Strike Fighters: Project 1

• Platform:   Windows 98 / 2000 / XP / Me / NT
• ELSPA Minimum Age: 3
• Media: Video Game

The sim is set in the 1960s--when aviation technology was still primitive, but advancing at a rapid pace. Some missiles and guided weapons only become available as you progress through the sim, but true to history they remain somewhat unreliable and inaccurate. Most air battles involve visceral, "in your face" gunfights and the players skill at outmaneuvering his opponents remains the key to victory and survival.

Strike Fighters is based on all-new 'next gen' graphics engine using DirectX 8.1. The graphics engine, developed by Third Wire, is optimised for rendering scenes with a high poly count and in 32-bit colour. The player aircraft alone have exceptional detail, with over 5,000 polygons each! As you'd expect, advanced graphic features are incorporated such as coloured point light-sourcing, spectacular highlighting, multi-layer textures, bump mapping and reflective environment mapping.

An advanced terrain engine uses both fractal and digital elevation map to give the best possible effect at both high and low-level action.

The campaign can be played normally, where you take on the role of an air force pilot. In this traditional role, you are rewarded for a successful career with medals and promotions. In addition, you may also take on a role of mercenary pilot; this adds another dimension to the gameplay by allowing you to build up your pilot's abilities, resources and finances. Earn money for target destruction and mission accomplishment and use the profits to buy ammo, fuel, fix battle damage, upgrade the aircraft or buy bigger and better armament. This optional element of role-playing adds a whole new dimension to the traditional combat simulator.

In addition, Strike Fighters also features Instant Action and Single Mission modes of play. Instant Action immediately puts you into the cockpit with a single mouse-click, while Single Mission enables you to design custom missions and pilot your favourite aircraft.

Finally, Strike Fighters has been developed with the flight sim community in mind and supports mods and total third-party expandability and add-ons. Full tools will be made available on release--already additional projects are underway including French Mirage III and a US F-105 Thud aircraft and a new theatre map based on the Vietnam conflict.

Set in one of the most popular jet fighter eras, you can literally tailor Strike Fighters to be the type of combat sim YOU want to fly!

• PC & Video Games > Games > Simulation > Flight & Transport