Dagger

Doc it is truely great to see ya here!I'm trying to get some interest back up...I miss the v8th days.Now to get everyone else to show up some and give us a pointer or 2.Great to see you.Navy??ok I won't hold that against you...sorry as an old Leather Neck you know I gotta say something.

Kendo353 has been kind enough to take time to answer a few questions for us about his new WW1 sim thats in development. CA) What made you decided to take on a big project like this and why WW1? Love. when my grandmother passed away, i inherited her library. she was a passionate historian and Somme walker. The game was originally going to be multi-player only, and i had hoped to wrap it up in six months... but the networking code was delayed, and embarked on the single-player side of things. Didn't realize at first what a gargantuan amount of data there was to incorporate (as this is my first game), but I'm up for the challenge. CA)What game engine are you using or did you come up with a new one? Read the rest of the interview HERE?

CA) What made you decided to take on a big project like this and why WW1? Love. when my grandmother passed away, i inherited her library. she was a passionate historian and Somme walker. The game was originally going to be multi-player only, and i had hoped to wrap it up in six months... but the networking code was delayed, and embarked on the single-player side of things. Didn't realize at first what a gargantuan amount of data there was to incorporate (as this is my first game), but I'm up for the challenge. CA) What game engine are you using or did you come up with a new one? I'm using the Beyond Virtual game engine, which was designed for FPS and racing games, but is perfectly capable of producing other genres. (www.beyondvirtual.com). My primary reason for choosing this engine, is that there is no art pipeline. I can model something in Lightwave, and export it directly to the game. Similarly, I can change a texture in photoshop, and see it's effect *instantly*. It's tremendous liberating, and speedy to work with. It's also OpenGL, so a port to Linux or Mac, isn't out of the question. CA) How many people are helping with it? Smile.. there is just me. I've had some kind offers of modeling and research help, but I'm pretty much out on my own with the scripting and coding. CA) Where do you get your inspiration for what you want to include in the game? Aerial photographs, books, and the internet. the web has been a fantastic tool for gathering scraps of knowledge into a cohesive whole. The pages of SWW1SA members also depict many early planes in flight... which are more stimulating, than a grainy B&W photo of the plane on the ground. CA) Where do you hope this project goes in the future? I just want people to play it and enjoy it. if it makes them think about the conditions that the WW1 airmen had to endure.. mission accomplished. CA) Will there be a campain?will it be scripted or dynamic? Yes, I'm hoping to make it like RB3D's. scripted and dynamic? the campaigns will be open-ended, with the main challenge being... to stay alive. there will be medals, commendations, reprimands.. all the things one would expect. CA) Will there be a mission editor with it? Sadly, no. that's beyond my current expertise. the game engine supports scripting, and texture changing, so i'll try to leave as much good stuff exposed as possible. CA) Which aircraft will be included with the release? As many as can be squeezed in. current list here --> http://www.dogsquad.co.uk/dif/planes.htm CA) Which terrains will be available? Because it's been cold, grey, and wet here... I've been working on "summer", with blue skies and clouds. It seems most fitting for the start date of the war, and the green fields and yellowed canvas feel i want to achieve for the early days. depending on the availability of a coder who understands hex, the terrain will either be "all of Europe", or something 100km x 100km that i can make myself. Best to say that the terrains haven't been finalized yet. What can be said, is that the campaign regions will be the staples of Flanders, Marne, and Verdun. Maybe even the corner of England, too (to allow the RFC to hop across the channel realistically, and the possibility of Gotha bombing/interception). CA) What do you think is the reason for a sudden rush of WW1 sim? I don't know... but it's quite funny. maybe WW2 was squeezed lifeless? whatever the reason, i see it as a good thing that the history remains in our consciousness. CA) Ok, now the MP part of it..How many will it support in game at once and what type of missions will be available? I'm aiming for 32 players, initially. with rotating maps, ala BF42. texturing and modeling has been performed with multi-player in mind. CA) What will set your sim apart from the others? Tell everyone why we should buy yours? Mine is free. it's historically accurate, community orientated, and it doesn't suck. Sure, it might not be as photo-realistic as Oleg Maddox or Micro$oft, but that doesn't make it a bad game. no disrespect intended towards the other sims. CA) Will you continue to support the game after release with patches or add-ons down the road? Definitely. this is the culmination of a lifelong interest. as long as people are interested in it, i will continue to support it. CA) Do you have an idea for the system specs that will be needed to run this sim? It's being developed on a 2.8ghz Packard Bell with 1gb memory. I have a cheezy video card that cost me $30. but the game nips along nicely @ 1280 x 1024. I haven't tested it on my laptop yet, but i hope to make it playable on as many machines as possible. CA) What features are you most proud of in the game? Flying through the rain, over the mud, with Satie (the game soundtrack) playing in the background, it looked so beautiful it made me cry. the flight model still has a long way to go, but the planes movement is so graceful and smooth, it's incredible (though i freely admit i'm a noob at such things). CA) Who was your favorite WW1 pilot, and what was your favorite WW1 plane? I don't have a favorite pilot, they were all so brave, it's impossible to choose. Favorite plane? hmmmmmm.... some sort of pusher... DH2 ? CA) Will a player be able to mod the game? The engine compacts everything into a (hopefully) secure archive. I can leave some functions and abilities exposed, which will allow players to change their textures, and such... but that hasn't been finalized yet. i also hope to have a plethora of sliders and options buttons from within the game. CA) Will there be a method to stop people from modding the planes into the famed "uber" fighters seen in RB3D and in MS-CFS MP games? Yes. but it's by keeping everything in the secure archive. which in turn, makes the game less moddable. It's a bit of a coin flip, really. CA) What would you like to say to everyone following your game? "Roll up, roll up... watch the noob fall flat on his face..." lol. no seriously... Thank you. It's people saying they liked the look of the prototype, which spurred me onto develop the project through to completion. CA) When do you think it will be ready for release and do you plan a demo? When the game is more robust, I hope to release another prototype, so that people can comment and make suggestions. At the current pace, I have to be realistic, and say that I'm still a year away from a full release. i promise not to lose interest though. There is nothing sadder than a bailed out project. Thanks for your interest. I'd like to thank you for taking time to answer these questions and to remind everyone to be sure and check out the web site at: http://www.dogsquad.co.uk/dif/plane.htm

