Back into Flight Sims... advice?

[AstroCat]

I am wanting to jump back into fligtht sims, it's been a long time. I had a ton of fun several years ago with IL2 but I've been playing other games since and now I want to get back into it. I've playing flight sims on and off since the beginning.

 

I've got an X52 and a TrackIRPro 3 (with Proclip), oh and I have Saitek rudder pedals if I need to bring them out again, although I've usually been pretty happy with the twisting joystick. The system is solid: i7-2600K@4.2, 980GTX SC, etc...

 

I own: IL2: BOS (just never played it yet), IL2:1946 and IL2: CLOD (both Steam versions). I actually own the discs and all kinds of add on campaign discs and stuff for IL2:1946 from before but I just figured the Steam version would be a lot easier to deal with.

 

I like the idea of multiplayer with flight sims, one group I belong to plays a lot of WarThunder, which I know is it's own thing. But realistically I'll probably spend almost all my time playing solo, at least for the start. So single player/immersion is probably high on my list.

 

I'm good with modding but I do want to spend more time playing than modding, a hard thing sometimes. I don't have the free time I used to these days.

 

What should I go for? Il2:1946 again? Give BOS a go?

 

Thanks for the advice!

Edited February 13, 2015 by [TG]AstroCat

[oneeyeddog]

Hello AstroCat and Welcome. I've never played IL2-1946 nor WarThunder, but I have played BoS and I recommend you give it a go. Also try out Rise of Flight, DCS and Cliffs of Dover, other titles that I enjoy flying and recommend you try.

[II/JG17_HerrMurf]

You've come to the BOS forum for advice. Probably gonna get a lot of us recommending BOS. And while I agree, based upon your personal requirements I'd say '46 might be the ticket in the short term.

 

After you have sharpened your skills up in '46 SP, I'd strongly suggest moving over to BOS. Learning to fly in BOS will continue to be very challenging. Just be aware the campaign has much to be desired in BOS but it's a good place to get introduced to the FM's here. Once you have that conquered you'll be ready for MP.

[JG4_Continuo]

 Also try out Rise of Flight, DCS and Cliffs of Dover,

 

+1. Cliffs of Dover with the Team Fusion patches tough!

[6./ZG26_5tuka]

I'd probably recommend CloD with TF mod before trying BoS. SImply because BoS feels a lot different, in some way unusual, and is high demanding on flight skill (second most demanding sim next to DCS I've played so far). If you are not well confident and eager to master it it would prbably end up frustrating.

 

Planes in CloD aren't easy to handle either but they behave more calmly and forgiving to a certain extentmakign them better suited for getting into flying again.

 

Once you feel confident with flying I'd give BoS a go. It has a very realistic dynamic weather simulation and you'll surely feel a great difference in flying compared to other sims. It takes a little time to adopt to it though.

 

If you want to try real hardcore get DCS World free version and try the TF-51 Mustang. It has it's sharme with it's high fidelity and fully clickable cocckpit though it can easily be overdemanding to newcomers.

[DD_Crash]

HSFX  1946 is well worth a try

[indiaciki]

Give BOS a go and grab the DCS bf109k while it's on sale. Try BOS, ROF and DCS and x-plane 10.3 if you're into civilian sims. DCS has a free unarmed Mustang and ROF has at least 2 planes in the free version.

[Sokol1]

Since CloD is cheap now do the IL2- saga: 1946 > CloD > BoS.

 

CloD had some good 3rd party SP content, like free Heinkil, Bolox, Piper Kiev, Huninthesun... campaigns, or Desastersoft payware.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Sokol1

[wellenbrecher]

1946 because it's dirt cheap and with the utterly insane amounts of content out there it'll probably the best bang for the bang you'll ever get. EVER. Doesn't look too bad either with the right mods and the latest patch, especially considering its age. Playing online outside of certain campaigns and events is said to be a tad dead though.

 

CloD with TF for online. Regular play has a nice and steady community in various servers, but it really shines in the various online campaigns with 100+ people, which are just too amazing to pass on. It still looks amazing as well if done right. Never tried SP, so no comment here, but from what little I did I say the AI seems to be a joke on the level of 1946.

 

BoS is pretty but utterly empty of content. And also the most expensive of the bunch for obvious reasons. But apart from landing it's also the easiest to get into I found. Same AI problems as before, but it's not as bad as with the others in some aspects.

