Canon Game

IL2-Sturmovik cliffs of Dover

BY 4125 Bowen Ji

Ubisoft Entertainment Ubisoft Entertainment is a video game developers and publishers. The previous name was Ubisoft. It was founded in 1986 by Guillemot 5 brothers. The CEO is Yves Guillemot, the Montreuil CEO is Yannis Mallat and the projector is Michel Ancel. It headquartered in Montreuil. It has 23 game development studios all around the world. In 2008, it is the third biggest game developer in Europe and the No. four Independent Publisher in the U.S.A. It has 6400 workers and its annual sales volume was about $1,400,000,000 in 2009. The pretax earning is $155,000,000 and the earnings after tax is $109,800,000 in 2009. IL2 Series IL2-Cliffs of Dover Development History (2001-2011) IL2 series are combat flight simulator video games. Since the year 2000, there were 9 versions released to public. In this article, I just use IL2-Sturmovik as the example. The reason is I think it contains all the advantages of IL2 series. And also, IL2Cliffs of Dover is the best of whole IL2 series. (1) IL2- Sturmovik, The first version of IL2 series. It is base on Soviet-German War. (2) IL2- Forgotten Battle. The second version of IL2 series. It is still base on Soviet-German War. (3) IL2- Ace Expansion Pack. It added some aircrafts of western front. Such as Spitfire, F4F tomcat, F6F hellcat and so on. (4) IL2- Pacific Fighters. It is a version about Pacific War. In this version, players will see famous fighters and bombers such as Japanese A6M2 zero fighter, B-17 and B25 bombers etc. (5) IL2- Battle of Britain. In this version, the main point is to test the pneumatic model and data. It makes flights became more real. (6) IL2- Pe-2. Only added one small bomber in this version. The small bomber called Pe-2. (7) IL2- Sturmoviks over Manchuria. In this version, there are some the Soviet Union and Japanese aircrafts which is used to flight in north of China. (8) IL2- 1946. Just as its name implies, in this version, the war has been suppose to 1946, the developer put some aircrafts which are only have been developed on paper into the game. That is including jet fighters such as Ta-183, Mig-9. (9) IL2- Cliffs of Dover. The newest version of IL2 series. It released in 2011. It is base on western front between Luftwaffe and Royal Air Force in 1940. Both of game screen and game content have been achieve to a new level. In past 10 years. IL2 series have been developed a lot, every version makes this game series being better and better, so I think IL2 Cliffs of Dover will be a potential Canon Game.

Introduction: IL2-Cliffs of Dover is a World War II combat flight simulator video game. It has been made by Ubisoft in 2010. It is base on the west battle line between German Army and British Army in World War II. There are many different of single player missions. Such as destroy the enemy, escort, intercept anti-amphibious operation and so on. Players can choose the fighters or bombers belong to Luffwaffe or Royal Airforce in career model. All the missions base on the real history. On the other hand, if players do not want to follow the history mission, IL 2-Cliffs of Dover also allows players to build their own mission. They can choose mission type and aircraft for free. That is flexible for players to play. And that is one of the reason I think IL2 series games will be a potential canon game. Characteristic Almost all the good Flight Simulators have some common points. That is choosing the uncommon themes. IL2-Cliffs of Dover is base on some unfamiliar air fights in the west battle line of World War II. Even you do not know any thing about Lanvochkin or Polikarpov, in the game you will feel both of them are genius of fighter stylists. If you play once, you will see that stopping the aggression of Hitler is a big challenge. In opposite way, for players who would like to use Luffwaffes fighters such as Bf109 and Fw190, to fight with Royal air force is not an easy thing as their imagines. The most important thing is Luffwaffe --- Bf109 E that IL2-Sturmovik can make players learn lots of knowledge form different aircrafts. At the main time, players also can acquire lots of dogfight experience in the game. In IL2-Cliffs of Dover, the most attractive point is the game is not just focus on the mission or the story back ground, it allows players to choose different aircrafts. We could imagine that many players having dogfights online all together, every aircraft is different, that is very interesting. That is including dive-strafer Ju-87 and bomber He-111 and TB3. Also, the B-239 which is made by Finland will appear in the game as well, fly enthusiasts call it smaller F2A Brewster Buffalo. Even though the performance of B-239 is not as good as other fighters, but it has been used for a long time to help Finnish protecting Karelia. Players who are interested in history about Would War II, it will be easier for them to play. In the game, we can also see some top level fighters like Bf-109, Fw-190, Spitfire, La-5, Mig-3 and Royal Air Force --- Spitfire I so on. In IL2-Cliffs of Dover, players also can play as multiplayer model. The specialist is more than 2 players can fly the same aircraft. For example, there is a mission called Bomb London. Most of aircrafts are bombers. Each bomber allow 5 players to take in. every of them has their own position. Which are pilot, copilot, bombardier, top gunner and back gunner. That could make more fun when players play with each others together.