DOC??from the v8th and BA?

OK a reminder that a post like this won't get anything accomplished except getting you warned.JT and company are doing this sim around real life jobs and in their spare time.Keep that in mind.look at the screen shots and videos..work is progressing well for a small part time team.

once you download it most burn it to a disc for back up.

Welcome,enjoy the site.

well it looks like IF you want theres several planes,terrains,skins,and possibly missions yall have already done.so the start is already there.

check in your control panel and check it out on the calibration...and then go to the options section in the game.I had to do that for my X-45.

Ok I asked at Thirdwire if anybody would be interested in doing a community project.So If anyone would like to work with it post here..the rules are simple1)If you ask a modder if they want to help and they say no..NO flaming or negative remarks,just move on to next modder 2)all work must be origional,All work will be checked.This will be a great chance for some great work to be done,so make your models and add-ons 3)it will be free and it will be fun 4)ask any modder you want,but like I say if they say no then thats it.. so thats the rules..and the challenge.Make a community based mod and work together or don't complain.

alot from what the guys in my clan who have it are saying.Alot of the guys are even saying at times it's unplayable.The word is a patch is in the making to fix alot of the problems,and that the U.S. release will be pre-patched.

http://glewis.us/v7th_Recon/links.htm this is a great site with alot of info on targets.We used it in the v8th AF.besure to listen to the music and check out the short films on the page.click on the movie reel at the bottom of the page or the juke box.At the top of the page are pictures of every target in game.

I got the old girl back up in the air...first mission was ulgy to say it nicel.My Fort got hammered by flak on the way in and the way out(ok ingress and egress for you purists)lost my waist gunners,yes both of them,to a fighter attack,and had 2 engines shot out,fires everywhere and wounded screaming over the headsets all the way home.Won't go back there for awhile.

maybe we should have a screenshot contest..or a bombing contest.