 

 

 

WarThunder is nice if you want quick, brainless action with mouse and keyboard. The sim part of it can work nicely to wake interest (sure brought me back to flying "real" sims) but the grind, the map design and such aren't really... good IMO.

DCS's WW2 planes will probably be really amazing to play with once everything is out (sometime late this year or early next year, that is...) AND once we have the new engine. The current one is hell to play online with and we have zero content for SP.

Edited February 15, 2015 by wellenbrecher

[Sokol1]

 

 

...the AI seems to be a joke on the level of 1946.

 

In true worst. 

[AstroCat]

Thanks for all the advice...since I am mostly interested in single player and I'm a little rusty I'll probably either go with IL2:1946 and/or CLOD. Probably 1946 because it will be familiar ground and I can kinda get a feel for things again. Plus I know it has tons and tons of pretty fun single player content. Then I'll try out CLOD and eventually BOS.

[DD_Crash]

Keep an eye on this if you like single player

http://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php/topic,40015.0.html

[voncrapenhauser]

Just be aware the campaign has much to be desired in BOS but it's a good place to get introduced to the FM's here. Once you have that conquered you'll be ready for MP.

 

+1

 

Rest of game is brilliant and really getting into online too now.

Edited February 15, 2015 by voncrapenhauser

[-NW-ChiefRedCloud]

I'd explore CloD and BoS if you like WW2 era. I still think the old IL-2 is a marvelous piece of work from the point of the original creators down through ALL the modding for it. But it is dated if still fun. CloD with the Team Fusion patches is fantastic. BoS is very good also and it is growing or will grow. DCS always holds my interest but depending on things, these two are on the top of the list at the moment. I wont knock War Thunder but I tried it and I don't like a lot of it personally. But that is a personal choice.

 

Chief

[Bearcat]

Thanks for all the advice...since I am mostly interested in single player and I'm a little rusty I'll probably either go with IL2:1946 and/or CLOD. Probably 1946 because it will be familiar ground and I can kinda get a feel for things again. Plus I know it has tons and tons of pretty fun single player content. Then I'll try out CLOD and eventually BOS.

 

Is this the same Astro from back in the day? Good to see you man! By all means.. 46 is the way to go to get your juices going and to remind you why.... CoD is dirt cheap and it is not bad either.. BoS is great... it's different.. but it is a nice addition to the genre and it only promises greater things ... Do you have BoS Standard or Premium?

[AstroCat]

I'm not sure... lol, I did play IL2 way back, even when it first came around and I was active on the forums... so... maybe?

 

The online group I play a lot of games with are big War Thunder fans and I finally gave it a go. Now, I know it's no IL2 but I admit I am having a good time playing in Realistic mode with the group. Ironically it's multiplayer, strange how that worked out. For my single player itch I think I am still going to install 1946 again and check it out.

 

Oh and for WT it's mouse/keyboard (which is taking some  getting used to), after that I am going to try WT's "sim" mode with my TrackIR and X52 HOTAS and see how it goes.

 

As for the current IL2 I did buy the premium version.

Is this the same Astro from back in the day? Good to see you man! By all means.. 46 is the way to go to get your juices going and to remind you why.... CoD is dirt cheap and it is not bad either.. BoS is great... it's different.. but it is a nice addition to the genre and it only promises greater things ... Do you have BoS Standard or Premium?

Edited March 3, 2015 by [TG]AstroCat

[AvengerSeawolf]

 Stick with the Il2 BoS and War- thunder. WT is more fun in  realistic and simulator modes and  arcade is just a bunch of chaos with nothing to enjoy form or get better.

 Appart from a sometimes troublesome launcher the W T  has nice terrain  graphics. Cockpits  and some other  details are not that  good compared with the Il2 BoS but they are ok.

Edited March 31, 2015 by AvengerSeawolf

[AstroCat]

 Stick with the Il2 BoS and War- thunder. WT is more fun in  realistic and simulator modes and  arcade is just a bunch of chaos with nothing to enjoy form or get better.

 Appart from a sometimes troublesome launcher the W T  has nice terrain  graphics. Cockpits  and some other  details are not that  good compared with the Il2 BoS but they are ok.

Yeah I am having good fun with WT. I do Realistic and Sim, Arcade is not my thing. It's kinda funny I ended up playing WT, was not my first intention.