Flying Corps, Rowan Software, Empire Interactive, Germantown, Md., $55.
As one might expect, the lion’s share of flight simulations in the high-technology computer world focus on the equally high-tech world of jet fighters. Until Rowan’s Flying Corps appeared, only a few World War I stalwarts stood among dozens of modern flight simulations. For users who prefer a trace of romance to balance the machismo, or those who would rather feel the wind’s bite than the grip of an oxygen mask, Flying Corps is an entertaining and challenging excursion.
Numerous elements in Flying Corps show polish and dedication to the historic theme. The well-organized instruction book offers a cornucopia of World War I history, pictures and strategy. A set of color maps and a reprint of a period flying manual accompany the instruction book, and this information capably prepares the user for a virtual life in old biplanes and triplanes.
Flying Corps offers two modes of play. One, called “scramble,” puts the user in the cockpit quickly with the goal of meeting a single objective, be it a course navigation, survival in a dogfight or destruction of a ground target. This mode gives the user a chance to experiment with short scenarios and practice basic skills. “Campaign” mode, in contrast, allows the user to participate in any of four typical missions flown by pilots of the age. In “Flying Circus,” for example, the user plays an ambitious Lothar von Richthofen, who has just been given temporary command of his brother’s squadron. The famous Manfred von Richthofen takes leave with 52 victories. Can the reader help Lothar exceed that score before Manfred returns? Another campaign, “Hat in the Ring,” puts the user in the boots of Eddie Rickenbacker later in the war. The Germans are on the defensive, but can Rickenbacker and his 94th Aero Squadron stand up to the formidable Fokker DVII?
Each campaign includes a few pages of background to set the stage. Rowan took liberties in some cases to place emphasis on particular elements of a campaign, or to allow the user to try flying the missions with certain aircraft before they were historically introduced. But those situations are documented, and the hypothetical possibilities they pose are intriguing.
The heart of a simulation is the flight model, and Flying Corps has a nice one, if limited in some ways. Basic handling characteristics of the featured aircraft are realistic, but other shortcomings detract from total enjoyment of the package. At takeoff, for example, rotary engine planes force the user to apply right rudder lest they spend their time driving in circles on the field. Once in the air, however, torque effects seem less robust than they should, even with sizable changes in throttle setting. Roll rates, however, are quite nice to observe. Rolls to the right are definitely slower than to the left, and application of the rudder can make numerous aerobatic maneuvers, such as snap rolls, possible.
Equally fun to watch in Flying Corps is the fine scenery. Though still a bit rough, the aircraft graphics are very nice, and German planes sport the bright plumage their real-life counterparts did. Other graphics are average to good; ground vehicles and structures are easily identifiable, and at high altitude the terrain renderings are impressive, but the horizon sometimes seems too high, and at low altitudes the ground becomes splotchy. There is a tradeoff for high-quality graphics, and a computer with a fast processor is necessary in order to run Flying Corps with the best visual details enabled. The developers recommend a Pentium 120 as the minimum. Flying Corps runs on Windows 95 and DOS, but running from Windows 95 will exact a toll on performance.
One last comment must be made about the visuals in Flying Corps. As simulator users may know, the ability to track an opponent in the sky is crucial to fighter pilot survival. The virtual cockpit in Flying Corps has a terrible blind spot when looking up or behind. This is the very sight lane used by a pilot to watch an opponent in a turning fight. The developers continue to release patches to support the product, but at this time the blind spot remains an annoyance.
There are other shortcomings not shared by competing products, such as the lack of a scenario designer, a more flexible instant mission builder, or a better selection of flyable aircraft. But this should not discourage either the casual or seasoned World War I aviation enthusiast from taking a look at this software.
Bernard Dy
