The greatness of Crimson Skies

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 08:25am

A few years ago I tried the demo of Crimson Skies and hated it. It crashed, the menus were slow and the flying was pretty meh.

But yesterday I found a copy in a bargain bin (funny story: I was looking for AA batteries and thanks to yet another price hike, I payed €3 more for the packet than for the game). Since I now have a joystick I decided to buy it and give it another try.

I do not regret this. Crimson Skies is what every other air combat game wants to be but isn't.

The flying is piss-easy. You have a joystick, a throttle and two triggers - one for cannons, one for rockets. That's it. No nonsense with flaps or radar or any of those other realism-wankery silliness, just pure arcadey flying sweetness. If you can think of a stunt, you can do it - just don't stall or smack into the scenery. Dogfights are hectic and fun, especially with your copilots' and enemies' banter on the radio. The story is deliciously cheesy but it's told brilliantly, with stills and almost perfect voice-acting (it's better than pretty much every game I've ever played - even though the characters are straight out of pulp paperbacks they all have their own personality).

And there really is nothing quite like strafing a Zeppelin through clouds of flak while dodging it's escorts.

If you like flying games that don't take themselves too seriously and see this one on sale somewhere, buy it. I cannot understand why this game didn't become an instant classic. This may be the best €3.99 I ever spent on anything.

CaptHawkeye · Post by **CaptHawkeye** » 2007-04-04 08:34am

I bought it back when it was released. I'm a hardcore sim fan, I was playing CFS1 and Jane's WW2 Fighters back in the day, and I still thought Crimson Skies was awesome. Back when everyone else hated it.

It wasn't meant to be realistic obviously. It was the pilot's equivalent of a cheesy action movie, and it was a damn good one at that. Even with that, it still payed a little attention to realism with things like stalls, and ammunition supply.

Yes, Zeppelin attacks were thrilling, I like how they treated zeps like aerial battleships that actually got into broadside fights. (I know I know, they are strong enough to carry around heavy plates of armor on all sides, yet not enough to carry rotating turrets.)

And because the developers do in fact, understand why the little things matter they even remembered to get decent voice actors and make great sound effects.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-04-04 08:36am

Now, having played through CS (which is a fucking awesome game, had it for many years now) Go watch Sky Captain and The World Of Tomorrow and you tell me it that's nots practically the same.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 08:41am

Go watch Sky Captain and The World Of Tomorrow and you tell me it that's nots practically the same.

I've already seen Sky Captain, but I think CS did a better job of making a lighthearted universe. Sky pirates are more fun than irradiated mutants. Not that I don't like Captain, though.

Even with that, it still payed a little attention to realism with things like stalls, and ammunition supply.

Yeah, but not because they had to - ammo choice affects the game, but you can skip it altogether. You might be able to do a mission a bit faster with .70HE/.50DD and 2/2 flak rockets, but if you stick with the defaults you can finish the game all the same.

I'm working on customizing a Fury right now ("Christine"

). The stock Devastator's nice, but I'd like something more nimble.

Netko · Post by **Netko** » 2007-04-04 11:15am

I love that game. Got it bundled with something or other (probably a gfx card) and have since then played it through at least 4 times. Its just a tremendously fun action flight sim.

Damn, now that I remembered it, I can't get the music from the game out of my head.

If you can't get enough of the universe head on over to the official site. They have a bunch of pretty good short stories set in the universe covering the backgrounds and actions of a bunch of the minor characters that really fleshes them out. Having a playthrough afterwards is very enjoyable and the universe feels enriched. Hopefully they are still online.

If there was ever an game universe that deserved a movie made out of it, this is it. Use the cinematography style from Sky Captain, but the superior universe of Crimson Skies, and you, at the very least, have a cult classic on your hands.

CaptHawkeye · Post by **CaptHawkeye** » 2007-04-04 11:26am

Only problem is that FASA has been casterated by Microsoft. Crimson Skies still holds onto a little of its old self. Mechwarrior has not been so lucky.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 11:50am

I just love the mission briefings -

Nathan: "Okay, so while you all hold off half a dozen enemy planes, I swoop down to the train, save the damsel, blow up the fuel depot, parachute into the hangar and steal the secret prototype. We take off in ten"

Crew: *cheering*

I've also finally found the right plane for me: a $10k Brigand with dual .60/single .50 guns in front, a .40 in the turret, big-ass engine, three rocket mounts and decent armour. She looks like steakhouse but she handles like a bistro

Is there any way to edit custom planes once you've bought them, by the way?

