Jane's ATF: Advanced Tactical Fighters

Last updated
Jane's ATF: Advanced Tactical Fighters
Jane's ATF cover.png
Developer(s) Electronic Arts
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Designer(s) Andre Gagnon and Brent Iverson
Composer(s) George Sanger and Team Fat
Series Jane's Combat Simulations
Platform(s) DOS, Windows
ReleaseApril 1, 1996 (DOS) [1] [2]
April 2, 1997 (Windows) [3]
Genre(s) Combat flight simulator
Mode(s) Single-player, Multiplayer

Jane's ATF: Advanced Tactical Fighters is a 1996 combat flight simulator developed and published by Electronic Arts for DOS. It is the first entry in the Jane's Combat Simulations franchise. [1] [2] An expansion pack, NATO Fighters, was released in 1996, and a compilation package for Microsoft Windows was released in 1997 titled Advanced Tactical Fighters Gold.

Contents

Content from the game would be combined into a unified interface with Jane's US Navy Fighters 97 for re-release as Jane's Fighters Anthology in 1997.

Gameplay

Jane's ATF uses the same engine and menus as the 1994 game U.S. Navy Fighters , with updated aircraft and terrain geometry. The base game includes two campaigns, one set in Egypt in 1998 and the other Russia in 2002, as well as single missions, a mission creator, and multiplayer functionality.

The game's flyable planes lean heavily on aircraft that were new or still under development at the time of the game's release, including the F-117 Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter), F-22 Raptor, X-29 FSW, XF-31 EFM, X-32 ASTOVL, B-2 Spirit, and Rafale C. [4]

The NATO Fighters expansion adds a campaign in the Baltic and four new planes: F-16 Fighting Falcon, Saab Gripen, EuroFighter 2000, and Su-35. [5]

Reception

In Computer Gaming World , Denny Atkin praised the game and its features, but complained for lacking multiplayer mode. [6] Steve Wartofsky called ATF an "evolutionary rather than revolutionary step" for Jane's Combat Simulations, but argued that it set the standard for its genre. While he found its graphics to be a "mixed bag", he enjoyed the game overall, and highlighted its encyclopedia as its best feature. [11]

Writing for PC Gamer US , Dan Bennett called ATF as a solid, good-looking sim, but found the game to be overly difficult. [9]

Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game positively and recommended it for flight sim fans. [8]

In 1996, the editors of Computer Gaming World nominated ATF for their "Simulation of the Year" award, which ultimately went to EF2000 . They wrote that ATF "makes up for its aging engine by providing the best multiplayer environment of any modern sim". [12] It was also a nominee for the Computer Game Developers Conference's 1996 "Best Simulation Game" Spotlight Award, [13] but lost the prize to MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries . [14]

The expansion, NATO Fighters, received 7.8 out of 10 from T. Liam McDonald of GameSpot who called it "[...] a must, as it expands considerably on the original program and doubles its play life." [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Flight Unlimited</i> 1995 aerobatic flight simulator video game

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.

<i>Red Baron II</i> 1997 video game

Red Baron II is a video game for the PC, developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line. It is the follow-up to the flight simulation Red Baron, released in 1990. Red Baron II was released in December 1997. A patch was released in 1998 that added support for 3D acceleration and renamed the game to Red Baron 3D. Red Baron 3D was also released as a retail product.

<i>Flight Unlimited II</i> 1997 video game

Flight Unlimited II is a 1997 flight simulator video game developed by Looking Glass Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. The player controls one of five planes in the airspace of the San Francisco Bay Area, which is shared with up to 600 artificially intelligent aircraft directed by real-time air traffic control. The game eschews the aerobatics focus of its predecessor, Flight Unlimited, in favor of general civilian aviation. As such, new physics code and an engine were developed, the former because the programmer of Flight Unlimited's computational fluid dynamics system, Seamus Blackley, had left the company.

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.

<i>Flight Unlimited III</i> 1999 video game

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.

<i>Janes AH-64D Longbow</i> 1996 video game

AH-64D Longbow is a realistic combat flight simulator of the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter. Released on June 3, 1996, for the PC, this simulation was developed at Origin Systems. AH-64D Longbow was the second simulator released under the Jane's Combat Simulators line from Electronic Arts.

<i>Janes Combat Simulations</i> Video game series

Jane's Combat Simulations was a brand of combat flight simulators and naval warfare games published for DOS and Windows by Electronic Arts from 1995 to 2000, and later by other companies under license by Jane's Information Group. It is named after editor and publisher of military reference books Fred T. Jane.

<i>Achtung Spitfire!</i> 1997 video game

Achtung Spitfire! is a 1997 computer wargame developed by Big Time Software and published by Avalon Hill. It is a turn-based air combat game taking place during the early half of World War II, including fixed-wing aircraft, air battles and operations by Luftwaffe, Royal Air Force and French Air Force in 1939–1943.

<i>MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat</i> 1995 video game

MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat is a vehicle simulation game developed and published by Activision, released in 1995 as part of the MechWarrior series of video games in the BattleTech franchise. The game is set in 3057, and is played as a tactical simulation that incorporates aspects of real-time first-person combat and the physical simulation of the player's mech. It is a game recreation of the "Refusal War." The player can join one of the clans, Clan Jade Falcon or Clan Wolf while engaging in up to 32 missions.

