Aminet 5/Aminet 5 - March 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/rview/TornadoAGA.txt

Internet Message Format | 1994-10-18 | 22KB

Path: news.uh.edu!barrett
From: [e-mail] (C. J. Coulson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: Tornado, AGA version
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.games
Date: 18 Oct 1994 16:59:58 GMT
Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Daniel Barrett
Lines: 483
Sender: [e-mail] (comp.sys.amiga.reviews moderator)
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <380uue$[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail] (C. J. Coulson)
NNTP-Posting-Host: karazm.math.uh.edu
Keywords: flight simulation, strategy, combat, commercial
Originator: [e-mail]


PRODUCT NAME

    Tornado, AGA version


BRIEF DESCRIPTION

    A flight simulator based on the Tornado IDS strike aircraft and its
fighter variant, the Tornado ADV. The AGA version features 256-colour
graphics throughout.


AUTHOR/COMPANY INFORMATION

    Name:        Digital Integration Limited

    Address:    Watchmoor Trade Centre
            Watchmoor Road
            Camberley
            Surrey
            England
            GU15 3AJ

    Telephone:    [phone] - UK callers only (according to
            manual) between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday-Friday)

    E-mail:        [e-mail]

    Note: I have sent the company e-mail and have received no reply. It
seems that they reply only to regular mail or phone calls.


LIST PRICE

    The list price is 39.99 (UK Pounds).

    An upgrade from the non-AGA version is apparently available for
9.99 UK Pounds, available by returning the original disks to Digital
Integration. Since I bought the AGA version directly, I do not know if this
offer is currently available, or how long the turn-around time is.


SPECIAL HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

    HARDWARE

        An Amiga with AGA chipset is required.

        Hard drive is required; the program will not run from floppy.
        The box label states "10MB hard drive space required," but I
        think this refers to the PC version, since the Amiga
        installation requires just 5MB.

        2 MB RAM recommended.  As the program is a bit slow, I would
        advise at least 1MB of Fast RAM on top of any Chip RAM in
        the system.

        68030 CPU or better is recommended.  A 40MHz 68030 will
        allow use of maximum detail settings at acceptable frame
        rates.  I suspect it would be very playable on one of the
        new 40MHz 68040 accelerators now available...

        I recommend an analogue joystick.

    SOFTWARE

        None that I am aware of.  [MODERATOR'S NOTE:  Since the
        AGA chipset is required, I assume that AmigaDOS 3.0 or
        higher is required.  - Dan]


COPY PROTECTION

    None.  The program MUST be installed on hard drive.

    This program is worth buying.  The complexity of the simulation
makes playing without a manual rather pointless.


MACHINE USED FOR TESTING

    Amiga 4000/030/882 - 25MHz, 2 MB Chip RAM, 2 & 4 MB Fast RAM
    1 Internal 1.44MB floppy & 1 External 880KB floppy
    Seagate 120MB IDE internal hard drive
    Microvitec 1438 multisync monitor
    AmigaDOS 3.0
    ForceMonitor (sometimes, see below)

    With this setup, and with the graphics detail setting I use, I get
between 2-3 frames/second with normal detail setting, and about 10
frames/second in minimised detail mode.

    Having two floppy drives made the installation run a bit faster, as
a second disk could be inserted, virus-checked and validated whilst the
Installer script was still busy with the current disk. The program does not
access the hard disk in the middle of any sections; the only access is
between sections. Thus, a slow hard drive will not cause any problems other
than a slower loading time.


INSTALLATION

    An AmigaDOS script is provided for installation. Just click on the
icon and feed the 5 disks into the floppy drives when asked.  Total
installation time is approximately 2 minutes on my system.  The documentation
says that installation takes about 5 minutes for a standard A1200.  The
installation requires the unarchiving of files and will thus take a variable
amount of time depending on the speed of your processor.

    There were no problems at all with the installation.  No assigns have
to be made (or are made by the script).

    NOTE: The installation allows the user to select English, Spanish,
Italian, German, or French as the language for the program to use.  Bear in
mind, however, that the installation messages are all in English, at least
on my version bought in England.


REVIEW

    As I am not a Tornado pilot in real life, I cannot comment on the
accuracy of the simulation. Digital Integration, however, have worked closely
with the Royal Air Force in creating this program, and it certainly seems to
be as accurate as the Amiga (and secrecy restrictions) will allow.  Unlike
other flight simulators I have seen, Tornado's cockpit layouts are very
accurate compared to photographs of Tornado cockpits, and the handling of
the simulated aircraft seems right when payload and other factors are
considered. This is certainly NOT an "arcade" flight simulator.

