. F16, F16R, F24 and F32 Professional Audio Mixing Consoles Operator Manual MUSIC Group Research UK Limited, Klark Industrial Park, Walter Nash Road, Kidderminster.
Tel: +44 1562 741515 Fax: +44 1562 745371 Email: [email protected] Website: www.midasconsoles.com VeniceF — Operator Manual DOC02-VENICEXXXX Issue E —. Operator Manual Important safety instructions Do not defeat the safety purpose of the agents of MUSIC Group and have absolutely no CAUTION polarized or grounding-type plug.
A polarized plug authority to bind MUSIC Group by any express or RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK! Has two blades with one wider than the other. VeniceF § 7 Limitation of liability claims quicker and more efficiently.
Thank you for 5. Free inspections and maintenance/repair your cooperation! Work are expressly excluded from this limited This limited warranty is the complete and warranty, in particular, if caused by improper exclusive warranty between you and MUSIC §.
Midas equipment right after you purchase it by visiting www.midasconsoles.com. Registering IMPORTANT! Do not connect or disconnect the FireWire cable to your VeniceF your purchase using our simple online form helps when the console is powered up, as this may result in damage to sensitive us to process your repair claims more quickly and components. VeniceF MUSIC Group IP Ltd.
Introduction. 1 Overview of the VeniceF.1 Key features. Aux.79 VeniceF. Equipment disposal.114 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMPLIANCE INFORMATION.115 VeniceF Operator Manual. Contents VeniceF Operator Manual. The VeniceF is a premium quality, robust, live sound and studio, small format mixing console.
The VeniceF is available in three sizes — F16, F24 and F32 — and there is also a rack mount version (F16R). The incorporation of FireWire®, bridges the gap between.
The VeniceF lets the user route to any of 13 other buses — six auxiliaries (including two monitors), four groups and three masters (stereo left and right, and mono). There are also two matrix buses, which are a submix of the master buses, and three solo buses (two after-fader listen (AFL) and one pre-fader listen (PFL)). “plug-ins” inserted on input channel FireWire send/returns. Key features The VeniceF consoles include the following key features:. Sizes — available in 16, 24 and 32 input channel frame sizes.
![Manual Manual](/uploads/1/2/4/3/124309406/764549461.png)
Midas mic preamps — 16/24/32 overload-tolerant Midas mic preamps (the last eight being on four stereo modules), which accept +32dBu. Playback/record I/Os — input/output sockets for playback and recording. Warranty — standard Midas 3-year warranty. Control surface The surface of the VeniceF can be divided into the following main vertical sections. Control surfaces of the VeniceF consoles showing the three mains areas Item Description See Chapter 5 'Mono Input Channel'. Rear panel Rear panel The VeniceF has a rear panel that houses the following. Rear panels of the VeniceF consoles showing the main areas Item Description See “Master outputs (mono and stereo)” on page 66.
See “Stereo returns” on page 63, “Groups” on page 57, “Matrices” on page 61, “Monitors”. I/Os (left and right). Local monitor outputs. Aux, group, matrix and monitor outputs.
Stereo and mono master inserts and outputs. External connections The following table details all of the external connections on the VeniceF. Connection(s) Description Notes All mic inputs Balanced XLR connectors.
4 group channels 3 master and 2 matrix buses 3 master channels 2 matrix buses 4 aux channels 2 monitor channels 2 matrix channels All channel types can also access the PFL, and AFL (left and right) solo buses. VeniceF Operator Manual. XLR and optional returns or playback FireWire connection (in place of stereo input channel) Mono master bus Bus, input channels, Insert Jack and master group buses, stereo output balanced XLR returns or sum of stereo VeniceF Operator Manual. VeniceF mix matrix About this manual This is the Operator Manual for the VeniceF. Its purpose is to familiarise the user with the VeniceF and show how to install, set up, configure and operate the VeniceF.
This manual uses the following conventions:. Although this manual is based on the VeniceF32 (pictures shown throughout), the information also applies to the F16 and F24 models unless stated otherwise. Service and support We provide superb levels of support and service to give users confidence in Midas products. Chapter 2: Getting Started This chapter shows you how to prepare the VeniceF for operation, which includes:. Installation.
Connecting up. Setting up. Powering up Before installing, setting up or operating this equipment make sure you have read and fully understand all of the “IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS”. Pin 1 connected to the cable screen.
All Jack connector shells should be connected to the cable screen. Audio connections This section gives details of the audio connections of the VeniceF. Table 1: Connector pinouts Connector on rear panel. Connecting up Connecting to balanced/unbalanced equipment The inserts of the VeniceF are unbalanced.
Ideally, you will be connecting the inserts to balanced equipment to help avoid noise problems due to grounding. Input and output sockets on rear of external device. Chapter 2: Getting Started Other connections The section gives details of the other VeniceF interconnections. Description Example Pinouts Example of socket 4-pin, male XLR 1 = N/A chassis connector(s) 2 = N/A on the rear panel for 3 = ground. Setting up There is no initial setting up required for the VeniceF console. However, if you want to use FireWire, you will need to set up your PC first (see Chapter 3 'Using The VeniceF With FireWire' on page 17).
Chapter 2: Getting Started VeniceF Operator Manual. FireWire board hot plugging IMPORTANT!
Do not connect or disconnect the FireWire cable to your VeniceF when the console is powered up, as this may result in damage to sensitive components. Always switch off the console before connecting or disconnecting the FireWire cable! This chapter shows you how to prepare your PC/Mac for using FireWire, how to update the FireWire driver and how to troubleshoot FireWire. Chapter 3: Using The VeniceF With FireWire Do not connect the FireWire cable to the PC before installing the device driver. Important: Before installing the FireWire device driver, we recommend that you make sure it is the latest version by checking the www.midasconsoles.com website. To complete the installation, select the Yes, restart the computer now option and then click Finish.
You must restart your PC before using the VeniceF driver you have just installed. After restarting your PC, proceed to the next step (see “Step B — Connecting the VeniceF to your PC”. The VeniceF must be switched off before the FireWire cable is connected to it. When you use your PC with the VeniceF for the first time after installing the FireWire device driver, you will need to install the VeniceF device software. This is so that your PC will recognise the VeniceF whenever they are connected together. (Recommended) option and then click Next. The wizard will perform a search for the correct driver.
When it has finished, click Next. When the Windows “Logo testing” compatibility window appears, click Continue Anyway. The driver will now be installed. VeniceF Operator Manual. Found New Hardware balloon on your desktop. You are now ready to configure the VeniceF FireWire settings (see Step C below).
Step C — Configuring the FireWire settings for the VeniceF In general, you should be able to use your recording software application on your PC/Mac quite successfully using the default FireWire settings. Sample Rate This drop-down list lets you select the sample rate drop-down list (samples per second) for the VeniceF.
