Red Baron (1990 video game)
World War I flight simulation with career mode and historical missions.
Red Baron is a combat flight simulation video game for MS-DOS created by Damon Slye at Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1990. Set on the Western Front of World War I, it allows players to engage in single missions or a career mode flying for either the German Air Service or the Royal Flying Corps. The game was notable for its historical setting and became the first title in Dynamix's Great Warplanes Series published by Sierra.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Dynamix
- Publisher
- Sierra On-Line
- Designer
- Damon Slye
- Programmer
- Paul Bowman
- Artist
- Mark Peasley
- Released
- December 31, 1990 (NA)
- December 1990 (EU)
- 1992 (Amiga) (EU)
- 1992 (Mac) (NA)
- Genre
- Air combat simulation
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game includes many famous German, British, and French World War I aircraft such as the Fokker E.I Eindecker, the Fokker Dr.I Triplane, the Sopwith Camel, and the SPAD XIII. Physics are somewhat unrealistic, as the game was intended as entertainment rather than a true simulator, though some unique flying characteristics were implemented, including the gyroscopic effect of the Sopwith Camel's rotary engine and the Albatros's upper wings shearing under high negative G loads. Players must contend with gun jams, flak, engine damage, and the possibility of bleeding to death if wounded and unable to land at an aerodrome in time. Mission types include dogfight, scramble, patrol, balloon busting or protection, reconnaissance escort, bomber escort or interception, and Zeppelin hunt, along with recreations of historical missions. Most missions involve one to three wingmen, though the player may fly solo if appointed flight leader. In dogfight missions the player can start near the action or at the aerodrome. After many victories, an enemy ace may challenge the player to a one-on-one dogfight, and some aces may cheat by bringing wingmen. Scramble missions require intercepting an enemy squadron approaching the player's aerodrome. Patrol missions involve flying along the Front, where anti-aircraft artillery and sometimes enemy aircraft are encountered. Balloon busting missions task the player with destroying enemy observation balloons while coping with fighters and anti-aircraft weapons, while balloon protection missions require defending friendly balloons. Reconnaissance escort missions involve protecting reconnaissance aircraft from enemy fighters. Bomber escort or interception missions involve Gotha and Handley-Page bombers attacking factories or trains.
Release
During development of Red Baron, Sierra bought Dynamix, and this title became the first in Dynamix's Great Warplanes Series to be published by Sierra. A promotional free download of the 16-color version appeared on Sierra's website in 1997. Dynamix held a contest in Computer Gaming World with seven questions; the first five readers to answer all correctly won a Blue Max replica and a signed copy of the game. A 2013 Kickstarter campaign aiming to fund a re-release did not succeed. Red Baron is now sold on Steam and GOG.
Reception
Slye later said Red Baron's success made Dynamix known as a developer of flight simulators. Sierra considered it the first in its Aces line of simulations, and combined sales of Red Baron, Aces of the Pacific, Aces Over Europe, Aces of the Deep, and an anthology surpassed one million units by the end of March 1996. Warren Spector, producer of Origin Systems's Wings of Glory, called it an astonishing accomplishment. Computer Gaming World approved of its accurate history, realistic flight models and combat, and the option to record missions, calling it the best flight simulator. In a 1991 survey the magazine described it as less realistic than Knights of the Sky but with excellent graphics and gameplay. Surveys in 1991 and 1993 gave it five stars out of five, calling it the best World War I air simulator ever done. The Mission Builder expansion received four stars from the magazine. A 1993 review of the Sierra Network multiplayer version called it a real pleasure and one of the best on-line gaming values yet. Dragon gave the game 5 out of 5 stars. Red Baron won Computer Gaming World's 1991 Simulation of the Year award and was inducted into the magazine's Hall of Fame in 1993. In 1996 the magazine ranked it number four on its list of the best PC games of all time. PC Gamer US named it the 17th best computer game ever in 1994, and in 1998 PC Gamer declared it the 20th-best computer game ever released. PC Format placed it on its list of the 50 best computer games of all time in 1991.
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