most Comprehensive Update Yet For Falcon 4.0: Allied Force

SAN ANTONIO, TX: May 3rd 2006: Lead Pursuit Inc has released its most comprehensive update yet for Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, the premier F-16 combat flight simulator. Patch 1.0.6 gives improvements across the board. These include the elimination of the infamous "shaking" aircraft on the ground during taxi-ing, significant improvements to multiplayer and refuelling, plus new monitor resolutions up to 2048 x 1536. The update can be applied either using the bfopsupdate.exe utility in the Battlefield Operations folder or by downloading the "exe" update from the downloads section of Lead Pursuit's website. A special thanks to our beta testing team whose input was invaluable during the three-month development process. The changelog is detailed below.

Falcon 4.0: Allied Force was recently showcased in London at the Fly! 2006 exhibition. Horizon Simulation -- Allied Force's UK distributor -- and Combat Edge constructed two specialist F-16 cockpits for visitors. A video of the event can be downloaded at http://lead-pursuit.com/FLY_LP.zip. It is included in our media pack available at http://lead-pursuit.com/media.zip.

Version 1.06 (Patch 5) Changelog
=========================

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
* Fixed a bug that sometimes caused On-call CAS AI flights to attack targets before attempting to check in with FAC.
* On-call CAS flights now request targets from the FAC after two minutes instead of four if unassigned.
* Fixed TARCAP flights continuing to press on aircraft like An-124 even after it has been identified.
* AI now able to use afterburner power for a short time after Rejoin command is received.
* Mid-air refuelling rewritten. Tanker now maintains correct speed and altitude.
* Many changes to AI refuelling and multiplayer-specific code.


AVIONICS & WEAPONS:
* Fixed HSD showing wingmen in Dogfight after they have been destroyed.
* Fixed static ground vehicles not showing up in GM radar mode.
* ALOW and MSLFloor warnings are now played whether the HUD is visible on screen or not.
* Fixed TGP going into POINT lock immediately upon first designation.
* Fixed Com1 and Com2 Volume knobs to work again.
* Fixed TACAN station bearing indicator on HSI to not display bearing if the station can not be received.
* Fixed PL-5E seeker range to be shorter.
* Fixed bug where contacting an airbase other then the landing one was impossible in certain situations.
* Various fixes/improvements to A-A Weapon handling:
o Each Mastermode remembers which weapon type has been selected (AIM-9M/P etc) and will set the weapon again
when the mode is reselected at a later point.
o All A-A Radarmodes are available from all A-A Mastermodes. Dogfight Override mode, for example,
can have RWS as selected radar mode, and Missile Override can use the ACM modes.
o Each Mastermode remembers its gun submode.
o AIM-9M and AIM-9X can be switched properly if in the same loadout.
* The Mastermodes will no longer have the radar turned on when selecting another weapon by either
the Enter key or the OSB buttons. The radar only starts emitting when a mode is selected.
* Fixed gun rounds counter sometimes showing zero when there were still bullets left.
* Fixed bug where a target could not be locked to STT mode in TWS mode when the azimuth scan was set to something
other then 60 degrees.
* Fixed bug where stealthy vehicles like F-117A were not even lockable using IR sensors even at closest ranges.
* Frame-rate improvement to HSD display.
* Fix bug where designating/undesignating with the HSD as SOI and the cursor over a pre-planned threat
did not toggle it's range-ring.
* Fix the new CBU burst altitude value not being shown in the MFD when pressing the decrement burst altitude keystroke.
* When changing target in simplified radar, set padlock target to the new target.

DATA:
* Fixed all 05/23 airbase tower voice calls to wrong runway.
* Added many more "Vehicle position points" and "ship points" to airbases, ports, army-base, HARTs etc.
* Fixed position of building at Wonsan airbase type.
* Added R-77M and AGM-65E/K missile types.
* Updated radar data for few aircraft and seekers (F/A-18, F-22, R-77).
* Fixed missing bridge feature on one bridge objective type.
* Lowered Kirov ship damage amounts.
* Updated some 2D weapon ranges.
* Vehicles (ground, aircraft and ships) will fire closer to real-life ranges in 2D now.
* Adjusted weapons positioning on Tornado fuselage racks.
* Added Brimstone and rack back to Typhoon in 2005 and 2010 theaters.
* Fixed rocket pylons so they now show in loadout and in game under wings.
* Changed CBU-97 hardpoint count to be the same as CBU-87. (Standard loadout 4xCBU and two fuel tanks).
* Updated AWACS screen icon symbols for more objects to be shown.
* Removed CAS roles from UH-60L.
* Updated SA-3 so it will now fire more than one missile in the air per volley.
Also adjustments to range being too short and loft angle too high .
* Allow night missions for AH-1, C-130 and few other airlift aircraft.
* Adjusted JSTAR patrol waypoints so they have approximately up to 50nm of ground coverage of enemy side.
* Objective feature value lists prioritized better.
* Removed FA-37 from TE list as it was a testbed only.
* Lower large ammo dump damage value for high-explosive types so two 2000lb bombs can destroy it.


