Theaters, eFalcon + Stuff vs Falcon V

[Snake Man]

Hi guys, just stopped by from my vacation time (which I admit have been taken down due Operation Flashpoint playing) as I'm wondering if there are any news in the front for Falcon V.

I know that the theaters wont be effected, as they are just "new" data and dont do any exe modifications. But the eFalcon v1.10 will be the latest, which hopefully contains fix for the large theater Campaign squadron selection window, so we can enjoy 128 segment theaters. Any new 3d models we make are again new data like theaters so its ok to do them.

But how do you guys see the future of Falcon 4.0 addons, will F4 just live on even when Falcon V hits the stores... or can we expect to see somesort of dying there?
Another good question is that when is Falcon V coming out, can we see it few months? in less than year? maybe two? how soon we have to face to problem of New Falcon sim? Or is the new version coming just in "sometime in future" which we dont have concern ourselfs for a loong time?

And the usual guestions, when if eFalcon v1.10 and RP5 coming out? I'm wonderin what the eFalcon team is doing as I understand they cannot add NEW stuff there after the 18th or something, are they now just weeding out the bugs or what?

PMC TFW
Snake Man

[Widowmaker]

Answering this is quite hard

Falcon4 will remain for quite a while
no doubt about this
Falcon5 is merely at planning stage right now
and depending on its structure most of the mods made for Falcon4 will be 'easily' convertable to Falcon5
I guess all depends on the product quality
of Falcon5 and were it leaves or stays with the Falcon4 code..

e1.10 and RP5 will be out soon..
at least this is the formal statement
yet I hope those guys take there time and straighten out as much problems as possible


For me I'll just continue on Falcon4 as if nothing has changed
1.10/RP5 will rock.. and I will gladly finnish my theater for it..
I'll try and convert it to Falcon5 as soon as it hits the shelves..(I got trust in Falcon5 to be worth it)

Basically, since lodeditor has arrived.. Falcon4 still has alot of possibilties..

BTW Snakeman, good to hear from you again..
I guess your vacation is over.. ??
I certainly miss your feedback/ expertice on
all of this..

Widowmaker

[87th_striker]

Hi Snake_Man,and welcome back ?!!

Ther really isn't any alternative to F4. Wish someone could give us choppers in it though.

PS. Are you really back

[Washout]

Hi SnakeMan

Glad to see you're well - any plans on more Vietnam devlopment?

Regarding the development of Falcon V I can see the following happening:

1. RP5 & e1.10 released
2. Theatres, models, data edits (RP6+), cockpits (have you seen what Aeyes has been up to ) continues provided G2's target aircraft and theatre aren't interfered with.
3. Falcon V gets released 2002 sometime (although it would be nice to hear from G2 as to their progress once in a while).
4. We decide whether to port our work over to Falcon V (which should be possible given it will probably use an updated version of the Campaign/TE engine with added graphical bells and whistles).
5. We then carry on developing our addons for Falcon V especially given that an SDK may be available.
6. We die old men having developed and played the Falcon series of products for many years

That's my take on what the future holds and from a Balkans point of view I can see no negative aspects provided the core elements of the Falcon engine don't change to the point where we can't port our efforts onto Falcon V. Even if that does happen we will always have a rapidly improving Falcon 4 to play with.

The Balkans team and myself will probably continue to develop the theatre to the point where all we will be doing is taking advantage of new features developed either by ourselves or by other groups (the 3d modelling group springs to mind here) as we will have equaled or exceeded what was provided in the original Korean release.

Later

Chris "Washout" Carter
CO: The Vulture Squadron
Co-Producer Balkans Terrain Team

[ccc]

my 2c:

1. I dont expect G2/F12 can release FV in one year. that Taiwan theater is far more complex than we can imagine. the researching, the terrain-making, new 3d-modeling, campaign designing, trouble-shooting, plus new graphic engine. A whole new theater(not merely terrain) cant be done without the help of whole f4 community, if they want to achieve best quality and authenticity.

2. i think FV will be done to adapt current F4 mods, or itself will become a standing-alone product.

3. rumor said Ef and RP are about ready for the public. im quite sure about that.

Alright, Man you are back on track?

[Washout]

Hi Again

One thing I forgot to mention after I read the Striker's post is that:

Given any entity within the Falcon engine can be controlled and after some work on the networking code, there should be no reason why a massive online war involving every conceivable entity including a 1st person shooter for infantry playing alongside tanks, ships, helos and aircraft shouldn't be possible in the future.

I don't think many people outside the F4 development community realise the full potential of this product as it is percieved as a flight sim, but when you have looked into the guts of the thing there is much more to it than that.

Later again

Chris "Washout" Carter
CO: The Vulture Squadron
Co-Producer Balkans Terrain Team

[Com_gp]

Hiya SnakeMan, playing flash point... just like me.

ComGP

[brewskie]

quote:Originally posted by Snake_Man:
I know that the theaters wont be effected, as they are just "new" data and dont do any exe modifications. But the eFalcon v1.10 will be the latest, which hopefully contains fix for the large theater Campaign squadron selection window, so we can enjoy 128 segment theaters. But how do you guys see the future of Falcon 4.0 addons, will F4 just live on even when Falcon V hits the stores... or can we expect to see somesort of dying there?
Another good question is that when is Falcon V coming out, can we see it few months? in less than year? maybe two? how soon we have to face to problem of New Falcon sim? Or is the new version coming just in "sometime in future" which we dont have concern ourselfs for a loong time?
PMC TFW
Snake Man

From what i understand, Snacko said when FV is released we will be able to make other theaters. There are still many unkowns and questions relating to FV. What ccc said, i've said too, I think new theaters require a huge amount of time and resources. I like the idea of an FV that would emerge out of F4, but with campaign fixes(you hit a supply depot and it really makes a difference), upgraded graphics for all the aircraft, add more versions of the Viper and a new flyable F-15E. If they want China in the mix, then make a campaign with more of an emphasis on Chinese involvement. I don't think what i stated would take 2 years to do, but i don't know.

[Snake Man]

Ok guys thanks for fast replies.

Well first of all my vacation is not over yet, I just stopped by to get some update for Falcon scene. Vacation continues as there are now almost +30C temperatures here... will be very nice to cruise around

I will definitely keep developing Vietnam and Desert Storm. Its simply to say that everything I was doing before I went to vacation, will continue as I'm getting back to the theater work. Only thing I'm afraid of is the eFalcon v1.10 Campaign Squadron selection window fix, as 1.09 only shows you the partial terrain in there... for example in 128 Desert Storm theater we ONLY get few Iraqi airbases to select squadrons. You can guess its pretty hard to get to fly sorties from Saudi Arabia like that. I'll keep my fingers crossed Julian had this fixed for 1.10 versio.

About Falcon V, its nice to hear it looks like its not coming anytime soon and probably dont effect Falcon 4.0 much. Possibly even our work is (easily) portable to FV which would be great.

PMC TFW
Snake Man

[brewskie]

Yeah, i agree, futher tweaking of the nam theater would be good, maybe in Sept.,placing troops, units, ect.. in the correct locations,since its the only theater of its kind, ever. Add in compg's F-105's with the 128 SEA map, and this would be pretty much finished. A realistic desert storm has not been done to my knowledge. JF-15 and TAW took a stab at it, but F4 could do it right. Maybe the balkans group might want to help and participate on that one since there is so much work to do.

[Ice]

Well just to have you Desert guy's motivated, if this should be lacking a little.
Aside from the releases of 1.10 and RP5, the ME theater is next on my list.
After reading Vipers in the Storm, i can't wait to setup some nifty TE's which copy the missions Rosey flew.

Great