[{"TitleName":"Delta Wing","Publisher":"Creative Sparks","Author":"Graham Johns","YearOfRelease":"1984","ZxDbId":"0001337","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 10, Nov 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-10-25","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":160,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\nCirculation Manager: Tom Hamilton\r\nAll circulation enquiries should ring [redacted]\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Limited.\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nGeneral correspondence to: [redacted]\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nGeneral office [redacted]\r\nEditorial/studio [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nPhotosetting by SIOS [redacted]\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset Ltd (Member of the BPCC Group), [redacted].\r\nDistribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £10.50 (UK Mainland post free)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £17.50 (post free).\r\n\r\nWe cannot undertake to return any written or photographic material sent to CRASH Magazine unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Creative Sparks\r\nMemory Required: 48K\r\nRetail Price: £6.95\r\nLanguage: Machine code\r\nAuthor: Graham Johns\r\n\r\nDelta Wing is a battle flight simulation, but unlike Digital Integration's Fighter Pilot, your aircraft is a make believe one - a very high performance one at that. Creative Sparks have also created a game for two players with two computers and monitors for a very realistic fight. But the game is also playable with one player against the computer. The game includes various skill levels and provides numerous friendly and enemy bases as well as enemy fighters to battle with.\r\n\r\nThere are four skill levels - trainer, novice, pilot and ace. On the simplest level the enemy aircraft do not move, and on the other levels the player may select the number of enemy bases to be attacked - one bomb is allowed for each base.\r\n\r\nDelta Wing has a double display - instruments plus map and instruments plus windscreen view. The instrument panel is very detailed including meters for altitude, vertical speed (most useful in landing), brake indicator (for use on the ground or in the air), thrust, fuel, airspeed, artificial horizon, flaps and undercarriage (up or down). For attack purposes there are also the vertical position locator (VPL) and radar. A compass is also supplied for general direction in conjunction with the map. The VPL shows the height of enemy aircraft relative to your height. The radar has a long and short range scan.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the instruments, the graphic display also shows the pilots knee and hand on the joystick. The view through the cockpit window shows sky and ground relative to attitude and all movements are reflected in the instrument panel's artificial horizon which shows pitch angle and roll angle. Once in visual range, enemy bases and aircraft appear as wire frame objects moving fully in 3D. Your own bases are similar, but a different configuration of lines.\r\n\r\nSimilar representations appear on the map together with your present position and that of enemy bombers etc.\r\n\r\nRefuelling and re-arming require landing near a friendly base. Although there are no runways in the game, landing must be carried out fully. Landing too far away from a base need not be fatal, as it is possible to taxi towards one on the ground.\r\n\r\nThe packaging includes an excellent inlay with all instructions very simply laid out and with colour diagrams showing instrumentation and map display information.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: I/P left/right, W/Z up/down, N to fire. Additionally there are 10 function controls\r\nJoystick: Sinclair, Kempston, Fuller, AGF, Protek\r\nKeyboard play: extremely responsive\r\nUse of colour: excellent\r\nGraphics: excellent, fast detailed very good wire frame 3D\r\nSound: good tunes, not much during game for speed of graphics\r\nSkill levels: 4 with 5 sub-levels\r\nLives: 3\r\nScreens: 2\r\nSpecial features: 2-player game networked via Interface 1","ReviewerComments":["Delta Wing is like Fighter Pilot but it takes Fighter Pilot further so that bases which you can bomb are included. The screen layout is excellent and you can actually see the pilots legs and arm reacting to your key commands. Responses are also excellent and in some cases over-responsive. This is quite a good flight simulation/shoot em up type of game but the graphics of the enemy planes and bases are not that good. I still think Fighter Pilot is better but this is still a good game. The sound and menu options are fine and the bonus for friends with interface one of a two-handed game means they can play against each other. All in all another good game from Creative Sparks.