Options are 44.1kHz and 48kHz. Info button Use this button to check the software version of the driver.
(Default = normal.) Venice icon This icon shows you that the PC/Mac recognises the connected device as a VeniceF and that the connection is good. Devices panel This panel shows you what FireWire device(s) are connected to your PC/Mac. “Step A — Installing the device driver on your Mac”. “Step B — Connecting the VeniceF to your Mac”. “Step C — Configuring the FireWire settings for the VeniceF” Step A — Installing the device driver on your Mac Do not connect the FireWire cable to the Mac before installing the device driver. Chapter 3: Using The VeniceF With FireWire On your Mac, navigate to the drivers sections of the website. In the “MidasFW-x.x.x-xxxx-osx” folder, double-click the “MidasFW.dmg” file.
In the disk image file window, double-click the “MidasFW- x.x.x.xxxx.pkg” package file to start the Midas FW driver installer. Summary stage. Click Restart. Your Mac will reboot automatically.
After it has restarted it is ready to use. You must make sure that you Mac has restarted before using the VeniceF driver you have just installed. VeniceF Operator Manual. “Step C — Configuring the FireWire settings for the VeniceF” on page 22. Updating the FireWire driver The latest version of the FireWire driver for the VeniceF will be available on the Midas website (address is on the front cover of this manual). To clear the message, do one of the following:.
Connect the VeniceF to the PC. If the VeniceF is already connected to the PC, check that the connections are good. Overcoming ground loop problems See Appendix E 'Best Grounding Practice' on page 103. Chapter 3: Using The VeniceF With FireWire VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 6 'Dual Stereo Input Channel' on page 43.
Chapter 7 'Output Section' on page 53 Before using FireWire, read Chapter 3 “Using The VeniceF With FireWire”. Ground loop problems In the event of ground loop problems, disconnect the signal screen at one end of the connecting cables.
Chapter 4: Working With The Console VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 5: Mono Input Channel This chapter details the mono input channels (8/16/24) of the VeniceF. It describes the sections of each channel on the control surface and the related connectors on the rear panel. Mono input channels on the control surface (F32 shown) Although the actual number of mono input channels on your VeniceF will depend upon your choice of frame, their function remains the same.
Monitor and aux contributions (see “Monitors” on page 37 and “Auxes” on page 38) Pan and routing (see “Pan, routing, mute and solo” on page 39) 100 mm fader and meter (see “Fader and meter” on page 41) VeniceF Operator Manual. Rear panel Rear panel The VeniceF channel inputs are located on the rear panel of the console and each channel comprises the following. Mono input channel connectors Item Description insert connector Insert point on a single 1/4” TRS Jack socket. This is unbalanced and requires a conventionally-wired insert lead. The power switch applies 48 volts of phantom power to the microphone input. This is used to power condenser microphones, direct inject boxes and other devices that require phantom power. The 48V LED illuminates to show that phantom power is on.
VeniceF Operator Manual. This section lets you select the channel input source as mic/line (analogue) or FireWire (digital) and select the FireWire output signal as pre-EQ or post-EQ. For more information on FireWire, see Chapter 3 'Using The VeniceF With FireWire' on page 17. FireWire section of the mono input channels. Chapter 5: Mono Input Channel Each mono input channel of the VeniceF has a four-band, swept EQ, allowing tonal control over the input signal. EQ section of the mono input channels Item Description Treble gain/freq control knob This dual-concentric control knob adjusts the gain/frequency of the treble EQ:.
(see “Monitors” on page 64). Either monitor send can be sourced pre-fader globally using the pre switch in the output section (see “Monitors” on page 64). VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 5: Mono Input Channel Auxes The VeniceF has four aux sends per input channel, which can be used for effects sends, monitors or as extra assignable outputs from the console. Each aux has a control knob that gives continuous adjustment of the level sent from the input channel to the aux buses, in the range (infinity/off) to +6dB. Pan, routing, mute and solo Pan, routing, mute and solo The VeniceF is a flexible mixing console with four group buses plus stereo and mono.
Groups and solo sections of the mono input channels Item Description Group switches Each group switch routes the channel signal to its associated group bus (as described later in this section). This selection, however, is on a channel-by-channel basis and so some may be assigned to the groups as mono or as stereo, depending upon the desired usage.
For example: Application Configuration Reason Submix Stereo Submix of drum kit. Submix Mono Vocals with inserted compressor (multiple vocals feed the same compressor). VeniceF Operator Manual. Fader and meter Fader and meter The VeniceF has a 100 mm fader and a four-LED signal meter per mono input channel. Fader section of the mono input channels Item Description LED meter These four LEDs comprise the input channel meter, which lets you monitor the input signal without having to use the PFL.
Chapter 5: Mono Input Channel VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 6: Dual Stereo Input Channel This chapter details the dual stereo input channels of the VeniceF. It describes the sections of each dual stereo channel on the control surface and the related connectors on the rear panel. Dual stereo input channels on the control surface All types of VeniceF have four pairs of dual stereo input channels. Chapter 6: Dual Stereo Input Channel Overview of the dual stereo input channel The VeniceF dual stereo channel (shown right) is equipped with two XLR inputs, which are used for mic/line level signals up to +32dBu. Two 1/4” TRS Jack sockets provide inputs for line level signals that require protection against accidental 48-volt connection.
Rear panel Rear panel The VeniceF channel inputs are located on the rear panel of the console. Dual stereo input channel connectors Item Description line in left Line in on a single, balanced 1/4” TRS Jack socket. Line in right Line in on a single, balanced 1/4”.
(see “FireWire” on page 35). In addition, this section has an orange firewire out LED that shows you whether or not the FireWire signal is sourced from the local dual stereo input channel (see “FireWire” on page 58). FireWire section of the dual stereo input channels VeniceF Operator Manual. Note: The all stereo line to masters MUTE switch (see “Master outputs (mono and stereo)” on page 66) is a global mute for any stereo line inputs routed directly to masters.
VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 6: Dual Stereo Input Channel Each dual stereo input channel of the VeniceF has a four-band, fixed EQ (treble and bass shelving EQ and hi and lo mid EQ stages), allowing tonal control over the input signal. EQ section of the dual stereo input channels. For more information, see “Auxes” on page 38. Note: Stereo left and right channel signals are summed into a mono signal to be routed to the aux buses by the channel aux sends.
Aux sections of the dual stereo input channels VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 6: Dual Stereo Input Channel Pan, routing, mute and solo The VeniceF is a flexible mixing console with four group buses plus stereo and mono.
