with the open cockpits, wire and fabric planes. The feeling of being one with the plane. So you can guess my excitement when I saw Raise of Flight:Iron Cross Edition and looked at the screen shots of the game. The selection of planes and the assorted eye candy looked top shelf. We've all seen sims and arcade games with wild claims and have been disappointed when we finally got the game. So I decided the best way to go was to try the demo. I downloaded and installed the demo, made an account and logged on. The Demo Experience The demo is basically a scaled down version of the full game.The playable aircraft are limited to a Spad 13 for the Allies and the Albatros D.Va for the German pilots, BUT the flight experience is the full game. The really cool thing about this is you can go and fly in most on-line servers. After logging on and selecting the Multiplayer, I found my server. I then selected my side, of course I flew Allied, and then went to the hanger. Here you can do some really great things, you can change your load out by adding bombs if the aircraft you are using had them, You can even select your planes skin, with the demo it is limited, but they do have some very nice skins to choose from. One really cool thing that I can’t remember seeing in sims before is you can adjust the machine guns convergence point with a visual slider, this is the point where your machine gun rounds come together. As for the options, this sim can be as hard to fly as any modern era flight sim, or you can scale the realism down and make it easier to learn. The game has a nice feature in the options, you can adjust your stick and throttles input curve. The nice thing is you can help "calm" the planes down. Yes they are very "twitchy" and unless you have a very light hand the planes bounce around, and makes accurate gunnery almost impossible just like the real planes. One of the first things that strikes you is the level of detail in the graphics, all I can say is WOW! The terrain looks like a picture post card, and the aircraft themselves are so detailed you will think you are looking at an actual plane. The water is second to none, and if you fly through a cloud be prepared to get a little wet. Another thing that jumps out at you is the sunlight and the glare off the aircraft. I have to say, nothing like being blinded by the sun in the middle of a flight, but you can make adjustments. Now on to the important part. I am not a pilot, and having said that, if I were I have a feeling that the flight model on these planes are going to be very close to accurate. The fact that the numbers come from an engineer help to make all the models as close to real as you can get. You can almost feel the wind in your face, and feel your scarf flapping behind you, and unlike modern jets that almost fly themselves, you are basically forced to keep an eye on the gauges as they sometimes have a mind of their own and keep an ear open to the sounds of your engine as the RPMs will increase and decrease on their own. The cockpits are works of art, you get the impression of an old sports car. Take offs require a light touch to keep your plane heading down the field and the bumps and ruts will make it fun, a little rudder and you’ll be fine. Once airborne I highly recommend some time down low to just take in the sights. Remember most of these planes were flown at much lower altitudes, so flying over the French country side, chasing down your prey is an experience. Once you have caught him, and you bring your guns into play, the damage model is first class. From the smallest tear in the fabric, to wings getting blown off at the wing root, it all seems "right". Speaking of damage models, I made a fast low level ground attack run, just for fun, and what did I see? My rounds ricocheting all over the place. If you are close enough and at the right angle, they will also ricochet off an airplane. My impressions of this demo? I will say this demo made a believer out of me, The graphics, the game play and stable multiplayer are rock solid. It recognised my throttle and stick. The track IR support also adds realism to the game. 777 Studio maintained a high set of standards with this Sim even after releasing 16 updates with more on the way. Just remember you only have 2 weeks to decide if this sim is for you, sorry but that is all the time you get with the demo. If you are a “pilot” then this is for you. The final score: For a demo, this one gets 9.5 out of 10 stars. The Upgrade from Demo If I had to pick a word to describe this process it would be “user friendly”. There are several different ways to upgrade this sim. You can purchase the boxed set, digital download, or by buying directly from 777 Studios, which just unlocks the planes for you. The hardest part is typing in the numbers. The Packaging While I normally don't say much about packages, this one just begs for some time to investigate it's contains. The DVD