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MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

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Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#41

Post by smacktoward »

acheron wrote: post #7

For anyone interested, this company is unrelated to the original Microprose from a corporate history perspective, it’s just some people who bought the name “Microprose” at an IP auction. However they have enlisted Wild Bill Stealey as some kind of advisor, so they are at least attempting to connect with the history. (Wild Bill was one of the two founders of Microprose. The other, Sid Meier, has his own things going o…

Publishing rights for a lot of the classic MicroProse games seem to currently be held by Retroism: https://retroism.com/

This includes the original MicroProse Mighty 8th (https://retroism.com/b-17-flying-fortress-the-mighty-8th/), along with the Silent Service games, F-117A and F-19, the original Sid Meier's Colonization and a bunch of others. Though there are some notable MicroProse titles missing from their catalog: M1 Tank Platoon, the original Gunship and Gunship 2000, and F-15 Strike Eagle III all jump out at me.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#42

Post by smacktoward »

ndonnellan wrote: post #5

My first thought upon seeing the images in the article: that's not a B-17! But the microprose announcement makes it more clear that the B-24 will be added, https://www.microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth# [edit] historical note: my grandfather was a tailgunner in B-24s.

The title of the new game is just The Mighty Eighth, no specific bomber mentioned. The real-world "Mighty Eighth," the Eighth Air Force (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Air_Force), operated both B-17s and B-24s.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#43

Post by jki275 »

brudgers wrote: post #10
duxup wrote: post #3

I wonder how much of a sim it will be. Not sure I'd want to be the bombardier and have to sit for a long time only to get to stare at my screen and push a button ... once. Granted I still like the idea, it will be interesting to see how much they gamify it and how much they do not.

In the late 80's and early 90's real time was a feature of simulations. It's what made them simulations. And as dull as flying a WWII airplane out and back sounds...Microprose's Silent Service let you operate a submarine across the Pacific in real time. Of course, you could also speed time up if you wanted. But a "base frequency" of real time means the game play is not centered around "story mode." In simulation it m…

F19 was the same way. I spent many hours there...

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#44

Post by na85 »

Blackthorn wrote: post #39

Are these accuracy-obsessed simulators an important part of the historical record? We can't personally go back in time and experience what it was like to be part of a bomber crew. But for a museum-sort-of piece, maybe this fits the bill.

I fly WWII combat flight simulators (mostly the IL2 Sturmovik series) and there is some very serious research going on both by the developers and by the community. Many of the people that fly these sims are serious enthusiasts, and a scant few even have direct experience restoring warbirds and fabricating parts from vintage drawings.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#45

Post by smacktoward »

duxup wrote: post #14
brudgers wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the late 80's and early 90's real time was a feature of simulations. It's what made them simulations. And as dull as flying a WWII airplane out and back sounds...Microprose's Silent Service let you operate a submarine across the Pacific in real time. Of course, you could also speed time up if you wanted. But a "base frequency" of real time means the game play is not centered around "story mode." In simulation it m…

OH man I played a TON of Silent Service. That could be some seriously tense gaming. I wish they'd re-release that somewhere ... granted I haven't looked. It might not have aged but I could go for a something like that again, maybe not full sim... more casual friendly.

Both Silent Service and Silent Service II have been reissued and are available from a bunch of online game retailers. Since GOG is currently having their summer sale, you can get them both in a single bundle for just $1.49: https://www.gog.com/game/silent_service_12

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#46

Post by smacktoward »

stuff4ben wrote: post #19

Wow, seeing the old MicroProse logo immediately transported me back to the late-80's/early-90's and the cool joysticks (Epyx were the best!) and all of the fun games I played on my C64 and Amiga.

I would love to find an Epyx/Atari-style joystick that connects via USB. The only joysticks anyone makes anymore are big hulking flightsticks, but so many older games were designed around those smaller joysticks you held in the palm of your hand. They just don't feel the same with a giant flightstick.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#47

Post by bitwize »

burnte wrote: post #21
ndonnellan wrote: post #5

My first thought upon seeing the images in the article: that's not a B-17! But the microprose announcement makes it more clear that the B-24 will be added, https://www.microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth# [edit] historical note: my grandfather was a tailgunner in B-24s.

An on-again-off-again Murphy's Romance kind of boy friend of my mother in the 80s was a pilot of a B-24. He flew it limping home full of bullet holes more than once. Impressive stories.

American warplanes were the Rocky Balboas of the air: they could take a lot of punishment and keep moving forward.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#48

Post by meheleventyone »

Blackthorn wrote: post #39

Are these accuracy-obsessed simulators an important part of the historical record? We can't personally go back in time and experience what it was like to be part of a bomber crew. But for a museum-sort-of piece, maybe this fits the bill.

I’d say not particularly. Most of them are “accuracy obsessed” rather than accurate. Some of that is purely down to lack of horse power for accurate models but also in terms of lack of information, lack of complete simulation and a lot of focus on making a game rather than a simulation.

They’re plenty of fun but not really important in terms of illuminating anything about the era of flight and combat they reproduce.

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#49

Post by egypturnash »

acheron wrote: post #7

For anyone interested, this company is unrelated to the original Microprose from a corporate history perspective, it’s just some people who bought the name “Microprose” at an IP auction. However they have enlisted Wild Bill Stealey as some kind of advisor, so they are at least attempting to connect with the history. (Wild Bill was one of the two founders of Microprose. The other, Sid Meier, has his own things going o…

Their site sure is leaning on the history of the name they bought; the front page has a big image of every single Microprose game cover ever. A little further down there are some big statistics: Games developed, 93. Games published, 201. Awards received, 53.

Then a history section that starts off with "American video game publisher and developer founded by Bill Stealey and Sid Meier in 1982."

And waaaaayyyyyyyyy down in the footer? Contact info in Australia.

Nothing about who runs it now. Nothing about their personal relationship with Microprose or the general genre of "war-themed games". Nothing about how delighted they are to be able to revive this much-loved brand and their hopes to carry it forwards to new glory.

----

In their subreddit, I did find a link to a Kotaku interview with the CEO of New Microprose: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/05/the-australian-who-brought... - he used to run the Australian division of the folks behind ArmA, including a spin-off designed for military training, which feels like something he should be crowing about in the "who are we" section. He does claim to have been profoundly influenced by Original Microprose's games.

Kotaku asks him about the rights to Original Microprose stuff and his response is a whole lot of corporatespeak that I parse as "hahaha yeah that sure would be nice, but nope. Maybe someday if we can cut a deal with the various companies that own them, don't hold your breath though."

Re: MicroProse Returns with the Mighty Eighth, a 10-Player WWII B-17 Simulator

#50

Post by daveslash »

ndonnellan wrote: post #5

My first thought upon seeing the images in the article: that's not a B-17! But the microprose announcement makes it more clear that the B-24 will be added, https://www.microprose.com/games/the-mighty-eighth# [edit] historical note: my grandfather was a tailgunner in B-24s.

Came here to make the same comment.You're not the only one who was immediately struck like that. That said, I still hope to enjoy this game.
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