This article needs additional citations for verification .(September 2012) |
Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
Producer(s) | Tucker Hatfield Mike Ammerlaan |
Designer(s) | Rob Brown Leon Rosenshein |
Artist(s) | Rick Welsh |
Series | Microsoft Flight Simulator |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Combat flight simulator |
Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe (CFS3), is the latest installment of combat flight simulators from Microsoft Game Studios, released on October 24, 2002 in North America and on November 15, 2002 in Europe for the Microsoft Windows.
The game is more or less a heavily updated version of the first (Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator), offering a far wider range of options to the player. The game incorporates an active campaign mode, whereby the player may play for the USAAF, RAF or Luftwaffe in a campaign starting in March 1943. Based on the player's performance in North-west Europe, which spans from northernmost England to eastern Berlin, the player can alter the length and even outcome of the war. By avoiding the aviational errors of the Luftwaffe made in the past, and by targeting key targets in British production centres, it is even possible for the Germans to drive the allies back to London and force their surrender. It is also possible for the Allies to make a landing in Fortress Europe prior to the 6/6/44, or D-day. The multiplayer game allows players to occupy different stations on the same vehicle. [2] [3]
Combat Flight Simulator 3 received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), [4] indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. [5]
Combat Flight Simulator 3 was a nominee for The Electric Playground 's 2002 "Best Simulation for PC" award, but lost to MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries . [6] It also received a nomination for "Computer Simulation Game of the Year" at the AIAS' 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards., [7] which was ultimately given to The Sims: Unleashed . [8]
Combat Flight Simulator 3 garnered mixed reviews, and holds an average of 69/100 on aggregate web site Metacritic. [9]
Firepower is an expansion pack released in 2004, developed by Shockwave Productions and published by GMX Media and Tri Synergy. Firepower adds 18 new aircraft bringing the total of 36 military aircraft (or 56 with variants) to Combat Flight Simulator 3. Firepower also adds 50 new historical type missions, new ordnance and improved graphic effects.
The aircraft in Firepower include the B-17 Flying Fortress models F and G, B-29A Superfortress, Arado 234B Blitz, Dewoitine D.520 fighter, Dornier 217M medium bomber, Dornier 217N night fighter, He-162A Salamander, Me 334, Me410A Schnellbomber, Me410B-2 R-3 zerstorer, Me410B-2 U-2 R-4 zerstorer, Me410B-2 U-4 zerstorer, P-40N Warhawk, Ta-154 Moskito, Ta-152C1 R31, Ta-152H-1, Ta-183 Huckebein (Raven) Interceptor, Avro Lancaster Mk III heavy bomber, Ho-229 V5 Supersonic Fighter /bomber, Avro Lancaster GS heavy bomber, and a B-24J Liberator. Also there are 4 (or 5 with a free patch) new bombers in which the player can man different aircrew positions.
Player can use the bombsight to drop newly added ordnance onto a target like the Little Boy, Fat Man, German radiological dirty bombs or the Tallboy bomb. However some of these aircraft are hypothetical especially the German designs some of which never saw aerial combat during World War II. So is the German ordnance hypothetical as well. Another feature in this add on is that you can fly bombers in a formation, with FLAK effects when under enemy anti aircraft fire. Twenty-five missions of the Memphis Belle B-17 Flying Fortress are included in this add on. One thing that's lacking though is a sophisticated simulation of the Norden Bombsight which B-17 Flying Fortress the Mighty 8th has a decent representation of albeit not fully emulating the Norden computer, its gyrostabilizer and ancillary equipment. Instead the Bombsight in Firepower is fixed but it is functional.
Firepower garnered generally positive reviews, and holds an average of 88/100 on aggregate web site Metacritic. [10]
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a series of flight simulator programs for MS-DOS, Classic Mac OS and Microsoft Windows operating systems. It was an early product in the Microsoft application portfolio and differed significantly from Microsoft's other software, which was largely business-oriented. As of November 2022, Microsoft Flight Simulator is the longest-running software product line for Microsoft, predating Windows by three years. Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the longest-running PC video game series of all time.
Microsoft Train Simulator is a 2001 train simulator game developed by UK-based Kuju Entertainment and published by Microsoft Games for Windows. It was released on June 18, 2001.
The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. It was an early tachometric design, which means that it combined optics, a mechanical computer, and an autopilot for the first time to not merely identify a target but fly the airplane to it. The bombsight directly measured the aircraft's ground speed and direction, which older types could only estimate with lengthy manual procedures. The Norden further improved on older designs by using an analog computer that continuously recalculated the bomb's impact point based on changing flight conditions, and an autopilot that reacted quickly and accurately to changes in the wind or other effects.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 also known as FS2002, is a video game released in October 2001, and is the 8th installment of the Microsoft Flight Simulator video game series. A version called Professional Edition was released at the same time as standard edition that added two aircraft, a flight instructor feature, and an editor to create buildings and aircraft.
Flight Unlimited is a 1995 aerobatic flight simulator video game developed and published by LookingGlass Technologies. It allows players to pilot reproductions of real-world aircraft and to perform aerobatic maneuvers. They may fly freely, race through floating rings against a timer or take lessons from a virtual flight instructor. The instructor teaches basic and advanced techniques, ranging from rudder turns to maneuvers such as the tailslide, Lomcovák and Immelmann turn.