and the user manual is well written and presented. Then I looked at the goodies that came along it. First, there is a grid map of the area, which makes mission planning easy, and if you are flying with your squad mates, knowing where you are really comes in handy. It's just plain fun to have it on your lap while flying to add to the experience. Another nice addition is the key card which shows some of the most important keys and key combinations to enhance your flying. Then there's a sheet that folds out and shows all the medals that a pilot can be awarded. Medals from all countries which are very accurate. Turn the paper over and examine the awards you can also achieve in the game. They make you want to do your best. The Full Game From the first time I fired Rise of Flight up after installing the full version, I had a tingling that I haven't felt in a flight sim in a very long time. I decided to check everything out. Off-Line Game Experience First I logged in off-line and found campaigns, quick missions, and a solid platform of a sim for single play. There are basically 3 campaigns, all scripted,but more on this part later. The single missions could be flown with what ever plane I wanted with missions designed for that aircraft. A quick mission editor so I could quickly make my own mission, what targets, weather (including rain and snow), enemies, this is basically a great idea for the person who wants to change things to their liking. No need to be connected to the internet now. The missions are as difficult as you want, and some are just plain killer, at least for me as a rookie.The reason I am all worked up is the feeling of immersion is there. I picked a mission and as soon as I came in game I was looking at the windsocks blowing in the wind, trucks rolling around the hangers, and men manning their AA guns. The weather plays a big factor in the way the planes fly, rain, snow, and even the wind can be set to your liking and you feel it.You have to adjust your flying style to fit. The cockpits are so detailed, even down to the wicker seat in my Camel. I flew out of the field in the rain trying my best to see through the rain now soaking my goggles. If I wasn't impressed before I am now. How did the mission end you may ask..not well is all I can say. Which reminds me, not only do the planes take damage, you do too. The red seems to splatter and your vision blurs. On-Line Experience Once you log in on-line you'll find the same options for game play as the off-line mode, PLUS a career mode, very nice, and of course multi player. The cool things about the servers is you can see not only how the server is set up, but your ping, and the names of other pilots in the sever.I wanted to try the on-line side of the game now. My squadron, the U.S. 95th (http://us95th.org), is now flying Rise of Flight , and we have 2 servers. I jumped in and picked my plane, picked my skin, set my fuel load and gun convergence, and went to fly. Folks I am so impressed with the On-line play of the is sim, it is rock solid and very fun. The interface is not as tough as some of the newer sims, but it still has it's points, so take the time to look over the key mapping before you start. In our training server they have the easy gauges turned on, and as you turn to make your attack on an enemy plane, there's a aiming point to help you. In the main server these aren't there. So you can find a server to meet your needs easlily. You can record your flights, or fights with just a touch of a couple keys, the standard screenshot is easy as touching a key and the sim stores your pictures in the main folder. The different views are a nice touch, and you can even spectate if you're not up flying, or just want to watch for awhile. Realism Factor Most WW1 sims don't take time to worry about engine warm ups, or mixture settings. I have never seen the radiator open and close switch before now. If you have your realism settings turned up these are 2 things you have to worry about. You'll need a 2-3 minute warm up period. During your flight you are constantly checking your gauges, listening for changes to the tone, and sounds. You'll even look at the exhaust smoke, check it for color, engine damage causes the exhaust to change color and the sounds made by the engine. They even modeled in the torque effects of the rotary engines. I didn't know the German and Allied aircraft rotary engines spun in different directions. Hows that for real. Campaigns and Careers Now back to the campaign point I mentioned earlier, there are 3 campaigns included, 1 German, 1 Allied, and 1 training. OK they are scripted, after flying a mission or 2 I think you'll find they are really good missions, and very fun. There is a wide assortment of targets, as well as different objectives. If you like balloon busting, intercepts of enemy bombers, or ground attack, it's all there.If you read the 777 Studios forums you'll see there is actually