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Open Falcon

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13WELT_JankeS's Open Falcon movie
Open Falcon F-16
3D Cockpit
2D Cockpit
Flare Effects
Lightings MDF Extractor
Aeyes transparent 3D pit
Open Falcon is an unauthorised community addon for the original Microprose Falcon 4 simulation. It is based on earlier Falcon 4:BMS code. The addon requires an original unpatched installation of Falcon 4 from the original Microprose CDROM. Open Falcon cannot be installed over Falcon 4: Allied Force. It is a standalone title and is not multiplayer compatible with the original Falcon 4, Falcon 4: Allied Force or any other community version of Falcon 4 including Free Falcon/RedViper or differing version of Open Falcon.


Contents

Version comparison

One reason you may choose Open Falcon over other Falcon versions, is that 3D pit MFD extraction is possible using Open Falcon and Lighting's MDF Extractor utility. This allows you to show the MFDs on another display while in the 3D cockpit. In Allied Force, Free Falcon and Red Viper only 2D pit MFD extraction is possible. Also for pit builders Aeyes has a special transparent 3D pit that only shows the HUD. Open Falcon has graphical enhancements over Allied Force while offering greater stability than Free Falcon 5.

Features

  • Improved graphics including a clickable 3D cockpit, new flare and smoke effects
  • Improved avionics
  • Greater system complexity
  • Eurofighter Typhoon
  • Updated Tactical Reference screens with photographs
  • More functional panels for pitbuilders Viperpits.org thread

Release

The first release of Open Falcon was in controversial circumstances with the release of a unauthorised "beta" to a popular Bittorrent site. Prior to this release a small group had boasted to forums regarding their use of the addon but had not publicly released it. Following the unauthorised release the group established a website and forums at GlobalFalcon.org and released additional versions of the addon culminating in a "one click installer" version 4.5.

After the release of version 4.5 the developers indicated development was ceasing, released a last set of some of the fixes intended for the version 4.6 release and shutdown the GlobalFalcon.org website. However the forums subsequently reemerged on a new domain http://www.f4forums.com/forums and version 4.7 was released in December 2008. The forums then moved to http://www.f4support.com/forums/index.php in May 2009.

Support

Support for Open Falcon is available on the Global Falcon forums at http://www.f4support.com/forums/index.php (free forum registration required).


Installation

  1. Install the original Falcon 4 from the original CDROM. Accept the default installation directory of c:\microprose\falcon4. Do not install the 1.08 patch.
  2. Install the HiTiles terrain if you wish to use it.
  3. Download and extract the Open Falcon 4.5 one click installer (OF4.5-OCI.ZIP, 736 MB) to your computer
  4. Download the Open Falcon 4.5 installer fix (OF45_BaZT_Fix.zip, 672 KB)
  5. Extract the BaZT - SRTM Korea 1.10.ofa file from the installer fix archive and replace the existing file in the 4.5 installer packages directory.
  6. Install Open Falcon 4.5 by running installer.exe.
  7. Choose your terrain tiles option, only choose HiTiles if you have HiTiles already installed.
  8. Complete the Open Falcon 4.5 installation.
  9. Download the Open Falcon 4.7 update (OF47Update.exe, 190 MB), run it and complete the installation.
  10. When the installation finishes and the options screen appears locate your f4-bms.exe file in your C:\microprose\Falcon4 directory.
  11. In the options, drill down through Hardware and ensure the "Black Screen Fix" is checked.

FAQ

  • Where can I get the original Falcon 4 CDROM? Ebay is your best bet.
  • The movies don't display in the sim? Install the Cinepak video codec or try the video fix for Allied Force that is number 21 in the Allied Force offical FAQ
  • Where is the Open Falcon manual? The documentation is located in the DOCS folder of your Falcon 4 install once you have installed Open Falcon.

Links