\r\r\nUnknown","This game must be compared to the highly successful Fighter Pilot, although compared against FP it is by no means as difficult to play or enjoy. Control layout is totally realistic and highly informative even though this is not actually a real plane. As you control the plane, everything is instantly on the move, pilot's hands and knees move in accordance with your joystick, the instruments all react spontaneously - in this sense it is utterly perfect and in my opinion unbeatable. Enemy bases and aircraft are all wire drawn for graphic speed, but this doesn't spoil any playability of the game whatsoever. Colour has been realistically used and especially on the instrument panel very impressively used. The graphics are very fast and very realistic. This is the most playable and enjoyable shoot em up that I've seen; although, saying that, it is detailed enough to be a simulation as well. I recommend it!\r\r\nUnknown","It's unavoidable to compare Delta Wing with Fighter Pilot but Delta Wing isn't out to out-fly Fighter Pilot, because this is more of a shoot em up game than a simulation in the sense that FP was. For starters Delta Wing is not a real plane, and it's manoeuvrability would probably rip the wings off most present day fighters. Sailing along at a comfortable height of 65,000 feet doing almost 2,000 knots is fun in itself, especially as at that speed you can see the symbol of your aircraft on the map moving quite clearly. But to nose dive from that height on an enemy base, see it appear as a small dot in the field of green, grow into a shape, and then pull out at the last second to whizz right over the top of it and bomb it is almost heaven! The various skill levels have been well chosen from the simplest right up to the ace level where the enemy fighters are no easy match. The controllability of Delta Wing is such, however, that you can really dog fight with the computer, slamming on your air brakes and rolling to get the enemy in front of your sights again. Because of this, the amazing graphics, their neatness and responsiveness, Delta Wing is the most like flying I've ever seen on a computer. It is huge fun, an absolute must!\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Excellent.","Page":"18,19","Denied":false,"Award":"Crash Smash","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Delta Wing's map display - the red diamond is a destroyed enemy base."},{"Text":"Taking off from a base."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"85%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"94%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"94%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"90%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"89%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"87%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"90%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Spectrum Issue 10, Dec 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-11-15","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":106,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Munford\r\nDeputy Editor: Tina Boylan\r\nTechnical Editor: Peter Shaw\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nContributors: John Torofex, Tony Samuels, Trevor Merchant, Ross Holman, Dave Nicholls, Roger Willis, Ian Beardsmore, Martin Evans, Robert Stockton, Max Phillips, Terry Bulfib, Mike Leaman, Toni Baker\r\nArt Editor: Hazel Bennington\r\nArt Assistant: Steve Broadhurst\r\nGroup Advertising Manager: Jill Harris\r\nAdvertising: Dave Baskerville\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint\r\nGroup Art Director: Perry Neville\r\nPublisher: Stephen England\r\n\r\nPublished by Sportscene Specialist Press Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England. Telephone (all departments): [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Spectrum ©1985 Felden productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Spectrum is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"DELTA WING\r\nCreative Sparks\r\n£6.95\r\n\r\nRoger: This was the one that kept me up at nights - not that 1 broke any 'high scores'. Delta Wing is definitely a game for patient technocrats. It's based on only two screens, but these are complicated and composite. Simulator tendencies are confirmed by the continuous presence of cockpit instrumentation across the bottom. Altitude, air-speed, fuel gauge, radar and artificial horizon add in to a total of 14 informative variables to complement the pilot's hand moving the on-screen joystick according to player instruction.\r\n\r\nAll it takes is a tweak of the old handlebar moustache and there you are, blasting 'em out of the sky or bombing their bases. The second screen flashes up on request and is made up of a map showing your bases (which can be landed at for fuel and ammunition), their bases (which can be bombed), and the current position of enemy planes (which got me reciting 'Tally Ho' and 'Wizard Prang' epithets...).\r\n\r\nA significant attention span and a great deal of prcsevcrance are vital though, because in this game nothing comes easily. Just taking off, involving correct ground speed related to flap position and timed pull-back on the joystick, is a thoroughly skilful operation. Being honest, I could barely get off the runway but I felt like an RAF pilot!","ReviewerComments":["Slightly simpler controls here than with other flight games. It's good and fast, but too similar to existing roducts to sell that well.