CAMPAIGN / TACTICAL ENGAGEMENT:
* Updated stores for some squadrons in campaigns.
* Some ROK infantry changed to correct unit type in Korean campaign.
* EF/A-18G added to all 2010 campaigns.
* Mission times tasked according to threat/range (fewer deep strikes in first hours of campaign that just abort).
* Changing the takeoff waypoint time sometimes resulted in the flight not getting pilots assigned.
Fixed for single and multiplayer.
* In Tactical Engagement, naval units can now be set as victory conditions and in Campaign they can be a target
now for self-created missions.
* Saving a Tactical Engagement file now resets the "TE won" situation so new successive missions
and victory conditions can be added as an ongoing "mini-campaign".
* Prevent AWACS from setting up waypoints that lead them flying too close to the FLOT.


COCKPIT:
* Fixed RWR position in all three 2D 1600x1200 resolution cockpits in wide-view, one click down.
* Speed up of drawing 2D cockpit views without visable outside view.
* Improved instruments in padlock situational awareness bar.
* Adjusted RWR position in all 3D cockpit views.
* Support for all available resolutions and aspects greater than 800x600. Since 2D cockpit is of 4:3 aspect ratio,
on wide screens there will be black bars on the sides. All pure 3D views and outside views are full screen.
* Fixed fontsize of HUD and DED data in wideview in 1024x768 res 2D cockpit of the MLU.
* Increased down-tilt limit in 3D cockpit so we can see the whole MFD when looking closer.

GENERAL GAMEPLAY:
* Added the ability for emergency braking. In case the Hydraulic B system fails (flameout or damage),
the pilot can still use his brakes for 15 seconds to stop the Jet on the runway.
* If the plane has blown up with a comms window on the screen, ESC will still work to close the window
so the simulation can be exited.
* If Joystick button 0 or 1 is pushed, but no function is assigned to them, do not fire the gun/ pickle weapons.
* Retain controllability of ACMI on/off even when shot down for documentation purposes. Now, ACMI is
not turned off automatically when the plane gets destroyed.
* Fixed bug where a newly created .key file could not be loaded properly without exiting and re-entering the sim.
* Help with frame rates at airbases.
* Elimination of general graphic jitter (eg when refuelling, taxiing or viewing from tower cam).
* Reduced on-ground aircraft pitch during braking.
* Complex aircraft code now supports models containing rotatable wheels and swing-wing DOF's.
* In Dogfight mode, colored padlock boxes are back in Realistic padlock setting.
* Fixed shared memory electrical fault bit when on ground and shutting power off.
* Moved labels up so they don't obscure objects.
* Dynamically scale label offset based on object radius and distance.
* Don't show opposite (wrong) tanker lights when in extreme relative position to tanker.

HARDWARE:
* Added power detection for notebooks that warns when battery is low both in 3D and the User Interface.
* Added support for DED display on Logitech G15 keyboard LCD.
* Fix for missing cursor, buttons and lights issues on nVidia graphics devices at resolutions
greater than 1024x768 and FSAA enabled.


MODELS & TEXTURES:
* Fixed texture on flaps of F/A-18D.
* Added texture to F/A-18E.
* Adjust LOD of the building "Hotel" at some airbases so it does not "pop up" visually.
* Fixed many buildings with missing parts (walls, roof, etc).
* Fixed texture issue on Wonsan airbase type, center runway.
* Fixed many fuel tanks not shown textured
(they are used on J-22, F-5E/A, Su-7BK, Su-39, MiG-23, Su-24, Su-25, AMX, Typhoon).
* Fixed AMX texture issues on nose.
* Added Challenger tank texture green and desert cammoes.
* Most F16's and some other aircraft models edited for wheel rotation.
* Some aircraft models edited to rotate engine fan blades.
* Added texture to F-22A made by Dave "The Shova" Vogel submitted through TPAA.


MULTIPLAYER:
* Fixed IR weapons losing lock on ground vehicles when being fired at distances greater 8nm
and moving away from target, especially in Multiplayer.
* Fuel dump is disabled for online dogfights.
* When "No Player Voice" is turned on in the Sound Setup user interface, Flight comms of other human pilots,
for example to AWACS, are still audible.
* Master Arm switch now defaults to SAFE when a player enters an aircraft on the server
(previously it would be SAFE on clients, and ARM on server).
* Aircraft canopy open/close state now correctly shown in a multiplayer environment.
* Make sure the location of the bullseye is the same for all connected sessions.
* ACMI's now record and play back orientation of non-local missiles correctly.
* Connection state fix.
* Clients are now able to order flights to RTB.
* Fixed several issues where deleting flights or a package through the ATO list was not correctly working in Multiplayer.
* Packages containing a flight with a remote human player can not be deleted anymore.