    For those of you who have seen/played/read about the PC version of
Tornado, here are a few words. First the good news. The graphics are
identical, which means 256 colours in the 3D sections and 256-colour
digitised backdrops in the menu screens.  The bad news is that the Mission
Planner and Command sections have been removed. This means it is impossible
to alter the preset missions or create entirely new missions. This is a
serious omission, and one that I cannot understand, especially in the AGA
version.

    In isolation from the PC version, and comparing it to other Amiga
flight simulators, Tornado stands up very well. Note that it is a FLIGHT
simulator and can be used entirely for non-combat flying if desired.  The
aircraft model used seems to be very detailed, with flaps, wing sweep angle,
airbrakes and so on having the expected effect. It is even possible to get
into a spin, something I have not seen on other Amiga military flight
simulators.

    The simulation features three basic play modes. The first is
simulation mode, whereby the program simulates a Tornado simulator.  Thus
your in-sim character cannot be injured should anything happen, and this is
an excellent way to learn how to fly the Tornado and use its systems
properly. Several missions are set, allowing you to test out all the weapons
systems available on both the IDS and ADV Tornados. In addition, there is a
free flight mission that has no preset targets. There are settings to
allow infinite fuel and weapons, as well as settings to deactivate simulated
enemy forces and damage to the aircraft in the event of hitting something
solid.

    The second mode is training. Here, although the enemy forces are
still simulated, you are actually flying a "real" aircraft. Crashing is
therefore fatal to your character, although there is the option of ignoring
a mission if it goes badly. This option is also available in the third mode.
The training missions are similar to the simulator missions and are
designed to test your ability to drop real weapons on real targets, with
real flight characteristics and fuel loads.

    The final mode is combat, which is actually split into three
sub-sections. These are Mission, Campaign and Two-Player.  The Mission
section takes place in one of three war zones, each war zone consisting of
14 missions which may be carried out in any order. The missions are not
linked in any way; damage caused in one does not appear in any other. This
is the best way of obtaining actual combat experience without having to
worry about anything except survival.

    The Campaign section also takes place in one of the three zones, but
here each mission is part of an overall strategy, and they must be completed
in order. For example, the first mission might be the destruction of an
enemy early warning radar base, with the second mission then an attack on an
airbase protected by that radar site.

    Two player mode allows two machines to be linked. I cannot test this
mode without another AGA machine available. According to the manual, the
link is by null-modem cable only (the PC version allows modem links as
well...  bah) but does not state whether an Amiga can be linked to a PC, or
just to another Amiga. Whilst in two-player mode, the players are placed in
a one-on-one dogfight scenario, which is a pity as it would be interesting
to have the two players flying a co-ordinated mission against the computer.

    Although two player mode does not allow for multiple aircraft
missions, the one player modes do feature multi-aircraft missions, with up
to six Tornados taking part in a raid. In addition, there are always a
variety of other aircraft flying around, and it can be quite interesting to
sit back and view the antics of these drone aircraft as they fly around,
land, take off and so on.

    Given that the Tornado is a combat aircraft, you may want to
know which weapons are available in the sim. For the Tornado IDS,
you can choose from the following selection of offensive and
defensive ordnance, though note that the defensive ordnance is still
fairly offensive if you happen to be on the receiving end. :-)

    Offensive:

        1000 Pound unguided general purpose bomb.
        1000 Pound retarded bomb.
        1000 Pound laser guided bomb.
        BL755 Cluster Bomb.
        JP233 Runway Denial weapon.

    Defensive:

        ALARM anti radar missile
        AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared homing air to air missile
        27mm Cannon (internal fit).

The Tornado ADV has a far smaller ordnance selection, but as a result
requires no thought regarding what weapon to put where, unlike the IDS.

        AIM-9 Sidewinder
        27mm Cannon           both as above

        SkyFlash radar guided air to air missile

The SkyFlash is a British modification of the well known AIM-7 Sparrow with
an improved seeker head and fusing system (according to people who have
experience with both missiles).  Both IDS and ADV Tornados can also carry
drop tanks to increase the fuel load, and the IDS may fit external ECM and
chaff/flare dispenser pods whilst the ADV has these built in.

    The graphics detail may be altered with various settings to allow
for a tradeoff between detail and frame rate. In addition, there is a key
command which toggles the detail between that set by the user and a
minimised setting set by the program. This is useful for those times when a
smoother screen update is required, such as landing or manual bombing runs.

