The EF2000 RETRO Project
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
With hindsight of the forthcoming 25th anniversary of the entirely community driven evolution of Microprose’s Falcon 4.0 and the 30th anniversary of Digital Image Design’s EF2000, I felt inspired to launch the EF2000 RETRO Project to commemorate two of the greatest combat flight simulators in history.
EF2000 RETRO aims to revive the spirit of DID’s three decades old classic and bring it back to a modern combat flight simulation environment. I couldn’t think of a better platform to build upon than Falcon BMS with its rich features set, diverse gameplay, unrivalled fully dynamic campaign system and unique battlefield environment simulation.
EF2000 RETRO is designed to bring a distinct EF2000 flair to Falcon BMS, without compromising the base installation or any Add-On Theaters you may have installed to it.
To achieve this, EF2000 RETRO is conceived as an aircraft centric, independent Add-On Theater.
The Theater is baselined on the Other Fighters Mafia’s Nordic Theater 2.5.9 for Falcon BMS 4.37.6, which resembles the Scandinavia Theater of the original EF2000 sim.
Key features planned are:
- Custom UI background screens and music based on the soundtracks of the original EF2000 (abandonware)
- Fly the EF2000 in all four game modes IA, DF, TE, CAM
- Tailored DF and TE Plane lists
- Custom EF2000 training missions
- Customised campaign scenarios more closely resembling the EF2000 sim’s hypothetical conflict scenario and with a stronger presence of EF2000 squadrons
- Database updates and fixes
- Logbook squadron/wing patches for all real world EF2000 units of the Core Nations
- Four flyable EF2000 variants (GE, UK, IT and SP)
- Custom weapon loadouts, systems customisation (within the given constraints), Advanced Flight Model and custom EF2000 Cockpit and some custom sounds (cockpit audio/voice warnings)
- Accompanying documentation
As of now EF2000 RETRO is still work in progress, I cannot provide a release data yet. However, the Add-On has reached a state of maturity where I’d like to launch a closed beta testing session.
People seriously interested supporting this project as beta testers and those who are willing to actively contribute can apply on the EF2000 RETRO Discord Channel. Ofcourse interested observers are welcome as well, but the beta testing session is not meant to be an “Early Access” pass!I’ll keep you posted in this thread, but probably somewhat less frequently than on the Discord Channel.
Best regards
Scorpion
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Nice!
Go ahead
Looking forward to follow your progress. Are you thinking of coding some unique EF avionics as well - if that is within your capacity and capability. -
Custom systems coding is out of scope at the moment. Within the given constraints avionics and systems options (availability/unavailability of systems, specific system functions and performance parameters) have been adjusted to best match the EF2000. Some functions are emulated through the cockpit and there are a few custom cockpit audio/voice warnings available. There is still room for growth though.
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Very cool! Looking forward to this project - before F4.0 EF2000 was my poison back in the days (and before that TFX
Are there plans do expand also towards baltic theatre? By now we have a rather short campaign, I guess with the whole southern part of Scandinavia but also Denmark, Poland & Germany this would be the most fitting setting possible and the opportunity for a long & exhausting campaignlays at hand.
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You can also do texture upscaling through a very good software called upscayl, I always use it for my 3d process. Really does a good job giving detail where required
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you mean a kind of merging Nordic northern part with Baltic southern part? Or simply a version based on Baltic?
EF2000 RETRO Project for Falcon BMS
https://discord.gg/YKqadCY6yp -
@Scorpion82 I thought of using the existing baltic theatre on it’s own. but now as you mention it, a humongous theatre by merging? This would tickle my fancy
but to be honest, I have absolutely no clue about the ramifications or if this would be possible in the first place. -
@Scorpion82 said in The EF2000 RETRO Project:
However, the Add-On has reached a state of maturity where I’d like to launch a closed beta testing session.
That’s pretty impressive! Good luck!
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I don’t know either.
At the moment I don’t plan to create versions of EF2000 RETRO for other extant theaters. Baltic would have been my choice, if there wasn’t Nordic.
The current version still needs some work and with 4.38 cards will be mixed again. It’s more likely that potential future versions would be based on whatever suitable theater is available for 4.38. But I don’t think that far at the moment.
EF2000 RETRO Project for Falcon BMS
https://discord.gg/YKqadCY6yp -
@Scorpion82 I guess this would be wise…4.38 may or may not change the whole topic
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it will definitely introduce a new terrain engine and that one will render the existing theaters incompatible. It will certainly take a while before additional theaters are released.
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Dear community,
EF2000 RETRO has entered the open beta phase, while remaining work is being completed.
More details can be found in the Discord link.
https://discord.com/channels/1318160907276255333/1318162946198601780/1351561712653828167
