so, what flight combat games are around nowadays?

[UltraMagnus]

ok, i am looking to get back into flight combat games, i basically haven't played one since Crimson Skies (alternate history, rather arcade type game) or MSCFS2

so...

what games are being played nowadays?

will i need a joystick? i remember having one used to make me worse, but is it different nowadays or perhaps i just had crud ones?

not too picky about setting really, as long as it has online multiplayer and its not as complicated as LOMAC!

thanks in advance!

[Zak33]

You need:

A: 1946 (latest version of IL-2 Forgotten Battles,,,,it has everything you need on one DVD, you just need a single patch on top of it)
search in games section for 1946

B: A Saitek Evo joystick
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK
(dont get wireless...its pants...it cuts off wile you wait for games to start)

C: And you need TIME......

to learn....and get good

It's 100% worth it.

[Nick Smith]

+1 for forgotten battles

[Gerrard]

Another vote for IL2 1946. In fact I'll go ahead here and say that's all that will get voted for as it's either that or LOMAC really.

DisturbedGuy is probably a good person to ask how he's getting on as he only got it a week or two ago. Never played LOMAC, but I would say it isn't as complicated, just has bit a difficult learning curve to it. Turn all the aids on at first to get used to flying props and gradually turn the aids off one by one is probably a good idea. Get used flying and taking off/landing before getting onto shooting and bombing.

Get HyperLobby for your online fix for it. However, without practising beforehand, you may find you get shot out of the sky without ever seeing who by and where from.

Where did you get that calender from Zak? Only half those months have the correct number of days in them!

[menthel]

Another +1 for IL-2 1946 and a cyborg evo!

[Betty_Swallocks]

There's no substitute for Crimson Skies. That was my first serious online game. (Hello to the Grey Squadron from GS Thunderguts )
If anyone can come up with an effective substitute I'd love to hear about it too.
I don't really want a fully fledged serious flight sim

I loved the way you were just straight into the dogfighting without any of this lower the flaps and set the angle of the knurdle plunge bracket to 45 degrees nonsense you get in serious flight sims.
Just plain simple dogfighting. Alas I have an Nvidia card now so I can't even play it offline.

Just an alternative suggestion for a joystick. Try and get hold of a MS Sidewinder Force Feedback Pro 2.
They are not made any more and haven't been for about 4 years but when a well used one comes up for sale on Ebay they still go for about £50 which says a lot about how good they are. They're a lot more robust than the Saitek joysticks which I always found to be far too light and flimsy. I can't imagine one of those lasting for 4 years under the kind of heavy use my Sidewinder gets.

[GoNz0]

il2 1946 and the saitek X52 pro HOTAS system

[Rev_Hill]

Red Baron 3D with The Promised Land: Full Canvas Jacket Patch

There must be a newer straight-forward dogfight game available now ????

REV

[BUFF]

Probably the ThirdWire series Third Wire Productions - Projects

Stock games are either WWI or early>mid jets (I think that they decided that WWII was well covered by others) however the community has made a pile of WWII ac that you can add in (also other terrains etc.).
CombatACE Forum -> Download Manager -> Thirdwire Series (SF/WOV/WOE/WWI)

[Rev_Hill]

[quote=BUFF;1248725]Probably the ThirdWire series Third Wire Productions - ProjectsQUOTE]

Will have a look tonight......thanks a lot!

REV

[BUFF]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Fligh...3741449&sr=8-4 gets you 3 good games (incl. 2 of Third Wires's) for £10.