Group and solo sections of the dual stereo input channels Item Description Group switches Each of these four group switches routes its channel signal to its associated group bus (see “Group sends”. This selection is on a channel-by-channel basis and, therefore, some may be assigned to the groups as mono or as stereo depending upon the desired usage. This is especially useful if the stereo input is to be used as a mono input. VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 6: Dual Stereo Input Channel Fader and meter The VeniceF fader section has the following functions.
Fader section of the dual stereo input channels Item Description LED meter These LEDs comprise the dual stereo input channel meter, which lets you monitor the input signal without having to use the PFL. The meter will display the higher of the two signals (left or right). Chapter 7: Output Section This chapter deals with the output section of the VeniceF.
It describes the control surface and the related connectors on the rear panel. Output section of the control surface The output section comprises the following main areas:.
Chapter 7: Output Section Rear panel The main outputs of the VeniceF are located on the rear of the console. Output connections on rear panel VeniceF Operator Manual. See “Master outputs (mono and stereo)” on page 66. See “Signal generator and talkback” on page 68.
See “Playback and recording” on page 69. See “Local monitor and phones” on page 70. See “Master outputs (mono and stereo)” on page 66.
VeniceF Operator Manual. Group-aux changeover The VeniceF can be used as a front of house (FOH) console or monitor console.
Monitor engineers tend to prefer the output faders on their console to operate the aux outputs (for monitors), whereas FOH engineers would rather use their output faders for groups (either for sub mixes or alternative outputs). FireWire output is available for the groups by the overriding dual stereo input channels.
For more information, see “FireWire” on page 58. Each group output has fader level adjustment and metering. Group output sections on the control surface VeniceF Operator Manual.
The output section on the control surface has a firewire output select section that lets you replace the FireWire outputs of the dual stereo input channels, and route output buses to the FireWire interface instead. VeniceF Operator Manual. The buttons in the firewire output select section override their respective stereo channel FireWire output. (Although the above example uses a VeniceF32, this applies to the equivalent stereo channels on all VeniceF consoles.) Stereo input channel 25-26 can be overridden by auxes 1 and 2 or groups 1 and 2.
(if pressed). With group 1-2 firewire overriding the stereo channel, pressing the left button has no effect. Using the override buttons in the firewire output select section.
The example uses stereo channel 25-26 of an F32 console. VeniceF Operator Manual.
For more information, see “FireWire” on page 58. The VeniceF provides another two outputs from the console, which can be contributions from a combination of the console’s other outputs. The matrix signal can be made from a combination of the group bus signals and mono, left and right master signals.
SOLO switch and yellow LED The SOLO switch routes the matrix signal to the mono PFL bus and stereo AFL buses. The solo LED illuminates to show when solo is on.
Matrix 1 and matrix 2 switches Meter changeover switches (from group). VeniceF Operator Manual. Routes each stereo return to the stereo master channel. Monitor 1 and monitor 2 control knob Adjusts the contribution to the monitor 1 and 2 buses (pre-fade or post-fade mono sum) from (infinity/ off) to +6dB. VeniceF Operator Manual.
Monitor switch This is the meter changeover switch (from group). Pre switch This is the bus master pre-fader switch. Monitor 1 control knob This output level control gives continuous adjustment of the monitor output signal from +10dB to (infinity/off). VeniceF Operator Manual. SOLO switch and yellow LED The SOLO switch routes the aux send signal to the mono PFL bus and stereo AFL buses. The solo LED illuminates to show when solo is on. VeniceF Operator Manual.
This includes EQ, but excludes pan. Master outputs (mono and stereo) There is an output connector and insert connector on the rear panel for each of the mono, left and right master channels. Master outputs on the rear panel VeniceF Operator Manual.
PFL mono and AFL stereo buses. The LED for each solo switch illuminates when its solo is on. Master solo will be overridden by any other channel/mix solos. Faders These master output faders adjust the output levels, which are continuously variable from (infinity/off) to +10dB. VeniceF Operator Manual. (post-fader). Signal generator and talkback The VeniceF provides a 1kHz signal generator and a talkback mic that can be routed to a number of the console’s outputs.
1kHz generator and talk mic sections on the control surface. Item Description playback to masters control knob The level of the input is continuously variable from (infinity/off) to +10dB (the nominal level is referenced to -10dB). VeniceF Operator Manual. Description phones control knob Adjusts the headphones level, which is continuously variable from (infinity/off) to +10dB. MUTE switch and red LED The MUTE switch mutes the headphone signal. The LED is illuminated when the switch is on. VeniceF Operator Manual.
They accept 4-pin female XLR connectors. The power rating of 5W is the maximum rating per output and must not be exceeded. Position of the lamp sockets on a VeniceF32.
The F24 also has two sockets, while the F16 has only one. VeniceF Operator Manual. Chapter 7: Output Section VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams This chapter contains the VeniceF signal path diagrams. VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Overview VeniceF Operator Manual.
Mono input module Mono input module VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Stereo input module VeniceF Operator Manual. Stereo return Stereo return VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Group VeniceF Operator Manual. VeniceF Operator Manual.
Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Monitor VeniceF Operator Manual. Stereo master Stereo master VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Mono master VeniceF Operator Manual. Matrix Matrix VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams Solo and comms VeniceF Operator Manual. Digital Digital VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix A: Functional Block Diagrams VeniceF Operator Manual.
Appendix B: Technical Specification This appendix provides the full technical specification for the VeniceF series of mixing consoles. Due to a policy of continual improvement, Midas reserves the right to alter the function or specification at any time without notice. Appendix B: Technical Specification Table 4: VeniceF performance specifications Input impedance 2k balanced Line 10k balanced Input gain Continuously variable from 10dB to 60dB Line mono channel Continuously variable from 0dB to 50dB Line stereo channel Continuously variable from minus infinity to +20dB. Lo mid bell 15dB boost/cut control at 300Hz (1.4 Oct) Bass shelf 15dB boost/cut control at 75Hz Dimensions This section gives details of the external dimensions of the VeniceF series consoles. Table 5: VeniceF technical specifications Item F16R Size (mm/inch) Width 600/23.6 482/19.0. Appendix B: Technical Specification (0.6”) 7° (7.2”) (1.1”) 30° 30° 670 (26.4”) (2.0”) External dimensions of the F16, F24 and F32 consoles VeniceF Operator Manual.
Dimensions 482 (19.0”) 238 (9.4”) 465 (18.3”) 167 (6.6”) External dimensions of the F16R rack mount console VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix B: Technical Specification VeniceF Operator Manual. Gain The VeniceF has two types of input channel — mono and dual stereo — both of which also have microphone inputs. Gain is provided on these channels to allow the operator to obtain the optimal signal for the system:. However, there are still sources of potential problems. The VeniceF is able to operate at levels up to +21dBu on both the insert send and return.
