3 new Microprose B17 games

[tattywelshie]

Had an exciting newsletter just now from Microprose! 3 new/remastered B17 games. A brand new B17 game, a VR one and a remastered version of the last B17 game. The B17 games always had excellent careers in them, probably the best out there in terms of immersion. No clue to release date, but very exciting! 

[Trog1odyte]

Three Microprose B-17 games have been announced on Steam:

 

• 'B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty Eighth Redux' is using the original B-17 II code base, but with new graphics (DirectX 12 based).
• 'B-17 Flying Fortress The Bloody 100th' is a completely new game based on the B-17 II idea but with new features.
• 'The Mighty Eighth VR' is a multiplayer, VR-version where you cooperatively (or SP + AI) manage a single B-17.
   

In an interview in PC Pilot from march 22 Microprose mentioned target dates for the releases being Q4 22 - early 23.
One of the new features in The Bloody 100th would be that you can set up missions in any theater of war (Pacific, North Africa etc).
In the VR-version you would also be able to fly the B-24 and possibly the Lancaster.
 

Edit:

In the latest issue of PC Pilot it is said that

• the release date for the VR version will be Q4 23 and for the Redux 'next year'
• the Redux version may get multiplayer and modding support
• the B-24 will be flyable in the Bloody 100th too

Edited October 25, 2022 by Trog1odyte

[DBS]

Nice!

 

I thought this was dead in the water so really happy it's coming out. The multiplayer one sounds great fun.

[Ribbon]

Added to my steam wishlist

Edited October 25, 2022 by =VARP=Ribbon

[DBFlyguy]

52 minutes ago, =VARP=Ribbon said:

Added to my steam wishlist

Same. Looking forward to Redux and Blood 100th!

[Ribbon]

2 minutes ago, DBFlyguy said:

Same. Looking forward to Redux and Blood 100th!

And VR ?

[Leroy13]

I hope VR is not requiered.

[danielprates]

Now those are interesting news!

[Guest deleted@83466]

Those Microprose games were legend back in the old days.  Set the 1980’s and 90’s standard for “simulation”, but also so many of the legendary strategy games, like Civilization.  Introduced me to the entire concept of a combat flight sim, even helicopters, with Gunship.  That was the era of Sid Meier and crew, though.  Don’t know what to make of the current incarnation.

 

Maybe Jason should go link up with them! ?

[Blitzen]

Some really nice screen shotsare now posted .I am curious about Flying Fortress Redux.It looks like a very polished re- release of the now older sim from 20 years ago.There are some nice screenshots of some of the features of the game , but so far only one of a B-17, so wonder if the aircraft have been updated? Also to news of what Luftwaffe or Allied fighters might be in the initial offering of the sim or whether they come later as add-ons...

Here's a screenshot of the B-17 instrument panel in Flying Fortress REDUX.As you can see quite a bit nicer than the one from 20 years ago.

[simfan2015]

2 hours ago, Leroy13 said:

I hope VR is not requiered.

There are in fact several similar games, VR and pancake ... have a look at the post of OP and steam ?

Edited October 25, 2022 by simfan2015

[Blitzen]

I've got all of them now added to my wish list.We'll see how close they will be released & in what order?

[danielprates]

The redux seems good too, I would be already super glad with that. Bloody 100th seems even better.

 

If they would only get rid, in both games, of the god-awful auto mode... you know, the thing where all stations are always on auto except if you jump into the station and click 'M'? To me it was always the unforgivable sin of this game. It would have been perfect if only, for the pilot, you had the choice of clicking either 'full auto' or a 'maintain heading and altitude only' mode. The problem was, I never minded all crew falling automatically on auto when you leave the station (very useful for gunners), but if you seated in the pilot's seat, placed the plane on some course you wanted to maintain, all it took was to jump to another seat for the pilot falling back into auto again and overriding everything you did. 

 

If there was the same "A" button as in IL2, meaning, the pilot merelly keeps flying straight, that would have made the game perfect. 

[Tonester]

Hope they redo EAW as well…now THAT would be something!

 

[343KKT_Kintaro]

24 minutes ago, Tonester said:

Hope they redo EAW as well…now THAT would be something!

 

 

 

Apparently Microprose adapted "European Air War" (the old one, the genuine & authentic) to Windows 7, 8 and 10:

 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/514130/European_Air_War/

 

You said "redo", I know, but you may be happy with the old EAW just in case you didn't know it has been adapted to more modern operating systems.

 

 

[BornToBattle]

https://us19.campaign-archive.com/?e=206ce65bc0&u=36f144f6a13c508dbdbdbaa87&id=f2d6b7b555

[Boomerang]

From the Microprose YouTube Channel. O Yeah!!

 

 

[Guest deleted@83466]

Looks pretty cool, but I haven’t been following developments and it confuses me.  What is the relationship between the new Microprose and this Outerra engine?  I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do with this Sandbox thing.

Edited October 26, 2022 by SeaSerpent

[Trog1odyte]

20 minutes ago, SeaSerpent said:

What is the relationship between the new Microprose and this Outerra engine?

The Outerra world sandbox game and The Bloody 100th use the same world engine. That's why one can create and fly missions in any part of the world with the latter. At least so they say.