    Although the graphics could warrant an entire review to themselves,
being so detailed, I will just mention my favourite feature:  clouds. They
work properly in that flying through a cloud results in the display slowly
turning from clear to totally white, and then back to clear as you fly
through the cloud. If the weather is overcast, the entire view below the
cloudbase looks dirty and foggy, and climbing through the cloudbase results
in the clouds turning from dirty grey to pure white, and then you finally
break out above the clouds into brilliant blue skies, or starlit night
depending on the mission time. A cosmetic effect, yes, but very effective
and very realistic.

    Audio is limited to engine rumbles, with additional afterburner
roar, and a few spot effects for things like undercarriage retracting,
weapons release and explosions.  They are realistic, however, and further add
to the sense of being there in the cockpit.  Of course, if you have the
volume turned up you'll probably mess up your pants the first time the
warning siren goes off. :-) There is a tune of sorts playing during menu
selections, but both this and the in-game effects can be turned off if
desired.

    Additional features include a review facility, which allows the user
to look at the 3D models of all the combat vehicles in the game, along with
a digitised image. This is perhaps a bit gimmicky and tends to be used most
often by computer shops when displaying PCs in their windows....  On the
other hand, the explore function is very useful, as it allows you to move
anywhere within the map area, as if you were in a very fast and maneuverable
helicopter or drone.  You can stop, fly forwards and backwards, rotate the
view, climb and dive. Basically, you can examine the 3D world from almost
any angle without having to get in a Tornado and fly around for real. This
is most useful when planning strike runs on targets, as you can examine the
relative location of the target(s) to hills, rivers, other buildings etc.

    You could also just spend hours moving around the world examining
the sometimes outrageous detail on the 3D models. For example, the water
tower model features a ladder and inspection catwalk, neither of which are
of any concern to the Tornado pilot flying at 50 feet, 600 knots.

    One thing to be aware of is that the landscape is just a standard
piece of flat ground with mountains/hills placed on top.  The ground itself
does not undulate, unlike Gunship 2000, but the mountains are not just
pyramids; they are actually quite detailed.

    Basically, the simulation appears to deal with most aspects of being
a Tornado pilot.  The only thing I can think of missing from the simulation
is in-flight refuelling (which the PC version does not have either).  I
could go on for a lot longer detailing the simulation, but if I tell you
that the manual is 332 pages long, and the keyboard guide is larger than
some entire manuals, you'll understand that Tornado is not a program you can
simply describe in a few pages.


DOCUMENTATION

    The primary manual is 332 pages long.  Of that, some 60 pages refer
either partly or totally to the mission planner and command sections removed
from the Amiga version, and an additional 35 pages are taken up with line
drawings of the aircraft in the simulation, and the index. This leaves
around 240 pages of very good information about the Tornado, and if the
manual were rewritten slightly to remove program specific information, it
could be released as a stand alone reference manual on the Tornado
aircraft.  This manual is all in English, although other languages are
presumably available, since the cover of the manual states that it is the
English version.

    A Technical Supplement of 51 pages is next.  This is multilingual,
with the first 15 pages given to the English text.  This manual details
additional features of both the PC and Amiga versions of Tornado:
specifically, the installation instructions, two-player linkup instructions,
and a list of errata for the primary manual.

    Also included (in the AGA version) is an A5-sized multilingual
leaflet, with one side per language, detailing the specific installation of
the AGA version, as well as a few hints and tips.

    A keyboard guide is included, which details all 159 (!)  commands,
some of which replicate joystick or mouse actions.

    Finally, apart from the registration card, there are two
double-sided, A3-sized maps, detailing the training area and three war
zones. These maps are identical to the moving map display in the simulated
Tornado and are useful for preflight planning.

    It would appear that a large portion of the cost of this program has
been taken up with the printed matter, which is no bad thing when the
program is as complex as this.


LIKES

    I primarily like the apparent accuracy of the flight simulation, as
well as the reality of the weapons systems. Unlike, say, Microprose
simulators, Tornado does feel like a true simulation. I also like the
256-colour graphics; the difference a bit of subtle shading makes to the
display is quite amazing.

    Additionally, Tornado is the only flight simulator I have which has
the right feel when using an analogue joystick. In fact, I would not
recommend using anything but an analogue stick when using this simulation.


DISLIKES AND SUGGESTIONS

    I was very annoyed to see the lack of mission planning options,
which the PC version has.  There is no reason why the Amiga could not support
such features, and I can only assume that they were removed because of a
desire to support the absolute base level AGA machine (A1200, 2MB, 14MHz
68020). Even so, they should have been left in as an option for those of us
with more powerful machines.

