rec.autos.simulators

> Victory Simulations is producing a sim based on the Reno Air Races..
> We've been flying the alphs builds and it really does rock...

> Release date has just been set to coincide with the 2001 Reno Air
> Races in September.. Pre orders are being taken and will be filled
> before any other orders ship....

> The developers tell me shhhh but it will probably be done before Sept!

> From the builds we've flown (and raced... at 500mph!!!) it looks done,
> aside from some additional airplanes that are being added and some TBD
> screens in the menu sections...

> Wrote up a little review at the addy attached to my sig and Victory
> has a website at http://www.xtremeairracing.com

> I'm hoping that we simulation fans can show Victory that going around
> the big publishing houses and doing a "Self Published" simulation, as
> this one is, will be the future of simulation prduction.. Talented
> groups could put great stuff out to market without having to convince
> a board of directors that it will make them a ton of money..

> See you guys at the pylons!

> "Shortfork"
> All Aviation FlightLine OnLine
> http://aafo.com

> >   To get  a response here you most likely will need to do the following.
> >I'm assuming you model the current generation of Racing Planes.  Which,
> >are barely recognizable as WWII vintage aircraft.

> Actually, there are both stock planes and modified planes at Reno and
> in the sim... Really stock looking Sea Furys, Mustangs, a Corsair and
> a ME-109.. and there is more going in as we speak.. (I'm not "with"
> Victory so I don't have really detailed knowledge of what is going
> in.) but fer sure there are some stockers in there... (check the
> screens at xtremeairracing.com and aafo.com)

> > So what you need to do
> >is add a module that simulates the early days of Post War racing when the
> >P-51 went up against Hellcats and Corsairs and everyone could
> >tell which plane was which.  Then you could call it Reno Air Racing
Legends.

> There will be a continuing series of new race courses, with additions
> like Cleveland, Phoenix and god knows what fantasy courses they'll
> dream up.. Not only more unlimited airplanes from the post war peroid,
> there will be more of the classic Thompson Trophy racers and the
> like.. Laird Super Solution, Mr. Mulligan, the Gee Bee racers (one in
> there already but not raceable)

> So all in all it's pretty damn neat as is.. and should continue to
> grow, hopefully, into a long lived series....

> >  Throw in realistic sounds from Merlin and Allison engines and you'll
> >get plenty of responses here  :)

> Funny thing here, Microsoft Combat Flight SimulatorII has some really
> neat***pit sounds.. but they actually sound more like the warbirds
> do when you are outside of them than inside.. When you are inside of
> them they are more of a drone than what you hear outside... XAR sounds
> a LOT like the real thing on the inside and I've not heard the final
> product as far as the outside sounds go... Pretty cool so far
> though...

> >best of luck with your product.

> Would that it were!! I just get to play with it and since my main job
> is reporting on the races, give them some input from my perspective I
> would love to be a part of it even deeper... But I'm having a blast
> and just hoping everyone enjoys it as much as I have been!!

> Thanks!
> "Shortfork"
> All Aviation FlightLine OnLine
> http://www.racesimcentral.net/

> >Why was the project shut down when it was Reno Air Races, or whatever it
> >was called?

> It was called "Reno Air Racing" and the program has a sort of
> "colorful" history.. I belive Papyrus was the first one that was going
> to publish it way back about 4 years ago.. Then they decided it was
> going to be too "niche" of a market.. Someone else picked it up, can't
> remember the name of the company... The "niche" syndrome hit them
> too...

> I'm not completely sure of the above information "exactly" but that's
> pretty close..

> Then Mattel picked it up... and we've got a lot more complete
> information base on it from here... I don't have the links handy but
> on aafo.com we talked with Mattel's Charles Harriby and Victory's Pat
> Hunt about a year or so ago and Mattel was PUMPED about it...

> Nuther story with more details on what happened then.. Last year
> Harriby was at Reno with a couple of the main guys on the sim and
> again.. PUMPED.. stickers all over airplanes lots of expectations for
> a November release..

> At the end of September, about a week after Reno, Mattel sold their
> *** division and guess what... Reno Air Racing suddenly became one
> of those "too Niche" targeted market things again and the company that
> bought "The Learning Co." from Mattel dropped it and most of their
> other titles under development..

> VERY frustrating for those waiting for the game and the programmers at
> Victory.. it was nearly done..

> Finally after a bunch of haggling with prospective publishers.. Hunt
> decided to just see his baby through to the end and we are where we
> are today... Which is actuall better!

> We suggest they put more real racers in.. They put more real racers
> in!! TONS of stuff happening that are polishing it more towards a real
> recreation of the races.. and it already was pretty damn close..

> >I'm looking forward to it - hopefully some good online racing, too.

> That's the one thing I've not gotten to try yet and I'm chewing nails
> waiting for my chance!! Flying the computer guys is ok.. they are
> tough enough.. but I want the *** of mine enemy on my wings <gg>

> Anyway.. It's cool and I'm totally jazzed about it.. Even bought a new
> CPU to make it run even faster (did ok on my PIII 650 but I'm a
> glutton for credit card bills.. got a 1GHz and a Voodoo5 coming...
> (yea.. I know.. orphan card.. oh well.. 64 meg card for 120 bucks!!
> Whoo Hoo!!)

> See ya at the pylons!!

> "Shortfork"
> All Aviation FlightLine OnLine
> http://www.racesimcentral.net/