3 new Microprose B17 games

[343KKT_Kintaro]

How many threads about this already? three? Four?

 

 

Sorry Bonnot, I meant "how many threads", not "how many posts"... I fixed it.

Edited January 7, 2023 by 343KKT_Kintaro
Threads, not posts, threads. Sorry.

[DragonDaddy]

1 hour ago, Trooper117 said:

OFGS... I knew this was going to happen.

The project he is working on is yet to be announced... The B-17 stuff has already been announced, so it's not that.

Already the rumour mill is in full swing.

The rumor mill is ALWAYS in full swing!

[Bonnot]

2 hours ago, 343KKT_Kintaro said:

Threads, not posts, threads. Sorry.

No problem,  this game cover is so originally light,  I can't resist ?

[Mysticpuma]

On 10/26/2022 at 3:19 AM, 343KKT_Kintaro said:

 

 

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.

 

 

Remaking it with current day graphics would be just immense

 

Saying that I always wished for a "Microsoft Combat Simulator 4" with their current tech ?

[343KKT_Kintaro]

7 hours ago, Mysticpuma said:

Remaking it with current day graphics would be just immense

 

Saying that I always wished for a "Microsoft Combat Simulator 4" with their current tech ?

 

 

Asobo and Microsoft could do that, they could try the launch of a "Microsoft Combat Simulator 4". Well... they could try, but apparently they won't.

 

Considering the situation as it is, my bet goes to a MicroProse & Jason Williams collaboration giving a try to a modern version of "European Air War".

 

 

[Lusekofte]

8 hours ago, 343KKT_Kintaro said:

 

 

Asobo and Microsoft could do that, they could try the launch of a "Microsoft Combat Simulator 4". Well... they could try, but apparently they won't.

 

Considering the situation as it is, my bet goes to a MicroProse & Jason Williams collaboration giving a try to a modern version of "European Air War".

 

 

I have no hopes in my regard it will be by my taste. Only another fighter focused game. 
CFS pacific got me to abandon il 2 for a long time. But not being able to fly bombers was my reason to go back

[343KKT_Kintaro]

7 hours ago, Lusekofte said:

I have no hopes in my regard it will be by my taste. Only another fighter focused game. 
CFS pacific got me to abandon il 2 for a long time. But not being able to fly bombers was my reason to go back

 

 

Sorry Lusekofte, I'm not sure I'm getting it: the reason to go back to what? CFS? EDIT: sorry fella, I couldn't be dumber than that, you meant going back to IL-2, obviously.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by 343KKT_Kintaro
Pfffffffff...

[kestrel79]

No doubt I'm excited for these sims, but until we get some official announcements or preview videos I think we're a ways off.

 

That would be smart to time the release when the new HBO show comes out. I just watched Memphis Bell in color on Smithsonian channel what an awesome documentary great footage. I'm ready for some heavies!

[tattywelshie]

Some heavies you say?

 

 

[Blitzen]

You got link??

[tattywelshie]

9 hours ago, Blitzen said:

You got link??

Hey, it was posted on the CEO of Microprose’s Twitter feed. 

 

[Blitzen]

Any further updates on progress or release from Microsoft?

[Lusekofte]

I asked in their Facebook side. Not easy to get in and post. Think it took 1 month being allowed to ask. All I got to response in 1 month after my question was one likes. 
Probably from another member wondering the same. 
I have no hope this ever will happen, but one can always allow a little hope

[Blitzen]

Me fingers are firmly crossed!

[Lusekofte]

Mine too. This is a lifelong dream of mine

[Bonnot]

1 hour ago, Lusekofte said:

lifelong dream of mine

Low level -very low- ground support from USAF  heavies = sensations guaranteed , heavy sales rising and next BoX following soon ?

[kestrel79]

Is there confirmation Jason is on one of these games? News has been pretty slow on these 3 games over the years.

[tattywelshie]

2 hours ago, kestrel79 said:

Is there confirmation Jason is on one of these games? News has been pretty slow on these 3 games over the years.

