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ATF (video game)
Encyclopedia
ATF is a computer game released in for the ZX Spectrum
, Commodore 64
and Amstrad CPC
by Digital Integration.
The player takes control of Lockheed's YF-22A Advanced Tactical Fighter
(the craft which later became the F-22 Raptor
) in a fictional war between two rival factions. The in-game world is a nameless collection of islands, which is randomly generated for each game. The fighter can be armed with a combination of cannon
rounds (used to destroy enemy aircraft), ASRAAM
missiles, and Maverick
missiles for destroying ground targets, even those out of visual range.
The display is a third-person view
showing the player's ATF, which remains stationary on screen as the scenery scrolls past it, which takes up most of the screen. A head-up display
is superimposed on the main screen; this shows engine
thrust, the ATF's speed, ground height and altitude, along with the missile system available, direction of flight and a target's
range and bearing.
The right-hand side is devoted to the "on-board flight computer" which shows enemy positions on a world map, the
status of weapon systems and the ATF itself. Above the flight computer display is a panel which shows the score and number of lives left.
Below the main display is a panel which displays status reports, and below that indicators for fuel level, enemy missile lock on, "terrain following" status, "automatic landing" availability (activated when the ATF enters the catchment area surrounding allied bases), and undercarriage status.
The "terrain following RADAR" prevents the ATF from colliding with the ground but reduces the craft's velocity..
were reluctant to divulge any confidential information. Despite this the developers managed to piece together information about the protoype aircraft's "electronic co-pilot" and "automatic terrain following" and decided to concentrate on creating a fast, arcade-like game, with a heavy reliance on strategy, rather than making it technically accurate.
Initially the terrain was created by calculating all the visible points for each frame. This system worked but was far too slow to pass as "arcade action". Instead, a complex co-ordinate referencing system was created, and each frame was drawn into a "dummy" screen, then copied to the display to avoid flicker.
The developers decided that strategy would play a large part in the game, with no compromises being made and that the 'war model' would appear as realistic and natural as possible. Five types of ground forces, as well as sea forces, communications emplacements and factories appear in the game, and all interact with each other in ways that affect gameplay. Factories, for example, supply the military hardware and if destroyed will result in a gradual depletion of forces, since tanks and ships are destroyed but not replaced.
The type of terrain affects the velocity of land forces; driving over snow, for example, is twice as slow as over green land. Each object has a unique strength value, which means that if the player does not succeed in completely destroying a target, allied ground forces may be able to "finish it off".
The program code for the Sinclair Spectrum version was written on an IBM AT
-compatible computer using a macro assembler, while the graphics were designed on an Atari ST
, then downloaded onto the IBM AT, before being downloaded to the Spectrum and debugged using a specially developed monitor.
and Commodore User
rating it at 8/10, CRASH
at 89%, ACE
giving the game 956/1000 and Sinclair User
giving top marks of 10/10.
Your Sinclair
's Jonathan Davies said of the game "Flying controls are minimal, leaving your hands free for downing baddies and generally enjoying the flight.", Nathan Jones from CRASH
decided that "...the graphics are superb and the landscapes give it a futuristic feel." and Sinclair User
's Chris Jenkins called the game a "rivetting shoot-em-up with some aspects of a simulation.".
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
by Digital Integration.
The player takes control of Lockheed's YF-22A Advanced Tactical Fighter
Advanced Tactical Fighter
The Advanced Tactical Fighter was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by the United States Air Force to develop a next-generation air superiority fighter to counter emerging worldwide threats, including Soviet Sukhoi Su-27 and Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters under development in the 1980s...
(the craft which later became the F-22 Raptor
F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation supermaneuverable fighter aircraft that uses stealth technology. It was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but has additional capabilities that include ground attack, electronic warfare, and signals...
