Gunship and Gunship 2000

Jarhead0331 · February 16, 2024, 11:51:16 AM

...these just released on Steam and GOG. I have such wonderful memories of both, particularly GS2000. It was so far ahead of its time.

Sadly, word seems to be that the games should be avoided on both GOG and Steam since Atari apparently sourced the files from the MyAbandonware site. How is this known? The pilot roster file is filled with some random people instead of the guys from the original Microprose release...

Hopefully, they do something about this.

Grim.Reaper · February 16, 2024, 12:26:40 PM

yep, I saw this and was going to buy, but saw in several places that people warning not to buy as it doesn't contain all the "codes" they use to protect it and can't do everything.

Lowenstaat · June 25, 2024, 12:16:52 AM

FYI: Atari updated the Steam and GOG versions of Gunship (1986) and Gunship 2000 (1991) to their latest patched versions. For example, Gunship 2000 is now the CD version with complete documentation, the expansion (Antarctica and the Philippines), and with no need for copy protection. It works great with newly updated DOSbox settings.

Heads up, though, if you already have the GOG version of Gunship! (2000) installed. For some reason, GOG Galaxy game client will install the Gunship and Gunship 2000 launcher in the Gunship! folder by default. However only Gunship! will launch. After I noticed this, I uninstalled Gunship 2000, then reinstalled it to E:\Program Files (x86)\GalaxyClient\Games\Gunship2\. The installation created E:\Program Files (x86)\GalaxyClient\Games\Gunship2\Gunship for the Gunship 2000 (and original Gunship) files. That kept the Gunship 2000 files separate from the Gunship! files.

The Steam versions of these games are also reportedly updated, minus the installation folder confusion of the GOG versions.

JudgeDredd · June 25, 2024, 12:58:47 AM

I too have some fantastic memories playing Gunship 2000! A superb piece of gaming software.

Gusington · June 25, 2024, 06:14:02 AM

Gunship is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I first played it on the C64 when I was 12. Is it worth going back to? I never played Gunship2000.

Jarhead0331 · June 25, 2024, 08:00:18 AM

Quote from: Gusington on June 25, 2024, 06:14:02 AMGunship is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I first played it on the C64 when I was 12. Is it worth going back to? I never played Gunship2000.

Gunship 2000 was spectacular. However, I do fear that time will not be kind to it. I just think the field and technology have advanced too far to make it as enjoyable as it once was. I have the Atari GS/GS2000 collection, but everytime I think about playing it, I end up loading DCS.

Lowenstaat · June 25, 2024, 09:57:40 AM

Quote from: Gusington on June 25, 2024, 06:14:02 AMGunship is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I first played it on the C64 when I was 12. Is it worth going back to? I never played Gunship2000.

Same here. I first played Gunship on a C128 and Gunship 2000 on a 286 PC. I think Gunship 2000 is worth a career play through despite its three decade old graphics.

The sim is abstracted enough so that you can play the pilot who flies one of the eight helicopter variants in single missions or campaigns in four different theaters rather than actually flying the machines like in a DCS level simulator.

Over the weekend I created a pilot, assigned him to a squadron, had him fly a training mission, and then a few single helicopter missions in a Super Cobra in the Middle East theater during which he earned the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, and promotions from Warrant Officer Candidate to WO2.

After the fourth or fifth mission he eared an Air Medal for heroism and a field commission to 2LT. The brigade commander assigned him to command a platoon of five helicopters.

His platoon successfully completed their first mission in a campaign in the Middle East by destroying an oil refinery and an enemy ground unit which was their secondary target. That action earned a promotion for one of the platoon's WO1s and various medals for the lot of them.

Their second mission was a bit tougher, search and rescue a downed pilot and pick up an infantry squad to bring them all back to base. Whereas I had assigned them three Apache gunships and two Kiowa scouts in the first mission, for the second mission I assigned them three Apaches and two Blackhawks.

The Apaches fought their way into the mission area and finally located the objectives. The Blackhawks sortied in to pick up their passengers and then the platoon made their way back to base with some damage but everyone accounted for.

And then I crashed my Apache at the base trying to land it with a damaged rotor! My pilot was dead, but I had a fun time playing his short career in this old game.

There are enough difficulty options for damage, avionics, wind, enemy quality, and weapons that you can customize the game experience to your taste. For example, I keep the enemy quality set to average or poor. They seem to react to quickly on higher levels... or my reaction is just slower than it was 30 years ago!

Jarhead0331 · June 25, 2024, 10:44:22 AM

^Nice. Thanks for the write up. I'm willing to give it a shot.

Jarhead0331 · June 25, 2024, 11:15:04 AM

Quote from: Lowenstaat on June 25, 2024, 09:57:40 AM
Quote from: Gusington on June 25, 2024, 06:14:02 AMGunship is definitely one of my favorite games of all time. I first played it on the C64 when I was 12. Is it worth going back to? I never played Gunship2000.

Same here. I first played Gunship on a C128 and Gunship 2000 on a 286 PC. I think Gunship 2000 is worth a career play through despite its three decade old graphics.