<i>EF2000</i> (video game) 1995 video game

EF2000 is a combat flight simulator video game developed by Digital Image Design (DID) and published by Ocean Software in 1995 for the PC DOS. It is the sequel to DID's earlier software title, TFX. An expansion pack, EF 2000: TACTCOM, was released in 1996. A compilation, EF 2000: Evolution, that included the main game and the expansion was released in 1996. An updated version, Super EF2000, was released exclusively for Windows 95 in 1996 in Europe. In 1997, a compilation titled EF2000 V2.0 was released in North America that included the original DOS versions of EF2000 and TACTCOM and also the Windows exclusive Super EF2000. In June 1997, the graphics were boosted when DID released the "Graphics+" patch, which added Rendition Vérité hardware support and Glide API for 3dfx graphics card support to EF2000.

<i>Hind</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Hind is a combat flight simulation game released by Digital Integration in 1996 for MS-DOS compatible operating systems and Microsoft Windows. It is the successor to Apache.

<i>Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator</i> 1998 video game

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.

<i>Janes Fighters Anthology</i> 1997 video game

Jane's Fighters Anthology is a 1997 compilation of combat flight simulation games released by Electronic Arts as part of the Jane's Combat Simulations series.

<i>Janes Attack Squadron</i> 2002 video game

Jane's Attack Squadron is a 2002 combat flight simulator developed by Looking Glass Studios and Mad Doc Software and published by Xicat Interactive. Based on World War II, the game allows players to pilot fifteen reproductions of that era's military aircraft and to carry out missions for the Axis or Allies. Although it contains dogfights, the game focuses largely on air-to-ground combat, hence the title.

<i>Janes WWII Fighters</i> 1998 video game

Jane's World War II Fighters is the 1998 combat flight simulation video game. Set in the European theatre of operations during World War II, it is part of the Jane's Combat Simulations franchise. The game was considered a commercial failure, and contributed to the end of the Jane's Combat Simulations line.

<i>Janes IAF: Israeli Air Force</i> 1998 video game

Jane's IAF: Israeli Air Force is a military jet aircraft Combat flight simulation video game released in 1998. The simulation was created by the Israeli software developer Pixel Multimedia and was released under the Jane's Combat Simulations line from Electronic Arts.

<i>Close Combat</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Close Combat is a 1996 real-time computer wargame developed by Atomic Games and published by Microsoft. Set during World War II, it simulates the conflict between the United States' 29th Infantry Division and Germany's 352nd Infantry Division after the Invasion of Normandy. The player controls an artificially intelligent army whose behavior is dictated by psychological models: each soldier makes decisions based on the circumstances of the battlefield and can disobey the player's orders.

<i>U.S. Navy Fighters</i> 1994 video game

U.S. Navy Fighters is a combat flight simulation game developed and published in 1994 by Electronic Arts for DOS PCs. The expansion pack Marine Fighters and a "Gold" compilation were both released in 1995.

<i>Top Gun: Hornets Nest</i> 1998 video game

Top Gun: Hornet's Nest is a 1998 combat flight simulation game developed by Zipper Interactive and published by MicroProse for Microsoft Windows. It is loosely based on the 1986 film Top Gun, and is a sequel to the 1996 game Top Gun: Fire at Will. The game was criticized for its lack of realism and its flight physics.

<i>Back to Baghdad</i> 1995 video game

Back to Baghdad is a 1995 combat flight simulator video game developed and published by Military Simulations.

References

  1. 1 2 Gelmis, Joseph (April 7, 1996). "Cruising the Entertainment: Super Sims for Desktop Daredevils". Newsday: A44 via ProQuest.
  2. 1 2 Staff writer (April 2, 1996). "Jane's Teams on Simulation Games". Interactive Daily. Phillips Business Information Corporation: 1 via ProQuest.
  3. "Electronic Arts Ships Advanced Tactical Fighters Gold and Longbow Gold for Windows 95; Latest Offerings From Jane's Combat Simulations Brand Add Technology Upgrades, Internet Play and New Missions". Business Wire . April 2, 1997. Archived from the original on December 6, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021 via The Free Dictionary.
  4. "Jane's Combat Simulations: ATF - Advanced Tactical Fighters (1996)". MobyGames. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  5. "Cover packaging material from Jane's Combat Simulations: ATF - NATO Fighters (1996)". MobyGames. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  6. 1 2 Atkin, Denny (June 1996). "Plane Jane's". Computer Gaming World . No. 143. pp. 150, 152.
  7. McDonald, T. Liam (23 May 1996). "Advanced Tactical Fighters Review for PC". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 9 October 2003. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Finals". Next Generation . No. 19. Imagine Media. July 1996. p. 83.
  9. 1 2 Bennett, Dan (June 1996). "Advanced Tactical Fighters". PC Gamer US . Archived from the original on January 17, 2000.
  10. Lukban, Anthony (May 1996). "Advanced Tactical Fighter". PC Games. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  11. Wartofsky, Steve. "Jane's Advanced Tactical Fighter". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on May 23, 2003.
  12. Staff (June 1996). "The Computer Gaming World 1996 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World . No. 143. pp. 55, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 67.
  13. Staff (April 15, 1997). "And the Nominees Are..." Next Generation . Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  14. "Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996" (Press release). Santa Clara, California: Game Developers Conference. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
  15. McDonald, T. Liam (17 October 1996). "ATF NATO Fighters - GameSpot Review". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on 5 February 1997. Retrieved 7 February 2023.