\r\nRoss Holman\r\n3/5 MISS","This game drops in somewhere between the flight simulators and Zzoom. It's quite playable and easier to fly than most others of its type. If you want to fly, but don't want to be able to tell your flaps from your ailerons then this is the one for you.\r\nDave Nicholls\r\n3/5 HIT"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"57","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Ross Holman","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/5 MISS"},{"Name":"Roger Willis","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/5 HIT"},{"Name":"Dave Nicholls","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/5 HIT"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 51, Jun 1986","Price":"£0.98","ReleaseDate":"1986-05-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nStaff Writers: Clare Edgeley\r\nDesigner: Gareth Jones\r\nEditorial Secretary: Norisah Fenn\r\nAdventure Writers: Richard Price, Gordo Greatbelly\r\nHelpline: Andrew Hewson\r\nHardware Correspondent: John Lambert\r\nBusiness Correspondent: Mike Wright\r\nContributors: Jerry Muir, Gary Rook, Skip Austin\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Louise Fanthorpe\r\nSenior Sales Executive: Rory Doyle\r\nProduction Assistant: Alison Morton\r\nAdvertisement Secretary: Linda Everest\r\nSubscriptions Manager: Carl Dunne\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nTelephone [redacted]\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Lee Sullivan\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs or articles to:\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nOriginal programs should be on cassette and articles should be typed. Please write Program Printout on the envelopes of all cassettes submitted. We cannot undertake to return cassettes unless an SAE is enclosed. We pay £20 for each program printed and £50 for star programs.\r\n\r\nTypeset by Saffron Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Peterboro' Web, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1986 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nABC 90,215 July-Dec 1985"},"MainText":"Publisher: Mastertronic\r\nPrice: £2.99\r\nMemory: 48K\r\nJoysticks: Sinclair,Kempston, Fuller, AGF/Protek\r\n\r\nThere is something in the world of marketing called the USP - the Unique Selling Point. Remember those initials because you'll be needing them later.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing at all unique about the game idea of Delta Wing it's a 'war in the air... blah, blah, blah... jet fighter to defend the bases... blah, blah, blah... land to refuel... bomb their bases... blah,... blah. In short, an everyday tale of shoot 'em up flight simulators.\r\n\r\nAs to the graphics, well they look more like paper darts than MiG fighters, with their wire-frame 3D effect, and if the bases are marked as diamonds on the map that's because it's all they are on the ground.\r\n\r\nIf you can forgive it this multiplicity of failings and treat it as an arcade game it plays reasonably well, though I was fascinated to find how easy it is to actually ram another speeding jet!\r\n\r\nNow we return to the USP and this game has one. Boy, does it have one! if you can find a Spectrum-owning friend and you both have Interface I and separate TVs, then you can indulge in true one to one combat with each of you getting your own cockpit view.\r\n\r\nIt's a novel touch and one that I'm sorry to say I was unable to test because... I've not got a friend! if you're more privileged than me in this respect it's probably worth the three pounds for a unique experience.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"45","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jerry Muir","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"3/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 12, Nov 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-10-18","Editor":"Chris Anderson","TotalPages":156,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Chris Anderson\r\nDeputy Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nProduction Editor: Roderick George\r\nArt Editor: Ian Findlay\r\nStaff Writers: Peter Connor, Bob Wade\r\nEditorial Assistant: Samantha Hemens\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nCartoons: Kipper Williams\r\nScreenshots: Chris Bell\r\nGame-of-the-month poster: Jeff Riddle\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nGroup Publisher: John Cade\r\nPublisher: Tony Harris\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Jenny Dunne\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Sarah Barron\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Phil Pratt\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Susie Cooper\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Peter Goldstein\r\nAdvertisement Production: Noel O'Sullivan\r\nSales Executives: Ian Cross, Marion O'Neill\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]. Typesetting by Spectrum Typesetting, [redacted] Origination by Fourmost Colour [redacted]. Printed and bound by Chase Web Offset [redacted]. © VNU Business Publications 1984."