Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China
Top Gun 2020
FTSOC Official Soundtrack available everywhere!
Composers Magnus Ringblom and Simone Cicconi have created a daredevil musical experience for Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China's varied air-combat action gameplay and exotic atmosphere. As players storm through the skies of South-East Asia, the soundtrack fuses ethnic and cinematic instrumentation with electronic influences that capture the mood of the 1940s' China-Burma-India Theatre of World War 2.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple, etc. via: smarturl.it/acemaddox or watch the OST (full audio) on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AGJ740fMl6o
POSTER/AVIATION ART
Looking for new wall decor? We've teamed up with VONBEYST and Displate to create the official, metal-printed Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China video game poster!
Ready for order now, the FTSOC aviation art metal poster is available in medium (M) and large (L) sizes. Check it out, after the jump:
https://displate.com/displate/528337
Gallery quality giclée print on thick metal plate. Each Displate print is verified by the Production Master. Signature and hologram are added to the back of each print for added authenticity & collectors value. Magnetic mounting system included.
To your freedom,
ACE MADDOX
ALSO ON XBOX ONE
Calling all cadets! Short Friday update -- FTSOC is now available worldwide on the Xbox Store, if you buy it and like it, we would very much appreciate a kind review.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/flying-tigers-shadows-over-china/c0k72p573fsc
We think it does play very nicely on the big screen, and truth to be told, the UI etc was designed early on to fit next-generation consoles and television, but that was many years ago. We're more than happy to see it live on the Xbox One!
Rated M for Mature by the ESRB (US), and PEGI 16 (Europe/ROTW).
THAMMER
As many of you have noticed, we’ve recently updated Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China (FTSOC) to version “THAMMER 1.1”. The patch includes not only new Steam-achievements, but also multiple gameplay enhancements and fixes across subtitles, rendering and audio.
We appreciate your continued support, and please continue to send bug reports to support@acemaddox.com or hit us up on Twitter https://twitter.com/AirCombatAction.
(And, in case you’ve missed it, FTSOC is coming to Xbox One as a console exclusive. Feel free to check out the semi-recent XO trailer over at Microsoft’s Xbox channel on YouTube, link at the bottom).
- Gameplay: Added HARD difficulty level. Re-tweaked the CASUAL and NORMAL modes.
- Gameplay: Added five new Steam-achievements (for challenges).
- Multiplayer: Added “shortcuts” to MULTIPLAYER screen for (hopefully) quicker joins.
- GUI: Updated the TrazerTime on-screen effect so it looks slightly more spiffy.
- GUI: Updated gamepad/controller graphics to represent the Xbox One controller, replacing the old Xbox 360 iconography.
- Audio: Updated select voice-over performances (English).
- Audio: Check out the SETTINGS/AUDIO. New sound system divides engine sounds, machine gun fire, explosions and ancillary sound effects in separate streams for better volume control.
- Localization: Made various subtitle corrections across the game (for all languages).
- Misc: Fixed an issue where inverting Y-axis setting would not be saved.
- Misc: Fixed numerous (minor) graphical issues.
And here's the Xbox One Reveal Teaser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUiozUz0nOs&t=5s
To your freedom,
ACE MADDOX
INDEPENDENCE DAY
“It was an apt co-incidence that the Chinese government's contract with the Flying Tigers had to be terminated on the 4th of July in 1942. After all, the tigers had been flying high and low -- independently -- against the Japanese for seven months straight. Not only for money, but so that China could remain free and unopressed.”
Put your hand on your heart and raise your flag as we present you with the 4th of July “Termination” Gameplay Trailer. Enjoy the ride!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qox00Jy1NWE
Oh, almost forgot. Here's a good chunk of bullet points with historical trivia to celebrate the occasion -- for those of you interested in knowing more about the background of the Flying Tigers:
- Officially called the 1st American Volunteer Group (the “AVG”), the Flying Tigers were flying mercenaries contracted by the Chinese government under President Roosevelt's “Secret Executive Order”.
- Assuming fake identities, AVG recruits had to travel by ship half-way around the world to get to Rangoon, Burma. One pilot made the trip undercover with a specially-made passport indicating he was a missionary. Others posed as plantation managers, cowboys and even circus performers!
- China paid AVG fighter pilots a $500 bounty for each Japanese aircraft shot down. In addition, the monthly renumeration was $675 for flight leaders, $600 for pilot officers, and about $250 for ground-crew staff (at the time, about $600 bought a factory-new Ford V-8).
- The Flying Tigers insignia patch was designed by two Disney artists -- Roy Williams and Henry Porter -- together they worked up a painting of a Bengal cat leaping out of a V-for-victory sign.
- The AVG and the Chinese were financed and organised by White House lobbyists and advisors using shadow companies and laundered money to shield the Roosevelt Adminstration from violating any neutrality acts.
- As per Roosevelt’s “Secret Executive Order”, all Flying Tigers “volunteers” had to resign from the military and become civilians. If captured, they risked being executed as spies by the Japanese.
- A total of 311 “volunteers” formed the AVG. Some fought as pilots while others served in ground support roles such as mechanics, doctors, clerks and nurses.
- Starting out with only 99 P-40 fighters, the Flying Tigers racked up an amazing combat record in just about seven months. Their tenure collectively destroyed 297 enemy aircraft in Burma, Thailand and China.
- Rugged construction allowed the P-40s to withstand steep dives as the Tigers swooped down on the Japanese from high above using “hit and run” tactics invented by their daring flight instructor, Claire Lee Chennault. This caused Japanese fighter pilots to view the Flying Tigers with bittersweet respect. They thought the Tigers didn't fight fair.
