B-17 Flying Fortress

Rating:
Summary: The game works..it's the user who has problems!
Review: Ok first of all, let me tell you the game works fine. It didn't crash on my system, and it didn't crash on two of my other computers (one of them only runs on a PII 400 mhz). I think the problem lies with the user. During installation, DO NOT install the A3D drivers. It's just common sense. If you dont have an A3D soundcard then dont install the drivers. Plain and simple. Some users feel they need to install every thing the game asks them to install but in reality you dont have to. Basic point is to know what your computer has. This game will ask you to install Direct x 7.0a. If you have Direct x8.0a then don't install Direct x 7.0a because its an older driver.

When the game boots, you will be given the option to create a graphics cache file. If you dont set the graphics cache file, the game will crash. Most users are so hot to get into the game that they neglect the little details of setting up options. All you have to do is set the graphics cache file. The graphics cache file uses about 500 mb of your swap file. Here's a trick. Clean up your OS system drive. Remove junk files in your Temp folder; in fact, remove everything you see in your temp folder. Next, go clean the Temp Internet Files folder.

Now to the game. Patch the game before you play it. Download patch 2.0 (25mb). Ok, the game is very realistic. For rookie sim fans wanting to fly and do some sightseeing around Germany on a B-17, this is not the game for you. By the time you get close to one of the radar sites surrounding Germany, dozens of attack fighters will feed you with lead until you either crash or turn back. This is a war sim ergo no free fly mode. Graphics does the job in the game although not that spectacular, for most of the flight, you'll be looking at open pastures and green until you get to your target. The travel time is very realistic. From your airbase to your target, you'll actually be flying the whole trip in real time. Sit back and relax during this trip, its going to be a long trip---enjoy it while it lasts because once the shooting happens, you'll be scambling for dear life. Missions in the game are historical and they are very difficult to accomplish but not impossible. Flight dynamics are superb (specially after you patch the game). These bombers are just hard to fly but hey this is 1943 people, they dont have the hardware like what planes have now. Special mention to the Norden bombsight instrument. This is a bit complicated to use. It shouldn't surprise history buffs since most of the bombs dropped during WWII never really did hit their targets. Dont expect to see HUDs or targetting reticles here. Everything is DEAD aiming and pure luck.

Overall, this game is awesome. It gave me a sense of just being inside the B-17 anticipating and waiting for the coming "storm" when flaks and enemy fighters start coming at you.

Buy this game, follow the tips I gave you and it should work. Oh and did i tell you the game hasnt crashed since i installed it?

Rating:
Summary: B-17, Flying Fortress, The Mighty 8th
Review: I enjoyed playing this game. The graphics are nicely done, enjoyed the action between crew members. Found switching between the B-17s and fighters a great change of pace while waiting for the bomber formation to reach it's target. The missions can be rather long, I found myself dozing off listening to the drone of the engines. You can speed up the pace abit, but, it may be me, the navigator seems to get lost after doing this. Wish that the 100th Bomb Group had been included in this game. I was in the 100th Bomb Wing, 8th Air Force in 1957 and had read the history of the Wing during WWI in England. Maybe an attachment later on? I did enjoy the game and will probably enjoy it more as time goes on. Recommended to those who want the challange of flying a B-17 to a target through flak and fighters.

Rating:
Summary: causes problems with computer
Review: first off, i liked the game, but after i stopped playing, i could not defrag or scandisk my computer. the game adds a new driver to your computer if you don't already have it. i have a 1.3Ghz computer with 256 Rdram,tnt2 video with 32bit, and 40Gig hard drive, HELLO...........tell me what's wrong with this picture,....... my computer is well over the requirements needed. Also, i am a computer tech, so don't tell me it's my computer, or that i don't know what i'm doing, i have tried everything i could to fix the problem, including restoring my computer to the first day i got it(after i uninstalled the game), and to this day i still have trouble running my scandisk. the product should never have been released with the problems that were very apparent prior to the release date.
Tell me when will all you coputer companies release software that is not bug ridden? i own a ps,n64,ns,sega,and 3 computers.

