What is IL2?

[Obtruse_Man4]

Never heard of this game, but I said to myself,

"self, it must be a pretty good game to have a separate forum for it."

So what do I do? Of course I do a google, and it came up with a flying game. Now I must say this looks pretty cool and i'm intrigued! So can people tell me more about this game? It's only $30 so I think I might get it. If I understand the gist of it... basically you fly around with sweet airplanes and shoot other people down, is that correct? If that's right, it sounds awesome

Is this what I would want to buy? IL2?

[luke313]

Yes, that is the latest version - IL2 FB with AEP expansion pack.

You will also need a semi-decent joystick to be able to improve at the game - Saitek Cyborg's are usually the best choice for price/performance.

But be aware that this game IS HARD. It will take months, maybe years, possibly decades (Ok, maybe not that far ) to start shooting other people down.

That said, it is worth it - especially at only $30 (£20 for both FB and AEP anyone?) + the price of a joystick, not much more that $30, gives you the full game, expansion pack and joystick for little over £40 GBP

There is a demo around for the original IL2 (Lesser graphics, fewer aircraft but same basic game) - maybe download it? See if you like it?

Hope that helps

[Zak33]

its awesome, hard, and my life.

no..really. Life is better and worse with it. Most moving game in the world.

[[GSV]Trig]

It is awesome, I wouldnt say its hard tbh, it can be difficult depending on what you expect from yourself and the game..

1. Buy the game
2. Buy a decent enuf stick
3. Buy the other half a puppy.

Saitek Cyborgs or Evo's are the budget stick of choice, there is no point buying this game if you dont have a stick that meets the minimum requirements, Hat Switch, 3 Fire at least, then theres twist rudder and throttle..
This game will be harder to play if you dont have at least that, you'll be taking your eyes off the screen to look at the keyboard and in this game thats a no no....

Dont worry about not being able to shoot people down, one of our guys was on a server with me 1v1 and it took me 10 minutes to shoot him down..
10 minutes in air combat is a damned long time, theres no point other than on a 1v1 server that someone will be behind you for 10 minutes, a wingman or team mate will have picked up your trouble before then...
Learn to take off.
Learn to fly around.
Learn to look around.
Learn to follow people.
Learn to shoot.
Learn to land.

There are many different aircraft and eachone has its own tactical advandages and disadvantages, learn the basic ones and then go from there, find an easy plane to learn in, learn about how it handles on the edge, how to get it back when it goes over the edge, learn all of the above in 1 plane with externals on, dont use them all the time just use them when your learning your plane, watch how it sits in the air or how it spins when you loose it. Dont get use to externals tho just use them to learn, after that get used to flying in cockpit quickly, theres blind spots and you'll have to learn how to move your plane around without loosing too much height or speed to check the blind spots...

I've pretty much covered the basics there but learn them all and your more than half way, the rest comes with a bit of practice against real pilots and from "feeling" the game..

By the time your done you'll find its an exciting, realistic, annoying, frustrating rewarding game..

Oh and you'll have a dog with puppies of its own...

[Dakaras]

^ What Trig said plus you need to learn to lead the target Defelection shooting

[[GSV]Trig]

Thats part of learning to shoot

[Nick]

Obtruse,

Just to add to this lot's ramblings. This is a game that's fairly easy to get the idea of... tricky to master the basics and hard to actually become GOOD at anything.... but, its sooo damn satisfying when you DO get it right.

Been playing it for a couple of years now, can still remember Dak watching me land my shredded Hurricane on a dogfight server and telling me it was a good one!

I can remember my first online kill, (Skii... with a lucky headshot), my first ship sunk with a torpedo and loads of other great moments.

With a GFX card with a bit of oomph, you get some lovely visuals which still impress even though the game is a year old!

Throw into to that lot the MASSIVE online community and the fact that pretty much everyone are the friendliest guys you could meet. Everyone still remembers how much of a n00b they were and will help you out as much as they can.

Add it all up... its a top game one I don't play nearly enough of at the minute.

[Clingy]

Superb post Trig! Think that part should be in a sticky. It captures the essence of IL2FB and even makes me resolved to fly more (and I have been at it on ond off for 2 years).

[Zak33]

Trig....that was inspired

[[GSV]Trig]

Aye not bad for a Friday mornin eh

[Obtruse_Man4]

I've got the Logitech Freedom 2.4 Cordless Joystick, so hopefully that'll do for this game. I'm a pretty avid player of Battlefield: Vietnam, and there's a bit of flying in that game, so i'm hoping my skill from that will help me learn this game. Who knows maybe this game will help me get better at BFV!

[Dakaras]

I've got the Logitech Freedom 2.4 Cordless Joystick, so hopefully that'll do for this game. I'm a pretty avid player of Battlefield: Vietnam, and there's a bit of flying in that game, so i'm hoping my skill from that will help me learn this game. Who knows maybe this game will help me get better at BFV!

Only thing to remember is this is a sim, the flying in BF1942 when I played it bore no relation to this Come to a Daks Map night

[Obtruse_Man4]

wow I can't wait to play it, ordering it today!