It certainly does look dated. And while I admire the extensive modelling of all the Falcon's avionics, electronics, and radar systems, it isn't enough to make up for the ugly cockpits, simplistic effects, and third rate/third world landscape textures. If Lock On is your competition (which has some of the BEST effects and textures and modelling in the flight sim business) why would you release something that not only doesn't IMPROVE on it, but actually looks like a huge step BACKWARD. Hell, even the airspeed indicator on the HUD has a very canned aspect too it, the way the numbers roll down in a high g turn, as if it's not measuring actual air flowing into the pitot tube, but the computer is just crunching numbers (and yeah, to save any smart comments, I know that's what IS happening, but since it's a SIMULATION it SHOULD at least SIMULATE air flowing into the pitot tube and floating languidly around the static vent.)
I'd read so many good things about Facon 4.0. But I think too much was made of it's clickable cockpits and dynamic campaign. And I think most of the great things were a romantic memory of it, rather than the reality. The way some people still sing CFS2's praises. Now that i think about it, even the scenery textures in CFS2 has F4:AF WHOOPED. Now THAT's sad. (Yes, I did see that Lead Pursuit advertises an enhanced scenery add-on but I'll be damned if I shell out another 12 bucks for a sim that still wouldn't add up to a nickle's worth of LOMAC.)
And when a flyable Viper is finally modelled in Lock On, Falcon 4 will have absolutely no reason to exist. It could slip comfortably into the box in my shop beside Janes WW2 Fighters, F/A18, Janes USAF, MSFS 98, 2000, COF, MIG Alley, and Battle of Britain. :joystick:
All of which is terribly off topic, but it sure was nice to vent. :D
Stubs