To compare with other similar games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator series, the advantages are very clear. First, the real story, IL2 series are first World War II combat flight simulator video games. The best version of Microsoft Flight Simulator is Microsoft Flight Simulator X. it only focus on the creativity missions. There is almost nothing history background story in the game. The second is players can choose planes and their positions in the game, in Microsoft Flight Simulator X, players also can different plans to play, but in one mission, they only allow to choose one specified play. For multiplayer model, it is only allow players play it as one person per person. The third is the game developer of IL2-Cliffs of Dover try to make it as real as possible, but for Fight Simulator X, the details of that is not really cover the real feeling of fly planes. Through the above points, we can see the advantages of IL2-Cliffs of Dover. So that makes Il2Cliffs of Dover being a Canon game in the future. Game Control As a combat flight simulator video game, there are 2 different ways to play it: Keyboard and Mouse or Rocker. Using keyboard and mouse is much easier than using rocker to play in the game. Players just need to set up keys for different functions of plane. And use arrow keys to control plane. But the disadvantage of this is players can not fly as some stunt flying ways. Being a professional pilot, Rocker is the best way to play with. There are three equipments for a full set which are rocker, pedal plate and throttle lever. Also, if players who want to be a higher level to enjoy in this game, they can choose a special helmet with camera track function. In normal way to play this game, players have to use mouse to look around, that is not comfortable and waste lots of time. With the special helmet, player just need to turn their head a little bit, they can see the view. It is much easier and more comfortable. Game Graphic Usually, the graphic of simulation game does not as good as first person shooter game like call of duty, but Cliffs of Dover totally changed this situation. Through these pictures we can see the reflect light on the window and clear shadows. The flame when engine has been swich on. Even the spiral trajectory has been made much better than previous versions. Every instruments of plane are 3D and all of them do work in Cliffs of Dover. In most of other combat flight simulation games, the instruments are 2D textures. The
X Plane 10

excellent game graphic also makes this game being a potential Canon Game. Specialized of Special Before starting play the game, players have to know some basic knowledge of aircraft. Otherwise, fly a plane will be a big problem. When players finish setting their button, it is the real time to fly. During the fly, lots of things players have to take care. Because IL2 series is a very real flight simulator video game and all the data is base on real aircrafts. So here are some keywords of fly. Red out: A symptom when pilots piloting a plane from level flight to dive flight. The blood is upwelling. It will make pilot lost control of the plane. Black out: It is opposite to Red out, it is a symptom when pilots piloting a plane from dive flight to climb flight. It will generate high sustained-G during aerial combat maneuvers, which has seriously threatened flight safety. Stall tail spin: The stall spin flight is a flight subject with high difficulty and risk. The situation of stall tail spin is that when plane has lost its potential energy and kinetic energy, it will spin fall down. If planes have got this situation, it is a near escape for pilots. These points above are just basic knowledge about how to fly planes. In the game, there are also have some natural elements will influence planes. Such as wind speed and airflow. Even the trajectory has influenced by wind speed a lot, as same as real dogfight, lead angle is the first thing to consider during the fight. Even though these are all basic things for combat flight simulator video games, IL-2 series was the fist game which contains all of these in a game. Other games coming later copied IL2 series a lot such as X-Plane 10 and Flying Club.

