ST Format


F-19 Stealth Fighter
By Microprose
Atari ST

 
Published in ST Format #12

F-19 Stealth Fighter

When simulation specialists turn their attention to futuristic fighters, expect real motion sickness. Neil Jackson straps himself in and reaches for the bag

Microprose risk accusations of jumping on the bandwagon with F-19 Stealth Fighter. Falcon, Fighter Bomber and F-29 Retaliator are only three of the current gult of military flight sims on the shelves. It should be remembered, though, that it was Wild Bill Stealey and his boys who started the wagon rolling more than two years ago when Gunship hovered into view on ST screens.

F-19 Stealth Fighter has a massive task ahead if it is to beat Falcon or F-16 Combat Pilot, both older ST sims with staunch supporters. However, like the plane it depicts, F-19 Stealth Fighter is equipped with all the necessary opponent-bashing kit it needs.

The F-19 is a fictitious design based on information leaked from Lockheed, the American aircraft builders. Details like engine performance, flight characteristics and weapons systems are all based on realistic data making the plane a believable and exciting concept. There is also an option to fly the Lockheed F-117A, the source of the original leaked information, which has its own flilght characteristics.

Regardless of the design differences, the missions are the same. The F-19 is designed for low-level, all-weather, ground strike and reconnaissance missions. The Stealth Fighter gets its name from its odd, curvaceous shape which reduces the aircraft's reflected radar image and enables it to creep up on targets before they're aware of the threat. Thanks to its comprehensive array of air-to-air missiles, it also has the ability to engage any enemy fighters than get too close for comfort.

Flying the F-19 is straightforward (and with full throttle you'll see what I mean!). It's easy to chuck around and has none of that pedantic, just-twitch-your-wrist-and-crash-the-plane movement associated with Falcon. Flying feels good, especially when using the early warning systems which keep you above 200 feet and allow ample time for evasive action. Uncomplicated flying means you can get involved with the excitement of mission strategy, rather than being occupied with the job of just staying airborne.

A number of night missions are included, and the programmers have reached for the sky to make them a star feature in their own right. Not content with just changing the sky black, as most sims do, F-19 Stealth Fighter's night missions feature a star map, complete with a full moon. The map shows the night sky from your current position and revolves imperceptivly, mimicking the movement of the celestial bodies. It may seem pointless to include an astronomy program ina flight sim, but there's method in the madness. Boy Scouts among you know you can navigate by the stars, and when your aircraft's heads-up display is damaged (which prevents the compass from working), you can, if you're bloody lucky, get home in one piece.

Another excellent feature is the weather. This has been done before, but F-19 takes the prize for realism. Great banks of nimbo-strato-cumulo-gobbledigook float above the horizon and you can fly right into them for cover.

A glorious effect occurs when you fly upwards through clouds at night and the sky clears on the topside to reveal a starlit sky twinkling in all its twee wonderfulness. It's enough to make you come over all poetic if you didn't have to keep a look out for those uncultured MiGs!

A stealth indicator shows your level of radar visibility. If you make your presence obvious, a radar will spot you. Certain manoeuvres, such as hard, banking turns, make you easier to pick up because you're presenting your broad side to the radar station. If you're spotted you can be sure that trouble (in the form of bristling, armed-to-the-teeth MiGs) is on its way to pop your cork.

Dodging the radar requires frequent alterations in course, which prevents a boring "in, drop 'em and out" approach. Waypoint indicators can be re-mapped in flight and autopilots which follow them give you more time to prepare for the dangers ahead.

For beginners there's a training mode that enables you to fly all missions without danger, and the manual supplies a step by step guide for the mission to destroy Tripoli's defences.

There are also three modes of flight (no crashes, easy and realistic) which determine how difficult the landings are, as well as options for modifying the enemies' ability. If you're not quite up to Tom Cruise standard then you can handicap your opponents to give you a fair chance.

Effects

Gunship was a game flight sim aficionados used to set their (altimeter) clocks by, but F-19 Stealth Fighter is even better. The game's vector-engine runs much faster than its older stable mate. Thanks to machine code instead of C, it peaks at around seventeen frames a second, more than enough to give the illusion of continuous animation without jerks (and I'm not talking Amiga owners here!)

F-19's graphics make maximum use of the ST's range of colours. Previous MicroProse releases suffered from poor colour resolution because of the limitations of the machines they were transferred from. Extensive re-writing for the ST version of F-19 has produced superb results.

In the noise department the squeaky ST sound ship has been avoided - nothing like a good dose of AY-soundchip to make you laugh and fly into a mountain. Samples are used to the full, providing that extra bit of atmosphere.

Verdict

Don't be tempted to think F-19 Stealth Fighter is a Sunday afternoon joyride - because it's not. Quick wits, sharp thinking and forward planning are all essential for survival.

Since MicroProse last released a 3D military flight sim, their reputation for being the best in the field has declined. Recent attempts to hi-jack their crown, such as Fighter Bomber and Falcon, have been shallow in comparison, offering only fleeting glimpses of what is possible with 3D vector technology. F-19 Stealth Fighter has enough strategy and variation to create a longer-lasting impression and proves that MicroProse can still keep ahead of the competition.

Thirty quid seems a lot to pay, but the huge box is stuffed with goodies. There's a well-presented, info-packed manual, colour maps and an overlay for your keyboard, making this an excellent investment. If you have the dosh (and it's only a fiver more than most quality games), then go for F-19 Stealth Fighter. You won't be disappointed!

Neil Jackson

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