Hopefully they are still online.

I don't think they are. "Crimson Sky universe" redirects to a Shadownrun site

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-04-04 11:58am

The PC version of Crimson Skies was fantastic. The Xbox version was so-so but still fun.

BTW - Yosemite - you still potentially willing to sell your Crimson Skies box?

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2007-04-04 03:38pm

I LOVE Crimson Skies. It's one of my favorite flight sims of all time. It just oozes style. Where else do you pick up people off the tops of burning zeppelins, while mustachioed villains taunt you?

I loved some levels, like the 'Air Race'. Hard as hell, rewarding as hell.

Oh, and the best enemy plane in that game is the Hellhound. Now if there was only some way to be firing more than 1 gun at a time...

Tolya · Post by **Tolya** » 2007-04-04 03:47pm

Ahh, good old Crimson Skies...one of the best games I've ever played. Wonderful, massive terrains (for that time), excellent, air-pirate plot, great main hero, rescuing damsels from distress via a rope ladder from the top of the train...duels with aces...

The memories...

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-04-04 03:52pm

'Ere, what's the difference between Crimson Skies and Crimson Skies:Highroad to Revenge?

I'm getting confuzzed...

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2007-04-04 03:54pm

My roommate's got Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge for Xbox. I had a blast with it; only irritating thing is that there's no level select. If you want to repeat a mission later, you have to play through the campaign again until you get to it.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 04:00pm

Dartzap wrote:'Ere, what's the difference between Crimson Skies and Crimson Skies:Highroad to Revenge?

I'm getting confuzzed...

Highroad is the Xbox sequel.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-04-04 04:02pm

Well, how bizarre. I've only played CS:HRTR then, heh.

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2007-04-04 04:09pm

Tolya wrote:Ahh, good old Crimson Skies...one of the best games I've ever played. Wonderful, massive terrains (for that time), excellent, air-pirate plot, great main hero, rescuing damsels from distress via a rope ladder from the top of the train...duels with aces...

The memories...

Sod that, what about nicking a Bristol Balmoral bomber by flying inverted over it and dropping in?

I own the PC game, Xbox game and the boardgame.

The one mission I did hate though was the Hollywood one where you had to steal the Spruce Goose, between flying through the sign, those gyrocopters and then flying through the Goose's hanger.... AGGHH

I've got the boardgame and the aircraft manual, it's a shame no one put the extra aircraft into the PC game. If there was a 360 Crimson Skies game I could see it being part of the downloadable content.

Mmmm...talking of which, does High Road to revenge work on a 360.

If you ever want a slightly similiar universe, read Michael Moorcock's Warlord of the Air.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warlord_of_the_Air

Post by **Simplicius** » 2007-04-04 04:26pm

Reading this thread makes me kick myself all the harder, that I didn't bring my joystick back with me to school. I finally got my hands on a copy and I can't wait to give it a go.

AMX · Post by **AMX** » 2007-04-04 04:28pm

Bounty wrote:
Hopefully they are still online.
I don't think they are. "Crimson Sky universe" redirects to a Shadownrun site

I fail to duplicate that problem.
They are still there (under http://crimsonskiesuniverse.com/ in case you typed something different), but only this month - they're going offline in May.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 04:30pm

AMX wrote:
Bounty wrote:
Hopefully they are still online.
I don't think they are. "Crimson Sky universe" redirects to a Shadownrun site
I fail to duplicate that problem.
They are still there (under http://crimsonskiesuniverse.com/ in case you typed something different), but only this month - they're going offline in May.

Time to start downloading, then.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2007-04-04 04:44pm

Bounty wrote:I've also finally found the right plane for me: a $10k Brigand with dual .60/single .50 guns in front, a .40 in the turret, big-ass engine, three rocket mounts and decent armour. She looks like steakhouse but she handles like a bistro

Why two sets of guns? You can only use one at a time and even with the .70 you never run out of ammo unless you do "spray and pray" instead of "aiming". Get rid of the .50, keep the dual .60, add more armour.

Jade Falcon wrote:The one mission I did hate though was the Hollywood one where you had to steal the Spruce Goose, between flying through the sign, those gyrocopters and then flying through the Goose's hanger.... AGGHH

You need to be more creative. It is not necessary to fly through the Hollywood sign, though you get bad-ass points for it. You kill the entire air cops, destroy the barges, and then you fly to the front of the hangar and shoot a rocket at the door. That usually sets-off the fuel tanks without you needing to go into the hangar. It's also possible to do it with bullets, there's a small gap between the doors and the roof of the hangar.

