A-10 TANK KILLER 

 Flight simulators come in more flavors than almost any other
subgenre of computer gaming. The ultimate flight simulator (as of
early 1990) is Microsoft's FLIGHT SIMULATOR 4.0. It comes closer
than any other consumer-oriented flight simulator to representing
all the different interrelated techniques of operating an aircraft. 
At the other end of the spectrum, there's a program like
MicroProse's F-15 STRIKE EAGLE, which is easy to fly
(unrealistically so), but thrilling for its combat elements. Of this
type of flight simulator -- where the emphasis is on fast and
plentiful action -- A-10 TANK KILLER from Dynamix is one of the
best. The music, the realistic cockpit, the variety of dramatic
views, and the highly-detailed terrain all make for an exceptionally
exciting and easy-to-learn flight combat game. (This review is based
on the IBM-PC version.) 

 Dynamix (publisher of the DAVID WOLF: SECRET AGENT and designer of
several celebrated games released under different labels) has again
combined digitized photographs with 3-D solid-fill polygon graphics
for an experience that surpasses the use of either technology
alone. 

 A-10 starts out with a slew of digitized photos (in full
256-color, 320x200 resolution, for those equipped with VGA and
MCGA). The title screen, the mission select and configuration
screens, the briefing screen, and the ordnance loading screens all
are photos. And if you start a campaign, there's yet another that
allows you to enter your name. Each photo loads quite rapidly. 

 Upon startup, you elect to either fly a single mission; start a
campaign (of all the missions) or continue a saved campaign in
progress; or view the board of best campaigns and missions. You may
also watch an impressive preview of all the different sorts of
vehicles and weaponry (both friendly and opposing), so that you can
identify them on sight on your TID (tactical information display). 

 There are seven missions, one of which is really a training mission
to familiarize you with all six types of ordnance and their proper
usage. This is crucial, as the game will _not_ permit you to use the
wrong kind of weapon on any given target. This can seem
excruciatingly unrealistic, but at least you won't have to start a
whole campaign or mission over again just because you ran out of the
proper ordnance, having wasted it by ineffectively shooting at an
inappropriate target. (You can make sure this never happens by
choosing "unlimited ammunition" on one of the setup screens.) 

 One of the weapons is the A-10's Avenger Cannon -- a rather
peculiar gun, because you can use it only by aiming the entire
plane! This is a particularly heinous arrangement (albeit an
authentic one), and even after weeks of practicing, I still couldn't
hit the broad side of an enemy command post with it. Unfortunately, 
that prevented me from ever completing the training mission 100% 
successfully, but that's not a prerequisite for playing the other
scenarios. 

 Dynamix prides itself on user-friendliness, and A-10 exemplifies
this. At the beginning of a campaign or mission, you can alter the
threat level (mild, moderate, aggressive), the ammo (limited, 
unlimited), and the amount of damage your A-10 can withstand
(normal, invincible). At any time during play, you can call up the
"VCR Interface" (also found in DAVID WOLF), which controls the
selected input device, sounds, and -- on a sliding scale -- the
world and window detail. Since the program uses the patented 3 Space
system of polygon landscaping, the game will run slower on machines
of less CPU speed. If the game is running too slowly for your
tastes, you can slide down the amount of cockpit and landscape
detail until you've achieved an acceptable balance between speed and
detail. Note that on some machines (such as my 25 mhz), the game ran
too quickly even _with_ full detail. Dynamix has released a newer
version that includes an adaptable frame rate (the speed with which
the picture changes) for just such an occasion. 

 My feeling is that this fix is not what it ought to be...though
it's adequate. FLIGHT SIMULATOR 4.0 keeps the flow of time
consistent, regardless of the CPU speed; the extra power is used to
increase the frame rate, making the animation that much smoother. I
think that's exactly the way A-10 should have been designed in the
first place...but they didn't consult me. 

 Throughout your missions, you'll be guided by your co-pilot, Jake. 
Jake pops on with hints and strategic information; he also lets you
know when you've destroyed a target (enemy or friendly). Destroy
more than one friendly, and you lose your wings. He's an enormous
help, because often you're so busy flying that you don't have time
to change views to see if you managed to destroy the target. The
explosions, by the way, are lovely (thanks to the wide variety of
views): three from inside the cockpit, and _seven_ from outside -- 
including a weapon attack view, engagement view, and reverse angle
engagement view. Part of the fun of this game is watching your
missile home in on your target. The explosion goes sky-high, in
bit-mapped graphics that really _are_ dynamic. 

 The cockpit itself is superbly done. It's a photograph of an actual
A-10 cockpit; the lights, radar, TID, and more are superimposed so
as to meld perfectly. It's the most authentic-feeling cockpit in
gamedom. The heads-up display is also extremely well-executed. 

 The IBM version is available on 5-1/4" and 3-1/2" disks; I found
only the 5-1/4" disks in the stores. The game is not
disk-protected, so if you're a 3-1/2" drive owner who has access to
a dual-format machine, you can switch the files to the smaller
disks. The alternative is to send a coupon along with $10.00 to
Dynamix, not a very attractive or cost-effective option. 

 A-10 requires 512K of RAM to run on IBM PCs and 100% compatibles, 
or 640K Tandy TX, SL, and TLs. It supports VGA and MCGA (both in 256
colors), EGA, Tandy 16-color, and CGA modes. Easily installable, a
hard drive is highly recommended, and you can use either a mouse, 
joystick, or keyboard for input. (I found the keyboard to be the
most satisfactory device.) 

 The music is not elaborate, but complements the action nicely, with
support for the AdLib and the Roland MT-32, as well as the usual IBM
internal speaker. There are reports of trouble using the MT-32
driver with the Roland LAPC-1, supposedly fully-compatible. If you
have an LAPC-1, you might want to check with Dynamix to see if that
problem has been addressed. Watch for Version 2.0 of this product; 
it fixes several bugs (related mostly to mouse and VGA drivers) and
includes the speed toggles ("VERSION 2.0" is printed on the label of
Disk 1). 

 One minor complaint: There are a few very useful commands and
shortcuts described in the manual, but not listed on the reference
card. I've made some notes on the reference card in order to
compensate for these omissions. On the flip side, the manual
provides an interesting background of the A-10 (affectionately known
as "The Warthog") as close air support. The A-10 is quite the
barracuda: It flies low, it's extremely heavily armored and armed, 
it can take a licking and keep on ticking. You can even lose a wing
and still make it back to base. It's a lotta personality in a mean, 
ugly package. 

 In all, A-10 is highly recommended for some of the most exciting
flying combat available. The superb graphics, good sound, and
nonstop action guarantee an intense gaming experience -- one that
you'll want to return to often. Sticklers for detail may find A-10
TANK KILLER a little _too_ easy and unrealistic. For example, you
never need to land; you can merely punch Q and automatically return
to base. But that's an option, not a requirement. You can make the
game as difficult as any pilot would want to tackle. For the rest of
us, the most interesting part of any flight combat game is not the
minutiae that A-10 TANK KILLER skips, but the excitement of combat
and strategy -- both of which are provided here in spades. 

 A-10 TANK KILLER is published and distributed by Dynamix, Inc. 

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