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Denver, 9:20 PM
Tue Nov 24
55 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of RicoTheSaboteur RicoTheSaboteur
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    Oddly, one of the oldest "omg it flies" moment in video games I can remember is when the flying ship takes off in Final Fantasy IV (aka FFII). Suddenly, hours into the game (which means hours after the opening where there were flying ships already), seeing the mode 7 induced change in perspective as the ship lifts off was just amazing. I guess the freedom of movement it implies also play a big part in the intensity of the moment. It flies: the world is mine.

    As far as gameplay go, I really enjoy flying by repulsion such as the jetpacks in Pilotwings or Super Mario Sunshine (or in 2D: Cave Story with gun recoil). I guess it's easier to involve the player that way and make them feel the acceleration and the trajectory rather than with classic flight controls.

    Motion sensing can also work pretty well, like in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction or Flower.

    About freedom of movement it is also important to once again mention Descent and its truly 3D design for both control and levels. I guess it's just too intimidating for modern players and, by extension, modern publishers. #flyinggames
     Reply
    RicoTheSaboteur was starred RicoTheSaboteur was unstarred
    Image of RicoTheSaboteur RicoTheSaboteur
    11/09/09


    @RicoTheSaboteur: Screenshot from Descent 2 key config screen. Yep: 12 (Twelve) buttons just to steer your ship. #flyinggames
     Reply
    RicoTheSaboteur was starred RicoTheSaboteur was unstarred
    Image of Chris Parnell Chris Parnell
    11/09/09

    @RicoTheSaboteur: Remember joysticks? They were invented for a reason. Replace the three axes with a joystick and suddenly you've got your finger on the trigger, your other hand on the throttle, and a hell of a thrill ride, all the way back in 1996. #flyinggames
     Reply
    RicoTheSaboteur promoted this comment Chris Parnell was starred Chris Parnell was unstarred
    Image of RicoTheSaboteur RicoTheSaboteur
    11/09/09

    @Chris Parnell: the usual number of axes for a joystick is two, but it's true some also had torsion (which adds an axis) and even a hat (which add another 2) . You need all that plus the throttle on the keyboard to play Descent! With an oddity like Logitech's Cyberman you could steer the ship without a keyboard though. I even know someone who did just that back in the days, but I am not sure how long the Cyberman survived. #flyinggames
     Reply
    RicoTheSaboteur was starred RicoTheSaboteur was unstarred
    Image of Chris Parnell Chris Parnell
    11/11/09

    @RicoTheSaboteur: Ahh yeah Id forgotten that the torsion thing wasn't all that common. Even so, I played against people who just had pitch and yaw, and made clever use of the up/down and left/right strafing to pull off some decent flying. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Chris Parnell was starred Chris Parnell was unstarred
    Image of CaptnRhay CaptnRhay
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    NiGHTS into dreams.
    nuff said #flyinggames
     Reply
    Hey_Blinkon promoted this comment CaptnRhay was starred CaptnRhay was unstarred
    Image of Hey_Blinkon Hey_Blinkon
    11/09/09

    @CaptnRhay: Eh, it's still 2d. you just traded one D for another. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Hey_Blinkon was starred Hey_Blinkon was unstarred
    Image of BigMoose is a big moose BigMoose is a big moose
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    I know there are plenty of "A flying piece with no mention of (insert game here)?" comments, but this can't be helped. If you're going to talk about exploring the Z-axis in shooters, how can you not mention Starsiege: Tribes? Released only 2 years after Quake introduced the idea of exploring the Z-axis in shooters, it perfected it. As jetpacks and flying become a common trend in shooters (Red Faction, Dark Void, Section 8, Shattered Horizon), Tribes is still the golden standard to which no other shooter has come close. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Koztah promoted this comment BigMoose is a big moose was starred BigMoose is a big moose was unstarred
    Image of Koztah Koztah
    11/09/09

    @BigMoose is a big moose:
    Tribes was amazing. I've had trouble playing "smaller" multiplayer shooters since.

    I used to play it all the time on my goddamn 4meg video card.

    Learning to "ski" and to duel with a spinfusor are some of my best gaming memories.

    Server-side mods were also great, like Renegades with its different classes. Placing tiny super precise laser turrets along the terrain so ski-ing enemies would get bugzapped on their way to our base...

