General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Nefarious on May 26, 2020, 06:16:39 AM
Title: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Nefarious on May 26, 2020, 06:16:39 AM
Which tells me the genre isn't going anywhere.
https://microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth
Looks good, hopefully it isn't vapor ware
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Volron on May 26, 2020, 04:43:30 PM
I love the fact that they will be including the B-24 in the next game, if they go through with it. It'll be my first tour. :D But I hope they include the B-25 and B-26 at a later date, either as an expansion or as DLC's. If I recall correctly, 25's and 26's were primarily used in Europe by the 9th, but the 8th used them quite a bit as well. :headscratch:
They'll have a tall order to fill in my book. I have both DOS and Windows Version of B-17 and played both quite a bit. Each had their Faults and Positives, but I had fun with both.
Some Faults with DOS Version:
No escort fighters of any kind. Only attacked by 110's, 190's and 262's (quite rare). Only one in your flight that fended off attackers, which on super deep raids would result in running out of ammo if you weren't micro-ing your guns and focusing on fighters going for your bomber first. Interceptors would always focus you if you had to break formation and head home, never attacking the formation once far enough away. This is likely due to how the game was coded.
Some Positives with DOS Version:
Peenemünde Airfield was a target. Needed to be careful when it was a target as it was on map edge. If you time skipped off the map, it would insta-fail you (shot down). Power Stations were targets, though all the ones I had as a target were assigned as tertiary targets. (Almost always went after them anyway :devil). Constantly attacked by interceptors. If you flew deep through an airfield zone, you would get attacked twice: 1st time when entering and a 2nd time when leaving. This happened to and from target. (I had one career where I shot down over 350 interceptors by the time I flew my 25 missions :t)
Some Faults with Windows Version:
AI Pilot tended to bug out on high altitude missions: would start to fall from the sky after a time skip. Only way to remedy was to fly the aircraft yourself which meant you couldn't time skip. No RAF Escorts. No 110's. No Power Stations as Targets. (yes, I really enjoyed hitting them in the DOS version) Only attacked 4 times by interceptors, no matter how many fields you flew over or how deep the raid was.
Some Positives with Windows Version:
Escorting fighters: P-51 and P-47. Escorting fighters can be controlled! 109's as intercepting fighters. Interceptors could be controlled! Can be a Squadron Commander and choose your targets. However, micro-ing all of your bombers in flight was extremely tedious and annoying. I still class as a positive due to being able to choose my targets. Formation will be attacked even after you've broken formation and headed home. (Providing there were still attacks left)
Ultimately I still preferred the DOS version. Wasn't as buggy for me, got attacked by 110's, was harassed by interceptors throughout entire mission, and I really loved my Power Stations. :D
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: perdue3 on May 26, 2020, 04:57:45 PM
I remember B-17, that was a fun game. I always wanted to fly as the Luftwaffe and I don't think you could.
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Arlo on May 26, 2020, 05:09:10 PM
I remember B-17, that was a fun game. I always wanted to fly as the Luftwaffe and I don't think you could.
I've always wanted a game that was like B-17, but you could fly other bombers as well as Allied and Axis Bombers, including things like the Ju-290 and G5N.
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: TheBug on May 26, 2020, 06:38:19 PM
Not getting my hopes up. Only because I really want to get my hopes up.
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Nefarious on May 26, 2020, 09:40:15 PM
Personally, I trust Micropose as much as a used refrigerator salesman in Anchorage Alaska.
They’ve delivered squat in the past two years. Missed deadlines like an IBM project manager, and have zero credit in my books.
You need to understand that Micropose is nothing but a trade mark owned by Bill.
HiTech
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Shuffler on May 28, 2020, 11:33:17 AM
I heard they bought a small company called ER and changed their name to MicroposER to reflect that purchase. Hmmmm
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: hitech on May 28, 2020, 02:24:18 PM
I was slightly incorrect.
Since 2018, the MicroProse brand has been owned by David Lagettie, working with Bill Stealey's own company iEntertainment Network on the Warbirds series of combat flight simulators.