If the maximum input level of the compressor was less than +21dBu, it is possible to overload the input of the compressor. Unity gain is a gain of 1, that is, no gain or attenuation is applied to a signal. If a signal entered a mono line level input of the VeniceF at 0dBu and the gain was set to +10dB (an internal 10dB attenuation sets the net gain to 0dB), then the signal was routed to each output at 0dB, the channel fader was set to 0dB and each output fader was set to 0dB, the output should be 0dBu (or unity). Routing The flexible routing of the VeniceF allows the console to operate as both a FOH and monitor console, or as a combination of both. For operators that haven’t got a great deal of experience, here are a few helpful guidelines.
Submixes could be used by connecting the aux output sockets on the rear of the console to four unused stereo input channels and routed to the left and right master buses. VeniceF Operator Manual.
Appendix C: Application Notes VeniceF Operator Manual. This appendix provides you with a template each for the mono and dual stereo input channels. These will help you keep a record of your most important settings and make notes. If necessary, you can make copies of these pages if you need more records. VeniceF Operator Manual.
Appendix D: Crib Sheets Mono input channels Notes: VeniceF Operator Manual. Dual stereo input channels Dual stereo input channels Notes: VeniceF Operator Manual. Appendix D: Crib Sheets VeniceF Operator Manual.
Safety first The VeniceF is classified as a class 1 device and as such there is a safety requirement for the power cable to provide an earth connection to the console. The FireWire connection on the VeniceF is an example of this.
The high speed nature of the connection necessitates a good screen ground to bond the computer to the VeniceF. Noise sources Laptop PC/Mac FireWire connection Broken ground Isolation loop barrier Midas VeniceF console Power supply unit (PSU) with internal isolation Power connection Power connection Power distribution unit (PDU) Isolated FireWire computer system. Note how the isolation barrier breaks the ground loop. Appendix E: Best Grounding Practice Noise solutions The grounding on the VeniceF is very robust and often such ground loop induced noises are negligible, but to get the very best out of your console, and especially out of any less robust equipment within the overall system, some consideration should be given to good grounding practice as follows:. Balanced connections Audio connection GEQ (for example, Square Midas VeniceF ONE Graphic) Small loop area console Power connection Power connection Power distribution unit (PDU) Loop area diagram showing a small loop area Balanced connections Balanced connections are generally immune to ground loops because the grounded screen conductor is not used as a reference for the signal conductors. 32 channels at 50nF will equate to 1,600nF). It is probably better to use 10nF for this kind of multiple connection, so that the overall value only grows to 160nF.
Source Destination Screen Chassis Chassis Screen termination diagram showing screen broken at destination VeniceF Operator Manual. 1/4” TRS Jack connector. To save space and cost, as is typical for consoles at this point in the market, all inserts on the VeniceF are unbalanced, with send and return on the same jack.
When VeniceF. Some experimentation may be needed. Source Destination Screen Earth lift switch Chassis Chassis Ground lift connection on destination Source Destination Screen Earth lift switch Chassis Chassis Ground lift connection on source VeniceF Operator Manual. So, if the impedance can be zero there will be no noise. This is difficult to achieve, but ground bonding the external equipment rack to the chassis of the VeniceF will have a similar effect and will significantly reduce noise in unbalanced connections between the two locations. Appendix E: Best Grounding Practice Laptop PC/Mac FireWire connection Audio connection Bond 19” rack Midas VeniceF console Power supply unit (PSU) without internal Power connection isolation barrier Power connection Power connection Power connection Power distribution unit (PDU) Diagram showing the bond connection between console and 19” rack. This appendix give details of how to look after your VeniceF.
Routine maintenance To help keep your VeniceF unit in good working order and to make sure it gives you optimum performance, we recommend that you carry out the following about once every month. WEEE as unsorted municipal waste but collect and dispose of in accordance with local WEEE legislation.
The horizontal bar underneath indicates that the product was placed on the EU market after 13th August 2005. For WEEE disposal; see our website at www.midasconsoles.com for information. VeniceF Operator Manual. Operator Manual FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMPLIANCE INFORMATION MUSIC Group Research UK Limited VeniceF16/VeniceF16R/ VeniceF24/VeniceF32 Responsible party name: MUSIC Group Research UK Limited Address: Klark Industrial Park, Walter Nash Road, Kidderminster. Phone/Fax No: Phone: +44 1562 741515 Fax: +44 1562 745371 VeniceF16/VeniceF16R/VeniceF24/VeniceF32 complies with the FCC rules as mentioned in the following paragraph. VeniceF MUSIC Group IP Ltd. Thank you for reading through this Operator Manual.
We hope you found it useful. Please feel free to send us your comments.
Our contact details and website address can be found at the front of this document. MUSIC Group Research UK Limited Klark Industrial Park, Walter Nash Road, Kidderminster. Tel: +44 1562 741515, Fax: +44 1562 745371 Email: [email protected] Website: www.midasconsoles.com.
. Fly Eagle Jet Model Factory Page 1 of 8 Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software For evaluation only. Www.flyeaglejet.com Home About us Contacts Guestbook Flyeaglejet ARF F-16 (1:5 1/2 ) Instruction Manuals Remember 5/15/2009. Fly Eagle Jet Model Factory Page 2 of 8 Generated by Foxit PDF Creator © Foxit Software For evaluation only. (01) (02) (03) (04) 5/15/2009.
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. Assembly manual Dear Customer, Welcome to the Nacra family. We wish to thank you that you choose for Nacra Sailing. It’s our constant endeavour to provide you with products that offer excellent performance throughout their ownerships period.
Which is why, in addition to producing great catama- rans, we have also set up an extensive dealer network around the world. For assembling your catamaran the right way and for technical support a clear assembly manual is needed. In the Nacra racing assembly manual you can find everything you need for; building your Nacra from out of the box, rigging your Nacra, setting the sails and for further back-up information about assambling your Nacra.
Table of content 0. Platform assembly.8 1.1 Hull assembly.8 1.2 Front crossbar pre-bend. 9 1.3 Trampoline.10 1.4 Trapeze shockcord.11 1.5 Righting line.11 1.6 Mast rotation.12 1.7 Spihalyard blocks. Setting the sails.32 5.1 Spinnaker. 32 5.2 Raising the jib.33 5.3 Lowering the jib.33 5.4 Battens.34 5.5 Raising the mainsail.35 5.6 Lowering the mainsail.36 6. Parts.38 6.1 arrival of parts.
5/16 hex Wrench 7/16 2x Wrench 9/16 Wrench 17 mm Wrench 22 mm Allen tool 3mm Flat Screwdriver Philips screwdriver long nose Plier Pump Plier “Loose” tension gauge: fixed Grease: watertight + lithium based NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Handtight all the bolts before putting tension on them. After hand tightening the bolts, use a torque wrench to tighten the beambolts to 30 Nm maximum.
