GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

E3 2002: Strike Fighters: Project 1 preshow report

Strategy First's upcoming combat flight simulation will be on display at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Comments

Strategy First will be showing off its upcoming modern-day flight combat simulator for the PC at this year's E3. Strike Fighters: Project 1 will join the ranks of what is apparently a new renaissance for modern-day combat flight simulator games. The game is in development at Third Wire, a studio headed by the lead designer of the popular World War II flight simulator European Air War.

Strike Fighters will let you take control of four different real-world combat aircraft: the North American F-100 Super Sabre, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, and the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, which is generally considered to be one of the most versatile combat jets ever built. Though Strike Fighters' campaign will be based on air combat in the 1960s, it will take place during a fictitious conflict, rather than in the Vietnam War or any specific real-world missions. The game also won't have any flyable helicopters or carrier ops missions, mainly because the developer is attempting to focus on aerial dogfight missions against enemy aircraft. You can expect to do battle with three different MiG models (the MiG-17 Fresco, the MiG-19 Farmer, and the MiG-21 Fishbed), as well as with the Tu-22 Blinder, the Su-7 Fitter, the IL-28 Beagle, and the An-12 Cub. Over the course of the campaign, you will also receive the help of nonplayable, real-world allied planes, including the C-130 Hercules and B-57 Canberra.

Though the details of Strike Fighters' multiplayer modes haven't been finalized yet, the game is being designed with independent editing in mind. That is, Strike Fighters will feature an open-ended editing structure that will let you create new 3D texture skins for your planes and your own custom jets using 3D Studio Max, and it will also let you alter your planes' flight models, build different terrain sets, and even create your own custom campaigns.

Strike Fighters: Project 1 is currently scheduled for release later this summer. We'll have more coverage from the show.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

Join the conversation
There are no comments about this story