    The program does not support mode promotion as standard, although
the displays will promote using utilities such as ForceMonitor. However, one
important thing to note is that when using an analogue joystick, the stick
calibration settings must be reset whenever the screen mode is changed. This
is not mentioned anywhere in the manuals; it appears that mode promotion was
forgotten completely by the programmers.

    Although the program is run from, and returns to, the Workbench,
whilst the program is running it is impossible to return to the Workbench,
although any programs running will continue to do so. I would like to see
the ability to switch back to the Workbench screen whilst Tornado is
displaying a menu screen, as is possible in Formula One Grand Prix for
example.

    Note that the program is incompatible with GarshneBlanker.  If this
blanker activates whilst Tornado is running, all keyboard input is frozen,
effectively locking up the Amiga and requiring a reboot. This seems to be a
common fault with GarshneBlanker rather than a one-off incompatibility due
to Tornado.

    Finally, I would like to see in-flight refuelling added, simply
because it never seems to be included in flight simulators (Bomber excluded).


COMPARISON TO OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

    I have used the following flight simulators on the Amiga:

        Gunship 2000
        Knights of the Sky
        Birds of Prey
        Interceptor
        F19 Stealth Fighter
        Thunderhawk
        Bomber
        Falcon (and Mission Disk 1)
        F29 Retaliator

    To be perfectly honest, compared to Tornado, only Falcon deserves
the description of "flight simulator."  All the others tend to emphasise
playability too much, simplifying the flight model to make the 'game'
easier. You will note that I have not called Tornado a 'game' at all. I do
not regard it as one, preferring the description 'interactive simulation
package'. In fact, I would rather compare Tornado to another Digital
Integration program, Tomahawk.  This was a simulation of the AH-64 Apache
gunship, running on the 8-bit Sinclair Spectrum (and other 8-bit micros from
the early 1980s). In fact, I have Tomahawk installed along with a Spectrum
Emulator, and I use it quite a lot. Although the graphics are very basic,
the flight characteristics of the Apache are beautifully simulated. Digital
Integration seem to place a high value on simulating the aircraft in
question, adding nice graphics as and when the hardware allows. This, to me,
is the way it should be when programming simulations.


BUGS

    The version of Tornado I bought contained a very serious bug.  After
completing a mission, the program would crash when trying to return to the
main menu screen. I contacted Digital Integration by mail and was told to
return Disk 1. This I did, and received a new copy a few days later. The new
version fixed the problem.

    There are a few non-terminal bugs in the program. One is serious if
you are not aware of it.  Very rarely, the 3D routines will attempt to plot
the entire map area on screen. This results in the screen filling with
roads, railways, rivers, mountains etc. A way to remove this fault seems to
be to select the minimised detail setting as soon as the problem occurs, and
the next frame drawn is then correct, as are all subsequent frames. This
problem has so far appeared once in the four months I have been using the
program.

    Other, less problematic bugs are:

    o    Computer controlled aircraft sometimes land in the middle of
        nowhere, instead of landing at airbases.

    o    Adding external fuel tanks does not alter the payload weight
        readout, although they do still affect the handling of the
        aircraft.

    To be honest, once I had the initial bug sorted out, the other bugs
I have found are easily ignored. They certainly do not spoil the program,
except perhaps for purists.

    I am not aware of any patches available on Internet/bulletin boards.
It would appear that Amiga owners have to send their disks to Digital
Integration for any updates.


VENDOR SUPPORT

    I have not had to contact the vendor at all since purchase.


WARRANTY

    If purchased direct from Digital Integration, there is a 14-day
period in which the program can be returned for a full refund if the buyer
is not satisfied with the program.

    Faulty disks are replaced free of charge provided the faulty
disk is mailed to Digital Integration. The user pays for postage to
Digital Integration, the return postage is paid by Digital
Integration.


CONCLUSIONS

    For anyone with a fast AGA machine and a love of real flight
simulators, this product is an absolute must-have. If you prefer your
'flight' simulators to be more of a quick blast, then I'd advise you to steer
clear; Tornado is most definitely NOT a "pick up and play" program. I have
been using it regularly now for four months, and I am still learning new
things.

    Note that a non-AGA version is also available, which does not
require a hard drive and is slightly cheaper (how much so, I do not know).
However, it does still require an accelerated machine to be playable, and a
hard drive would not be a waste either.


COPYRIGHT NOTICE

    This review is freely distributable. Use it how you desire, and if
it tempts you to buy Tornado then all the better, not that I am connected to
Digital Integration or any of the employees at all.  I am just a very
satisfied customer.

- Review by
  Chris Coulson
  email: [e-mail]

---

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