The Air Combat Series : U.S. NAVY FIGHTERS
SAN MATEO, Calif., October 19, 1994 -- The high-G excitement of modern carrier aviation comes alive in U.S. Navy Fighters, the first in Electronic Arts' new Air Combat Series of high-end PC CD-ROM flight simulations.
Developed by the team that brought us Chuck Yeager's Air Combat_, this ultimate dog fighting sim lets players push the envelopes of some of the hottest U.S. combat aircraft including the F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18 Hornet, and the proposed naval version of the F-22 Lightning. In addition, the player get the unique chance to "turn and burn" in the SU-33 Flanker, the Russian Navy's powerful fourth-generation fighter-bomber.
The Air Combat Series' line of flight sims is designed to meet the demand for extraordinary graphic performance and sound effects. The first in the series, U.S. Navy Fighters, utilizes features such as digital stereo sound effects, bit-mapped and digitized animations, and -- a first - - rear view mirrors, to create an environment unrivaled by other flight sims. For a sensation of seamless air combat maneuvering, multiple resolution modes (320x200, 320x400, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768) and graphics (adjustable detail levels and textures on/off) options are used to match the processor speed of the user for maximum performance.
Dramatic four-track (four left, four right) digital stereo sound effects create an atmosphere filled with sonic booms, crackling fire, ricocheting cannon shells, and thundering aircraft. Players hear radio transmissions from shouting wingmen, radar intercept officers, and AWAC's aircraft as they update the pilot on the ever-changing combat situation. Many other special effects add to the game's realism, including fully texture-mapped aircraft, ships, and land vehicles.
Bitmapped animations are used to create a variety of special effects, including animated catapult officers directing aircraft on the carrier deck; multiple explosion effects digitized from actual video; and ejection/parachute sequences. The game environment itself features texture- mapped water, sky, coastlines, roads, bridges, trees, and cities, while atmospheric hazing, time of day, and weather effects bring the world to life.
U.S. Navy Fighters is the first flight sim to display rear view mirrors like those used in real fighter aircraft. These provide the pilot with a quick "check six" for bandits and enemy missiles. "Track View" simulates a pilot's head rotation -- the player's view shifts around the cockpit to keep sight of the enemy target. The player remains in control of the airplane and is free to maneuver in order to bring the target back into his sights. Many players find the Track View provides a more realistic sensation of flight and is easier to use than the "virtual cockpit" of other games.
Other player features include "pop up" windows of all the cockpit displays, flight envelopes, and target views. As the first in a series, U.S. Navy Fighters sets the stage for what can be expected from future Air Combat Series' titles -- an enhanced air combat experience, attention to detail, and a knock-your-socks-off good time.
The story line of U.S. Navy Fighters, places the player, a Navy pilot, on board the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. Radical nationalist forces in Russia have ousted Boris Yeltsin and are now leading a crusade to absorb ethnically Russian areas in neighboring republics. When the United States agrees to protect Ukraine, a recent ally in the region, the Eisenhower is deployed to the Black Sea. The player must use his skill and judgment to repel the Russian invasion using all of the aircraft in his carrier wing.
In the course of a 50 mission campaign, he will experience a wide variety of fighter and strike missions: combat air patrols, escort missions, anti- ship and anti-tanks strikes, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, and more. U.S. Navy Fighters,
The Air Combat Series, and Chuck Yeager's Air Combat are trademarks of Electronic Arts. Electronic Arts is a registered trademark of Electronic Arts. Electronic Arts is a diversified interactive entertainment and education company that develops, publishes, and distributes software worldwide. The company was founded in 1982 and has an annual sales rate of over $400 million. Corporate headquarters are located in San Mateo, California. The company also has offices in Texas, Canada, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, and Japan.