Air Warrior is an on-line multiplayer combat flight simulator from Kesmai. To many, it is a lot more than a game. For WWII aviation enthusiasts like me, it is a dream come true. Even on its most superficial level -- taking off, heading for the action, mixing it up in dogfights against other live opponents -- it is a blast. However, there can be a lot more to it. There is a sense of community in Air Warrior, and it's fun to build a reputation based on your flying skill or style. There are also war nights and historical scenarios where the action involves definite missions and objectives. For me, playing in historical scenarios gives a similar feeling to reading about real WWII aerial combat and missions. Multiplayer action is a whole new level of fun beyond stand-alone play; and for me, historical scenarios are a whole new level of fun beyond normal multiplayer action.
To play, you need the front-end software for Air Warrior. The front-end software runs on your computer, doing the flight simulation and connecting via modem to a host computer. The host manages and distributes the data coming from the on-line players. The host is maintained by Kesmai and is available through Gamestorm ("http://www.gamestorm.com/"). To play in the multiplayer arenas, you need an account on Gamestorm. It costs $10/month to play an unlimited amount.
There are two types of front-end software available: a free version and a boxed version with lots of extra features. The latest boxed version, Air Warrior III, is for Windows 95 and is available in stores for $40-$50. It has multiplayer functionality plus, among other features, a larger variety of aircraft to fly, an off-line mission builder, 3D graphics acceleration, and the ability to play head-to-head. The head-to-head feature allows you to play against one (and only one) other opponent without connecting through Gamestorm -- you can instead connect to the other person modem to modem, over the Internet, or over a LAN. The off-line mission builder provides for off-line gaming and practice.
The free version (Air Warrior III Online) has basic functionality for multiplayer on-line play but no head-to-head or off-line mission-building features. It runs only on Windows 95 and is available on Gamestorm.
For more information on Air Warrior and how to play it, take a look at HOW TO FLY AND FIGHT IN AIR WARRIOR, available on this Web site.
There is also a Usenet newsgroup devoted to Air Warrior: "alt.games.air-warrior". If you have questions about the game, AWTA, historical scenarios, war nights, etc., that is a good place to post questions.