F-19 STEALTHFIGHTER was the classiest combat flight simulation ever, available to the public in the year 1988, I'm sure. I've played a large number of the early flight simulations and even the "microsoft" flight simulator 2004, touted as "The most realistic flight simulation available to the public" was not as much fun to play with in my opinion.
I remember being startled by the amazing 3D Graphics capabilities though I admit that by today’s standards the graphics leave a tad much to be desired, but given the technology at that time the graphics were fantastic.
F-19 STEALTHFIGHTER was the classiest combat flight simulation ever, available to the public in the year 1988, I'm sure. I've played a large number of the early flight simulations and even the "microsoft" flight simulator 2004, touted as "The most realistic flight simulation available to the public" was not as much fun to play with in my opinion.
I remember being startled by the amazing 3D Graphics capabilities though I admit that by today’s standards the graphics leave a tad much to be desired, but given the technology at that time the graphics were fantastic. The ground is extremely grainy as are most objects not in the immediate foreground. Although the in-plane displays like H.U.D., instrumentation, and camera views are amazingly
detailed and crisp for the 80s, even the late eighties, I can't say that the graphics in any way compare to today’s flight simulators. In honesty though I haven't tried many new ones since "msflightsim.2004".
As I hadn't played this game in years until yesterday I was rather shocked to find out that I still have trouble sticking the landings. So I guess I should mention the controls as I remember them "HaHa". The #s all have functions I think 6 = gear, throttle was + = up, - = Down, 0 =brake, 9 =flaps. All have functions as do the function keys f1 through ?. Can't remember them all and I lost the keyboard key that came with the game originally. The enter/return = fire but only if bay door is open witch is 8 I think, and you toggle between weapons with shift or spacebar even if you don’t have them being displayed which is done with either an f key 1-5 or a #key 1-5???. Sure wish I could remember how to eject, I think that was ctrl & backspace but I am sure it was a combo of keys rrrrg... This simulator has an anti crash function built in for training but it turns itself off after you run out of gas or take damage. The complexities and memorization involved in playing this simulator was by far one of the things I enjoyed most about the entire game. The thing that was most annoying about these controls was when I linked up a joystick and found that I needed a third hand or had to rethink my keying strategy (and failed to find a solution) as my stick took over some functions of my right hand it left vital functions on the keyboard like "Brakes". Landing on a carrier was a real challenge at the best of times, now it was simply not possible, "for me anyway". So I would advise keyboard only for the highest level of simulation control.
As combat simulators go this is probably fairly ordinary with weapon selection options and things like target lock but the fact that in 1988 they had these and had changes to control response due to aircraft system damage was revolutionary at the time and much sought after in sim games. Getting this game was the most important thing on my computer wish list that year. I wish I hadn't lost it in that move so many years ago, but I am just overjoyed that I've found it again, along with so many other favorites. I hope to be flying right soon but until I figure out those controls again I imagine I'll be searching for eject at the end of every mission.
Hope you enjoy the challenge as much as I did and still do.
Sincerely VC