    But the Mortar was a fucking overpowered piece of shit :P

    Oh, btw... Tribes will soon be a browser game: [playtribes.com] #flyinggames
     Reply
    Koztah was starred Koztah was unstarred
    Image of MilsurpShooter MilsurpShooter
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    The problem now is the fact that many games are the "on rail" type of shooter/arcade games. No physics, no tactics, just turn until he's in front, fire on him next.

    I grew up on a very, very old DOS based World War One flight sim called Red Baron, and then later Red Baron 3d. Over speed made your wings break off, engine trouble and gun trouble could come out of nowhere and was at times unfixable. A good career could be cut short by one lucky bullet from nowhere, it could kill you or wound you to the point that your career was over. I lost many a pilot to that fate. Most of the early flight sims required a basic understanding of combat maneuvers, and tactics. And if you weren't flying with a Joystick/Rudder/Throttle combination you were at a disadvantage. Let alone if you were to venture online.

    Online combat had a learning curve that was unbelievably steep. Some of the people had been playing since 1997. Last I heard the game still had a dedicated following so it wouldn't be completely unheard of to have someone who had played that game for 12 years.

    Heck only reason I stopped playing was because I had to ge a new PC. Old Pentium 1 with 16MB of RAM and Voodoo 3 3000 was becoming too dated lol. Can't get it to run right on my new PC unfortunately.

    I played that game for 7 years of my life and still blame it for my flying bug. I did find one very interesting thing when going for my flying lessons though. I did much better then I should have on my first instructed flight. I don't want to say I could jump in a 747 and go from East to West coast but I could fly that Cessna much better then most people on their first flight could.

    Now it's all rail shooters, no tactics, powerups floating in the sky. Hopefully with IL2 sturmovik being released and hard games like Demons Souls we'll see actual flight sims make a resurgence #flyinggames
     Reply
    Vecha: One more Month approved this comment MilsurpShooter was starred MilsurpShooter was unstarred
    Image of Koztah Koztah
    11/09/09

    @MilsurpShooter: IL-2 Sturmovik is pretty damn awesome. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Koztah was starred Koztah was unstarred
    Image of Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    There was a scene in the first transformers movie that I would love to play in a game. You guys remember the scene where starscream totally owns the jet fighters in mid-air? yeah that was epic and I would love to have that ability in a game. To use the physics of gravity to just drop myself on an enemy then fly off to the next one in mid-air. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire was starred Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire was unstarred
    Image of Black-Dog-Howls Black-Dog-Howls
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    All we need is a perfect(and I mean perfect) Itano Circus/Macross Missile Massacre style game. I mean just missiles everywhere, super speeds and maneuvers, dodging in and out of the clouds, flipping through hordes of missiles, shooting them down while speeding through the skies, explosions everywhere.

    It'd be one of those moments when two hundred missiles are blowing up all around you and you dodged every single one in a display of super ace skills that players gape in awe.

    The closest I've had to that is when I managed to dodge and outrun four guys locking on to my Warhawk with the eight micro missile spam flipping over and destroying all four guys speeding right through them taking their missiles back at them. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Black-Dog-Howls was starred Black-Dog-Howls was unstarred
    Image of Koztah Koztah
    11/09/09

    @Black-Dog-Howls: The deluxe edition of such a game could come with a shiny helmet with the obligatory green or blue coloured visor, made anti-fog but badly ventilated so you sweat like your favourite missile-shootin' heroes. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Koztah was starred Koztah was unstarred
    Image of Sobersean: aka Doctor Aquafresh Sobersean: aka Doctor Aquafresh
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    When I think of flying in video games I think of the first time I enabled the godmode cheat in Duke Nukem 3d which gave infinite jetpack.

    I don't know why, but that "gaming moment" really affected me with a sense of flight and I still remember it to this day so many years later. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Sobersean: aka Doctor Aquafresh was starred Sobersean: aka Doctor Aquafresh was unstarred
    Image of Nefaroth Nefaroth
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    I think my first (and one of my least favorable) explorations of the Z-Axis would have been Buck Bumble for the 64.