Nephtys wrote:Oh, and the best enemy plane in that game is the Hellhound. Now if there was only some way to be firing more than 1 gun at a time...

Hellhound sucks. The Fury, Bloodhawk, and Devastator are the best planes. Just slap a double .50, a few hardpoints, then raise the armour to max or near max. You've just made a plane that's plenty deadly, a tough bitch to bring down, and capable of flying circles around your slow-ass Hellhound. And no, the rear turret is not an advantage, it's weight you could have spent getting more armour or a better engine. Those rear guns can never match-up to the fury of the front cannons, especially since the latter are aimed by smarter-than-AI humans.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 04:57pm

Why two sets of guns? You can only use one at a time and even with the .70 you never run out of ammo unless you use the "spray and pray". Get rid of the .50, keep the dual .60, add more armour.

I have poor aim.

Also, I've gotten into the habit of using explosive rounds to strip a plane of armour, then finish it off with dum-dums. It seems to work better than simply using explosives...I think. I've only been playing for a day.

Plus, as everyone knows, more guns=cooler

You can download the stuff in that website? How? I need to know!

File->Save Page As. Rinse and repeat...at least, that should work for the text files.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2007-04-04 05:01pm

Bounty wrote:
Why two sets of guns? You can only use one at a time and even with the .70 you never run out of ammo unless you use the "spray and pray". Get rid of the .50, keep the dual .60, add more armour.
Also, I've gotten into the habit of using explosive rounds to strip a plane of armour, then finish it off with dum-dums. It seems to work better than simply using explosives...I think. I've only been playing for a day.

Slug is the base damage, does same vs. both armour and internals
Dum Dum does 2x vs. internal and .5x vs. armour
Armour Piercing does 2x vs armour and .5x vs. internal
Explosive does 1.5x vs. both

If you are using the double method, the use armour piercing first and dum-dum to finish-off. Explosive is best for a single set of guns, and slugs are good only if you feel the game needs to be harder.

Bounty wrote:File->Save Page As. Rinse and repeat...at least, that should work for the text files.

Thanks, though that's dreadfully tedious. Would be awesome if I could download the entire page in one fell swoop.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2007-04-04 05:13pm

Thanks, though that's dreadfully tedious. Would be awesome if I could download the entire page in one fell swoop.

I used to have an extension for that, but it's lost in the mists of time.

Jade Falcon · Post by **Jade Falcon** » 2007-04-04 05:14pm

Adrian Laguna wrote:You need to be more creative. It is not necessary to fly through the Hollywood sign, though you get bad-ass points for it. You kill the entire air cops, destroy the barges, and then you fly to the front of the hangar and shoot a rocket at the door. That usually sets-off the fuel tanks without you needing to go into the hangar. It's also possible to do it with bullets, there's a small gap between the doors and the roof of the hangar.

No matter, I managed it that way anyway, it's just that it was a bit annoying at times.

I remember playing the night mission earlier on and could barely see a thing, however that was when my old CRT monitor was giving up the ghost and the picture was very dark as a result.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2007-04-04 05:18pm

Bounty wrote:
Thanks, though that's dreadfully tedious. Would be awesome if I could download the entire page in one fell swoop.
I used to have an extension for that, but it's lost in the mists of time.

Well, guess I'll have to ask the forum at large then.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2007-04-04 05:43pm

I also loved this game, I think the cd is scratched currently, though. Ages ago I made the meatiest plane ever. I took the gigantic, unmaneuverable bomber (Balmoral?) chassis, painted it black with a tiny bit of blue so it looked like a stealth bomber and took all but the outer missiles from it. It had its main guns that pointed straight forward, a turret on top and two turrets underneath if I remember right. It was also pretty well armoured. It was so heavy that if you didn't have max throttle all the time it fell out of the sky, and it cornered like a rock.

Not that cornering slowly was a big problem (except it meant you could fall out of the sky if you needed to do it quickly), you were totally protected from all avenues of attack by the turrets. Dogfights were hilarious. Ace whatever would turn up make a quick attack and then would get torn to ribbons as he flew by my turrets.

I had a multiplayer game with that badboy once, there was just no stopping it, aside from when I flew into the floor.