) in a fictional war between two rival factions. The in-game world is a nameless collection of islands, which is randomly generated for each game. The fighter can be armed with a combination of cannon
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
rounds (used to destroy enemy aircraft), ASRAAM
AIM-132 ASRAAM
The AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile is an infrared homing air-to-air missile, produced by MBDA. It is currently in service in the Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force , replacing the AIM-9 Sidewinder...
missiles, and Maverick
AGM-65 Maverick
The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
missiles for destroying ground targets, even those out of visual range.
Gameplay
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
showing the player's ATF, which remains stationary on screen as the scenery scrolls past it, which takes up most of the screen. A head-up display
Head-Up Display
A head-up display or heads-up display is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints...
is superimposed on the main screen; this shows engine
thrust, the ATF's speed, ground height and altitude, along with the missile system available, direction of flight and a target's
range and bearing.
The right-hand side is devoted to the "on-board flight computer" which shows enemy positions on a world map, the
status of weapon systems and the ATF itself. Above the flight computer display is a panel which shows the score and number of lives left.
Below the main display is a panel which displays status reports, and below that indicators for fuel level, enemy missile lock on, "terrain following" status, "automatic landing" availability (activated when the ATF enters the catchment area surrounding allied bases), and undercarriage status.
The "terrain following RADAR" prevents the ATF from colliding with the ground but reduces the craft's velocity..
Development
When the game was being written, the YF-22A was not even completed (it had its maiden flight on 1990-09-29) and LockheedLockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
were reluctant to divulge any confidential information. Despite this the developers managed to piece together information about the protoype aircraft's "electronic co-pilot" and "automatic terrain following" and decided to concentrate on creating a fast, arcade-like game, with a heavy reliance on strategy, rather than making it technically accurate.
Initially the terrain was created by calculating all the visible points for each frame. This system worked but was far too slow to pass as "arcade action". Instead, a complex co-ordinate referencing system was created, and each frame was drawn into a "dummy" screen, then copied to the display to avoid flicker.
The developers decided that strategy would play a large part in the game, with no compromises being made and that the 'war model' would appear as realistic and natural as possible. Five types of ground forces, as well as sea forces, communications emplacements and factories appear in the game, and all interact with each other in ways that affect gameplay. Factories, for example, supply the military hardware and if destroyed will result in a gradual depletion of forces, since tanks and ships are destroyed but not replaced.
The type of terrain affects the velocity of land forces; driving over snow, for example, is twice as slow as over green land. Each object has a unique strength value, which means that if the player does not succeed in completely destroying a target, allied ground forces may be able to "finish it off".
The program code for the Sinclair Spectrum version was written on an IBM AT
IBM Personal Computer/AT
The IBM Personal Computer AT, more commonly known as the IBM AT and also sometimes called the PC AT or PC/AT, was IBM's second-generation PC, designed around the 6 MHz Intel 80286 microprocessor and released in 1984 as machine type 5170...
-compatible computer using a macro assembler, while the graphics were designed on an Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, then downloaded onto the IBM AT, before being downloaded to the Spectrum and debugged using a specially developed monitor.
Reception
Reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with Your SinclairYour Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
and Commodore User
Commodore User
Commodore User, known to the readers as the abbreviated CU, was one of the oldest British Commodore magazines. A publishing history spanning over 15 years, mixing content with technical and games features...
rating it at 8/10, CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
at 89%, ACE
ACE (games magazine)
ACE was a multi-format computer and video game magazine first published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing and later acquired by EMAP.-History:...
giving the game 956/1000 and Sinclair User
Sinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
giving top marks of 10/10.
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair
Your Sinclair or YS as it was commonly abbreviated, was a British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum.-History:...
's Jonathan Davies said of the game "Flying controls are minimal, leaving your hands free for downing baddies and generally enjoying the flight.", Nathan Jones from CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
decided that "...the graphics are superb and the landscapes give it a futuristic feel." and Sinclair User
Sinclair User
Sinclair User, often abbreviated SU, was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum...
's Chris Jenkins called the game a "rivetting shoot-em-up with some aspects of a simulation.".