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Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 10:37:02 +1100
From: Steve Small <steve.small@no.junk.mail.bigpond.com>
Organization: "Personal Opinion Only"
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Subject: Re: Virtual Skunks 747-400 GO GET IT!!!
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Barry Cameron wrote:
> 
> Abacus has promised a relase of the Virtual Skunks B747-400 and
> they delivered. An impressive package indeed 

Well, does *it* work in 3Dfx ? 

Is the 'free' DC-3 an equal quality free inducement to but the Queen ?
That's how it seems to be promoted so not having a Gooney I tried the
companion DC-3. Before I did, I took the precaution of listing the
contents of the "modules" folder to see what else gets installed (as per
the warning on the Abacus website) along with the a/c. The panel doesn't
fully work with 3Dfx : the overhead panel bitmap will not display in a
useable form in 3Dfx. Main panel bitmap is OK with 3Dfx, but for the
overhead bitmap the wrong palette was used. Bog Basic Stuff. Can't
Abacus afford a VooDoo card to test their products and see what they
created ? 

Apart from the 3Dfx 'thing', the DC-3 panel is a really boring panel
IMHO, does not look realistic.  Compared to the excellent wares so
capably created by so many other authors it just doesn't cut it. Panels
live or die by the bitmap. Many otherwise fine technical accomplishments
fail in the bitmap and go directly the circular file.

As to the flight model, I've never flown in a Dak that accellerates like
that one does. Shoot, it hit 160kts in a flash and at that point I
uninstalled it. The alias=c182\sound was disappointing. 

I supposed the Abacus product would be OK if you used another panel,
modified the .air file and added some nice sounds like dc3sndpk.zip or
bigbird98.zip but it doesn't leave you with much left of the Abacus
package except the banner advertising. It's hardly an inducement to buy
a "premier" offering. 

Abacus also expect you to use an INSECURE WEB-SERVER or have you e-mail
your credit card details to order department.  Are they effing crazy ? 
I *am* a tough critic of commercial FS add-ons and marketing practices,
lack of commercial professionalism where it applies in the FS cash cow
industry in general, but I do give credit where deserved. 

Just not in this case.

rgds,
-- 
Steve Small 
Canberra, Australia