Yeah I saw somewhere he’s involved in Microprose 

[Trooper117]

Not with the B-17 stuff though...

[DBFlyguy]

First Devblog for "The Mighty 8th Redux" just released! They are aiming for a Q4 2023 early access release:

 

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2000800/view/3654161945397984002

[simfan2015]

I was expecting, at least hoping for ... VR !!!???

The old Microprose was groundbraking in every sense ... hope these guys (Dev studios for Microprose) will deliver as well !?

Edited August 25, 2023 by simfan2015

[Mysticpuma]

From the Dev blog:

[Blitzen]

1 hour ago, simfan2015 said:

I was expecting, at least hoping for ... VR !!!???

The old Microprose was groundbraking in every sense ... hope these guys (Dev studios for Microprose) will deliver as well !?

One of the three B-17 offerings will be VR, so don't abandon hope :

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1325580/The_Mighty_Eighth_VR/

[simfan2015]

There is no news regarding the VR version. Was announced 3 years ago. 

[Lusekofte]

Kind of finding first without vr refreshing. Being in my second house without it I fly clod a lot more. This will be great. 

[Dagwoodyt]

4 hours ago, simfan2015 said:

There is no news regarding the VR version. Was announced 3 years ago. 

Sorry, I can't take any of these repackaged Microprose "products" seriously. Note the gpu requirements they list for their VR variant:

• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD equivalent

[simfan2015]

Dagwoodt, that is so true. A worthy Microprose game would require an rtx 4090... at least ?

[Lusekofte]

13 hours ago, Dagwoodyt said:

Sorry, I can't take any of these repackaged Microprose "products" seriously. Note the gpu requirements they list for their VR variant:

• Processor: Intel® Core™ i5
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD equivalent

Well it appears to be above your level of competence. 
I honestly advise you not to bother with it. You are not going to get it. 
mall versions of this will be bought by me

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

Nice update. The B-24 was a workhorse too, suffering if had to fly in formation with slower B-17. Can't wait for the redux, used to fly that game a lot.

[IckyATLAS]

The Outerra thing is not for me. But if there is finally a nice and decent with an up to date graphic engine four engine bomber mission simulation I will take it. Redux (By that I mean same old graphic engine made compatible with latest OS and graphic hardware)  are not for me. Those older visuals are of the past and hurt my eyes. B17 is my favorite but a B24 Liberator is also a good pick. 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by IckyATLAS

[ZachariasX]

Those bombers are really complex aircraft, and making a whole sim just for an aircraft that has a very select audience (provided "realism" is a concern) just makes no sense. If they really pull that off, I can only imagine they do that for a market that is not flight simulation.

[Blitzen]

I’ll buy it but I really hope the VR version comes quickly afterwards.Thanks to GB going VR sometime ago it is very tough for me to go back to TrackIR….

Edited August 31, 2023 by Blitzen
Screenshots

[danielprates]

21 hours ago, ZachariasX said:

Those bombers are really complex aircraft, and making a whole sim just for an aircraft that has a very select audience (provided "realism" is a concern) just makes no sense. If they really pull that off, I can only imagine they do that for a market that is not flight simulation.

 

But the previous one did sell well, didn't ir? And itself already was a remake of a previous, DOS-looking thing. 

 

I think this remake might succeed, if it retains the "super auto pilot" who did everything, so that people less interested in engine management etc can do it hands-off while others enjoy all the complexity. This was a great idea they had: do it all or do nothing. I imagine it was liked by casual simmers.

 

To me the only serious flaw of this game wasnt that it was too complex for casual players, since they could in fact let the entire mission be flown by the AI. It was the opposite: auto-mode would re-engage all the time without you necessarily wanting it to - for instance, everytime you jumped seats. That was shaitte. You couldnt land the plane and check the map, a mere second out of the pilot seat and the AI would re-engage and undo everything you were doing.

