[lostllama]

http://www.thunder-works.com/

I'm mostly interested in this because hopefully it will finally do the Harrier some justice in the genre of combat flight simulation. From my knowledge I've only noticed the Harrier making an appearance in recent years in add-ons for the MS Flight Simulator series (well, it is featured in HAWX too, but I'm thinking about more serious flight simulators here).

Besides the FRS.1 and Gr.3 Harrier variants other flyable aircraft will include the Mirage IIIEA (including the Israeli export model, the IAI Nesher/Dagger), Super Etendard, A-4 Skyhawk (A-4B, C and Q variants), and IA-58 Pucará. So that's a mix of land and carrier-based jets, two of which have VTOL capability, and a turboprop aircraft to boot. If they make it moddable, hopefully someone could make the Avro Vulcan flyable too.

The campaign will be dynamic and include some 'what if' scenarios.

I'm kind of cautiously hopeful about this one. I'm not sure about how much fidelity will eventually show through in the flight modelling and avionics, given that they are modelling 6 different aircraft. Anyway I hope they can at least pull off a decent representation of the Harrier's abilities.

[newman]

Thank god, more sims. While I find the DCS series a tad too complex and realistic for my tastes, I'd still welcome something that does look and feel like a sim and not HAWX.

[lostllama]

Having done some more reading up, it seems that the Dagger and A-4C and Q variants aren't going to be included at this stage but there's still a possibility of them making an appearance.

Aerosoft plan to release the sim in 3 stages. The first will be ground attack oriented and feature the Harrier GR.3 and the Pucará, and the second will be air combat oriented and feature the Sea Harrier and Mirage. Both will be downloadable and cost €27.95 and €17.95 respectively, and you'll need the first one in order to use the second. The final release will be available as a download and as a boxed version, and include the A-4B and Super Etendard, plus all the additional assets in the first two releases. Price will be €39.95 for download and boxed versions, or, if you have the first two releases, €17.95 to update them to final release status.

Purchasing the individual downloads would total €63.85. Apparently there'll be no discount on the third one if you buy the first two. I'm leaning more towards the option of buying the final version at this point in time.

I think this probably reflects the niche status of flight simulation nowadays. I can see how this release and pricing model would be beneficial to the developers though, because user feedback and funds would hopefully drive development and produce a more polished final product.

[newman]

At any rate, thanks for posting about this. I'll definitely be checking it out.

[Thaeris]

I've seen this one before mentioned on the FreeFalcon forums. It does indeed look quite nice, with variable realsim (I'll play on full, of course ), a dynamic campaign environment, etc. I'd really love to have a sim with a dynamic campaign environment that isn't so unstable that a special procedure is needed to play it (like FreeFalcon), and this one might fit the bill if and when it comes out.

If you're in need of Harrier flight, you might also consider X-Plane, though you'll need to make some aknowledments of the limitations of the X-Plane Harriers in relation to what you might find in a purpose-built simulator.

[Reprobator]

 having a sim with harrier, mirage etc... great! i'been waiting for this one really hard!

[Thaeris]

Looks like a news post is up on the site: Pucara inbound.

[Mikes]

Interesting...  i want to play a good sim again.

The new DCS A10 is unacceptable to me due to Starforce. Vowed long ago to never touch any game "protected" by any version of that companies software ever again.

[Thaeris]

I find DRM in general to be a horrid thing. But, in a world without DRM, your consumers must have integrity. I have that integrity, though I'll call abandonware an exception. I ended up getting FC2 for Christmas, though I've rarely touched it. The installation itself was a huge nuisance in my opinion... I can only install something which was legally acquired... so many times on MY OWN system(s) so many times? BS, bromen...

In any sense, I really do want to play this, and I hope it indeed is without DRM. or at least anything nasty. I'd like to hope it can get the things that Falcon did right (dynamic environment, good flight dynamics, accurate modeling of featured weapon systems), while avoiding that which it did wrong (like crash - frack mang, FreeFalcon is very much crash-worthy unless you follow a specific procedure). Realistic flight performance with realistic system operation whilst in a dynamic battleground environment is pretty much every simmers dream. 

[Mobius]

Looking forward to it. I like their politically correct approach, too - one would expect to read "Falklands", not "Falklands/Malvinas". Good thing.

[Thaeris]

Well, the company is based in Argentina, I believe.

[Mobius]

That would explain it. There are links to a couple of videos from a documentary in Spain, so you're probably right.

[Mikes]

I find DRM in general to be a horrid thing. But, in a world without DRM, your consumers must have integrity. I have that integrity, though I'll call abandonware an exception. I ended up getting FC2 for Christmas, though I've rarely touched it. The installation itself was a huge nuisance in my opinion... I can only install something which was legally acquired... so many times on MY OWN system(s) so many times? BS, bromen...

I'm not completely opposed to DRM, just completely opposed to Starforce and Securom.

As far as Starforce is concerned, we are talking about a company that posted links to illegal torrents on message boards as a response to Stardock releasing a DRM free game.
... a company that released intrusive malware and labeled it as DRM that used to install without even letting the customer know and resided on their systems even if any games were uninstalled.
... a company that could hardly be more arrogant even if they tried and that treats their "customers" like dirt.


As with any product...  the specifics of DRM and the company who produces said DRM should not be above scrutiny.

Anyways... that was my reason of not buying DCS A10...  hopefully Jet Thunder will steer clear of the likes of Starforce and Securom and choose a more consumer friendly DRM brand.

[lostllama]

Well, the company is based in Argentina, I believe.

Their development team also includes staff based in Brazil and the UK.

Apparently they still have a lot of programming to accomplish. I hope it'll be worth the wait.

For historical accuracy, it would be neat if they modeled in the improvised chaff deployment system on those Harriers that were deployed without chaff dispensers. It involved stuffing chaff bundles behind the airbrake, which were released upon opening it (it was often referred to as the "Heath Robinson chaff modification").

[Ravenholme]

Well, the company is based in Argentina, I believe.

Their development team also includes staff based in Brazil and the UK.

Apparently they still have a lot of programming to accomplish. I hope it'll be worth the wait.

For historical accuracy, it would be neat if they modeled in the improvised chaff deployment system on those Harriers that were deployed without chaff dispensers. It involved stuffing chaff bundles behind the airbrake, which were released upon opening it (it was often referred to as the "Heath Robinson chaff modification").

Aye, I read the book by the commander of the squadron who suggested that (801 Squadron off of the HMS Invincible)