    Anyone else share this horror? #flyinggames
     Reply
    mintycrys is HOT for Bayonetta promoted this comment Nefaroth was starred Nefaroth was unstarred
    Image of Nahir Nahir
    11/09/09

    @Nefaroth: I have fond memories of that game. Maybe it was just the theme song.
     Reply
    Edited by Nahir at 11/09/09 2:43 PM Nahir was starred Nahir was unstarred
    Image of Nefaroth Nefaroth
    11/09/09

    @Nahir: I too share the nostalgia, and made the mistake of trying to play it again recently. It has not aged well. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Nefaroth was starred Nefaroth was unstarred
    Image of -MasterDex- -MasterDex-
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    Flying has always been one of my favourite things to do in games whether it be flying a Hunter and causing mayhem in GTA to flying an airbus in FlightSim.

    One of my favourite games for exploring the Z-axis was and still is the Battlefield games. There's nothing like dominating the skies and ground with a jet or gunship and the ability to do loop-de-loops only adds to the exhileration.

    I'm looking forward to Dark Void too, it looks like it'll be a really solid game. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred
    Image of Mancomb Seepgood Mancomb Seepgood
    11/09/09

    @-MasterDex-: I'm the opposite, I almost always detest flying in games. The only exceptions to this being Skies of Arcadia and Battlefield 1943.

    Give me a gun and someone elses face any day :p #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- promoted this comment Mancomb Seepgood was starred Mancomb Seepgood was unstarred
    Image of -MasterDex- -MasterDex-
    11/09/09

    @Mancomb Seepgood: lol. Maybe you just haven't played the right games. You should try the Jets in BF2 or the Gunships in BF2142, best flight experience I've had. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred
    Image of sereal sereal
    11/09/09

    @-MasterDex-: I'm always amazed at the expert pilots in BF. I can barely keep in the sky let alone aim. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- promoted this comment sereal was starred sereal was unstarred
    Image of -MasterDex- -MasterDex-
    11/09/09

    @sereal: I was too for a long time but once I got a gaming mouse with high dpi, I just turned it up to it's most sensitive and flying was great. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred
    Image of sereal sereal
    11/09/09

    @-MasterDex-: I figure I would be better off using a joystick. One of these days I want to get two joysticks and foot pedals and try up BSG style flying. (though not in BF) #flyinggames
     Reply
    sereal was starred sereal was unstarred
    Image of Mancomb Seepgood Mancomb Seepgood
    11/09/09

    @-MasterDex-: Nah I disliked flying in both of them (except for choppers in BF2 but even then I'd rather be in the gunner seat). #flyinggames
     Reply
    Mancomb Seepgood was starred Mancomb Seepgood was unstarred
    Image of ThursdayNext ThursdayNext
    11/11/09

    @-MasterDex-: I freakin love the J10. Best flying experience ever. #flyinggames
     Reply
    ThursdayNext was starred ThursdayNext was unstarred
    Image of Chrisyoung001 Chrisyoung001
    11/14/09

    @-MasterDex-: Indeed battlefield did flight really well considering it wasn't the main focus of the game.

    I loved Battlefield Vietnam I used to run over people in that Viet Helicopter. The American Heli I could never get the hang of however.

    Really didn't like the flying in 1943 though seemed really cheap. Especially when such perfection was available in other battlefield titles. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- promoted this comment Chrisyoung001 was starred Chrisyoung001 was unstarred
    Image of -MasterDex- -MasterDex-
    11/14/09

    @Chrisyoung001: Battlefield did really well with all the vehicle controls I think, though I can't speak for 1943 as I have to wait until next year to enjoy it :( #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred
    Image of Chrisyoung001 Chrisyoung001
    11/14/09

    @-MasterDex-: See my main gripe with 1943 is I expect my BF games to be on the PC :). Flying with this dang dual shock just doesnt feel right anymore.

    I do want a good flight sim on the ps3 however. Im looking at you Ace Combat! YOU TRAITOR! #flyinggames
     Reply
    Chrisyoung001 was starred Chrisyoung001 was unstarred
    Image of D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears*
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    First there was Duck Tales... it was okay

    Then I remember flying in Superman64... it all gets a little hazy and violent after that...

    Then came Star Fox (snes) and with it I regained my air-legs.

    Then came ace combat, which made even flying mundane..

    I'm now more of a "controlled falling" kinda guy. Be it Spiderman games or Infamous... #flyinggames
     Reply
    D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was starred D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was unstarred
    Image of Slagathorian Slagathorian
    11/09/09

    @D-K, a burning sensation: How can you forget the flying in Superman 64?