The sim is abstracted enough so that you can play the pilot who flies one of the eight helicopter variants in single missions or campaigns in four different theaters rather than actually flying the machines like in a DCS level simulator.

Over the weekend I created a pilot, assigned him to a squadron, had him fly a training mission, and then a few single helicopter missions in a Super Cobra in the Middle East theater during which he earned the National Defense Service Ribbon, the Army Commendation Medal for Valor, and promotions from Warrant Officer Candidate to WO2.

After the fourth or fifth mission he eared an Air Medal for heroism and a field commission to 2LT. The brigade commander assigned him to command a platoon of five helicopters.

His platoon successfully completed their first mission in a campaign in the Middle East by destroying an oil refinery and an enemy ground unit which was their secondary target. That action earned a promotion for one of the platoon's WO1s and various medals for the lot of them.

Their second mission was a bit tougher, search and rescue a downed pilot and pick up an infantry squad to bring them all back to base. Whereas I had assigned them three Apache gunships and two Kiowa scouts in the first mission, for the second mission I assigned them three Apaches and two Blackhawks.

The Apaches fought their way into the mission area and finally located the objectives. The Blackhawks sortied in to pick up their passengers and then the platoon made their way back to base with some damage but everyone accounted for.

And then I crashed my Apache at the base trying to land it with a damaged rotor! My pilot was dead, but I had a fun time playing his short career in this old game.

There are enough difficulty options for damage, avionics, wind, enemy quality, and weapons that you can customize the game experience to your taste. For example, I keep the enemy quality set to average or poor. They seem to react to quickly on higher levels... or my reaction is just slower than it was 30 years ago!

Also, how are you playing? With mouse and keyboard, or are you using flight peripherals? Any particular resolution that you find works best on modern monitors?

Gusington · June 25, 2024, 12:46:33 PM

Now I really want to play Gunship2000

JasonPratt · June 25, 2024, 01:16:45 PM

Man I don't remember G2000 being that detailed in missions! -- though on the other hand I never got the DLC with Antarctica and the Philippines. Due to a lack of map generation, I don't think I played G2K as much as the original Gunship, which I suspect I'd never be able to go back to although I have fond memories of it.

undercovergeek · June 25, 2024, 01:20:47 PM

This has made me look at the 'gunships' on steam - there's a lot of negativity around GS2000 based on the version you get

Found this though

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2012140/Helicopter_Gunship_DEX/

JasonPratt · June 25, 2024, 01:23:25 PM

Oh yeah, I wishlisted DEX some time ago!

Jarhead0331 · June 25, 2024, 01:39:33 PM

I have DEX...all I'll say is that I do not like it.

I have had real trouble configuring my devices and it just doesn't look that good or feel worth the trouble. Just my .02.

Lowenstaat · June 25, 2024, 02:37:05 PM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on June 25, 2024, 11:15:04 AMAlso, how are you playing? With mouse and keyboard, or are you using flight peripherals? Any particular resolution that you find works best on modern monitors?

I played the first couple missions this past weekend with my old Thrustmaster T. Flight HOTAS X, but it only had joystick and two button functionality. I could not get the collective on the Gunship 2000 configuration screen to map to the Thrustmaster throttle or even the rudder rocker.

I used my Logitech gamepad for the last few missions I flew yesterday. It took a while to get used to the left thumbstick controlling the cyclic and just having use of the A and B buttons.

The remainder of the controls like collective, weapons, MFD switches are on the keyboard. I still have my old box copy of GS2000 so I just plopped my reference card cutout onto my keyboard. It did not fit perfectly, but good enough.

Thankfully, players can interact with the menus with a mouse and keyboard.

The resolution is 640x480. I believe the default DOSBox settings maximize the game to display full screen. At least it did for me, displaying VGA 640x480 on my native 2560x1440 monitor just fine.

Its odd, though, that in that trailer video on GOG the pilot takes off from his main base or FARP and immediately attacks friendly M1Abarms tanks!

Quote from: undercovergeek on June 25, 2024, 01:20:47 PMThis has made me look at the 'gunships' on steam - there's a lot of negativity around GS2000 based on the version you get

Found this though

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2012140/Helicopter_Gunship_DEX/

I think the Steam version has the same update correcting the problems with the launch version which was essentially an abandonware clone of GS2000.

Here's a recent lets play video by Space Game Junkie. During the first part of the video he plays Gunship (1986). He starts playing Gunship 2000 (1991-92) at 14:28. Note that at about 31:43 his helicopter sustains rotor damage so you'll see a lot of flight instability during the remainder of that mission. That's the damage that doomed my aforementioned pilot when I tried to land my Apache normally, but forgetting to account for the main rotor damage.

I also hope that games like Helicopter Gunship DEX, Nuclear Option, Gunner, Heat, PC! can somehow recreate some of the campaign/career immersion of the old Microprose games like M1 Tank Platoon and Gunship 2000. But, I still enjoy those games and their slightly younger siblings M1 Tank Platoon II (1998) and Gunship! (2000).