Meet Combat Flight Simulator

So what's Combat Flight Simulator about? In short, it's a World War II air combat package. CFS is based on the proven Flight Simulator "engine". Most of you are familiar with Flight Simulator and will be able to jump into the cockpit and feel right at home. Yes, they'll be a short learning curve as you learn the new controls, but it's no more difficult than a check ride when you're transitioning from a one single engine plane to another. The similarity of CFS to Flight Simulator is a very powerful incentive for most flight sim fans. Microsoft is betting that it can leverage its huge installed based of civilian cyber-pilots to attract them to CFS. When I first heard about CFS earlier this year, I was a little skeptical. I expected repainted aircraft with "strapped-on" guns. But after using early betas of CFS for the past several months, I'm no longer skeptical. Yes, CFS uses FS technology. But CFS adds a exciting and enjoyable dimension for aviators. If I were to select one area in which I think CFS excels is in giving your an wonderful visual impression. Here's how: Panels The cockpits are very well done. You feel as if you're in a World War II plane, not a converted Cessna. The instrumentation looks authentic and dated from 50 years ago. Here's a close up look at the Hawker panel. Aircraft Microsoft's team did extensive research on both the flight model and history to design these aircraft. CFS will ship for eight aircraft: Spitfire MkI, Hurricane MK I, Messerschmitt Me 109E, Messerschmitt Me 109G, Focke Wulf Fw 190 A8, P-47D Thunderbolt, P-51D Mustant and Spitfire Mk IX. Here's a shot of the P-51D Mustang. Click for larger image. Scenery Not only are the panels and aircraft top notch, so is the scenery. The computers at the Press Conference were equipped with high end Diamond Monster 3D II video cards. The result is astouding - dazzling, fluid scenery and great special effects. The smoke and haze effects are realistically displayed. CFS also performs well using my P200 and a more modest 3D video card. Click for larger image. Texture Relief I talked at length to Microsoft Engineer Bob Day about CFS scenery. Here's what I learned. The CFS scenery engine is very similar to that of FS. However, CFS makes extensive use of the texture relief method of painting the screen. Most FS sceneries are made by laying down a texture over an area on the ground at a single elevation. According to Full Throttle's Editor-in-Chief Tim Dickens: "With texture relief, any given area in a scenery is described as a set of coordinates having a latitude, longitude and multiple elevation points within the defined area. An associated bitmap (texture) is overlayed on top of this. The result is that the previously 'flat' ground texture is now rendered into a natural looking terrain with varying elevation points". When the texture relief command is performed, the scenery engine converts this data so that the video card (using DirectX) can efficiently draw the area. The result: CFS will deliver great looking detailed scenery right out of the box. Can 3rd parties sceneries be far behind? Compatibility with FS98 Here's where Microsoft will be able to capture a ready-made audience. Much of the technology in FS can be used without change in CFS. For example, Bruce Williams dragged the Boeing 737 from FS98 into the CFS folder and soon he was flying a machine-gun equipped airliner! In addition to the default weapon supplies, the 747 also has a default damage model. So you can shoot at it and it will sustain damage accordingly. Bob Day demonstrated how it was possible to change the vulnerability of an aircraft using the damage profiles. If you've designed your own or have collected Flight Shop, you'll be able to easily convert them to use with CFS. Are you ready for a Piper Cherokee with bombs or an ultralight with machine guns? A Ready Made Fleet What a concept! Create a new combat flight simulator that is able to immediately use the thousands of existing Flight Shop aircraft . This will be a tremendous selling feature for CFS. Existing FS scenery is also compatible with CFS. While the entire world exists in CFS, only the 400 or so miles of Western Europe - from U.K. to east to Germany and from Switzerland to north to the Baltics - are covered in detail. Here's a view of a fighter over the Mirage in Las Vegas. I don't think the Mirage was there in 1942. Yet this shows you that the scenery possibilities for CFS is wide open. Click for larger image.