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum 48K\r\nCONTROL: Kemp, Sinc, AGF, Fuller, Keys\r\nFROM: Creative Sparks, £6.95\r\n\r\nWhen Fighter Pilot was brought out for the Spectrum the general opinion seemed to be that it was an excellent game. I never really got the hang of it and consequently I was put off flight simulators for a while.\r\n\r\nSo I was pleased to find that Delta Wing was a bit simpler on the technical side without losing any of the atmosphere or action of a combat flight simulator.\r\n\r\nThe cockpit view is fairly standard with an artificial horizon to show the angle of flight, radar, and compass as well as a gauge to show the height of an incoming enemy plane.\r\n\r\nThe idea is to locate and destroy a number of enemy bases whilst defending your own bases from attacks by enemy planes. A map is displayed if the 'M' key is pressed which shows the position of your plane, the nearest enemy plane and all the bases.\r\n\r\nCombat is far more realistic than in Fighter Pilot. Once an enemy plane is located its altitude does not fluctuate wildly - an annoying feature of FP. The bombing of bases takes quite a while to get the hang of: you need to be quite high in the sky when the bomb is dropped to avoid being destroyed in the blast of your own bomb. Quick reactions are needed here because the base is not in your sights for long.\r\n\r\nAs well as the movement keys (or joystick) you have to operate a few functions from the keyboard. There are four skill levels and the number of enemy bases (1-5) can be selected.\r\n\r\nDespite its similarities to Fighter Pilot I found this a superb combat flight simulator with colourful, clear graphics including a little hand pumping the throttle. But sadly, as seems to be the rule with this type of game, there is hardly any sound (without a Fuller soundbox).","ReviewerComments":["It's inevitable that comparisons will be made between this game and Fighter Pilot from Digital Integration. And I for one am unwilling to state categorically which is best.\r\r\n\r\r\nCertainly, Fighter Pilot has more options but the Delta Wing aircraft is easier to fly. The map and radar may be more useful on FP but at least on Delta you can bomb the enemy's bases.\r\r\n\r\r\nThe choice is between the long-term challenge of FP and the more immediate, but nonetheless demanding, task of Delta Wing.\r\nRobert Patrick","Once all the controls had been mastered I found the flying really quite easy, much less complicated than on a dedicated simulator, such as Psion's. The controls are responsive but a joystick is necessary for any 'feel'.\r\r\n\r\r\nWhat really impressed me about this program was the way it worked as a game - a facet often neglected by simulations. For all my efforts I never actually downed an enemy, but never got bored trying.\r\r\n\r\r\nOverall, perhaps not quite as polished as Fighter Pilot but well worth a look at.\r\nPeter Walker"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"72,73","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Martyn Smith","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"},{"Name":"Robert Patrick","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Peter Walker","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Computer Issue 6, Jun 1986","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1986-05-15","Editor":"Gary Evans","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Gary Evans\r\nSoftware Editor: Lee Paddon\r\nStaff Writer: Anthony Thompson\r\nSub Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nProduction Editor: Jim McClure\r\nProduction Assistant: Nick Fry\r\nEditorial Secretary: Sheila Baker\r\nDesigner: Chris Winch\r\nEditorial: [redacted]\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: David Lake\r\nAdvertisement Executives: Ian Faux, Jeremy Kite\r\nClassified: Paul Monaf\r\nAdvertising: [redacted]\r\nPublisher: Paul Coster\r\nFinancial Director: Brendan McGrath\r\nManaging Director: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nCover by Mark Tyler\r\n\r\nYour Computer, [redacted]\r\nISS 0263 0885\r\n\r\n©1986 Focus Investments Ltd\r\nPrinted by The Riverside Press Ltd, England.\r\nTypeset by Time Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\nMember of the Audit Bureau of Circulation.\r\n\r\nReasonable care is taken to avoid errors in this magazine but no liability is accepted for any errors which may occur. No material in this publication may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publishers. The publishers will not accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, listings, data tapes or discs.\r\n\r\nWe will assume permission to publish all unsolicited material unless otherwise stated. We cannot be held responsible for the safe return of any material submitted for publication. Please keep a copy of all your work and do not send us original artwork.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately we are unable to answer lengthy enquiries by telephone. Any written query requiring a personal answer MUST be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope; please allow up to 28 days for a reply.