HOMEBy Al Giovetti
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Flight Unlimited II
HistoryThe original Flight Unlimited shocked the computer world with dynamite graphics and performance in one of the most remarkable non-combat based flight simulator products to date. Flight Unlimited II causes a high level of excitement and anticipation in the fans.
Company LineLooking Glass Technologies set a new standard in computer aerobatic flight simulation with the critically-acclaimed, best selling Flight Unlimited. Now they are redefining the civilian aviation flight simulator genre with Flight Unlimited II (working title), scheduled for release in mid-1997. Putting users in one of six distinct civilian aircraft, Flight Unlimited II will take PC pilots over 8,500 square miles of breath-taking, photo-realistic terrain featuring the San Francisco Bay area - complete with all of the actual landmarks, buildings, rivers and roadways, all rendered in superb 3D! This title will be heralded as having the most realistic and accurate flight modeling in the industry. It will also feature over 45 different airports to explore, including San Francisco International Airport. Flight Unlimited II enables the pilots to plan their own flights using the game’s advanced flight planning tools, or go on more than 25 adventures that will provide flying challenges including: emergency procedures, dangerous weather, and life or death situations; "Flight Unlimited’s flight modeling and photo-realistic graphics set a new benchmark that all other flight simulators are now judged by," said Paul Neurath, CEO of Looking Glass Technologies. "What Flight Unlimited did for aerobatic flight sims, our new title will do for civilian flight sims." The release of Flight Unlimited II on CD-ROM for Windows 95 continues Looking Glass’ commitment to developing leading-edge technology for all platforms. Looking Glass Technologies, Inc. is a leading developer of entertainment and simulation software distinguished by its expertise in 3D technologies. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, the talented team at Looking Glass has created some of the best-known, best-selling titles in the interactive entertainment industry, including the Ultima Underworld series, System Shock, Flight Unlimited and Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri. Game PlayDue to the detailed graphics you will be able to navigate by dead reconing and visual flight rules (called VFR by pilots). Weather, night flying, and time transitions such as sun rises and sunsets will be seen in the new product. Sun rises and sun sets have been part of combat flight simulators for years, see US Navy Fighters 97 for one example. Another striking feature in the first Flight Unlimited, which will continue in the sequel, is the ultra accurate flight model. A Cessna 172 really flew and felt like that airplane. You get to fly the Cessna 172, Piper Arrow, Beech Baron, P51D Mustang, Instumentation was supposed to comply with instrument flight rules (IFR to pilots) with fully interactive ground, tower, and approach controller. When the game came out the instrumentation was not up to the standards set by Microsoft Flight Simulator 98 or Sierra's Pro Pilot. The instrumentation lacks the automatic direction finder or ADF. PlotThe whole point of Flight Unlimited II is to put you in the seat of a high performance aircraft and to let you experience the sensation of controlling a plane. GraphicsThe 640x480 pixel resolution graphics is where this game is at with over 8,500 square miles of three dimensional polygon terrain with the same resolution as seen in the first Flight Unlimited. The terrain uses four meters per pixel sattelite imagery to map and model all rivers, bridges, lakes, and buildings over 10 feet tall in three dimensions. Sierra Pro Pilot uses a much less detailed 30 meter per pixel terrain mapping routine. This is quite an improvement over the first game which used a 5x7-mile repeating terrain patch. The terrain will no longer "pop" at you when you get too close, causing your plane to crash, as it did in the prequil. Many people complaned of crashing into mountains when they flew too close. The terrain now stays where it should as you get closer to it. AnimationThe graphic animation supports Direct 3D, 3Dfx, MMX and Rendition chipsets.Voice ActorsMusic ScoreSound EffectsEngine noise pans as you turn your head.UtilitiesAdd on terrain packs and other airplain expansion packs will be available shortly after the game is.Compare toMulti-player FeaturesFutureLooking Glass plans on doing a WWI or WWII prop plane combat flight simulator right after they ship Flight Unlimited II.Cheats, Hints, WalkthroughJournalistsReferencesLooking Glass' Flight Unlimited II Web SiteEditors, Boot, volume 2, number 8, April, 1997, pg. 66, Peter Oliver, Games Domain Gamesite Frank Lenk, Boot, volume 3, issue 4, April, 1998, pg.78, 9/10, 90%. Publish your own review or preview, just send us the text by email. Letters
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