Rating:
Summary: b-17 has some serious faults; not worth buying
Review: The game B-17 Flying Fortress has some very serious game play faults. First of all, the game can suddenly stop installing in the middle of the installation process. A more serious problem is one that i encountered when trying to play the game for the first time. It is that the game has the tendency to not run when you open the games. The game opens for a second or two, but then it just goes away with no trace at all. The manufacturer is aware of these problems and addresses them in the Hasbro tech. support site. Unfortunately, if the support web site doesn't fix your problem, its safe to say that you probably wont be able to fix the problem on your own. This is because the e-mail and telephone support options do not offer any different kind of help than the web site. While on the topic of telephone tech. support, you won't ever talk to an actual human when calling the support number, and its not an "800" number so you will be billed long distance for the call.

Rating:
Summary: Take the time and learn carefully...you will enjoy!
Review: Ok, i have read all 36 reviews..yes, i agree you need a powerful machine with good graphics but to say the game is difficult to play or use is going a little too far. Look, read the manual and do some practice flying and bombing. It did take a little time to figure out how to play at a usuable level, but i had no trouble taking off, flying, bombing, defending from gunner to gunner, and finally landing. Take time to learn the "ropes" of this game. You will enjoy it and have fun moving from mission to mission. Bombs away. Oh yea, why would a C-130 pilot rate this game?

Rating:
Summary: It would sure be awsome if it worked!
Review: I was very dissapionted and the only advice I can give u is to only get the game if u can return it. I saw the game online and went to get it at the store closest to me. I downloaded it without a problem and then when I went to play nothing happened. When I went to return it the guy said that they try to persuade people not to buy the game because it doesn't work. I had gotten my hopes up. I just wish they come out with a new and improved B-17 game. That game really could have been awsome but it doesn't work.

Rating:
Summary: B-17 Flying Frustration
Review: Oh,if only I had read some of these reviews before buying this game and wasting $44.00. I actually purchased a new computer with tons of memory to run this game and I still wasen't satisfied with the game's performance. Yes the graphics are great, but the purpose of the simulation (the dropping of bombs on a target) is impossible. In many cases the key commands simply don't work and the instruction manual is grossly inadequate. For example: During the bomb run, in order to adjust the Norden bombsight the keyboard command "shift+K" is to be pressed. Unfortunately the command has no effect and the player after flying all accross Europe ends up dropping his bombs in a cornfield.The absence of accuracy means the player can never hit the target or advance in the game. Another manuver involving the bombsight refers to the joystick, yet there is no instruction given as to calibrating or energizing the joystick. I will never again buy software without checking reviews first.

Rating:
Summary: B-17, Take your TIME!
Review: B-17 is a great game. I would give it 5-Stars instead of the 4 I did, but for the normal person(not a nutty a GAMER like me and others)it takes time. I mean - Time to learn to fly, figure out what to do with the crew-10 men, and TIME to learn every position. That said: buy it, sit down, have a few and learn to have a good TIME at your computer!!!

Rating:
Summary: Cool factor wore off after 15 minutes.
Review: If you like well simulated flight and controls, Do not plan on enjoying this game. This game was obviously aimed at the arcade style gamers and has little to offer real simmer's that spend time with FS2000 or the like. The graphics were great, and the depth of the mission were superb. However, you are funneled into predesigned sets of activities and don't have the control you are used to if you enjoy pure flight simulation. In short...IF YOU'RE A GAMER/FLYER - BUY IT. IF YOU'RE A SIMMER/FLYER - SAVE YOUR MONEY.

Rating:
Summary: Gear Up!
Review: If you loved Microsoft Combat Flight simulator, you'll love B-17. It does require a lot of power so be prepared for crashes if you have weak system.