- On the 4th of July 1942, the American Volunteer Group aka the Flying Tigers were disbanded as the Chinese contract expired and the onslaught of World War 2 made further non-official (covert) operations politically difficult.
- After July 4, the U.S. Army 23rd Fighter Group took over the AVG P-40s but only five tiger pilots accepted induction. For morale and propaganda, the Flying Tigers name was retained for the 23rd pilots.
- After the AVG were disbanded, the U.S. refused to recognize the Flying Tigers. That position remained unchanged until 1991 when the "honorably discharged" Tigers officially became WW2 veterans.
In freedom,
ACE MADDOX
FULL RELEASE!
Finally, Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China leaves Early Access -- the full release is dubbed "Sharkbite" (1.00) and is available now worldwide. We would like to thank you all for your support during the game's time in development, it was quite a ride!
We'll continue updating FTSOC post-release. Meanwhile, enjoy the flight!
In freedom,
ACE MADDOX
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Watch the FTSOC Launch Teaser on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/NPIiFTe3EcQ
“EVENT HORIZON”
Today's Steam update, which we've aptly named “EVENT HORIZON” as we're approaching international release, adds more Kipling-style painted imagery that finalizes the menus (GUI and UX), the full soundtrack DLC (apologies to DLC customers, we forgot to include it in the earlier updates!) and fixes several minor bugs, some of which are listed below;
- AI: Took care of an issue that caused respawning enemy fighters (primarily in the dogfight mode) to get stuck in geometry and perform loops endlessly.
- TrackIR: Fixed a detection issue in the input code.
- GUI/UX: Finalized layout and presentation, implemented full batch of hand-painted illustrations in an effort to capture the mood, look and feel of aerial warfare in 1940s South-East Asia theatre of World War II, updated loading-screens for all weathers, implemented final multiplayer map panel menu graphics.
- GUI/UX: Fixed a font size rendering issue that sometimes caused text to overflow in the SETTINGS/CONTROLS screens.
- Audio: Adjusted "dynamic audio volume" logic for thick air-battles to make sure neither machine gun fire nor engine sounds would become too dominant or cause other SFX to drown.
Friendly reminder; as you'll know from the last update, we've teamed up with Imperial North Music Agency and Operation Supply Drop for the EP release of Norman Wayne's country-rock song "THESE GUNS" (played during the game's credits roll), so feel free to check it out via Apple Music and Spotify links below.
Also, please consider paying a visit to Ace Maddox' 8-Bit Salute military fundraiser and make a donation to support active-duty troops, servicemen and women, their families, and veterans: https://fundraise.operationsupplydrop.org/FTSOC
Check out the “THESE GUNS” lyrics video on YouTube, it's got plenty of authentic WW2 footage that depicts the Flying Tigers in Burma et al;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZseOewpX0do
Listen on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2nzEm8H
Listen on Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/Lv4Sib
Buy on Bandcamp: https://normanwayne.bandcamp.com
Finally, here are some of the recently implemented Kipling-style panels. Enjoy your flight!
ACE MADDOX
“THESE GUNS” EP
TLDR; have you heard the country-rock song that is played during FTSOC's credits roll? It's called “THESE GUNS”, was written specifically for the game, and performed by sync-act and singer-songwriter Norman Wayne. It's out now on most music services, and includes two great remixes!
Must-see lyrics video below, it's got authentic WW2 footage that shows the Flying Tigers in Burma!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZseOewpX0do
Listen on Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2nzEm8H
Listen on Apple Music: https://itun.es/us/Lv4Sib
Buy on Bandcamp: https://normanwayne.bandcamp.com
Short story long; we've teamed up with Imperial North Music Agency (an A&R sync agency and digital record label that connects select musical talent with the games industry et al) and the great people at Operation Supply Drop (a leading military charity that supports active duty troops and veterans with games and entertainment to “make fun where there is none”) for the release of Norman Wayne's country-rock EP “THESE GUNS” on major music services including Apple Music, Bandcamp, Deezer, and Spotify.
In addition to the original country-rock version of “THESE GUNS”, the EP release premieres the first ever “countrywave” remix by Adam Skog (aka Irving Force), plus a “Melbourne Bounce” 128 BPM EDM-remix presented by Operation Supply Drop & 8-Bit Salute.
So, with all that out of the way -- please visit our 8-Bit Salute military fundraiser and consider making a donation. That way you'll support active-duty troops, servicemen and women, their families, and veterans: https://fundraise.operationsupplydrop.org/FTSOC
Rockfully yours,
ACE MADDOX
0.9.8.10 “TRACKIR”
Time for a nifty interim update (amidst the localization work that has kept us busy recently) to let you all know that as per popular demand, we've implemented TrackIR support! Natural Point's line of headsets have been on the market for the past couple of years, and many gamers seem to agree it's actually more convenient than VR, not the least because TrackIR doesn't strain your senses/eyes that much, making longer play-sessions comfortable.
Enjoy the head-tracking,
Ace Maddox
p.s.
Feel free to hit up our 8-Bit Salute military fundraiser (courtesy of Operation Supply Drop) via the link below and consider making a donation. That way you'll support active-duty troops, their families, veterans (and last but not least, medevac units flying bravely to evacuate wounded comrades, often extracting from active combat zones while under enemy fire).
Join our mission at https://fundraise.operationsupplydrop.org/FTSOC