SOUND:
* Fix specific sounds sometimes not being played, like missile launch sound.
* De-hissed some sounds.
* New in-cockpit engine sound.

STABILITY:
* CTD Fixes including dogfight module and dedicated server stability increased.

USER INTERFACE:
* Added a "Clear" button to the key assignment dialog.
* Fixed a bug where only pressing a DirectX Joystick button would clear the keystroke assigned to a function.
* A keystroke and joystick button press at the same time in key assignment dialog are now properly saved.
* Fixed some abbreviation mistakes.
* Fixed E-2 ATO icon so that it is centered.
* Added cockpit switcher to Graphics setup menu.
* Changed color of user interface bullseye view to make it better visible.
* Fixed misaligned Briefing print-out.
* Now sorting some more list-boxes alphabetically.
* Resizing of splash screens to fit full screen.
* When joining a flight using the UI map popup menu "Join Flight" option,
the Munitions screen is now correctly showing the new flight's loadout.
* Removed 'Keep' button from MP UI Connection screen.
* Added Mipmapping option in Graphics Setup section for terrain and 3D models, to reduce shimmering.
* Some updated to Tacref.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, the successor of Falcon 4.0, is an advanced F-16 combat flight simulator for the PC. The player takes on the role of a pilot flying a multitude of missions in either the Balkans Theater of Operations or the Korean Theater of Operations in a fully dynamic, evolving war.

Features include:

• Multiple threads for true Dual Core processor support
• Improved graphics engine
• Reworked multiplayer engine
• Highly advanced Artificial Intelligence
• 716-page advanced .pdf manual, 109-page "new player" printed manual
• Reworked Dynamic Campaign Engine
• Brand new theater of operations
• New high resolution models and cockpits
• Highly detailed terrain and airbases
• Intuitive User Interface screens

The graphics engine supports real-time terrain lighting, dynamically-shaded 3D volumetric clouds and alpha-blended scattered clouds. Fog is also implemented and combined with new high resolution textures on models and the terrain, the visuals are tremendously improved. Highly detailed and clickable cockpits for three different F-16 aircraft are included: the Block 50/52, 40/42 and MLU variants.

The multiplayer engine features a new, problem-free connection method with support for a centralized, server-system style of play for Internet and Local Area Network (LAN) games. Performance and reliability have been greatly improved for both custom made missions and campaign flights.

The Dynamic Campaign Engine (DCE) is the war simulator where any event happening in any part of the theater of combat affects the war's direction throughout that theater. How you perform in your mission directly, and proportionately, determines what happens elsewhere. This is true for the tens of thousands of computer controlled entities in the game. It means that the player really feels part of a living war environment, part of something that is evolving around them in real time.

Some of the greatest changes have been to improve the interaction of computer controlled aircraft and the hundreds of ground entities in Falcon 4.0: Allied Force. Thousands of hours of work has led to remarkable improvements in artificial intelligence. During missions, computer-controlled aircraft will perform with precision. The role of the Forward Air Controller (FAC) is now implemented, allowing the player to co-operate with other flight aircraft when carrying out ground attacks. Brand new Air Traffic Control intelligently manages the flights in and out of bases.

The F-16's electronic systems simulated in Falcon 4.0: Allied Force, including the avionics, are the most realistic for the home personal computer. Numerous modes and sub-modes in air-to-air and air-to-ground radar are accurately implemented to immerse the player in the feel of operating a modern combat aircraft.

The new theater of operations is the Balkans. There are three time periods stretching from the mid-1990s to 2010, featuring appropriate aircraft, squadrons and units. Each theater period has three campaigns, making nine in total for the Balkans. Falcon 4.0: Allied Force also features a heavily revised Korean theater and associated campaigns.

Our Media Pack is available here: http://lead-pursuit.com/media.zip
Lead Pursuit's website is here: www.lead-pursuit.com
Graphsim Entertainment's website is here: www.graphsim.com
Horizon Simulation's website is here: www.horizonsimulation.com

Lead Pursuit LLC is the developer of Falcon 4.0: Allied Force
Graphsim Entertainment Inc is the publisher of Falcon 4.0: Allied Force
Horizon Simulation Ltd is the UK distributor for Falcon 4.0: Allied Force
Atari Inc is the distributor of Falcon 4.0: Allied Force