Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!news.glorb.com!border3.nntp.dca.giganews.com!Xl.tags.giganews.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!local2.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.mchsi.com!news.mchsi.com.POSTED!not-for-mail NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:51:08 -0500 Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:51:08 -0700 From: Rufus User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.6; rv:10.0.2) Gecko/20120216 Firefox/10.0.2 SeaMonkey/2.7.2 MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim Subject: Falcon 4.0 Allied Force - for Mac OS X! Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-ID: Lines: 133 X-Usenet-Provider: http://www.giganews.com NNTP-Posting-Host: 173.19.155.187 X-Trace: sv3-aTNWIOhARdtTXgu9ANb3dDbZ1rvLPZzCDNQbgqzM/6sQEocL/3n6FmJjUaVgxrMgsj+KHgCSaEH5xmF!8qL4ZjdI4kb93qeFEbWzc9HUUu6nJfubPQHW6jRtahTtzyDgShTZyd8F0wd7vdOxG+gAKkR7haQZ!LvGCQ7BN X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-and-DMCA-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly X-Postfilter: 1.3.40 X-Original-Bytes: 7924 Xref: csiph.com comp.sys.mac.games.flight-sim:3 Released, and available though the Apple App Store, though I recall hearing that boxed retail versions may also be available soon. What follows are some comprehensive observations from running the sim on my systems so far - I'm running version 1.0.2, the current release. System 1: Intel iMac 24" 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo with 4 Gig of RAM installed and OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). Began with FAF version 1.0.1 on this system, running 1.0.2 presently. System 2: an Mac Mini 2.7 GHz Dual Core i7 with 4 Gig of RAM installed, 250 G SSD and 750 G HD; OS X 10.7.2 (Lion) and using a Samsung 8000 series LED TV as a monitor connected via HDMI. Running FAF version 1.0.2 on this system. Controllers: CH Products Pro Throttle (which I later discovered has a bad pot), Fighter Stick USB, Pro Pedals USB, and Thrustmaster USB MFD bezels, and a Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar stick/throttle. All all are recognized by System Profiler and the sim. ControllerMate Utility for Mac: A very powerful software implemented hardware interfacing utility for Mac which has solved a few of the below issues for me - allows direct programming/assignment of keystrokes (and even scripts) to buttons/switch inputs of HID compliant controllers. Highly recommended for Mac gamers/cockpit/sim building. http://www.orderedbytes.com/controllermate/ General comments for System 2 - using the big screen and SSD make huge improvements in sim response and graphics presentation, as expected - the presentation is near life size (maybe slightly larger, but not problematically so) with this setup and the presentation is very immersive, though black-barred (sides fill) vise actual full 16:9 as indicated in the Graphics Setup selection - I suppose this is as expected at present? Overall response of the sim is also greatly improved over System 1 setup. General Comments for use with HOTAS Cougar - the sim seems to work the same for Mac as it does for the Windows version when using HOTAS Cougar. Similar issues with using the mini joystick on both Win and Mac systems, however, ControllerMate can be used by Mac users in lieu of the PC only Thrustmaster T.A.R.G.E.T, Foxy, and/or the Cougar Control Panel to make HOTAS Cougar functional for Mac users; Controller Mate works similar to Thrustmaster T.A.R.G.E.T and Foxy combined. Mac users need to use a PC and the Cougar Control Panel to return HOTAS Cougar to default setting initially, and/or no-op the Cougar's rudder functions unless they are being used. Still trying to figure out how to get the mini joystick to work for cursor control. Controller issues: 1) All of the Thrustmaster OBD buttons are assignable and function correctly, but only rocker switch button 21 is assignable on the MFD; other rocker switch positions are not assignable for either MFD. The MFD actually have 28 buttons; 1-20 are OSB buttons and 21-28 are the four two/twin button rockers which should also be available for key assignments as left/right. Can be resolved by using ControllerMate. 2) CH Pro Pedals work as rudder pedals, but cannot assign Wheel Brakes to the toe axes. Can be resolved by using ControllerMate. 3) The start up splash screen does not retain selection to show the full screen or windowed presentation only if the user holds down the option key at start up. 4) It takes three activations of the Mode button on my CH Fighter Stick USB to toggle NWS from on to off and/or off to on. May need to allow multiple assignment of functions for such a controller case, as this button can register as button 17, 18, or 19 as it cycles through the LEDs on the stick base. Can be resolved by using ControllerMate. 5) Sim Exit dialog randomly registers input device commands. Clicking the End or Resume button in the graphical Exit dialog box randomly does/does not register the selection using either of an Apple Magic Trackpad or Kensington Orbit USB trackball input devices. Selecting E or R on the keyboard always works. Simulation/Interface issues: 1) Nozzle position and oil pressure indications are erratic and not realistic. 2) Fuel flow indication does not stabilize once afterburner is selected. Initial spike to far beyond realistic flow rate, then it slowly rolls back down after an extended selection. Unclear what this means with respect to actual flying time in the sim. Fuel flow does seem realistic during part power selection. 3) Some keystroke references in the Keys Setup do not match the references in the manual. The Keys Setup screen entries appear to be correct. 4) ATC airfield traffic calls are inconsistent; sometimes tower will call "left base" setup when all turns are to the runway are to the right - notable in landing pattern at end of Takeoff mission. ICAO standard is that "left hand traffic" means all left hand turns in the traffic pattern, "right hand traffic" means all left hand turns in the traffic pattern - in accord with both what I have been taught as a civilian pilot, and USAF and international airfield operations standard procedure. 5) Airspeed goes to zero (000) in HUD on landing rollout instead of pegging to a minimum of 60 KCAS as it says in the manual. 6) Keyboard cntrl+e command for Eject does not command ejection. The ejection "clack" sounds repeatedly as long as the key is held, but no ejection occurs for the key combination. Eject does happen if I click and hold the ejection handle in the cockpit graphic. Eject does not happen as it should for a single cntrl+e key activation. 7) Chaff and Flare count do not decrement in accordance with actual Chaff/Flare expenditure. On selecting "Drop Chaff" the Chaff count decrements, but on selecting "Drop Flare" the Chaff count decrements and the Flare count does nothing - Flare count never decrements. 8) Cockpit canopy frame/rail graphic does not move with canopy open/close when canopy is actuated. Can see canopy movement in exterior camera views, but in cockpit interior view the canopy frame does not move and appears to remain in the closed position. 9) With HDMI/TV setup, exiting the sim leaves does not return the System to default user selected screen resolution - sim is not returning display to System starting state on exit. User has to reselect Display resolution to restore user selected operation for Hot Corners, etc. General - highly recommended for both fans of Falcon and fans of high fidelity flight simulators. Using ControllerMate can also aid in using various controllers with this and other games - also a highly recommended utility. Hopefully this sim will be updated and improved over time and not left to languish as it has been all this time. FIGHT'S ON, Mac users!!! -- - Rufus