Apache Longbow (video game)
Encyclopedia
Apache Longbow was a computer game released by Digital Integration in 1995 for MS-DOS
and Macintosh. It was released as Apache in the United States.
Apache is a combat flight simulator
of the American AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter.
It runs in DOS and has fairly minimal requirements considering that it was published during a period when Intel Pentium microprocessor-based PC
systems were first becoming common. The game comes with a printed 90 page manual.
The mac version will run on any PPC with System 9.
One of these is the Main Screen which has a quick start option, flight option, preferences (game preferences) option and a Pilot's Log option (The player can choose his pilot's name).
The Flight Options menu has a training option (In Fort Hood, Texas), a Single Mission option, a campaign option, a network option (for network multiplayer) and a Two Player option.
Another menu presented whether in Single Player or Campaign Mode is the World Map in which combat will take place in 3 areas (Yemen, Korea or Cyprus).
The training in the game is extensive and teaches the use of weapon systems, navigation and helicopter avionics systems. In single player mode the player can choose which mission that he or she prefers to select in the 3 areas.
In campaign mode the player can choose which 3 areas he wishes to enter in a tour of duty. The Campaign mode also plays video clips and has a briefing before any mission. In addition there is a Briefing Menu before the player goes into combat which has a Mission Description and then when the player selects the mission a detailed mission map (like a mission editor) is shown with the flight plan and the player can chose his desired ordnance
, zoom in on the map, given a satellite view of the area or target and given meteorological data. The Briefing is also narrated with an American speaker and this narration also takes place in the campaign mode.
Apache is rated as a PC Gamer editors choice game with a high rating and the simulation is almost on par with Jane's Longbow simulation although it lacks the sophisticated avionics of that title.
There are quite a lot of vehicles and ships in this simulation which is similar to Digital Integration's earlier flight simulation Tornado in layout and gameplay.
Graphics are simple gouraud shaded
polygons, but many are used on cities and airfields giving the impression of a detailed landscape for the time period (1995). Ground Battles can be seen taking place when in combat. All the missions and campaigns in this simulation are fictional and hypothetical.
The simulator plays a pleasant non vocal rock music theme when one is in the menus but not when one is in the simulation. It has good combat sound tracks of weapons being fired and combat crew talk when on a mission. There is a hotkey which pauses the simulation and takes the player into an electronic manual of the simulation. This can be helpful if one forgets the key to activate a particular function in the game.
fighters, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, M113
armored personnel carriers, Patriot
missile launchers, and M1A1 Abrams
main battle tanks.
, MiG-27 ground attack fighters, C-130 Hercules transports, MiG-29 fighters, Su-25 fighters, and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
and Macintosh. It was released as Apache in the United States.
Apache is a combat flight simulator
Flight simulator
A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external...
of the American AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter.
It runs in DOS and has fairly minimal requirements considering that it was published during a period when Intel Pentium microprocessor-based PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
systems were first becoming common. The game comes with a printed 90 page manual.
The mac version will run on any PPC with System 9.
Menus in the simulation
On game start up a short video is played then the player is presented with different menus.One of these is the Main Screen which has a quick start option, flight option, preferences (game preferences) option and a Pilot's Log option (The player can choose his pilot's name).
The Flight Options menu has a training option (In Fort Hood, Texas), a Single Mission option, a campaign option, a network option (for network multiplayer) and a Two Player option.
Another menu presented whether in Single Player or Campaign Mode is the World Map in which combat will take place in 3 areas (Yemen, Korea or Cyprus).
The training in the game is extensive and teaches the use of weapon systems, navigation and helicopter avionics systems. In single player mode the player can choose which mission that he or she prefers to select in the 3 areas.
In campaign mode the player can choose which 3 areas he wishes to enter in a tour of duty. The Campaign mode also plays video clips and has a briefing before any mission. In addition there is a Briefing Menu before the player goes into combat which has a Mission Description and then when the player selects the mission a detailed mission map (like a mission editor) is shown with the flight plan and the player can chose his desired ordnance
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
, zoom in on the map, given a satellite view of the area or target and given meteorological data. The Briefing is also narrated with an American speaker and this narration also takes place in the campaign mode.
Gameplay
A joystick is preferred and a soundcard is desired in the simulation to fully enjoy this titles multimedia gameplay. The graphics are pretty simple in the simulation either 320 by 200 pixels or 640 by 480 pixels but the detailing on each vehicle or ship is more than adequate.Apache is rated as a PC Gamer editors choice game with a high rating and the simulation is almost on par with Jane's Longbow simulation although it lacks the sophisticated avionics of that title.
There are quite a lot of vehicles and ships in this simulation which is similar to Digital Integration's earlier flight simulation Tornado in layout and gameplay.
Graphics are simple gouraud shaded
Gouraud shading
Gouraud shading, named after Henri Gouraud, is an interpolation method used in computer graphics to produce continuous shading of surfaces represented by polygon meshes...
polygons, but many are used on cities and airfields giving the impression of a detailed landscape for the time period (1995). Ground Battles can be seen taking place when in combat. All the missions and campaigns in this simulation are fictional and hypothetical.
The simulator plays a pleasant non vocal rock music theme when one is in the menus but not when one is in the simulation. It has good combat sound tracks of weapons being fired and combat crew talk when on a mission. There is a hotkey which pauses the simulation and takes the player into an electronic manual of the simulation. This can be helpful if one forgets the key to activate a particular function in the game.
Allies
A number of allied units are present in the game, including F-15 EagleF-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
fighters, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, M113
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
armored personnel carriers, Patriot
MIM-104 Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
missile launchers, and M1A1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
main battle tanks.
Enemies
A variety of enemy units are present as well, including Mi-24 Hind helicopters, AH-1 Super Cobra helicoptersAH-1 SuperCobra
The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the US Army's AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra...
, MiG-27 ground attack fighters, C-130 Hercules transports, MiG-29 fighters, Su-25 fighters, and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.
Similar games by Digital Integration
- Tornado 1993 (DOS PC)
- Hind 1996 UK and 1997 U.S. (DOS and Windows PC)
- iF-16 Fighting Falcon 1996 (DOS and Windows PC)
- F/A-18E Super Hornet 2000 (Windows PC)