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: UK £14 for 12 issues. Overseas (surface mail) £22.50 - Airmail rates on request. Please make a cheque/postal orders payable to Focus Investments. (Please allow 5 weeks from order receipt of first subscription copy). Send orders to Your Computer Subscriptions, [redacted].\r\n\r\nJanuary to April 86 back issues of the magazine are available for £1.50 from the Back Issues Department, [redacted].\r\n\r\nDistributed by Business Press International, [redacted]."},"MainText":"Spectrum\r\nMastertronic\r\nSimulator\r\n£2.50\r\n\r\nPleasant pilot animation, good wire frame perspective graphics of the enemy aircraft, but there is one aspect which makes this game exceptional for every Spectrum owner - two-player mode. With two Spectrums with Interface 1, strap yourself in and prepare for hours of stomach-churning fun.\r\n\r\nCompletely hidden from your opponent, you invent new manoeuvres, he invents new countermoves. Climb, dive, brake, turn - you will not be able to put this game down.\r\n\r\nIf you and a friend have Interface 1, this program is one you will not want to miss at this give-away price.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Lee Paddon","Score":"5","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"5/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 27, Jul 1986","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1986-06-26","Editor":"Bryan Ralph","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Bryan Ralph\r\nAssistant Editor: Cliff Joseph\r\nConsultant Editor: Ray Elder\r\nAdvertising Managers: Peter Chandler and John McGarry\r\nDesign: Argus Design\r\nA.S.P. Advertising and Editorial [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted by Alabaster Passmore and Sons Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nAdvertisement Copy Controller: Lynn Collis\r\n\r\nDistributed by: Argus Press Sales and Distribution Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing Monthly is published on the fourth Friday of each month. Subscription rates can be obtained from ZX Subscriptions, [redacted]\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication, including all articles, designs plans, drawings and other intellectual property rights herein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Limited. All rights conferred by the law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Limited and any reproduction requires the prior written consent of the company.\r\n\r\nArgus Specialist Publications Limited. ©1986"},"MainText":"Mastertronic\r\n£2.99\r\n\r\nFlight simulations tend to be a little boring to arcade addicts. OK, they need 50 fingers and an alert mind and may be realistic but just flying around aimlessly seems a bit pointless.\r\n\r\nDelta Wing attempts to overcome this by adding a combat element to the action, you have to bomb the enemy bases the number of which, one to six, you select at the start. Air to air combat is also featured and the enemy planes are out to destroy both you and your bases.\r\n\r\nFlying seems a little easier than on some programs, but it certainly isn't simple. The control panel at the bottom of the screen contains 14 indicators and gauges and there are 14 control keys to master. Graphically the game is excellent, the cockpit panel is crammed full but is still readable, they even found room to show your hand on the joystick, moving up/down/left/right as you press the keys. Even the pilot's knees move!\r\n\r\nThe usual two screen modes, an actual view and an aerial map are included and I suspect that the lack of ground detail in view mode is the price paid for the combat routines.\r\n\r\nSpeed is always a factor in this kind of program, and here the program scores, scenery (mostly horizon) is acceptably smooth and enemy planes (wire frame) move very quickly - blink and you'll miss them apart from the bullet holes which appear in your window.\r\n\r\nAll joystick protocols are supported and there is even a two player option for two Interface 1 owners connected by the net.\r\n\r\nSimulation purists may not like the combat routines and arcade addicts may not like the amount of simulation, but I loved it!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"12","Denied":false,"Award":"ZX Monster Hit","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer News Issue 86, Nov 1984","Price":"","ReleaseDate":"1984-11-02","Editor":"Peter Worlock","TotalPages":74,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editorial\r\nEditor: Peter Worlock\r\nProduction Editor: Lauraine Turner\r\nSub Editor: Harriet Arnold\r\nEditor's Assistant: Karen Isaac\r\nNews Editor: David Guest\r\nNews Writer: Ralph Bancroft, Sandra Grandison\r\nFeatures Editor: John Lettice\r\nSoftware Editor: Bryan Skinner\r\nPeripherals Editor: Kenn Garroch\r\nHardware Editor: Stuart Cooke\r\nPrograms Editor: Nickie Robinson\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nArt Editor: Dave Alexander\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Tim Brown\r\nLayout Artist: Bruce Preston\r\nPublisher: