Uxi Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 Was able to get a great deal at a closing CompUSA and got a Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS for $89 brand new. What are the latest and greatest simulators? I haven't been a die hard simulator guy since Janes: ATF Gold, etc. IIRC there was a new version of Falcon 4.0, but it was going by a different name... Anything else? WWI and WWII would be just as desirable as modern jets.... Quote
HoveringCheesecake Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 IL-2 Forgotten Battles + Aces Expansion pack + Pacific Fighters + 1946 + any patches = all you'll ever need. http://www.pacific-fighters.com/en/home.php?skin=S2 Quote
Retracting Head Ter Ter Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 IL-2 Forgotten Battles + Aces Expansion pack + Pacific Fighters + 1946 + any patches = all you'll ever need. http://www.pacific-fighters.com/en/home.php?skin=S2 Just get the 1946 box. Then download the final 4.08m patch (last official patch according to the developer). Don't get confused by all the earlier versions IL2, IL2 FB, PE2, Sturmoviks over Manchuria, Aces Expansion, Pacific Fighters etc etc. The 1946 box contains all of it in one merged DVD. I have never seen such attention to detail on a WW2 sim. Quote
Warmaker Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 Was able to get a great deal at a closing CompUSA and got a Thrustmaster Cougar HOTAS for $89 brand new. What are the latest and greatest simulators? I haven't been a die hard simulator guy since Janes: ATF Gold, etc. IIRC there was a new version of Falcon 4.0, but it was going by a different name... Anything else? WWI and WWII would be just as desirable as modern jets.... Flight sims have been quite underground compared to the 90's. Here's my personal list of the best of the newer flight sims (military only): Modern Jet-age Falcon 4.0: Allied Force - Basically 4.0 with all it's patches and alot of fan attention and updates for realism. Falcon 4.0 was released in 1998 and the flight sim community still really cares for her. IMO, the most adored and actively used military flight sim ever. WWII IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 - The IL-2 series is the best of the WWII flight sims in the last few years, and there weren't that many of them... that were decent anyways. Anyways, the 1946 pack has everything of the IL-2 series. The original IL-2 game and all expansion packs: Forgotten Battles, Aces Over Europe, and Pacific Fighters. It even has the downloadable Sturmoviks Over Manchuria upgrade. There's some glaring omissions with IL-2, especially the Pacific portion, but it's still pretty dang good. It's a rather short list since flight sims have been low profile for years now. Other portions of flight eras have sadly been under represented. Korean War flight has been last done by Mig Alley but that was 1999 or 2000. The last good military helicopter flight sim was the Apache vs Havoc series starting from 2000. The last good one before that was Jane's Longbow 2 from the mid-90's. Honestly, the last good, major crop of flight sims were from the late 90's or 2000. Quote
HoveringCheesecake Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 (edited) Just get the 1946 box. Then download the final 4.08m patch (last official patch according to the developer). Don't get confused by all the earlier versions IL2, IL2 FB, PE2, Sturmoviks over Manchuria, Aces Expansion, Pacific Fighters etc etc. The 1946 box contains all of it in one merged DVD. I have never seen such attention to detail on a WW2 sim. I didn't mean that he should buy them all separately. They are installed on top of one another, correct? That's how Pacific Fighters was, at least. I haven't played 1946. EDIT: Any news for Battle of Britain? I haven't seen much on it. Hopefully Oleg turns out another classic. Edited May 4, 2007 by meh_cd Quote
fulcy Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 Since several of you have played IL2, I have a question - what kind of joystick/throttle would you recommend? Also, are foot pedals necessary? Quote
Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0 Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 LOMAC(Lock On Modern Air Combat) and Falcon 4 allied force as mentioned by warmaker. For console, Over G Fighters Quote
HoveringCheesecake Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 (edited) Since several of you have played IL2, I have a question - what kind of joystick/throttle would you recommend? Also, are foot pedals necessary? I'd go for a hotas setup. A normal joystick just doesn't cut it. I have a Saitek joystick that has the throttle at rear of the stupid thing's base. Let me see if I can find a picture. http://www.saitekusa.com/usa/prod/cyborg_evo.htm There we are. I find myself having to use the keyboard alot, and it's made more difficult because I have to reach down to adjust the throttle (unless I use the + or - keys on the keyboard). Yeah. Go for a hotas. Edited May 4, 2007 by meh_cd Quote
Hiriyu Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 Since several of you have played IL2, I have a question - what kind of joystick/throttle would you recommend? Also, are foot pedals necessary? I've got a CH Products HOTAS (Fighterstick USB/Pro Throttle USB) with CH Rudder pedals. It works wonderfully, and is extremely configurable/programmable, though many recommend the more inexpensive CH Flightstick for IL-2, as it is less cluttered with fewer buttons. Myself, I find the Fightersick more than adequate, even with 'too many' buttons or switches. I've been flying IL-2 since '02, and would heartily recommend it to anyone with an interest in flight sims. Quote
Uxi Posted May 4, 2007 Author Posted May 4, 2007 I already had a Saitek X35/X36 (the black ones before they went to the funky colors) that I actually really enjoy. This Thrustmaster Cougar is just so sturdy and awesome that I couldn't resist at such a good price. Allied Force was the Falcon 4.0 that I was looking for. That will be a definite. I'm leaning more on Pacific Fighters than IL-2 since repeating the antics of VMA-214 appeal to me more but I might eventually do both. I really wish we could have an modern analogy for ATF gold. I liked the pure variety of every major US fighter (F4, F16, F15, F14, F18, F22, etc) as well as all the MiG's and even stuff like the B2, SR-71, and Aurora. Quote
Warmaker Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 Baa Baa Blacksheep!... but not IL-2 game If you're looking for only Pacific Fighters, it should be quite cheap. Honestly, I would not pay more than $29 for it since 1946 has been released. I think it retails for $39. But you should be able to find Pacific Fighters quite cheaply. Quote
VF-19 Posted May 4, 2007 Posted May 4, 2007 I've got both the X-45 and the X-52 by Saitek. Personally I like the X-52 much much better than the X-45. Quote
Retracting Head Ter Ter Posted May 5, 2007 Posted May 5, 2007 Don't bother with the standalone pacific fighters. Get 1946 (its under $30) since it adds on more planes and maps for the pacific theatre as well. Quote
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