Some times people look at me and the busy schedule I keep, and decide that I am a serious workaholic. Little do they know. One of my favorite pastimes is checking out what comes out of the gaming industry. Anyone who has ever spoken to me on a technical or design level no doubt knows that I am a hardcore 3D design fanatic. This is very fitting since when I'm not developing Web sites, I can often be found working on some virtual reality project or deciding just how to improve on my current virtual reality design skills. I've also got a fairly large fascination with Artificial Intelligence (AI as most people refer to it). Therefore, keeping up to date with what is happening in the world of gaming is by far one of the best methods I can use gauge what is happening in the world of 3D, as well as experience some of the more creative forms of AI that are on the market.

Overall, I'm a First Person Shooter (FPS) action type of fan. Games in this genre include the likes of Doom (always seems that when the media refers to a FPS, they always refer to Doom, even though in current technology terms, it's quite archaic), Duke Nukem, and Quake. Although, as of the last half year or so, I've been getting quite caught up in simulation games. You know, your basic flight simulator (either plane or helicopter) such as Microsoft FS 98 or something closer to earth like Need For Speed racing. I've also always had a soft-spot for RPG and strategy games since the first time I played one of the Ultima series. What ever the game may be though, I must admit that the aspect I rate as most important in any game is the visual appeal of it, in relation to its 3D technology. For example, if it doesn't support Glide or D3D, then you probably won't find me playing it.

Now, on to a review of a game that has over time become on my favorites in the simulation genre, and in my personal opinion could teach a lot lessons to most of the game development companies out there - F-22 Total Air War. This game was released at the end of 1998 by Digital Image Design (or DiD as they are called) and is a flight simulator focusing on the US Air Force's highly anticipated, state of the art F-22 combat jet. In a refreshing break from the standard flight sims, TAW also houses a complete War Room campaign planner that lets you keep a bird's eye view on the status of the current campaign you're playing, as well as jump into both combat missions flying the F-22 or take a more commanding role in the AWACS, if it is available in the campaign you're playing. From the AWACS, you can command all flights which are currently airborne, and jump back-and-forth between any F-22 that is currently in the sky and the AWACS itself. The campaigns of TAW are all located within the Red Sea region, and focus on varying topics and reasons for the scenario's conflict.

Probably the most thrilling part of TAW is the fact that the campaigns themselves are dynamically generated, and have no predetermined course, other than the basic objectives stated in the War Room's strategy menu. Fly too often over a neutral country's territory, and you can make yourself a new enemy. Don't like the target given in a certain combat scenario? Go into the mission planner and choose what you'd like to destroy and where, as well as change your flight's escort planes, their numbers, and weapons load-out. The basic guideline when pursuing any combat strategy is that you have a certain class of target that you are currently trying to inflict damage on. If you can reach the designated percentage rate of damage, during the time allocated, the conflict is assumed to be won by your forces. This specific combat strategy is meant to reflect the methology used during the Gulf War, when target classes were defined in such categories as Petroleum, Command and Control, and Political. As well, the time factor is meant to imitate the political factors involved in any conflict, which basically dictate that you don't have an unlimited budget and time to accomplish your objectives.

Being that the game is a flight sim, there are many complex aspects of it to master in regard to both conducting a campaign successfully, as well as flying the F-22 itself. Although, given the fact that the F-22 is slated to be the most technologically advanced warplane ever created, the relative level of skill needed to fly it and learning curve, in comparison with other flight sims, is much less. The result is the DiD has created a game that is both a challenge in terms of simulation and fun to play. This is more than most sims could ever hope to do.

So, what are the cons of TAW? The initial release of the simulation had a few assorted bugs that made playing it much difficult for the less experienced sim crowd. This was especially true in the area of taking off, and making sure that your wingmen were with you. Some early players found that they were headed into rough waters, all by themselves, while their wingmen sat idly on the runway. DiD has released a patch though for TAW and most of these issues are addressed in it.

In summary, what can I say? TAW has got to be the most kick-ass flight sim I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Replay value is extraordinary, given the dynamic nature of campaigns, and the integrated War Room, AWACS Command, and mission planner add up to make TAW a flight sim that is in a class by itself. Would I recommend it? Do you even need to ask?