 

Maybe Lockheed Martin (P3D) should take a look into this.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Trog1odyte

[Boomerang]

17 minutes ago, SeaSerpent said:

What is the relationship between the new Microprose and this Outerra engine?

 

Some of us have been dreaming for this to happen for years.

https://www.outerra.com/index.html

It will also open up a great opportunity for community mods on the steam work shop.

 

If you want to check out the middleware 3D planetary graphics engine, (Microprose will be using for the B-17 The Flying Fortress Bloody 100th and who knows what else),

you can download the tech demo for free here: https://www.outerra.com/demo.html

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Boomerang

[Trooper117]

Can't see me mucking about in that sandbox thing... it has no interest for me. You can already fly around the world in MFS and it's pretty stunning.

As to running, driving around the world, you know where that will end up... it'll turn into a world wide GTA.

[Guest deleted@83466]

Yeah, I’m not sure what you do in this Sandbox thing by itself.  I guess it would be good for a professional presentation requiring the use of off-the-shelf graphics for conceptual visuals.  Or you can drive a bus around the country or something. I guess I’m not fully understanding where this fits.

[Gambit21]

Yeah - no interest.

I’m moderately interested in a descent B-17 sim (with no illusions that I’ll sit and fly it for more than an hour) but my eyes glaze over with the whole “sand box” thing.

[DBFlyguy]

A fully open world where pretty much everything can be simulated including combat ops, it's got potential.  Definitely interested in seeming more of what it can actually do.  Really looking forward to Bloody 100th, maybe we'll have early access by the time the mini-series drops next year... guess, we'll see.

[Leroy13]

On 10/25/2022 at 9:30 PM, simfan2015 said:

There are in fact several similar games, VR and pancake ... have a look at the post of OP and steam ?

https://www.microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth/

[Trooper117]

Can you imagine playing with nine mates in a B-17?... who's going to be stuffed into the ball turret for the whole flight looking between his bloody knees at a gun sight?

Good luck trying to get nine people to play with you in the same plane.

[Boomerang]

1 hour ago, DBFlyguy said:

A fully open world where pretty much everything can be simulated including combat ops, it's got potential. 

Exactly. Happy Microprose's B-17 The Flying Fortress Bloody 100th is using it also, that's a global map right there. ?

 

[Jade_Monkey]

Will definitely keep an eye on them ?

[DD_Arthur]

4 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

Yeah, I’m not sure what you do in this Sandbox thing by itself. 

Discover why all serious flight sims build their own game engines.

[Boomerang]

Here are a couple more images from the outerra forum's from a couple of years ago, not sure what these are about.

 

 

 

 

TitanIM, last I heard, was being used as a military training simulation program, (that was not available to the public, only the military), not sure what's happening now day's.

It also used the Outerra engine.

Regarding Microprose's B-17 The Flying Fortress Bloody 100th, players will be completing tasks related to: attacks, fires, first aid, repairs etc.

The art looks great.

 

[Boomerang]

6 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

Yeah, I’m not sure what you do in this Sandbox thing by itself.

Some insight to Microproses choice of game engine relating to some of it's future title's and what it can offer.

 

 

 

 

[FeuerFliegen]

They also will be releasing a game called "Bomber 3," but I'm not sure exactly how that's going to play.  Not much information.

[danielprates]

20 hours ago, SeaSerpent said:

Looks pretty cool, but I haven’t been following developments and it confuses me.  What is the relationship between the new Microprose and this Outerra engine?  I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do with this Sandbox thing.

 

What are you talking about? It is the single most comprehensive, wide and complete "things and stuff" simulator ever created! You can do anything you want. Like.... uhm... let me see.... 

 

Yeah I wouldnt know what to do with it too.

 

Maybe it is a content creator tool? Like that generic tabletop games utility?

 

 

[Trooper117]

1 hour ago, SCG_FeuerFliegen said:

They also will be releasing a game called "Bomber 3," but I'm not sure exactly how that's going to play.  Not much information.

 

Have a look on the Steam store page... it looks pants.

[BornToBattle]

Agreed although I’m not getting my hopes up too much. The VR aspects appeals to me but the videos - meh. Guess we will see.

[Blitzen]

2 hours ago, Trooper117 said:

 

Have a look on the Steam store page... it looks pants.

Pants? Bomber 3-is that on a Steam search?

[LukeFF]

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/81082-microprose-b-17-games-announced-on-steam/

[sevenless]

4 hours flight time to target, 4 hours back? Inbetween 3 minute attacks by fighters? Pretty boring stuff. Not my cup of tea.

[Blitzen]

26 minutes ago, sevenless said:

4 hours flight time to target, 4 hours back? Inbetween 3 minute attacks by fighters? Pretty boring stuff. Not my cup of tea.

Oh I don't know...after all you might get attacked over Holland?

[Monksilver]

34 minutes ago, sevenless said:

4 hours flight time to target, 4 hours back? Inbetween 3 minute attacks by fighters? Pretty boring stuff. Not my cup of tea.

As Dr Samuel Johnson said of the Giant's Causeway - "worth seeing, yes, but not worth going to see"

 

It would be almost as boring as cricket.

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Monksilver