Flying Club

X Plane 10

Personal Experience In IL2- Sturmovik, the big different from other games is it is hard to get a victory. For other games, players just need to follow the mission and play step by step. They could win at last. But in IL2, win or not is not depending on how much time players spend on the mission, it is depends on dog fight skills.

For basic point, players only need to keep 4 words in mind. Those are height, speed, firepower and maneuvering. If players have superiority in these 4 point than enemy planes, there is chance to win. Certainly, these 4 points is enough for normal players, if you are professional, the higher level course is suitable for you. That is called Energy-maneuverability theory. Energy-maneuverability theory is a model of aircraft performance. It has been put forward by Col. John Boyd. It described an aircrafts performance between the total of kinetic and potential energies or aircraft specific energy. Many elements will influence that such as thrust, weight, drag, wing area and other flight characteristics of an aircraft into a quantitative model. In short, the pilot has more energy. He has superiority during the dog fight. Competitions There are many teams having match with other teams every year. Also, there are many players enjoy to play the simulation games like Cliffs of Dover. So they create many informal teams and beat with each other online. Even they can communicate and share their experience with other players. It has lots of fun play it online. Like the real battle above the English Chanel, two groups of players play as Royal Air Force and Luffwaffe. Each of players can choose different aircraft they would like to use. Every plane has its own performance of characteristic. So play as a team with other players online is the most interesting part in this game. In Microsoft Flight Simulator X, players could play online with each other players together, but it is not interesting as Cliffs of Dover. Players only can fly civil aircrafts. The feeling of players for Microsoft Fight Simulator X is just impassive. But IL2 Cliffs of Dover is more exciting. That also the point make IL2 Cliffs of Dover being a potential Canon Game. Conclusion As a World War II combat flight simulator video game, IL2 series is enduring in the past 10 years. This proved it win the hearts of all the players who are the funs of combat flight simulator video games. Lots of online match are base on IL2 series. No matter professional players or normal players. They could enjoy themselves in IL2 Cliffs of Dover. Because of its history and real story background, freedom ways to play, professional game control equipments, excellent game graphic and exciting online model. I call IL2-Cliffs of Dover is a potential Canon Game. Reference 1. Moderator, Il-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover. 25 Oct 2012. Combatace.com http://combatace.com/topic/75492-il-2-sturmovik-cliffs-of-dover-final-patch-review/ Accessed June 13, 2013 by Bowen 2. TomWKLINK Cofield, IL - 2 Cliffs of Dover North America Version. 02 Sep 2011. SimHQ http://www.simhq.com/_air13/air_500a.html Accessed June 13, 2013 by Bowen

3. Kevin VanOrd, IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover Review, 15 April 2011, Gamespot.com http://www.gamespot.com/il-2-sturmovik-cliffs-of-dover/reviews/il-2-sturmovik-cliffs-of-doverreview-6308918/ Accessed June 15, 2013 by Bowen 4. Lan Stephens, X-Plane 10 Review, 18 Jun 2012, FLY AWAY. http://flyawaysimulation.com/news/4471/x-plane-10-review/ Accessed June 15,2013 by Bowen 5. Flight Simulator X Product Information, 2010, Microsoft Game Studios. http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulatorx/ Accessed June 15, 2013 by Bowen 6. IL2-Strumovik: Cliffs of Dover, 2010, Ubisoft Game. http://il2sturmovik.ubi.com/cliffs-of-dover/en-GB/home/ Accessed June 15, 2013 by Bowen