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The objects in Falcon 4.0 are true to form to their real-life counterparts. Unlike other flight simulators, Falcon 4.0's object models are all detailed. Whereas other games merely spend time perfecting the look of the primary airplane, every vehicle within Falcon 4.0 is equally detailed. Players will be delighted to find that ground units like the M-1A Abrams tank to support vehicles like the AWACS Sentry all were given the same attention to detail as the F-16C's. Object skins show off a level of detail never before experienced in a flight sim. Ailerons, flaps, rudders and other moving surfaces along the F-16's chassis are extremely detailed, as are the various payloads, squadron insignia and even the landing gear. The cockpit itself is a beautiful dizzying array of knobs, switches, gauges, lights and dials. Instrument panels are reflected off the inside of the canopy as players pan their heads from side to side and up and down.
Falcon 4.0's terrain engine, however, is the epitome of graphical realism. Microprose didn't have access to the high resolution US spy satellite imagery of the Korean landscape. Those photos are still classified. They didn't want to settle on the declassified imagery either, as the resolution was "too low". Instead, Microprose used elevation maps to accurately model every square kilometer of the Korean Peninsula: all 786,000 of them. Every hill, mountain, plain and rocky coast was brought to life during Falcon 4.0's development. Then, declassified high altitude reconnaissance photos were used to produce high-res terrain textures. These were then tiled together and placed over the entire 3D map to mimic rural areas and urban population centers. Because of their high resolution, the ground textures look amazing while flying at 35,000 feet or below. Those with a sharp eye will be able to make out some texture tiling 40,000 feet and above. Most players won't however. We didn't care much for the actual objects on the ground. While all were fairly high resolution models, the lack of buildings, bridges and other structures is disappointing. Sure you'll find some scattered about every now and then, but fly over Pyongyang or Seoul, concrete jungles in real life, and all you'll encounter is a patchwork of gray textures dotted with some skyscrapers. Taking into account Falcon 4.0's immensity, however, we'll live.
We're almost done praising the game's visuals. Before moving on however, we have to mention Falcon 4.0's enhanced "bubble". Almost all flight simulators limit the player's vision with a bubble that extends outwards around 10-15 miles. Events that occur outside this bubble are usually not accounted for, or at least not displayed on the screen in order to save precious processor power for action that's closer to the player. Falcon 4.0 constantly has its Campaign Engine (more on this in a bit) running in the background. Anything that the Campaign Engine deems vital for the player to witness, even if it happens outside of the bubble, will be displayed. These include plumes of smoke from a bombing run on the horizon, falling debris from the loser of a far off dogfight, etc. In doing so, the player is always aware of his/her surroundings, and more importantly, doesn't suffer from the "horizon effect" of other flight sims.
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