 

This is the only feature I am REALLY HOPING they will improve; that for the pilot at least, there is still the "back to full AI" option but also a "keep heading and altitude only" feature. In fact I imagine this should be moddable.

Edited September 1, 2023 by danielprates

[Lusekofte]

B 17 was more an aircraft commander simulator. Ai became better for each mission

so you had to care for them and try to make them survive. If flight complexity is up to old il 2 standards we are lucky. I enjoyed taking off and get into formation and land it. But you had to mind all other things so you could not just sit and fly. 

[ZachariasX]

1 hour ago, danielprates said:

But the previous one did sell well, didn't ir? And itself already was a remake of a previous, DOS-looking thing. 

I guess it sold ok. But back then, the "simulation" was rather trivial in terms of code. Ten years ago, A2A simulations made a B-17 sim that showed how just the plane should actually work. Couple that with all the weapon systems, you get a very elaborate item to simulate that indeed only works if you have a simulated crew that covers the other positions.

 

As the bombing missions are in general excessively long (6 to 12 hours easily) for a recreational game, you have to come up with some sort of time compression as well. I mentioned that before, even though that is not well liked in here beyond just telling the sim to speed up the number of simulations per second computed. That this way of doing things just doesn't work in a world, where all the GFX is computed in the GPU and there is no computing reserve to draw from (with the known result of lesss FPS by upping sim rate) and the sim is basically maxed out anyway in terms of simulations per second at 1x sim rate, you need to be inventive there.

 

I simply see no purpose in the exercise if all you basically get is a shooting gallery as well as aiming bombs, but neither flying (in weather!) and navigation are as they were back then and are in the world we live in. Rebel Assault (remember that?) sold very well. And back then it was a big thing. But now... ewww... Doesn't age as well as Pong or Space Invaders.

 

I seriously see no game in that. At least not what I would call a (combat) flight simulator.

[danielprates]

7 hours ago, ZachariasX said:

I guess it sold ok. But back then, the "simulation" was rather trivial in terms of code. Ten years ago, A2A simulations made a B-17 sim that showed how just the plane should actually work. Couple that with all the weapon systems, you get a very elaborate item to simulate that indeed only works if you have a simulated crew that covers the other positions.

 

As the bombing missions are in general excessively long (6 to 12 hours easily) for a recreational game, you have to come up with some sort of time compression as well. I mentioned that before, even though that is not well liked in here beyond just telling the sim to speed up the number of simulations per second computed. That this way of doing things just doesn't work in a world, where all the GFX is computed in the GPU and there is no computing reserve to draw from (with the known result of lesss FPS by upping sim rate) and the sim is basically maxed out anyway in terms of simulations per second at 1x sim rate, you need to be inventive there.

 

I simply see no purpose in the exercise if all you basically get is a shooting gallery as well as aiming bombs, but neither flying (in weather!) and navigation are as they were back then and are in the world we live in. Rebel Assault (remember that?) sold very well. And back then it was a big thing. But now... ewww... Doesn't age as well as Pong or Space Invaders.

 

I seriously see no game in that. At least not what I would call a (combat) flight simulator.

 

You bet, the a2a fort was and still is on another level. I have it and flown it to death (I also have their stratocruiser and the constellation, can't wait to have them ported to MSFS).

 

 

[Blitzen]

Is there a Microprose Forum up and running for this and the other 8th AF sims ? If so do you have a link?

[Stonehouse]

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Stonehouse

[Blitzen]

Is there an “un-interrupted “version of this video showing the “walk through” Of the Microsoft B-17VR?

[Dagwoodyt]

On 8/26/2023 at 3:44 AM, simfan2015 said:

Dagwoodt, that is so true. A worthy Microprose game would require an rtx 4090... at least ?

 

On 8/26/2023 at 8:27 AM, Lusekofte said:

Well it appears to be above your level of competence. 
I honestly advise you not to bother with it. You are not going to get it. 
mall versions of this will be bought by me

On 11/18/2023 at 7:00 PM, Stonehouse said:

 

Clickbait video, click-bait "Microprose"?