going to be a career mode upgrade. In the mean time, I suggest try the campaigns and a career that are already in the game, if for nothing else the practice, and the learning experience. They are all well designed and put together missions. You might have noticed I haven't mentioned the mission editor, not the quick editor, but the full feature one. The editor is a very powerful editor, and there are several how to articles on line, but that will get a review of it's own. It's that powerful. This is the same editor used by the team when they do missions. So be patient. I will say this, you can make missions for both single player and multiplayer, and then share them. Want more planes? If you want more planes, you simply go to the Rise of Flight web site store and purchase what you want. planes are available by the single plane, or in bundles of 2 or more planes. it is as easy as buy then log in. Your plane will be in your hanger. All planes are available in game when you make missions, BUT when you buy them it unlocks them so you can fly them. You also can make custom skins to use and share. My over all impressions The Pros For a change lets start with me a statement, I am like most folks and I don't like being nickled and dimed just to play a game. I have heard the complaints of having to buy add-on planes, and It took a talk with Mr. Jason Williams, the owner of 777 Studios and Rise of Flight, to get me thinking about this. Yes if you want the extra planes you have to pay for them, BUT if you play other sims you pay for add-ons, and most don't think anything about it. Also 777 Studios is not one of those companies that has a giant company bank rolling them, the money you spend helps the game continue and grow. Now where to start? What did I like? The graphics are great, some of the best you'll find in any flight sim, and all the small details like working windsocks, trucks running around the bases, trains look like the trains of the period. Even the pilots can use hand gestures and head gestures, and that's cool to watch your fellow pilots give you a quick thumbs up. The game play is solid, and the “feel” is right. The flight models and damage models are correct, how do I know this? They use a engineer and he crunches the numbers to make sure they are correct. The missions are well written and fun, the campaigns,while scripted are well thought out. So many small touches that I will not be able to mention them all. Another plus is you can track your progress as the game keeps your stats, a neat feature. 777 Studios have released 16 updates, with more on the way, new planes coming soon, as well as the new career upgrade. I love a company that doesn't just fade away once they release a game. They do listen to their customers. What a novel idea stand behind your product and listen to the folks that spend their money on it. Also the games is based on a completely new engine, nice to get a game not using old engines with dated graphics. The Cons The main one, if you want to turn everything up it takes a pretty decent system to run, and I miss the shell music, I know it's nit picky but I had to come up with something. The recommended system specs: Operating System Windows® XP / Vista / Windows® 7 CPU Intel® Core™ Quad 3 GHz or Intel i7 3 GHz RAM 4 Gb or higher Free Hard Drive space 10 Gb Joystick Direct X 9.0/11 compatible joystick Internet Connection required for Registration, 256 Kb/s - for Multiplayer Graphics Card 1024 Mb, GeForce GTX 285/Radeon ATI 5850/HD5850 Sound Card DirectX 9.0c/11 compatible Supported Operating Systems Windows XP Service Pack 2 or higher Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Windows 7 My test system AMD quad core running at 3.0, 8 gigs of ram, and a GTS 250 1 gig video card, a X-45 stick, and a surround sound system using a creative labs sound card running 5.1 dolby, and cable internet connection, Windows 7 64 bit. . My final thoughts and how it scores So how do I score this one? Ok it is true I am reviewing it after it's been out a little over a year, and a lot of the problems fixed, but the fact that 777 Studios are still releasing upgrades, and new aircraft says volumes about the company. This is one of those titles you have to have on your hard drive, and being a WW1 sim, that alone makes it worth the time and money. The main problems are already being addressed, so it is hard to hold them against the company. Also saying I've played the demo, but not the full game is like saying ”I owned a Chevette once, so I know how a Corvette drives” Yes they are both Chevrolets but there is so much more to the full game. So at the end of the day, I have to say this is the highest scoring sim I have ever tried. I give this one a final score of 9.85 on the 10 scale. If you are a fan of WW1 aviation then this is one sim you have to have. Here are a few screenshots if you have any doubts about this sim.You might call them parting shots

