Software:Jane's F-15

From HandWiki
Jane's F-15
Developer(s)EA Baltimore
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Director(s)Greg Kreafle
Producer(s)Greg Kreafle
Designer(s)Michael J. McDonald
Programmer(s)John Paquin
Artist(s)Max D. Remington III
Terrence Hodge
SeriesJane's Combat Simulations
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
Genre(s)Combat flight simulator
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Jane's F-15, also known as simply F-15, is a combat flight simulator video game developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1998 for the PC. It models the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. EA's 2000 Jane's F/A-18 used an improved version of F-15's game engine.

Gameplay

A view of the 2D-cockpit.

The game has two campaigns: one based on the 1991 Gulf War and the other focusing on a fictional conflict with Iran.

The virtual cockpit was one of the first of its kind, but the game still featured a 2D cockpit which also allowed the player to switch between the pilot and the weapon systems officer seat in the back of the cockpit to monitor the different multi-functional displays.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStar[2]
CGSPStarStarStarHalf star[4]
CGWStarStarStarStarHalf star[5]
GameSpot9.2/10[6]
GameStar77%[7]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[8]
PC Gamer (US)93%[9]
PC PowerPlay85%[10]
PC Zone92%[11]

The game received favorable reviews. Next Generation described the game for having fast-paced and hot-and-heavy air combat and challenging AI.[8]

The game sold 126,461 units in the U.S. and earned $5 million by October 1999.[12]

Jane's F-15 was a finalist for the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' inaugural "PC Simulation Game of the Year" award,[13] which ultimately went to Microsoft Flight Simulator 98.[14] The game was also a finalist for Computer Gaming World's 1998 "Best Simulation" award, CNET Gamecenter's 1998 Best Combat Flight Sim award, and IGN's "Best Simulation of the Year" award, all of which ultimately went to European Air War.[15][16][17] It was also a runner-up for Computer Games Strategy Plus' "Simulation Game of the Year" award, losing again to European Air War. The staff called the former "extremely impressive".[18] PC Gamer US also nominated the game as the best simulation of 1998, but it lost to Falcon 4.0.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Gentry, Perry (March 23, 1998). "What's in Stores This Week". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-1586,00.html. 
  2. ↑ Redwood, Stephen. "Jane's F-15: The Definitive Jet Combat Simulator - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11682&tab=review. 
  3. ↑ Chick, Tom (April 23, 1998). "F-15". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-1660,00.html. 
  4. ↑ Hunt, James W. (April 27, 1998). "Jane's F-15". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/011/100/f15_review.html. 
  5. ↑ Kim, Robin G. (July 1998). "The Eagle Has Landed (F-15 Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (168): 160–61. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_168.pdf. Retrieved September 6, 2023. 
  6. ↑ Thomas, Chet (May 4, 1998). "F-15 Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000""]. Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/f-15-review/1900-2535901/. 
  7. ↑ "Jane's F-15" (in de). GameStar (Webedia). May 1998. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "F-15". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (43): 116. July 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_43/page/n117/mode/2up. Retrieved August 26, 2021. 
  9. ↑ McDonald, T. Liam (July 1998). "F-15". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 5 (7). http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/129.html. Retrieved August 26, 2021. 
  10. ↑ Lindgren, Ian (June 1998). "Jane's F-15". PC PowerPlay (Next Media Pty Ltd) (25): 72–74. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-025-1998-06/page/n71/mode/2up. Retrieved August 26, 2021. 
  11. ↑ Mathieson, Dave (June 1998). "Jane's F-15". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (64): 86–87. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_64_June_1998/page/n85/mode/2up. Retrieved August 26, 2021. 
  12. ↑ "Flight Sim Sales". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (183): 45. October 1999. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_183.pdf. Retrieved September 6, 2023. 
  13. ↑ "The Award - Updates". http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm. 
  14. ↑ "The Award - Winners". http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm. 
  15. ↑ CGW staff (April 1999). "Computer Gaming World's 1999 Premier Awards (Best Simulation)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (177): 98. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_177.pdf. Retrieved September 6, 2023. 
  16. ↑ Gamecenter staff (January 29, 1999). "The CNET Gamecenter.com Awards for 1998! (Combat Flight Sims Nominees)". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Awards98/ss03.html. 
  17. ↑ IGN staff (January 29, 1999). "IGNPC's Best of 1998 Awards". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/29/ignpcs-best-of-1998-awards. 
  18. ↑ CGSP staff (February 11, 1999). "The Best of 1998 (Simulation Game of the Year)". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/017/163/sim_of_year.html. 
  19. ↑ PC Gamer staff (March 1999). "The Fifth Annual PC Gamer Awards". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 6 (3): 64, 67, 70–73, 76–78, 84, 86–87. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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