Do not exceed the recommended 30 Nm, over tightening the bolts results in damaged threads. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Measure 15mm from top crossbar to underside nut screw the nut under the crossbar until both nuts are tightend. When the mastpin starts to twist, fixade it with the pump plier wrench. Protect the mastpin from wearing!
NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Make a loop with the side go back two spanner bands hitch nut at the back of the lacing line at the last and take the lacing line pre last spanner. Through te loop NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Tie one end of the rightning line on the mastpin under the front crossbar, then go through the eye in the middle of the trampoline. Tie a knot at the top of the trampoline en put the remaining line in the pocket. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
Mount a 29mm carbo block with the trampoline block tie. Make sure you do two loops! 1.8 Spinnaker blocks Attach the 57 mm carbo ratchmatic single spinnakerblocks on the strap eyes on the hull.
Tie the spinnakerblock shockcord between the spinnakerblocks. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
V-bar to exit. Tie a loop in guided by a 29mm carbo block attached on the the shockcord. This loop will be used to staymaster.
Tie onto the middle of the spinsheet. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Adjust the diamondwires on the diamondwire Bend the diamond wire tang away tang with the two clevis pins 1/4 x 1/2 from the from the mast spreader attachment rigbox kit. The ring must be on the outside! Tape the Ring! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
Use vulkanizing tape to tape the spreader ends and the pins and rings Protect your sails, make sure no sharp wire ends are sticking out! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Measure the spreaderrake by putting a batten on the diamond stays next to the spreaders.
Measure to the back of the rail You can easily change the spreader rake by unleashing the tension on the diamonds and adjusting the spreader tip. For specified tuning settings, check the trimsheets on www.nacrasailing.com NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Then through both eyes of the main halyard swifel and guide the line towards the Tape the ring!
Mastbase, using a small screwdriver Make sure the line goes through both eyes of the main halyard swivel! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Unscrew the wire-end of the staymaster and Tape the monel wire piece using the vulcani- mount it to the fork terminal of the shroud. Use the clevis pins 1/4x5/8. Check for sharp edges and tape if necessary! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Both ends go through the ring at the forestay check if the ring is located at the mastside.
Adjust one end with a bowline at the eyelet of the S-hook. The other end is adjusted with a figure-8 knot using the small hole NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. 2.9 Cunningham system Take the 1:16 cunningham kit and tie the d12 5mm line to the 16 mm double blocks. Loop the cunninghamline through the blocks as shown on the drawing.
NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Finally check the bolt of the eye screw of the lower casting. The bolt must be fixed by putting the nut on tension. Use a 9/16 wrench. This bolt is also used to ad- just the rudder rake. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
Attach the adjustable trapeze to the trapeze wires. Check page.how to assemble the sys- tem. Tie the adjustable trapeze wire to the trapeze shockcords. Check if the shrouds and trapeze wires are in the right order before raising the mast!! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
CAUTION: Check for overhead wires and be sure the area behind the boat is clear of people! A mast which comes in contact with electrical power lines can cause serious injury or death. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
CAUTION: Check for overhead wires and be sure the area behind the boat is clear of people! A mast which comes in contact with electrical power lines can cause serious injury or death. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. CAUTION: Check for overhead wires and be sure the area behind the boat is clear of people! A mast which comes in contact with electrical power lines can cause serious injury or death. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
Unscrew the hexscrew out of the spi- pole Slide the snufferbag into the slot of the snuffer ring Screw the snufferring handtight on the spi- pole,attach the snufferbag on the spipole using the velcro band. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
The line goes in the slot on the front of the snuffer ring Tie the spipole bridle line in front of the spipole outholder. Tie the other end to the rings at both bridle wires. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Tie the end of the jibsheet small to the 16mm Feed the track travellerline of the jib block already attached at the jibsheet big. Through the cleat mounted on the spi- pole to range the track.
NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Then go back through the same grommet. Use the cleat on the other side and tie the end of the line to the staymaster. Tie the end of the quick release line to the boombale NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. 4.10 spinsheet Tie the shockcord located in front of the Go through the spiblocks as shown on the picture. V-bar to the middle of the spinsheet.
Make sure the arrows of the rathmatic are inboard! NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. 4.11 MAINSHEET 1:10 NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
3rd patch Follow the foot of the sail back to the clew. Here you can attach both ends of the sheet the spinsheet. Make sure the sheets are in front of the forestay NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. To lower the jib release the jibdownhall and the jibsheet small.
Lift Raise the jib a bit and pull on the other line, while keeping tension on both lines, in order to unlock the S-hook of the ring NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Push the batten forward for tension, tie the overhand knot at the same time. Just get rid of the wrinkles in the sail Finish tying with a square knot and tuck the loo- se ends in the batten pocket. NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Lift the mailsail with the mainhalyard slot of the mast Lift the mainsail until you reach the masthook. Gently pull down to lock the mainhalyard ring in the masthook. Slide the foot of the sail in the mastslot.
NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Gently lower the mainsail and roll the the mainsail starting at the foot of the sail.
Prevent the sail from folding! Always roll your mainsail top down with the topbatten taken out NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Parts 6.1 Arrival of parts Reference quantity Description Hull port 12058P 12059P 12048-2P 12051P Hull strbd 12059S 12059S 12048-2S 12051S Spipole complete w/o ring: in hullbox 2 5 Mast 9 31185 Hardwarebox 7 5 Front crossbar complete 7.
6.2 RIgbox Reference Description quantity Kit crossbar 0 0 Kit misc 0 2 Kit spreader attachment 4 4 Kit diamond adjuster small 6 6 Cunningham system 1:16 1 1 Riggingset 5 40502. 30360 Crossbar bolt rear 30361 Washer ss rear crossbar 31114 Fiberglass washer 31113 Allen tool size 5/16 31456 NACRA grease 4 Rigbox Kit spreader attachment discription reference quantity spreader bar screw fine 30337 clevis pin 3/16 x 5/8 WL.
6.4 misc kit discription reference quantity Daggerboard holder wide (spare) 31590 Screw 4.2x25mm (spare) 31463 Staymaster 1/8” 30372 Clevis pin 1/4 x 5/8 WL (staymaster) 31077 Clevis pin 1/4 x 1/2 WL (bridle) 30524 Clevis pin 3/16 x 3/8 WL (spibridle) 30488 Clevis pin 3/16 x 5/8 WL. 6.5 Riggingset Reference quantity Description forestay 31728-2 8-2 31147-2 shroud 31581-2 6-2 31146-2 trapeze wire double 2 1 diamond wire 3 4 bridle wire 7 8 NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975. Trapeze block black 30692 Trapeze ring race 30681 Trapeze stop 30938 Line package adjustable trapeze 31713 option can’t miss discription reference quantity Trapeze ring can’t miss 30333 Trapeze height adjuster 30695 Line package standard trapeze 31712 NACRA EMPOWERING SAILORS SINS 1975.