NOBODY is being blamed,and he said it wasn't what we all thought,it was more or less watch out for this guy or that guy...So to put everyones mind at ease..IF you have origional work and want to post it or want to start a community based mod feel free to start a thread about it and everyone jump in.BUT if a modder says no thanks,I don't want my work included then thats it,because if anyone gets mad and posts their drama queen posts I can tell you this..it's not this person or that person you have to worry about ....IT'S ME you have to worry about.

great glad you got it going. Now get back in the air!

Get B-17II and you'll fall in love with the old girl.I can direct you to the patches,or I might even see about uploading them here and the OMF modifier so you can add different skins and nose arts.

Good I'm glad to hear that, I just hope that EVERYONE understands that from now on the"war"is over as far as Combatace is concerned.If a post is deemed to be made in a negative manner no warnings,no PMs ,NO e-mails..just a ban.Combatace has always been one of the more open forums,politics and religion being the only off limits topics,BUT those days have changed and I don't want people wondering "why did they ban me?"post a negative remark about anybody,start a flame war or try to turn a thread into a flame war..I can promise you the decisions have been made and once you're gone...you're gone.there will be no more warnings..So if you don't like something post it in a positive way,or don't say anything.And thats the way it is period.

you don't have to worry about the trouble makers here..I have issued a final warning,and I meant it.I have no problems banning people and if they want to complain and cause trouble theres other places that they can go..but not here.So to you and everyone don't worry as there will be no more warnings..just an instant ban.

this community has been working on models since Sf and the way they work is you MUST ask before re releasing them in any form.Most modellers want to fix their own work and ask that if you find a problem let THEM know and they'll fix it.Why do people get so upset??It's because they aren't used to people taking their work and trying to use it without asking them first,and then wanting to re release it without them being involved.The A-team is good but they aren't the only ones making models..plus theres alot of different things people can work on,so get over the A-Team.

not sure but I think someone said Mid Feb. I hope they get the bugs worked out of it.

you might try asking TK over at Thirdwire.I believe that the problem has to be in your video card or your DX the patch fixed alot of problems for me and I use an nvidia FX 5700 ultra AGP and don't have any graphics problems.The falling out of the sky with add-on planes was fixed by most of the people that put them out,for the most part.

OK with everything that is being said on other forums,and people wanting to cause trouble inside the community I am issuing this FINAL warning to anyone who even conciders starting a thread that is 1)flaming someone for any reason..no exceptions!2)takes away from the general purpose of this forum which is the mature and civil discussion of the sim First Eagles. If anyone has a problem let the staff here at Combatace know and we'll fix it.This site has not in the past and will not now or ever condone anyone flaming someone,or starting threads to just start an argument.If you notice theres now a warning bar under members names..IF start trouble you won't have to worry about that bar,I'll max it out and then you'll be gone.The staff here will not tolerate the things that are going on in other forums.IF you have a problem with these rules...don't come back.We want only mature and civil member who enjoy simming and helping others,NOT whiners,crybabies and trolls just wanting to start trouble,and that includes e-mails and PMs.The staff will not be spending all our time looking over threads here because some one thinks they are all knowing and have to have their say no matter who it hurts or what anybody else thinks. So the option is yours you can be a member of the community and get along or go away and not be welcome here.I for one am tired of the CRAP that this sim has caused and it has taken away from so many wanting to enjoy it..IT STOPS HERE AND NOW!!! NO MORE WARNINGS.

ok first this is it might be a bad patch install...so you might try to completely uninstall the game,make sure it's completely gone,all the folders,and anything left after the uninstall.do a fast defrag and then reinstall game,redown load the patch and reinstall.Start with the settings on low and try it,then if alls ok bumb them up alittle.is that graphics card on-board?and what about sound?and DX. Make sure DX is up to date.Like I said I believe the Dec. update was latest.

I'm not sure how many there are around,you might try to do a google search for one,if you find one post it here and we'll get the word out.