    How can you forget about:

    THE RINGS!

    THE RINGS!

    THE RINGS!

    no seriously..... what did you use to forget it? Therapy? Electric shock therapy? A hammer to your cranium? #flyinggames
     Reply
    D-K, a burning sensation promoted this comment Slagathorian was starred Slagathorian was unstarred
    Image of D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears*
    11/09/09


    @Slagathorian: ...

    Changed my life. #flyinggames
     Reply
    D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was starred D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was unstarred
    Image of Slagathorian Slagathorian
    11/09/09

    @D-K, a burning sensation: You made your old superman 64 cartridge into a cake and then force fed it to your enemies? #flyinggames
     Reply
    Slagathorian was starred Slagathorian was unstarred
    Image of D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears*
    11/09/09

    @Slagathorian: It is quite clear to me that you and I think alike.

    Yes. Yes i did. #flyinggames
     Reply
    D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was starred D-K, stubbed his toe..*swears* was unstarred
    Image of Nahir Nahir
    11/09/09

    @Slagathorian: Flying was awesome in Superman 64. You all were just too weak to handle it.

    Or it was the fact that my mom got me the game and I was too scared for some reason to tell her it was crap. So I just sat there with a fake smile playing it, telling her it was awesome. Like a slow torture that makes the victim love their captor, I too began to love the rings and the endless green smog.

    I think I'll take my pills now.
     Reply
    Edited by Nahir at 11/09/09 2:40 PM Nahir was starred Nahir was unstarred
    Image of Slagathorian Slagathorian
    11/09/09

    @Nahir: lol, how do you think I feel when my wife gets me Infinite Undiscovery for my birthday. Every time she walked past the living room, she would ask me why I wasn't playing it.

    "I want to savor it" I say.

    I felt like a huge jerk.

    lol, oh yeah, the "kryptonite fog" that also looks suspiciously like something the developers threw in so they wouldn't have to worry about Z-buffers and draw distances. Oh we remember the green smog and cursed rings. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Slagathorian was starred Slagathorian was unstarred
    Image of Nahir Nahir
    11/09/09

    @Slagathorian: Gifts from significant others like that are always hard to handle. You want to be nice but you have to somehow stop it from happening again.

    Makes you think though, what are things that we get that make them think the same thing,

    "Why aren't you wearing that necklace I bought you?"

    "Um, I'm saving it for a speeeeecial day!"

    *barfs behind your back* #flyinggames
     Reply
    Nahir was starred Nahir was unstarred
    Image of Xagest Xagest
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    Gaining the ability to fly in a game is very satisfying.

    Flying into an invisible wall, however, cancels that out and dumps you somewhere into negative satisfaction. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Xagest was starred Xagest was unstarred
    Image of chronubis chronubis
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    No mention of Shattered Horizon? #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- promoted this comment chronubis was starred chronubis was unstarred
    Image of -MasterDex- -MasterDex-
    11/09/09

    @chronubis: That's not really flying though, is it? It's in space so it's floating. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred
    Image of chronubis chronubis
    11/09/09

    @-MasterDex-: Technically you're travelling at tens of thousands of km/h. ;)

    But I mentioned it because of it's true 360 movement. #flyinggames
     Reply
    chronubis was starred chronubis was unstarred
    Image of kimahri.blue kimahri.blue
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    Coolest flying scene to me was probably riding on any of the flying Colossi in SotC. Sure you couldn't control it, but it was thrilling nonetheless. #flyinggames
     Reply
    -MasterDex- promoted this comment kimahri.blue was starred kimahri.blue was unstarred
    Image of Vecha: One more Month Vecha: One more Month
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    battlefield anyone? #flyinggames
     Reply
    Vecha: One more Month was starred Vecha: One more Month was unstarred
    Image of Shiryu Shiryu
    11/09/09

    In reply to Head In The Clouds: Flying In Video Games
    Nice piece AJ. Truly flying is the ultimate dream of Men, I truly enjoy flying virtually, be it a starship, fighter plane or just being a certain italian plummer with arms stretched out flying in space, It's all good to me. Real life is boring as is, really. Let me dream by video game. #flyinggames
     Reply
    Shiryu was starred Shiryu was unstarred
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