Giles High school Spartans 15-0 Virginia state 2A Champions. Here is the finish. Oh it cuts off, but we missed the extra point and won it in OT.

everybody has had a dogfight or a mission they remember most all,because of the amount of time involved or the way it unfolded,or maybe it was just one you witnessed..lets hear about it.Remember to let us know the sim,and if it was MP or SP(thats right some of my best missions have been in SP),who all was involved.As a matter of fact maybe some of you grunts remember a misison from OFP,GR,or some other game that was just really cool and left you walking away pumped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JrvLWvcMhc

I'm not sure but that could have been an updated version of it. I don't think even Capt. Kirk would have tried her, and he did it with a green alien woman.

I made this so everyone can have a place to meet and set up their mataches..exchange TS addys..and just chat some.It's java based so be sure your java is up to date. http://client4.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=175084

Here's the news report on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOEDNroMeBo

This is from 777 Studio Official Announcement Good day pilots! So, the long wait is over and we're ready to put the rumors to rest. 777 Studios partners with 1C to form 1C Game Studios (1CGS) and develop IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad We invite you to our new forum, where you will find additional information about the project and will be able to ask questions and chat with the developers. You can read the full announcement on the official website of the game at http://il2sturmovik.net. To all our ROF customers and fans - this is not the end of ROF development or new content. Please do not panic. We are still working on the details and we will inform you once we have them. Right now all current releases we promised are on schedule. On a personal note - the ROF community and your support has made this day possible. We have always wanted to make a WWII product and your support of our WWI product has afforded us this opportunity. Now you will be able to enjoy both WWI and WWII products produced by our team and new expanded team. If all goes to plan there will be much to be happy about in the coming months and years. We hope you will stick by us and continue to support our flight-sim endeavors. Onward and upward! The Entire 777 Studios team" This is from the 1C site " NEW IL-2 STURMOVIK TITLE IN DEVELOPMENT 1C Announces Partnership with 777 Studios to create 1C Game Studios MOSCOW, Russia – December 11, 2012 – Leading Eastern and Central European publisher, 1C Company, is proud to announce that it has partnered with award winning developer 777 Studios to form a joint venture and new studio named 1C Game Studios. This new studio is set to create IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad, a new sequel to the award-winning WWII combat flight simulator IL-2 Sturmovik. 1C is the owner of the best-selling IL-2 Sturmovik franchise of combat flight simulators and 777 Studios is the developer of the popular and technologically advanced WWI flight simulator Rise of Flight: The First Great Air war. "1C is proud to take the next step in flight-simulation history with 777 Studios, a company and team that has grown to be one of the best flight-simulation developers in the world and has proven that their attention to detail and product quality speaks volumes about their talent and dedication,” said Nikolay Baryshnikov, VP of 1C Company. “We look forward to bringing a new era of development and spirit of enjoyment to the combat flight-simulation community together." This venture brings two of the world’s leading combat flight-simulation franchises and development teams together under one banner to form a new, dynamic team led by 777 Studios management. Giving respect to the roots of the IL-2 Sturmovik series, the partnership will start with the development of Battle of Stalingrad which focuses on the Eastern Front air war during the titanic struggle over the industrial city of Stalingrad in 1942-43. The battle of Stalingrad was an important turning point for both the Soviet and German armies in WWII, with the air war playing an important role in the outcome. Jason Williams, President of 777 Studios, had this to say, "The 777 Studios team is very excited to be partnering with such a publisher and developer like 1C. Their passion and support for PC combat flight-simulation as well as historical warfare titles has always been a blessing to these genres and we look forward to producing an excellent product for the Sturmovik legacy and continuing to bring additional content to our existing Rise of Flight product line." This partnership is also a turning point for the combat flight simulation genre that will streamline development of flight-simulation products and allow collaboration between former competitors. The outcome should be increased opportunities for combat flight simulation fans to enjoy their passion while also increasing the likelihood of success in the marketplace. Both 1C and 777 Studios see the flight-simulation genre as an important one for PC gaming with a dedicated fan-base that is eager to support interesting and immersive products. 1C Company is located in Moscow with offices throughout Europe and 777 Studios is headquartered in Southern California with development teams in Russia and Ukraine. Battle of Stalingrad will include both single-player and multi-player scenarios for virtual pilots to enjoy as well as brand new gameplay modes. Initial client release is slated for early 2014 with add-on content and additional features and theatres to follow. IL-2 Sturmovik is an award winning WWII flight-simulator video game franchise and includes such bestselling titles as IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, Pacific Fighters, 1946 and Cliffs of Dover. IL-2 Sturmovik titles feature intense aerial combat and dozens of historically accurate warplanes and missions. Named in honor of the famous Soviet Ilyushin IL-2 ground-attack fighter, the Sturmovik series features all major theatres in WWII, from the freezing eastern front to carrier combat in the vast pacific theatre. The IL-2 Sturmovik series of titles is widely regarded as the standard by which all other combat flight-simulators are measured and remains a top seller worldwide. About 1C Company 1C Company specializes in distribution, publishing and development of business, entertainment and educational software. Founded in 1991, 1C has become the largest publisher and distributor of computer and video games in Eastern and Central Europe. 1C Company is widely acknowledged as a game developer and has several internal studios. Internal development of 1C includes IL-2 Sturmovik series and Theatre of War series. 1C Company works as a publisher and producer with over 30 independent development studios and has produced over 100 projects for PC and consoles including titles like Rig'n'Roll, Space Rangers, Soldiers: Heroes of World War II, Faces of War, Men of War series, Perimeter, Fantasy Wars, Death to Spies, King’s Bounty Series . In 2012 1C Company launched its iOS apps series for iPhone &iPad. For more information on 1C please go to our website at www.1cpublishing.com. IL-2 Sturmovik IL-2 Sturmovik is an award winning WWII flight-simulator video game franchise and includes such bestselling titles as IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, Pacific Fighters, 1946 and Cliffs of Dover. IL-2 Sturmovik titles feature intense aerial combat and dozens of historically accurate warplanes and missions. Named in honor of the famous Soviet Ilyushin IL-2 ground-attack fighter, the Sturmovik series features all major theatres in WWII, from the freezing eastern front to carrier combat in the vast pacific theatre. The IL-2 Sturmovik series of titles is widely regarded as the standard by which all other combat flight-simulators are measured and remains a top seller worldwide. About 777 Studios Founded in 2007, 777 Studios specializes in the development and publishing of games and simulation products for the PC platform. 777 Studios is the North American publisher of Tourismo Carretera and Wings of Prey and in 2009 published Rise of Flight: The First Great Air War. In 2010, 777 Studios assumed the continued development of Rise of Flight and released Rise of Flight: Iron Cross Edition worldwide. For information about 777 Studios please visit www.777studios.net. Rise of Flight Rise of Flight is an award winning combat flight-simulation title for the PC. Built on the Digital Nature engine it brings the deadly dogfights of WWI to life and features realistic and advanced flight, damage and physics modeling systems. State of the art graphics and terrain scenery puts you over the Western Front of WWI andan in-depth, immersive Career mode allows players to discover their inner fighter pilot as member of a several famous squadrons. Rise of Flight features over 30 vintage warplanes to fly and fight against and includes adjustable settings to satisfy novice and expert pilot alike. For more information about Rise of Flight please visit: www.riseofflight.com."

