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Flight Sim Newbie

A

Azndude2190

Golden Member
Okay so I want to start to play a flight simulator game.Would a joystick be better than a keyboard(may be a stupid question...but o wel),and what should I particularly look for in a joystick(and what brand also)?Which game should I get?IL-2?MS CFS 3?...
 
Even though it's 2 year old, Microsoft's Flight Simulator is the standard for flight sims. There's no combat or anything like that, but you can fly all over the world with realisitic effects. For joysticks, it really depends on how much you want to spend and how realistic you want the experience to be. You can either get a joystick/throttle combo or just have the throttle buit on to the joystick (with a slider). Obviously the joystick/throttle combo will be more realistic, but you'll also have to pay a little more. Search around for some reviews and you should be able to find some reasonably priced ones.
 
I'd suggest Forgotten Battles Gold (includes the Ace's Expansion Pack) with the Pacific Fighters addon. That's pretty much the best for WW2 era. If you want jets then try LOMAC or Falcon, be sure that you get the latest LOMAC though, Flaming Cliffs I think it's called. It adds the real plane physics.
 
Stay away from Combat Flight Simulator 3. Go with IL-2. If you want to play online, you need to get the addons...Forgotten Battles and Pacific Fighters so that you're compatible with what most everyone else plays.

IL-2 is about release a single DVD with all the expansion stuff, I think at the end of this month, so it might be best to wait for this as it's hard to find some of the expansions now.

For the best forums on simulators, check out SimHQ The homepage for IL-2 and the Pacific Fighters addon is Pacific Fighters

Oh, and you definitely need a joystick. I use Saitek X-45, but Saitek has an upgraded model X-52. It has both a joystick and throttle, but most any joystick will do. If you really get into flightsims, check out TrackIR
 
Originally posted by: Azndude2190
Okay so I want to start to play a flight simulator game.Would a joystick be better than a keyboard(may be a stupid question...but oh well ! ),
Click to expand...
You would soon get very frustrated trying to use any keyboard. Any FS simulator worthy of the category needs a good joystick.
and what should I particularly look for in a joystick(and what brand also)?
Click to expand...
You would be best served with quetions like that one to visit one of the many FS-oriented forums on the 'net (I'll add a link). I've gotten along with a moderately priced Logitech joystick (about $30 MSRP), but I don't run any FS often.
Which game should I get?IL-2?MS CFS 3?...
Click to expand...
The MS Combat Simulator may be easier to fly than others, but the real place to start is with one or the other of what you need to split the category into:

1. Realistic physics simulators. Closely duplicate the experience of real flying. Start with MS Flight Simulator 2004, and follow through on the light plane lessons included. Then, if combat is your area within that segment, choose a program such as Il-2. (I do not know whether the Pacific Fighters software is an Add-on or a standalone.) This type does take a fair amount of repeated practice lessons to master.

2. Arcade action style, "shooter in the air" game. Most of the helicopter sims tended to be of that type, I think. These are supposed to be much easier to learn to use.

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/index.php?s=ebbdcd2a8b3362b4a480abe70d4de096&

That place is particularly oriented to the realistic, military plane simulators. You can also find forums specializing in civilian planes, including airliners.


:beer:
 
Originally posted by: Azndude2190
Do you need the original IL-2 to play Pacific Fighters?
Click to expand...


You don't need to, Pacific Fighters (PF) can be played as a standalone. However, don't expect much online play as PF standalone is not widely supported by servers.

I also spoke incorrectly before. IL-2:Forgotten Battles (FB) is the sequel to the original IL-2. FB's focus is on the Eastern Front of WWII, so you'll be flying German or Russian planes. Ace's Expansion Pack (AEP) adds the Western Front (US, Britain). PF adds the Pacific (US, Japan, and carriers). If you're interested in online play, it's best to get all three. Also, the main Pacific Fighters page I linked to above just made the following announcement:

We're proud to announce that the IL-2 series, the critically acclaimed combat flight simulator is now merged into one DVD including: Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and all the intermediary add-ons.

This epic collection of WWII air combat spans the entire globe, from the sands of Iwo Jima to the snow-covered steppes of Russia. Fly in more than 200 life-like aircrafts over the Ardennes, Guadalcanal, D-Day beaches, or over Stalingrad: the possibilities are endless!

* Join any Air Force: British, Russian, American, German and more
* A dynamic campaign system creating endless varieties of missions in dozens of campaign scenarios.
* 42 meticulously modeled maps: Fly over the Reichstag and the Hermitage, Midway and Crimea, Pearl Harbor and Murmansk.
* Free servers all over the world offering exhilarating multiplayer experience: up to 128 players on 29 online maps.

IL ? 2 Sturmovik Series: Complete Edition is scheduled on PC on March 30th

If I were you, and you're interested in a WWII combat sim, this is what I would look for. I would imagine the price would be pretty good and it certainly would make more sense than trying to get all the pieces separately.
 
Originally posted by: weeber
Originally posted by: Azndude2190
Do you need the original IL-2 to play Pacific Fighters?
Click to expand...


You don't need to, Pacific Fighters (PF) can be played as a standalone. However, don't expect much online play as PF standalone is not widely supported by servers.