Cyndy Miles\r\nPublishing Assistant: Tobe Bendeth\r\n\r\nAdvertising\r\nGroup Advertising Manager: Peter Goldstein\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Bettina Williams\r\nAssistant Advertisement Managers: Laura Cade, Claire Rowbottom\r\nSales Executives: Claire Barnes, Phil Benson, Mike Blackman, Julian Burns, Steve Corrick, Tony Keefe, Andrew Flint, Christian McCarthy, Isabel Middleton, Sarah Musgrave, Tony O'Reilly, Anita Stokes\r\nProduction: Richard Gaffrey\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Jan Moore\r\nSubscription Enquiries: Gill Stevens\r\nSubscription Address: [redacted]\r\nEditorial Address: [redacted]\r\nAdvertising Address: [redacted]\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]\r\n© VNU 1983. No material maybe reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\nPhotoset by Quickset, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Chase Web Offset, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Seymour Press, [redacted]\r\nRegistered at the PO as a newspaper"},"MainText":"PRICE: £6.95\r\nPUBLISHER: Creative Sparks/Thorn EMI Computer Software, [redacted]\r\n\r\nNaturally they called me when they heard. A hush-hush new high-performance jet fighter from Thorn EMI was parked on the tarmac, and as the only PCN operative with F15 experience I was ideal for the job.\r\n\r\nNot that this was going to help much. For a start the cockpit was oddly-shaped - no matter where I looked my knees always seemed to be poking up into the windscreen, and as I moved the joystick I could see my right hand trembling on it. Odd really, especially when you consider I'm left-handed.\r\n\r\nThe basic mission's easy enough to grasp. You have to take your jet-powered fighter-bomber into the air and perform a small miracle that combines using bombs to destroy all the enemy bases and shooting down the enemy intruders trying to bomb your bases.\r\n\r\nIn common with most of the other new jet-powered flight simulators the weapons technology is fairly old hat, and you have to mess around with boring old conventional bombs and cannons. We're still waiting for a software house to come up with Sidewinder missiles and napalm, but when it does it's certainly got my vote.\r\n\r\nIn Delta Wing you start off ready for take off, with an enemy aircraft fairly close to your airfield, so it's important to deal with this one before you go waltzing off on bombing raids. My first try wasn't a great success. While taking off I spotted an alien shape of some sort at the end of the runway.so instead of pulling the stick back and getting airborne I started pumping bullets into it. It was only when I crashed into it that I realised this was in fact some kind of end of runway marker.\r\n\r\nNothing daunted I had another bash at reaching for the skies, this time with a little more success. Normally you get a representation of the control panel, complete with the aforementioned knees and hands. The top of the screen is taken up by a view out of the cockpit, although you can switch to a radar map of the whole playing area.\r\n\r\nThe combat radar screen in the centre of the console is fairly standard, showing where you are and the nearest base or intruder in relation to you in terms of angle and height. You can switch this between short and long range.\r\n\r\nOnce you're in the air it's a matter of getting to the same height as the intruder then engaging it. The ensuing dogfight, provided you can stay alive for long enough, is an entertaining affair. Part of its charm is that, unlike the enemy in Fighter Pilot, this one will try to stay with you, so your spells of twisting and turning are liable to be a lot more prolonged.\r\n\r\nI'm not sure how accurate the simulation is, but is does a fair impersonation of a full dogfight. Unfortunately you need to hit the beggars seven times before they go down, and either I didn't hit them at all or there's no way to tell how many times you've hit them.\r\n\r\nMy precision bombing experiment was also a flop. I went in at 200 feet, dropped the bomb right over the airfield and... blew myself up. Apparently you do this if you bomb from lower than 250 feet, even if you're going at twice the speed of sound. Anyone sending me an algorithm proving this is nonsense will be lightly rewarded.\r\n\r\nAll in all I found Delta Wing curiously unsatisfying. The controls are more leaden than those of Fighter Pilot, and I found the lack of a rudder particularly annoying in dogfights, it's also possible to fly off the screen, and if you can't remember where you left from you're in big trouble.\r\n\r\nFinally, bombing. I find it difficult to believe that in this day and age the cream of Strike Command is being sent into action without a proper bomb sight. Peering over the side may have been OK in 1914, but at 1,400 knots it isn't really an option.\r\n\r\nDelta Wing would have been excellent six months ago, but on balance I'd say you'd be better off now with Fighter Pilot.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"53","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"John Lettice","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]