Jane's Attack Squadron PC

Flight sim veterans take note: the European Theater of Operations is once again being readied for battle as Jane’s® Attack Squadron comes out of a holding pattern -- and back into production. A next generation World War II flight combat simulation for the PC, Jane’s Attack Squadron is now under development by Mad Doc Software, LLC (Mad Doc), an emerging force in game development, for Xicat Interactive, Inc.

“On the cusp of release Jane’s Attack Squadron had a really great buzz around it, but unfortunately, was placed on hold,” says Ian Davis, Ph.D., CEO of Mad Doc. “Looking Glass® Studios had done a great job with it - it was already a game poised to win legions of fans: great graphics, top-shelf production values, amazing gameplay. And like a lot of people, the game piqued our interest here at Mad Doc. So much so that we’ve brought the core team from the game together to finish what they started.”

He continues: “We’ve added some of the best talent in the industry to our in-house team to bring the graphics back up-to-date, to polish -- and give a little something extra to -- this already hot game. As it stands, we’re harnessing the talents of the original Jane’s Attack Squadron team, including the lead designer, lead programmer, AI programmer and lead artist, as well as other key players to round out the mix.”

The mix is working. “With superb terrain rendering, impressive pyrotechnics, and detailed target destruction, Jane’s Attack Squadron strike missions immerse players in the heat of the action,” says Steve Nadeau, former lead designer on the game, and now a lead designer at Mad Doc. “It’s going to be fun to now refine the game and give it a new life. We think fans will find it was well worth the wait.”

Nadeau continues: “We’re very excited at the prospect of being able to finally complete Jane’s Attack Squadron for Xicat. And since Mad Doc has managed to bring back many of the original team members, we can ensure that the finished product will closely reflect our original vision of the game: an action-packed World War II air combat simulation accessible to users of all skill levels.”

Jane’s Attack Squadron: Realistic And Thrilling Combat

Set in the European Theater of Operations, Jane’s Attack Squadron’s winning gameplay lets the player take control of a number of pivotal battles, from either the Allied or Axis side. The focus of gameplay is on intense, low-level attacks of tactical targets over ground and sea, allowing air strikes on warships, subs, trains, tanks, airfields and factories. Other mission types add variety and include Patrol, Intercept, and Strategic Bombing.

Missions run primarily in Western France, Germany and the Low Countries, with sea-based scenarios flown over the English Channel and the North Sea off the European coast. Recreating the Western European landscape in detail using Mad Doc’s next-generation rendering engine, over 1 million square miles of terrain have been modeled with high resolution ground textures and accurate digital height elevations. From small dwellings, huge industrial complexes and notable landmarks, to hundreds of villages, cities, railways, roads, rivers and airfields along the flight path, the game experience is greatly enhanced by meticulous attention to detail.

Jane’s Attack Squadron offers single missions, campaigns, quick missions and training missions. The game also includes robust multiplayer support for up to 8 players via LAN or TCP/IP, with multiplayer options for deathmatch-style dogfights.

Aircraft

Jane’s Attack Squadron will feature up to 14 flyable aircraft, each having an accurately modeled 3D cockpit with fully functioning dials and gauges. The game also boasts one of the most detailed aircraft damage systems in any aircraft simulation. Each aircraft is composed of multiple components -- each completely damageable -- and many which can also break off. Bullet holes also appear in the exact location of bullet strikes, ensuring that battle damage will never look the same way twice.

Signature aircraft are the top WW2 fighter-bombers, such as the American P-38, P-47 and P-51, as well as the German Fw-190, Me-262 and Bf-109. A variety of medium and heavy bombers are also featured, including the American B-17, B-24, Lancaster and the German Ju-88, with the ability in multiplayer for several players to simultaneously man different stations in the plane.

Land And Sea Targets

Jane’s Attack Squadron provides the user with an unparalleled ground attack combat experience for a prop sim. Features range from tanks fighting each other on the battlefield and battleships conducting shore bombardment, to FLAK and Anti-Aircraft guns firing back at the player.

Military vehicles include a variety of tanks, jeeps, and trucks that traverse the battlefield and make ripe targets for strafing, bombing and rocket attacks. Artillery guns provide indirect fire on the battlefield while smaller caliber AA guns threaten lower flying aircraft. Going in low to take out enemy ground targets is a harrowing experience for the player.

The Jane’s Attack Squadron world is populated with numerous mission targets, both tactical and strategic. Ground targets include factories, landmarks, trains, airfields, fuel and ammo dumps, villages, V2 rocket sites and bridges. Each structure has detailed multiple levels of damage with corresponding smoke and fire effects.

Battleships, destroyers, subs and merchant ships also populate the Jane’s Attack Squadron world. Naval ships can conduct shore bombardment and also attack other naval targets. The challenge is real - if the player fails to take out a destroyer in time, it can actually sink the ships of a friendly convoy.

“We hope to get the user community excited about Jane’s Attack Squadron, as we’ll be shipping both our mission editor and physics editor with the final product, allowing users to build their own missions and campaigns and tweak the physics models of our aircraft to their hearts’ content,” says Tim Farrar, producer for the game.

Last updated on 10 December 2007