I also spoke incorrectly before. IL-2:Forgotten Battles (FB) is the sequel to the original IL-2. FB's focus is on the Eastern Front of WWII, so you'll be flying German or Russian planes. Ace's Expansion Pack (AEP) adds the Western Front (US, Britain). PF adds the Pacific (US, Japan, and carriers). If you're interested in online play, it's best to get all three. Also, the main Pacific Fighters page I linked to above just made the following announcement:

We're proud to announce that the IL-2 series, the critically acclaimed combat flight simulator is now merged into one DVD including: Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and all the intermediary add-ons.

This epic collection of WWII air combat spans the entire globe, from the sands of Iwo Jima to the snow-covered steppes of Russia. Fly in more than 200 life-like aircrafts over the Ardennes, Guadalcanal, D-Day beaches, or over Stalingrad: the possibilities are endless!

* Join any Air Force: British, Russian, American, German and more
* A dynamic campaign system creating endless varieties of missions in dozens of campaign scenarios.
* 42 meticulously modeled maps: Fly over the Reichstag and the Hermitage, Midway and Crimea, Pearl Harbor and Murmansk.
* Free servers all over the world offering exhilarating multiplayer experience: up to 128 players on 29 online maps.

IL ? 2 Sturmovik Series: Complete Edition is scheduled on PC on March 30th

If I were you, and you're interested in a WWII combat sim, this is what I would look for. I would imagine the price would be pretty good and it certainly would make more sense than trying to get all the pieces separately.
Click to expand...



Thanks for the info! For whatever reason I never got around to playing any of the IL2 stuff. I was getting ready to try and put it all together buying used. I hope this will be available at a local B&M retailer.
 
Originally posted by: weeber
Originally posted by: Azndude2190
Do you need the original IL-2 to play Pacific Fighters?
Click to expand...


You don't need to, Pacific Fighters (PF) can be played as a standalone. However, don't expect much online play as PF standalone is not widely supported by servers.

I also spoke incorrectly before. IL-2:Forgotten Battles (FB) is the sequel to the original IL-2. FB's focus is on the Eastern Front of WWII, so you'll be flying German or Russian planes. Ace's Expansion Pack (AEP) adds the Western Front (US, Britain). PF adds the Pacific (US, Japan, and carriers). If you're interested in online play, it's best to get all three. Also, the main Pacific Fighters page I linked to above just made the following announcement:

We're proud to announce that the IL-2 series, the critically acclaimed combat flight simulator is now merged into one DVD including: Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and all the intermediary add-ons.

This epic collection of WWII air combat spans the entire globe, from the sands of Iwo Jima to the snow-covered steppes of Russia. Fly in more than 200 life-like aircrafts over the Ardennes, Guadalcanal, D-Day beaches, or over Stalingrad: the possibilities are endless!

* Join any Air Force: British, Russian, American, German and more
* A dynamic campaign system creating endless varieties of missions in dozens of campaign scenarios.
* 42 meticulously modeled maps: Fly over the Reichstag and the Hermitage, Midway and Crimea, Pearl Harbor and Murmansk.
* Free servers all over the world offering exhilarating multiplayer experience: up to 128 players on 29 online maps.

IL ? 2 Sturmovik Series: Complete Edition is scheduled on PC on March 30th

If I were you, and you're interested in a WWII combat sim, this is what I would look for. I would imagine the price would be pretty good and it certainly would make more sense than trying to get all the pieces separately.
Click to expand...

Thx I think I will wait till the 30th to buy the deluxe pack...than pickup a joystick.These games shouldnt be hard on my computer right?(specs down there).
 
Don't worry Andude, you'll be good to go. In fact, you'll be able to play with full eye-candy. I run the game with fairly high settings on my Athlon XP 3000+ 1gig PC400 and 6600GT.
 
Originally posted by: weeber... Also, the main Pacific Fighters page I linked to above just made the following announcement:

We're proud to announce that the IL-2 series, the critically acclaimed combat flight simulator is now merged into one DVD including: Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and all the intermediary add-ons.

If I were you, and you're interested in a WWII combat sim, this is what I would look for. I would imagine the price would be pretty good and it certainly would make more sense than trying to get all the pieces separately.
Click to expand...
Something I had not known, was that some IL-2 games had that ridiculous Russian Star Force "Copy Protection" (almost a rootkit) included. Could one hope that the new DVD dropped that crap?

Edited -> Should there just happen to be any reader whose head has been buried in the dirt the past year, and not know how bad the crap really is.. You may read about Starforce, starting with this link:

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?optio...&id=2445&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=0


:frown:

 
Originally posted by: Kiwi
Originally posted by: weeber... Also, the main Pacific Fighters page I linked to above just made the following announcement:

We're proud to announce that the IL-2 series, the critically acclaimed combat flight simulator is now merged into one DVD including: Il-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles, the Ace Expansion Pack, Pacific Fighters, and all the intermediary add-ons.

If I were you, and you're interested in a WWII combat sim, this is what I would look for. I would imagine the price would be pretty good and it certainly would make more sense than trying to get all the pieces separately.
Click to expand...
Something I had not known, was that some IL-2 games had that ridiculous Russian Star Force "Copy Protection" (almost a rootkit) included. Could one hope that the new DVD dropped that crap?


:frown:
Click to expand...

None of the IL2 series ever had Starforce.

But IL2 will install on your system like any program does, including Starforce. If you don't like that then you probably shouldn't be connected to the net, or be using a PC. 😛
 
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