HiTech
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2020, 02:49:51 PM
Since 2018, the MicroProse brand has been owned by David Lagettie, working with Bill Stealey's own company iEntertainment Network on the Warbirds series of combat flight simulators.
HiTech
Slightly, but correct in the sense that it is just a hollow brand name, pulled out of the dust bin and purchased like a suit in a clearance sale; trying to buy respect that hasn't been earned yet. Hoping to get a free ride on other's past accomplishments. :rolleyes:
It's not like Sid Meier is coming back or anything. ;)
:salute
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: perdue3 on May 28, 2020, 05:37:43 PM
The best Microprose game was Civ 3.
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2020, 05:58:10 PM
I played that until my eyes bled. It was like a cross between a flight sim and a submarine game. I had some hellacious nail-bitters extracting my self out of suicide missions after stirring up a hornets nest. Sneaking away low and slow and managing my cross-section. It was like a sub trying to slip of of a depth charge attack. :aok
:salute
(And ironically, doesn't look that much worse than Warbirds 2020. :noid)
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Volron on May 28, 2020, 06:45:47 PM
I played that until my eyes bled. It was like a cross between a flight sim and a submarine game. I had some hellacious nail-bitters extracting my self out of suicide missions after stirring up a hornets nest. Sneaking away low and slow and managing my cross-section. It was like a sub trying to slip of of a depth charge attack. :aok
:salute
(And ironically, doesn't look that much worse than Warbirds 2020. :noid)
I recall an F-117 game where you had the choice of 3 types of wars: "Cold", <forgot what this one was called so I'ma call it "Medium">, and "Hot". I truly cannot remember if it was this one or a different one though. :o
I enjoyed the aspect of the "Cold" version, having to be extremely stealthy; getting in, taking those photos, and bugging out; all without being detected. :)
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: CptTrips on May 28, 2020, 06:55:16 PM
I recall an F-117 game where you had the choice of 3 types of wars: "Cold", <forgot what this one was called so I'ma call it "Medium">, and "Hot". I truly cannot remember if it was this one or a different one though. :o
I enjoyed the aspect of the "Cold" version, having to be extremely stealthy; getting in, taking those photos, and bugging out; all without being detected. :)
Yeah, I remember those. Sweetness. Actually the one I played was the original. This vid is ver 2.
What was the map that was really hard? North Cape or something?
It was on a Tandy with a 5.25" floppy drive and no HD. 3 disks.
Disk 1: mission briefing and take off. Pause. Swap disks. Disk 2 the mission. Pause. Swap disks. Disk 3 landing and debrief.
And I LOVED IT!!! :rofl
And the manual. Remember the big thick manual you could take to the with you to the John. Remember when they used to print stuff on paper?!?!?!
:rofl
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Ack-Ack on May 29, 2020, 01:29:53 PM
Anyone remember 50 Mission Crush?
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Volron on May 29, 2020, 03:17:25 PM
Yeah, I remember those. Sweetness. Actually the one I played was the original. This vid is ver 2.
What was the map that was really hard? North Cape or something?
It was on a Tandy with a 5.25" floppy drive and no HD. 3 disks.
Disk 1: mission briefing and take off. Pause. Swap disks. Disk 2 the mission. Pause. Swap disks. Disk 3 landing and debrief.
And I LOVED IT!!! :rofl
And the manual. Remember the big thick manual you could take to the with you to the John. Remember when they used to print stuff on paper?!?!?!
:rofl
I honestly do not remember which map I chose, but I recall the difficulty being the highest of the choices. I do remember that got shot down the first time, since I did go in like I was playing F-15 Strike Eagle II a little, despite needing to be "stealthy".
F-15 SEII I played the hell out of. And apparently in F-15, the An-72 Coaler had a forward gunner, as at one point I decided to get out in front of one, nice and slow just for the hell of it...and it shot me up! :eek:
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: bustr on May 29, 2020, 03:40:26 PM
It was an AN-72P Maritime patrol version. On the right side is a blister just forward of the landing gear bulge with a twin barrel 23mm cannon.
wiki has a good picture if you expand it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-72
Title: Re: Microprose dusting off the B-17 Mighty Eighth Games
Post by: Volron on May 29, 2020, 06:24:22 PM