So while I have to two 1/2256 commission builds on my desk, they are at a stage that requires using either my Dremel for routing and sanding or a small power sander to smooth down the putty. Since I use both of those tools with a shop vac running, it makes a lot of noiseand my downstairs neighbor doesn’t like noise. At least that type of noise in the evening. I’ve been getting home too late during the week to do this power tool work so I’ll have to do a bunch of it this coming Friday morning/early afternoon. In the downtime my itch to BUILD has been strongI find myself daydreaming of getting down and dirty with a kit.
There are a few selections in my inventory that have all the aftermarket components collected and I narrowed it down to two: Eduard’s 1/48 MiG-21MF in Egyptian markings or Tamiya’s 1/48 F-16C/N Aggressor/Adversary. I presented the choices to my fiance as “Alaska” or “Egypt” and thus this build choice was made. She liked the colors better.
I'll be using Eduard's cockpit and external PE set, masks and undercarriage PE set as well as Voyager's pitot and angle of attack set and Voyager's reinforcement plates. As with any aircraft, the starting point is the cockpit.
While the detailing on the kits parts is really nice, it had to be removed to make room for the Eduard PE, which has far better detailing when taking my hand painting out of the equation! I found that Testors Acryl Haze Gray 1/2 is a 90% match to the color of the PE parts so the tub and the fuselage interior was painted with that. The exterior rim that the canopy will sit on is black. I also figured I’d paint up the seat and dashboard before adding the other PE bitsthe unfinished bits add a nice little touch of variation for me.
Being able to see the details is important at this scale! The pilot was also slightly modified to fit in the seat with hands actually IN USE! The armpits were sanded at angles so the hands could rest on the controls and the gaps were filled with Elmer’s.
The air hose also had to be heated and bent to match the angle of the turned head. Oh, and I decided to do this one as a display on the tarmac so there’s a nice big wooden base! Eduard’s undercarriage PE is also en route for super detailing the gearalso pardon the lower-quality pics.
I left my camera’s memory card at work so I had to use my cell phone. Better pics to come later. I had a nice quiet night last night hunched over my bench finishing up the details on the cockpit. The instrument panel and hood were completed and the Eduard set was utilized to it’s fullest extent. There was a little trouble with the panels little side “hooks” not fitting properly in the bucket so some filing was needed.
Other than that it went together beautifully. I even added a little drop of clear green the HUD and Future coated the reflector so the green reflects! The ejector seat was also finished up with all the color PE bits and pieces, which were added after the main painting was done. A wash of MiG’s dark and a coat of flat were the last touches. I even got a little bit further on the pilot. Yes, he looks a little glossy now but he’ll get a flat coat and some wash, too. I might have to heat the legs and push them a little closer because otherwise he has a tough time being added into the cockpit once the seat is there (I want him to be removable).
Navy F 16 Aggressor
The main gear bay was a breeze to assemble and fit right into place on the lower fuselage. I added the cockpit parts to the upper fuselage as opposed to the instruction’s lower fuselage attachment. There was a.tiny. alignment issue getting the nose section to sit flush with the wing section, but some clamps made sure the seam was nice and smooth.
The less putty this fucker needs the better. As a final touch this morning before work I glued the top and bottom together and once again the fit was damn near perfect.
There is a little need for putty towards the tail but since there isn’t riveting or paneling detail it shouldn’t be a problem. A little more progress. I ended up ordering Eduard’s undercarriage PE set so when that gets in it’ll be smooth sailing. I added all the rest of the PE I wanted to, masked up the canopy and cockpit, got all the wings and pylons on and finished up the armaments.
It’ll be a unique setup with a couple ECM pod thingies. Cannon detail, invisible after assembly intake assembly was a bit fidgety and some seams had to be sanded had to tape it down so it didnt pop back out before the glue set. Lower stab + details vert stab in place reinforcement PE custom armament array getting ready for primer! Been slowly but steadily working on the final layers of paint.
Unfortunately when I pulled the masking off after the black layer some of the PE bits came up along with some smaller areas of paint. I had to go back in by hand and add some color.
There are a couple of areas where the brushstrokes are apparent but they are more or less hidden from the standard views. That and the weathering and top coats help to ‘distract’ a little bit. After the touch-ups I went ahead and detailed the wheel bays. While I love the extra detailing and the color PE wires and suchthey were a BIG headache. A few sprung out and got lost amongst the bench clutter and then some were just omitted. The bands that wrap around the actual struts were the most challenging so they were “simplified”.
The effect is still there, enough for me anyhow. Future was applied in a couple of coats to prep for decals, the decals themselves went on super-easily, then some more Future, THEN the load-out, then the flat coat.
Weathering is under way, beginning with a wash of MiG’s cool gray on the lighter areas with the Winter wash on the black. I think it will be a nice, subtle effect when all is said and done.
I’ll add a little bit of scoring and streaking here and there to button it up. Lastly, the base is a cardboard tarmac image on a wooden base, but it was pretty bland so I’ll be doing a nice little snow build-up using Tamiya’s flat base, peanuts and Woodland Scenics snow scene set. I used a little bit of plastic to give the 'shoveled' effect but I don't know if I'll keep it. Oh, and the canopy.
Created on 2005-02-04 Title: F-16 Aggressor: Review By: Gavin Bennet Date: 1999- Flashback: Hard Copy: What is a consumer military flight simulation? It's an important question. Many assume that military flight simulations are stripped down civilian versions of the multi-million dollar military rigs. Others think that military flight sims are hi-tech fantasy games.
I think a suitable definition would be this: a military flight simulation is a game which attempts to simulate, to a degree, the experience of a pilot flying in a war. This means that the war is as important as the aircraft and the experience must be believable, and it raises many questions about the subject matter at hand, F-16 Aggressor by Virgin Interactive. I have had a strange whirlwind affair with F-16 Aggressor and my feelings about it have waxed and waned.
I feel I must share them with you because they are closely related to the game's performance. Friday: 19:30.
Test Machine:. AMD 3dnow, 333Mhz,. 17 inch monitor,. No 3d accelerator.
32 Megs RAM I wanted to buy a new joystick today, so why, instead of a brand new HOTAS or parts thereof, do I have a new game instead? I mean, I don't need a new game; I cannot afford a new game; I don't have the disk space for a new game. But here, in my sweaty hands, is Virgin Interactive's latest addition to the flight-sim genre: F-16 Aggressor. As of this moment, 20:21 GMT, I have tried to test it on the following system: AMD 2 333, 32 megs of RAM, a 4 meg SiS (so they claim) D3D card. It crashed, but this system may be garbage. So here I am, in Isaac's Hostel on Gardiner Street in Dublin, contenting myself watching the guys in here chatting up cute chicks.
