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The final moments of CFS1 and FS98 (Read 1206 times)

Jan 12^th, 2006 at 7:58pm

DieStaffel Offline
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Saving the best for last
Grafton, NSW, Australia

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Early in 2007, there was a discussion between many of the website hosters of flight simulators and it was agreed to put CFS1 and FS98 to bed. Though they were groundbreaking in their time, their time had run their course.

With MS Zone closing CFS1 and CFS2 in January 2006 and with CFS3, FS X and numerous FS200x series, incompatibility of AF 99 planes, and their incompatibility to be seen in any of the newer programs led to their demise.

So, with the sunset of these programs being relegated to abandonware(like Windows 3.0), where it was great when it first started, now to old and not worth the drive space of a few hundred meg per game, early 2007 saw the final closure of these pioneering programs

Sadly

DieStaffel
PS I look at the discussions on many boards and the number of new CFS1 and FS98 planes which are virtually nil for 2005, even the number of CFS1 or FS98 repaints are nearly nil, which is why I believe that this year(2006) is the final year of these 2 programs.

Never let history get in the way of a good computer game

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Reply #1 - Jan 13^th, 2006 at 1:00am

Ridge_Runner_5 Offline
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"Goodbye, ferret face."
Capt. Hawkeye Pierce
Every which way at once!

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Can I buy some crack from you? Or borrow your time machine?

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Reply #2 - Jan 13^th, 2006 at 1:03am

denishc Offline
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All good things must come to an end and its been a good ride while it lasted. When did CFS1 hit the market? About 1997 or so, we've had almost ten good years! How many other flight sims or computer games have had such a life span in their original form?

There still are followers and designers for CFS1. The forums here at Simvation and Sim-Outhouse prove that. I believe that CFS1 will survive for awhile yet and that somewhere, someone will have a site dedicated to CFS1 and FS98.

But I also believe the flight sim genre itself is in trouble. When CFS1 was released back in 1997 there were atlease six other flight sims on the market at that time. Today there are only two producers of flight sims (does "Strike Fighters" or the re-release of the "Battle of Britian" count?). And even though MS has said it will continue to support the flight sim genre there has been no CFS4 or FS2006.

On top of that its become increasingly more difficult to build aircraft for the user accessable sims. AF99 was no cake walk but you could still build an acceptable aircraft with it.

The only bright spot for flight sims may lay in a recent poll taken here at Simviation, that asked the age of those visiting Simviation. I was surprised that many were in their late teens and early twenties. We can only hope that these young people will carry the torch........and keep CFS1 flying for awhile longer.

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Reply #3 - Jan 13^th, 2006 at 5:31am

DrRedskwirrell Offline
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Quote:

Early in 2007, there was a discussion between many of the website hosters and it was agreed to put CFS1 and FS98 to bed

2007 eh? many website hosters eh? hmmm, lol. There was me thinking the Zone had just decided to pull it and announced at the end of last year (2005).

lol RR5 Wink

CFS4 has been canned for the moment but there is a lot of work already done on it and it may yet be resurrected later. At the moment Tucker's recognised that IL2 are running the ball and decided to wait for a better opportunity.
FS 2006 is now FS-X for which screenies can be found here

CFS1 was released in December '98. It's is being pulled from the Zone because of M$'s commercial re-organisation plans for the Zone. Part of a major overhaul which will see the Zone we know disappear and be replaced by something similar but "improved" (in M$'s mind). CFS1 and CFS2 are still being hosted on other host sites (HyperLobby and Gamespy to name two such where you can still find it alive and loved by the its' avid fans, long after all the Zone Jehova's first predicted... well, let's stay off that topic.

).

There are threads in here and other forums advising how to activate these sites to continue flying CFS online.

It would have been nice for M$ to use the online address included on the game cd (part of their contract commitment to the purchaser) as a re-direct to those sites continuing to host the game now they are no longer interested in it. But then, who really expects such support from M$ Zone, given their history in this area?

They asked for a petition of support which was given. They suggested they'd change their minds if enough e-mail which has been done. It has been.
M$ customers wait, and watch.

As for the demise of the flight sim genre, IL2 seems to be thriving. I'm not a fan of it myself, but I can't deny the numbers and enthusiasm present. Everyone flying it seems to be eagerly anticipating the release of IL2 "Battles of Britain" sometime this year as well.

&&www.Skwizz.co.uk

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Reply #4 - Jan 13^th, 2006 at 10:21am

james007 Offline
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I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

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In my Opinion CFS1 was and is one the great Sims of all time. As matter of fact it gave me the most thrillings experience in its early years.

Its down fall was not its age but its inability to be upgrade as other communitties have been able to do to with other Sims.

Sure it did have significant upgrades but enough to keep afloat. Another short comming was the lack of a good easy Mission Editor. Some of us figure it out but the majority did not. So you have may have hundreds of availble for it you but can cannot use them appropiatly in the Sim.

Another is not having a Danymic Campaign Generator.
Believe or not Lowengrin Dynamic Campaign Generator and the ability to fly on line is what is keeping Pacific Fighter/Forggoten Battle afloat.

If it had this capabilities it would still a heck of Sim competeting with CFS2 and CFS3 and the rest of them.

I for one have no intention of uninstalling it. As long as I have enough Hard drive space I will keep it in my PC.
It is still fun to fly and a great Sim for begginers.

Just remember this Guys. This Sim was and is a classic. I would keep the CD around just in case one day you would want to expierience how it felt to fly with one of the first great Sim dedicated to World war two Aviation.

I would also Keep all it upgrades and Camps in a CD backup CD just in case you have desire to fly in this great Sim one day.

PS. Its only dead if you Guys decide that it is dead!

This has been only a opinion

James007

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Reply #5 - Jan 13^th, 2006 at 11:36pm

H Offline
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2003: the year NH couldn't
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Quote:

It is still fun to fly and a great Sim for begginers... This Sim was and is a classic... I would also Keep all its upgrades and Campaigns in a CD backup just in case... Its only dead if you Guys decide that it is dead!. James007

Et tu? 8)

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Reply #6 - Jan 14^th, 2006 at 11:51pm

denishc Offline
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I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 1018

Quote:

Early in 2007, there was a discussion between many of the website hosters of flight simulators and it was agreed to put CFS1 and FS98 to bed.

As I recall didn't Simviation think of closing it FS98 forums several years ago? But public uproar caused them to change their minds.

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Reply #7 - Jan 15^th, 2006 at 1:29pm

DrRedskwirrell Offline
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Happiness is cuddling
the world's cutest Bare
A nice warm cave in the woods.

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Sry, no idea. I started out playing FS98 offline but only went online with CFS1.
Is Simviation one of the websites to host Flight Simulations then? Apologies if they do, this is the first I've heard of it.
How can I get to the games rooms so I can try it?

&&www.Skwizz.co.uk

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