Falcon Online - We miss you! I miss you!

Its been a while since I have touched this blog. I never really had a plan with it or a direction. I was supposed to use it to get my thoughts and observations out. At one point I tried to write rage bait and it got more attention than anything else I had written. It was not worth the effort it took to bring myself down to that level. I didn’t feel good after writing a hit piece. Funny that.

A shift in tone and direction has happened in my real life. I heard the loud pop one hears when they remove their head from their ass. If this blog is a reflection of my thoughts and observations, then it simply needs to just change with me.

I am sure I will write things that cause a stir, but there is plenty of negative out there and that is what brought me here and to this point. Gaming right now is a reflection of the world around us and the world right now is pretty upset. For valid reasons that I won’t ever get into. There is currently enough content out there that exists that dives deep into that kind of cesspool. Some of it is even still made by actual human beings.

I still managed to talk past my point, gaming isn’t all bad. Gaming is a reflection of the world so therefore the world, isn’t all bad. If you take a look around there are plenty of examples that still show us that people care and the art of making games is not lost or dead.

As of late there I have felt drive to try games that are somewhat outside of my normal wheelhouse. Ever since World War Two Online decided it was comfortable staying in 2009 I have found myself looking to fill that void. The only series that ever got close for me was the created by the team over at Bohemia Interactive. Operation Flashpoint was pretty much my go to since I got my grubby paws on a copy.

I managed to order Operation Flashpoint from Europe so I could get it sooner. I was hooked ever since and that was pretty much my every day driver from that point forward. Over 20 years later I still am playing an iteration of the same game, ArmA: Reforger.

Over the years I have acclimated more hours than I care to admit in ArmA 3. Which is probably why I am all but burned out on the series and as much fun as I have in Reforger in small doses, it’s still not quite the killing fields I found in Battleground Europe (World War Two Online; ww2ol).

Falcon BMS scratches that itch. It reached its peak during the TvT and it honestly felt more like the feeling we had playing ww2ol. Even though most of my sorties were flown in opposition to the AI, it was directly because of the actions of other players. My little monkey brain feels really happy seeing pieces move on a giant board because of the actions of others. It’s also nice being someone that stops those moving pieces while being nuisance to the opposition.

The TvT was a great experience and the good people over at Falcon Online did a fantastic job. There were hurdles that had to be overcame in real time and it was a great way to get into BMS. The problem was, it ended too quickly. It ended on time for the rules of the game but everyone involved was just beginning to feel like we were only getting started.

Screenshot by - TheCubanSpy

Shortly after that the fantastic release of 4.38 was given to us by the team over at BMS. This release made many drastic changes to the game and it brought in a whole new crop of excited virtual pilots. Its more accessible than it has ever been, it looks phenomenal in VR, the AI is objectively the best in any combat sim, the combat is intense and getting your jet back still matters. The problem is, for myself, is the TvT has had to go on the back burner and on simmer. Originally, they were without the tools they need in order to build those fantastic experiences. Thankfully, now tools have been released, but its going to take some time to get things going. Plus, there is likely a lot of fatigue from waiting, and some very valid bitterness still lingers.

Honestly, I do not know because I have not really paid much attention. Not for any fault of the Falcon Online’s community, I have just been busy with life. Now I find myself in a position to make time, and I am wondering, what’s next? Its been a long time since I have felt that happy in a gaming experience. You guys made something a lot of people love. The new crop of people coming in now are going to really love what you guys have in store.

The experience for me was just about a mirror image of ww2ol. I learned the sim and campaign in tandem and in real time. The only experience that comes even remotely close comes as a byproduct. I met some cool dudes to fly with, and they make the coop experience palatable. It's missing the same magic but its not without manna of its own.

Screenshot by - TheCubanSpy

I have a feeling that sooner or later the lads over at Falcon Online are going to have their triumphant return. I wear my “Battle for Lapland” patch with pride, on my simpit chair and flight suit. It seems to me like its a good time to get back into BMS if you have been away and are like me, waiting for “war”. Its time to get re-acquainted with the Jet, and the sim. Its just a feeling, don’t ask me to articulate it, but I just have a gut feeling something is brewing.

If not Falcon Online, perhaps, Falcon 5?