I fell in love with the map and the new plane as soon as the testing started. It just keeps getting better.

Both the new map and the new plane are sweet!

Merry Christmas to all my extended Combatace family and frinds. This poem sums it up I think. Semper Fi! Merry Christmas, My Friend By James M. Schmidt, a Marine Lance Corporal stationed in Washington, D.C., in 1986 Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone. I had come down the chimney, with presents to give and to see just who in this home did live As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand. On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land. With medals and badges, awards of all kind, a sobering thought soon came to my mind. For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen. This was the home of a U.S. Marine. I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more, so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door. And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone, Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home. He seemed so gentle, his face so serene, Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine. Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read? Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed? His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan. I soon understood, this was more than a man. For I realized the families that I saw that night, owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight. Soon around the Nation, the children would play, And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day. They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year, because of Marines like this one lying here. I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home. Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye. I dropped to my knees and I started to cry. He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice, "Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps." With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep, I couldn't control it, I continued to weep. I watched him for hours, so silent and still. I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill. So I took off my jacket, the one made of red, and covered this Marine from his toes to his head. Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold, with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold. And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride, and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside. I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight. But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure, said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure." One look at my watch and I knew he was right, Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

From the Marine point of view, I thought this is the standard "swabby" uniform. Sorry Chief, had to say it.

WOW! wind, rain and lots of snow here in southwest Va. and it's cold! Glad it's over.

Come on fess up..you know who you are,you stood in line to see the origional Star Wars ,just like me.

Makes me feel all funny inside, like when I used to climb the rope in gym class.

It's been 10 years already? Wow! I was a member and staff member when it was biohazcentral. Hard to believe it has been that long. I have enjoyed being a part of this, and hope to for many years to come. Thanks to everyone who makes this great community what it is today, and here's to 10 more.

you are correct, there is no key. If you have account trouble they can fix it. All your info is saved on-line.

contact RoF support, send them an e-mail and they explain things to them, they will fix you up.

oh yeah. trust me, We do see it.Great work.