The offending and crashed computer is being formatted. The CD-jukebox in the corner is playing The Doors, Bob Marley and the Beach boys. The atmosphere in the Interpoint Cyber Cafe here in Isaac's Hostel is relaxed and pleasant and all is right with the world. It WAS relaxed and pleasant. Some tosser has put Wham! On the stereo singing, 'Last Christmas' So, with a heavy heart, I turn back to this discussion of the game. Opening the game box, I had the first positive experience of the day.
The smells from the box trigger memories, and this smell was from the printed paper of the manual. It reminded me of opening new Star Wars toys when I was a kid. The manual for Aggressor is thin, and in presentation is like the manual presented to us by Innerloop's Joint Strike Fighter.
In many ways it's a slightly plainer version, but in other ways it's very similar. Oasis is on the stereo now, somewhat of an improvement. But only somewhat. The F-16 Aggressor box has one glaring omission: no key command card. This is a very odd thing NOT to have.
This may actually aggravate discussions on USENET: 'I don't have a keycard.' 'Pirating scumbag,' comes the cry from certain self-righteous persons.
Well, F-15's first British edition didn't have a keycard either, and some copies of F-22 ADF similarly lacked a manual (hint: look at the help file). Well, okay, this is the first British edition, and there will obviously be things to work out, but no key card is annoying. Granted, there aren't many keys to learn here, about three pages worth. But the binding on the manual means you cannot keep it open on your lap while you navigate around the training missions, something you can do with a manual like that supplied with Falcon 4. The offending computer has been re-formatted and is now net-worthy. Let us proceed.
It is very cool having any of 8 computers to play with here. Now all they need is a better IPX inter-connection and maybe a Voodoo card each and a decent joystick and. You get the picture. Back to the manual. It has a wee story in it. Now wee stories and flight sim manuals are the sort of thing that should be kept apart, I fear, unless written by someone with the abilities of Larry Bond.
When such stories do appear in manuals, they should have Jane's understanding of a warzone. Shader model 3.0. In those circumstances, prose stories can be used to put a human face on the conflict.
But something leaps out at even an Irish twerp like me. The first line in one of these prose stories starts thus: 'The F-16 took off from the USS Kitty Hawk.' F16's do NOT sortie from aircraft carriers. Virgin Interactive?
Right now, before the US manual goes to the printer, it's an F/A-18E, okay? Use find and replace, sort it out. The storyline concerns a pilot (your alterego named 'Reyas'), a former USAF colonel who bombed a nasty drug-lord's house, on orders from the United Nation's replacement organization, the GUD. GUD stands for the Global Union of Democracies. This is the UN, most likely, purged of such annoyances as China and Russia.
We assume the UN had to be replaced by - let's call it the United Something. Short form: U.S. This business with the Falcon (soon to be F18) taking off from the carrier is to establish continuity. It would also explain why a USAF colonel needs to fly training missions? Think about it. The game is up and running now, but it's like a slideshow.
And I don't mean the USENET definition of a slide show (less than 15 FPS on 1024x768 with all details turned up), but literally less than 1 FPS. Reducing the detail gives you - maybe 2, or 3 FPS. It might have been the Isaac's Hostel generic computer, though. Time to go home. Saturday Morning, 3 AM. Test Machine:. P350.
128Megs of RAM. Guillemot Phoenix Banshee. 14 inch monitor,. Sidewinder 3d pro Home again, jiggety jig. My old 14' monitor is crap, my hard disk space is waaay too low, so F-16 is giving Israeli Air Force the boot for the time being. I install F-16 Aggressor in D3D mode, at 800x600, with all options turned up and details turned on.
It only allows D3D mode. My crappy monitor will not go any higher than 800x600, so bear this in mind. Right, into a single mission. Pull a few loops and fling my aircraft around the place, and it flies smoothly, but uninspiring, and not very convincing.
I play the training missions. I try landing. I am now fairly good at landing in Falcon 4, but landing in general is my main weakness in sims.
I approach the runway, I do everything right. I land, safe and intact. Something odd there. As I said, landing is my weakness and this is my first attempt. I try again, put the gear down, aim in the direction of the runway, and I land. It's like that. It's easier to land in F-16 Aggressor than in IAF, and it's a lot easier than in Fighter's Anthology, or Total Air War.
I run all the training missions, then run the intercept mission. The idea is to learn the 'complex' radar modes and shoot down a nasty enemy MiG-19. Complex radar modes? There are only three, compared to the fourteen or so in Falcon 4. First, a JTIDS scope, which is modeled like a 360 degree radar.
Forgive me, but doesn't JTIDS need something cool like an AWACS and friendly aircraft and Patriot batteries in the region to complement the picture? Modes two and three are an air-to-air radar and an air-to-ground radar, respectively. When I call up air-to-air I have great difficulty locking on, but that's because I am tired and the bastard MiG-19 won't stay still.
And nowhere can I find a padlock mode. Let's talk about the cockpit.
If you are familiar with the 3d cockpit in Falcon 4, this is like that, only brighter, and more pleasing to the eye. Using your coolie hat, (on this test machine, overly responsive, it takes a lot of practice to point your view where you want it) you can look around your cockpit and see the radar working, etc., just like the Falcon 4 cockpit. Oh, and the joystick and throttle move in the cockpit when you move your HOTAS, which I thought was cool. Your feet, however, don't move when you play with the rudder. The HUD is green by default. I found myself aiming the jet at the ground to provide a contrast to reading the data in the HUD.
Then I discovered that you can indeed change the color. The sounds are interesting. There are two noticeable sounds when you are flying: a weird whistle, and another sound like someone drunkenly whacking a tambourine every so often. No, I don't know why. If I find out, you will be the first to know. Interestingly, there is little external sound transmitted to the cockpit, and from outside the engine makes a noise not unlike Novalogic's F-16 engine. Could this be a realistic feature, I wonder?
Firing weapons is a bit hairy. The weapons only launch in certain constraints: your sidewinder will only fire if there is a welcoming baddie tailpipe nearby, and the bombs only seem to drop if there is something to drop them on. At least the missiles curve nicely when arcing towards a target. Before going to bed, in a fit of pique, I post the following on USENET: I wanted to like this game. I really did. I was going to buy a HOTAS, or a part thereof this afternoon with my ill-gotten gains.