IL-2 Sturmovik is a 2001 World War II combat flight simulator video game and is the first installment in the IL-2 Sturmovik series. The release focused on the air battles of the Eastern Front. It was named after the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack fighter, which played a prominent role in this theatre and is the single most produced military aircraft design to date. Along with its sequels, IL-2 Sturmovik is considered one of the leading World War II flight simulators.
Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and military flight training which consist of realistic physical recreations of the actual aircraft cockpit, often with a full-motion platform.
Flight Unlimited III is a 1999 flight simulator video game developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It allows players to pilot simulations of real-world commercial and civilian aircraft in and around Seattle, Washington. Players can fly freely or engage in "Challenge" missions, such as thwarting a theft or locating Bigfoot. The development team built on the general aviation gameplay of Flight Unlimited II, with more detailed physics and terrain, more planes, and a real-time weather system. Roughly half of Flight Unlimited II's team returned to work on the sequel, supported by new hires.
European Air War is a combat flight simulator developed and published by MicroProse and published for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It is a sequel to 1942: The Pacific Air War. It simulates the Battle of Britain, and the Allied Air offensives in Western Europe during World War II in 1943–1945.
Microsoft Flight Simulator X is a 2006 flight simulation video game originally developed by Aces Game Studio and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and the tenth installment of the Microsoft Flight Simulator series, which was first released in 1982. It is built on an upgraded graphics rendering engine, showcasing DirectX 10 features in Windows Vista and was marketed by Microsoft as the most important technological milestone in the series at the time. FSX is the first version in the series to be released on DVD media.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight is a flight simulation video game released in 2003, and is part of the Microsoft Flight Simulator video game series. It is the last version to support Windows 98/9x series of operating systems. A set of two third-party add-ons were released in 2004 and 2006, titled Wings of Power.
B-17 Flying Fortress: World War II Bombers in Action is a combat flight simulation video game developed by Vektor Grafix and published by MicroProse for the PC MS-DOS in 1992 and for the Amiga and Atari ST in 1993. The game simulates training, combat missions and sorties in a tour of duty in the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces in the European Theater of Operations aboard a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber during World War II. It was followed by B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th in 2000.
Wings of Power is a set of two flight simulation video games released as add-ons to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. They add vintage historical military aircraft to the game. Wings of Power: WWII Heavy Bombers and Jets was released in 2004, and adds 50 missions with some historical missions from real military pilot logs from World War II. Wings of Power II: WWII Fighters, was released on June 27, 2006. It adds five aircraft: Bf 109, P-51 Mustang, Spitfire, P-47 Thunderbolt, and A6M "Zero".
Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator: WWII Europe Series is the first version of all three combat flight simulation games from Microsoft. It was released on 28 October 1998 and it is set in the European Theatre of World War II. This game spawned two sequels: Combat Flight Simulator 2 in 2000 and Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe in 2002.
The Stabilised Automatic Bomb Sight (SABS) was a Royal Air Force bombsight used in small numbers during World War II. The system worked along similar tachometric principles as the more famous Norden bombsight, but was somewhat simpler, lacking the Norden's autopilot feature.
IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, also known in Europe as Rebirth of Honor, is a combat flight simulator video game, and sequel to the 2001 combat flight simulation of the year IL-2 Sturmovik developed by the Russian software firm 1C. Unlike the first installment, Forgotten Battles focuses on the Soviet-Finnish Continuation War of 1941-1944.
Vehicle simulation games are a genre of video games which attempt to provide the player with a realistic interpretation of operating various kinds of vehicles. This includes automobiles, aircraft, watercraft, spacecraft, military vehicles, and a variety of other vehicles. The main challenge is to master driving and steering the vehicle from the perspective of the pilot or driver, with most games adding another challenge such as racing or fighting rival vehicles. Games are often divided based on realism, with some games including more realistic physics and challenges such as fuel management.
Wings Over Israel is a 2008 combat flight simulator computer game for Microsoft Windows covering the three major Middle Eastern conflicts of the 20th century: the Six-Day War (1967), the Yom Kippur War (1973) and the Lebanon War (1982).
A flight simulation video game refers to the simulation of various aspects of flight or the flight environment for purposes other than flight training or aircraft development. A significant community of simulation enthusiasts is supported by several commercial software packages, as well as commercial and homebuilt hardware. Open-source software that is used by the aerospace industry like FlightGear, whose flight dynamics engine (JSBSim) is used in a 2015 NASA benchmark to judge new simulation code to space industry standards, is also available for private use. A popular type of flight simulators video games are combat flight simulators, which simulate combat air operations from the pilot and crew's point of view. Combat flight simulation titles are more numerous than civilian flight simulators due to variety of subject matter available and market demand.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a flight simulation video game developed by Asobo Studio and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is an entry in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series which began in 1982, and was preceded by Microsoft Flight Simulator X in 2006. The game is a return of the series after 14 years, with development beginning six years prior to its release. It was released on August 18, 2020, for Windows, with a virtual reality (VR) version released in December of the same year as part of the free Sim 2 update. Microsoft Flight Simulator is the first game in the series to see a VR and console release, with it being released on the Xbox Series X and Series S on July 27, 2021.