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Aces High (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Aces High is a combat flight simulator
and massively multiplayer online game
for Microsoft Windows
. It was created by HiTech Creations
and originally released on May 8, 2000, the game is subscriber based and is constantly updated and upgraded. It features aircraft from both the World War II and World War I
eras, as well as smaller numbers of ground vehicles
and ships
.
While the main focus of Aces High is on World War II aerial combat
, there is also a smaller selection of ground vehicles, ships and World War I aircraft. Overall, there are over eighty aircraft, vehicles and boats individually modelled in the game.
aerial combat. This takes place in several online arenas, the focuses of which include 'early', 'middle' and 'late' war aircraft. In addition to this, the World War II arenas also contain ground and naval combat, both of which operate alongside the air war. Although the selection of ground vehicles is a little lacking, it is beginning to be improved with the upcoming addition of the M4A3 and the M4A3(76) (a version armed with a 76mm high velocity gun as opposed to a 75mm low velocity gun, which would give better anti-tank capabilities at the cost of less powerful high-explosive shells.)
, Sopwith Camel
, Bristol F.2B
, and Fokker D.VII
.
The World War 1 arena is setup as a dogfighting arena with 3 countries setup and bases in close proximity. As of version 2.25 the Dr.I flight model was reworked resulting in slightly lower lift and top speed.
The game also contains a program called Aces High Film Viewer. This allows players to record their sorties for later viewing through the Film Viewer. Players can slow down or speed up the play back, use recorded views to watch the film as seen by the player in game, there is an option for trails to show the flight paths of aircraft as well as the ability to trim down film and remove text or vox from a saved film.
Combat flight simulator
Combat flight simulators are video games used to simulate military aircraft and their operations...
and massively multiplayer online game
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It was created by HiTech Creations
HiTech Creations
HiTech Creations, Inc.is an independent computer game company that makes the massively multiplayer online game, Aces High for the PC. HiTech Creations was started on April 12, 1999 in Grapevine, Texas. The company formed soon after Dale Addink and Doug Balmos left iMagic Online...
and originally released on May 8, 2000, the game is subscriber based and is constantly updated and upgraded. It features aircraft from both the World War II and World War I
Aviation in World War I
World War I was the first war in which aircraft were deployed on a large scale. Tethered observation balloons had already been employed in several wars, and would be used extensively for artillery spotting. Germany employed Zeppelins for reconnaissance over the North Sea and strategic bombing raids...
eras, as well as smaller numbers of ground vehicles
Military vehicle
A military vehicle is a vehicle that includes all land combat and transportation vehicles, which are designed for or are in significant use by military forces throughout the world. Vehicles that are armored or intended for combat are often referred to as armoured fighting vehicles....
and ships
Naval ship
A naval ship is a ship used for combat purposes, commonly by a navy. Naval ships are differentiated from civilian ships by construction and purpose...
.
While the main focus of Aces High is on World War II aerial combat
Aerial warfare
Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift...
, there is also a smaller selection of ground vehicles, ships and World War I aircraft. Overall, there are over eighty aircraft, vehicles and boats individually modelled in the game.
Gameplay
Aces High is an open-ended combat flight simulator, where players can fly online or offline, and engage other players in air, land or sea-based combat.World War II
The main (and original) focus of Aces High is World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
aerial combat. This takes place in several online arenas, the focuses of which include 'early', 'middle' and 'late' war aircraft. In addition to this, the World War II arenas also contain ground and naval combat, both of which operate alongside the air war. Although the selection of ground vehicles is a little lacking, it is beginning to be improved with the upcoming addition of the M4A3 and the M4A3(76) (a version armed with a 76mm high velocity gun as opposed to a 75mm low velocity gun, which would give better anti-tank capabilities at the cost of less powerful high-explosive shells.)
World War I
HiTech Creations announced the development of aircraft from World War I in October 2009. Upon its release in 2010, it contained four aircraft: the Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.I
The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
, Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
, Bristol F.2B
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
, and Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
.
The World War 1 arena is setup as a dogfighting arena with 3 countries setup and bases in close proximity. As of version 2.25 the Dr.I flight model was reworked resulting in slightly lower lift and top speed.
Special Events
Separate from the other arenas, special events run on a regular basis at certain times. Special events cover a wide range of historical and ahistorical topics. They include 'scenarios', 'squad nights', 'King of the Hill' and 'air races'.Scenarios
Scenarios are the largest of all the special events, and take the forum of simulated aerial campaigns. They take place at least once a week multi-week events, typically with one or more multi-hour sessions called "frames" per week. They typically involve up to 500 players divided up into two sides with definite objectives, available aircraft, command staff, and mission orders for each side.Additional Features
Using editors provided by the developers, players are able to create terrains and aircraft skins, which may be submitted to HiTech Creations for inclusion in the game. As of version 2.25 the number of in game skins to select from has been doubled from 16 to 32 for each aircraftThe game also contains a program called Aces High Film Viewer. This allows players to record their sorties for later viewing through the Film Viewer. Players can slow down or speed up the play back, use recorded views to watch the film as seen by the player in game, there is an option for trails to show the flight paths of aircraft as well as the ability to trim down film and remove text or vox from a saved film.