After traipsing through every stinking computer game shop in Dublin, the best I could find was a CH Products 'Janes' Fighter Stick for roughly $90 dollars. But I digress. Maybe it's my machine. Maybe it's too fast (at 800x600) to execute the flight model properly. If I had a better monitor, I could run it at 1024x768, and maybe then it would run with a degree of equilibrium, but for now. Try and land this thing, all you F4 whiners.
Aim for the runway, put your gear down, land. And that's it.
The cockpit is eccentric, and kind of cool. But the coolie hat zips around it too fast to be of any use. The views are odd. The game reminds me a lot of a weird hybrid of Fighter's Anthology, F-16 MRF and Joint Strike Fighter. The graphics on the ground are REALLY bright. Virgin claims a super realistic flight model.
I really don't think so. I have been spoiled by Falcon 4. At least in the case of F4 we have current and experienced F16 pilots who verify that the model is very accurate. I removed IAF from my hard drive for THIS?
Calm down, Gavin, calm. The box looks great though. I uninstalled F-16, reinstalled IAF, and went to bed.
Saturday 1800hrs GMT. Test Machine:. Cyrix 686 200MX. Guillemot Banshee. 64 Megs of RAM My best friend bought me Falcon 4 for Christmas, and I all I got him was a lousy book. So, I feel an urge to give him F-16 Aggressor heeheheheh. But really, I want to see it on his machine.
After much messing about, such as playing Falcon 4, and certain Rally game simulations, we install F-16 Aggressor, and then I run a mission while we try and make a dead joystick work. And what can I say? You see, my machine at 8x6 was too fast to run F-16 Aggressor's flight model. Play it on a slower machine, with an FPS of roughly 15-25 frames per second, and then you see what the fuss is about.
Unlike Falcon 4, this flight model feels very touchy, very hyperactive. It feels convincing, as convincing as the models displayed in such games as Falcon 4 and iF/A-18E CSF, but for a different reason. It is hairy to fly, it's super responsive. You need to make very gentle movements on the stick. It reminds me of playing DI's iF-16 Viper/F-16 Fighting Falcon, which had a fairly cool flight model, only more in depth. It becomes a genuine challenge to fly. Despite my earlier reservations, I begin to like F-16 Aggressor.
I play it quite a bit, and after a few single missions, I am sweating. The graphics take a bit of getting used to. They are like textured versions of TAW's terrain, only with garnishes of the JSF type terrain modeling. Roads are just strips of texture drawn on the ground, but the whole environment, once you are into some interesting terrain like hills and mountains, becomes rather convincing. Hmm, with some malice aforethought, I manage to down a few MiGs and drop a few bombs on an airbase (probably mine).
In the training missions, you have to escort this super fast Lear jet to a waypoint and back. I fail the mission, because I couldn't match my speed to it, so in annoyance, I dump a Durandal on the runway before he landed.
The Durandal makes a dirty big 2d crater on the runway, and the MiG lands, drives straight through it and is safe. So damage modeling, in certain circumstances, leaves a lot to be desired.
I flew a few more missions, and discovered how simple the landing routines were. In one case, I landed and did not apply the wheel brakes and the plane kept going.
The runway was on the top of a small hill over a lake, and the plane sped off, into space, and was flying again, rather like a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Nick played it for a while, and he informed me: the wheels opening and closing are very nice. He's easily amused. He also did not like the explosions and damage model on the planes, but we all know he will not be satisfied until Screaming Demons Over Europe comes out.
Eventually, we uninstalled F-16 Aggressor and I took the CD home. He didn't want it. Sunday: Conclusion and Discussion.
So, how fares F-16 Aggressor? I never thought I would actively dislike a flight-sim, and for a while, as Saturday grew, I did not like this game.
I thought that certain sims I would prefer to others, and my favoritism would be based on playability, and how much I loaded it up. But I was proven wrong. Like I said, I wanted to like this game. I really did. And now, to some extent, I do. I would have tried Aggressor on the NET, but I don't think too many people have the game yet.
Will I be loading F-16 Aggressor much? No, not until I can afford a decent monitor and I can run the game at 1024x768, and at a more mundane frame rate.
On my faster computer, it's just a sim lite. On Nick's slower computer, it's a lot more convincing. I still have months of play of Falcon 4 left. I shall find my F-16 kicks there. At the beginning of this article I asked: 'What is a consumer variety military flight sim?' Well, it's a relevant question, because F-16 Aggressor doesn't really fit into my definition. You are not really fighting a war.
There are no dynamic campaigns, just 40 scripted missions. I have accomplished 4, and I remember how one previewer described F-16 Aggressor.
'Think Strike Commander 99, with 3dFx.' And he's right. F-16 Aggressor doesn't have the same atmosphere as Janes F-15 or Falcon 4.
The storyline is silly. But consider this. Strike Commander has had a long run. It still looks okay, and it gave birth to what would become Fighter's Anthology (if only FA had SC's cockpit.). F-16 Aggressor should appeal to a similar market.
And it has a future, I think. It is not a hard-core military sim. It's an action game with a flight model, and it's fun. The flight model actually adds to the fun. It's not: 'Oh shit, I can't turn that fast.' It's, 'Oh-shit, oh-shit, oh-shit - phew!'
And that is just missile evading. And, remarkably, F-16 Aggressor is EXACTLY what it's designers promised: a realistic F-16 sim set in Africa where you fly as a mercenary pilot in 40 missions. That's what they have been saying all along, and that's what we have. If this team plays their cards right, and makes decent add-ons and sequels, they could make a new ADF: Africa is a wonderful, and original, setting for flight-sims. Drop the storyline silliness, and this game has a lot of potential. Imagine a sequel where you fly an F-16 in the air-arm of a new African democracy, or fly as a South African rapid reaction force pilot (who are due to receive F-16s in the near future).
The game has it's faults; a lot of faults. But when it works as advertised, it works as advertised.
It only crashed on the computer which was prone to crashing. I have played this game for roughly ten hours now, and it has not crashed.
It is perfectly stable. I would recommend this game to anyone with a P266 and a V2 card, who is feeling sore at Falcon 4. It would be perfect on such a machine. This game needs a decent graphics accelerator, but make sure your system isn't TOO fast. I have no doubt that the kinks complained of here will be worked out, to an extent, before it sees landfall in the US. And it does grow on you.
To the developers, I would say this: change the storyline in the manual, and make sure that a decent keycard is sold alongside it; and have advanced support built in for people's HOTAS systems. This is a game, in the end, and a good one, but it's not a ground breaking military flight sim. If you take it as advertised, and if you aren't spoiled by Falcon 4, it may keep you happy for quite some time. Core: 70. Gameplay:80. Graphics:80.
Sound:70. Intelligence/AI: 75. User Interface/Mission Planner: hmmm, have to think about this one. Fun Factor:90. Learning Curve (in hours):2-3. Overall Rating: 70.