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Help, Is There A Good Combat Flight Sim?
The Grey GOAT
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I was wondering, does anyone know of a good combat flight sim? It's been a long while since I played a good combat flight sim, the last one I remember was Janes US Navy Fighters 97'. There were a ton of these games with the Janes lable back in late 90's.....F-15, F-18/A, AH-64D Longbow.
USNF was my personal favorite though. Now all we get are mediocre Tom Clancy games.
I still have this game and would play it today, unfotunately I don't think it's even compatible with Windows XP and I don't feel like forcing my computer to work with Windows 98. Plus the graphics and sounds could definitly use an overhaul but that's all minor compared to my enjoyment of the game. I have seen something about using what is called a DOS-Box, a free software emulator of old school DOS, to run the game. However, I assume that this is easier said than done.
Basically I'm looking for something similar to US Navy Fighters, where your allowed to take on different types of missions either escort, bombing runs, dogfights, etc. I also want it to be a sim, nothing with a cheap arcade feel like HAWX or Ace Combat. Granted, USNF didn't have 100% accurate damage effects although your plane would become crippled if you got hit, but it kept track of things like fuel, G-Force limitations on your plane, accurate missle locking systems, radar, ammo capacity, etc. It even modeled most cockpits and weapons pretty well. And as I mentioned before, although you plane could take a missle or two, it would be in bad shape after a good hit. I remeber one mission where I took about 50% damage and I had to fly back to base throttling my engine between 70 - 30% because the damage it sustained caused an oil leak which would make it over heat if I fully powed it up.
Also, a big thing for me in USNF was the fact that you could fly various types of jets and even an AC-130 with a cheat code. Also, I want jets.....not world war 2 planes or anything like that. I want modern style air combat.
The other day in the store, I saw an add on to Microsofts Flight Simulator X that includes military jets, but I'm not sure if you just fly or if you take them on combat missions. I also saw a bunch of crap add-ons to other games and some X-15 Rocket Plane Flight simulator or something like that which looked like it had been on the shelf for ages.
I've been searching for a game like USNF for years now and I haven't come across anything like it. I might be missing something or just overlooked a few games, but if I have can someone please point me in the right direction. Also, if anyone has played USNF please feel free to comment on it and what your thoughts are compared to any other similar games you might recommend. Constructive thoughts only though please. If you think the game is a piece of shit, fine.....but at least back it up with why or something to keep the topic moving.
USNF was my personal favorite though. Now all we get are mediocre Tom Clancy games.
I still have this game and would play it today, unfotunately I don't think it's even compatible with Windows XP and I don't feel like forcing my computer to work with Windows 98. Plus the graphics and sounds could definitly use an overhaul but that's all minor compared to my enjoyment of the game. I have seen something about using what is called a DOS-Box, a free software emulator of old school DOS, to run the game. However, I assume that this is easier said than done.
Basically I'm looking for something similar to US Navy Fighters, where your allowed to take on different types of missions either escort, bombing runs, dogfights, etc. I also want it to be a sim, nothing with a cheap arcade feel like HAWX or Ace Combat. Granted, USNF didn't have 100% accurate damage effects although your plane would become crippled if you got hit, but it kept track of things like fuel, G-Force limitations on your plane, accurate missle locking systems, radar, ammo capacity, etc. It even modeled most cockpits and weapons pretty well. And as I mentioned before, although you plane could take a missle or two, it would be in bad shape after a good hit. I remeber one mission where I took about 50% damage and I had to fly back to base throttling my engine between 70 - 30% because the damage it sustained caused an oil leak which would make it over heat if I fully powed it up.
Also, a big thing for me in USNF was the fact that you could fly various types of jets and even an AC-130 with a cheat code. Also, I want jets.....not world war 2 planes or anything like that. I want modern style air combat.
The other day in the store, I saw an add on to Microsofts Flight Simulator X that includes military jets, but I'm not sure if you just fly or if you take them on combat missions. I also saw a bunch of crap add-ons to other games and some X-15 Rocket Plane Flight simulator or something like that which looked like it had been on the shelf for ages.
I've been searching for a game like USNF for years now and I haven't come across anything like it. I might be missing something or just overlooked a few games, but if I have can someone please point me in the right direction. Also, if anyone has played USNF please feel free to comment on it and what your thoughts are compared to any other similar games you might recommend. Constructive thoughts only though please. If you think the game is a piece of shit, fine.....but at least back it up with why or something to keep the topic moving.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
The Grey GOAT on
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http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Flight-Collection-Pc/dp/B000BWZFDE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1270661532&sr=8-5
I think Lock On is what you are looking for, I don't keep up on flight sims too much but this was the gold standard a couple years ago, and knowing the sim community I'm sure there are extensive and well put together mods for it.
Plus you are also getting Il-2 which definitely has an extensive mod community and is the best WW2 sim of the last 10 years (I think), and Pacific Fighters, which I know nothing at all about.
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
FreeFalcon is the same but jazzed up with all sorts of stuff, it may be entirely free or may require an original installation.
Personally I think was and still is the pinnacle of military combat sim, the dynamic campaign adds something to the experience that a set list of missions, even if they allow for branching objectives, just cannot compete with.
The F-16 is a fun plane in simulation. It's really easy to fly (landing it is another story) and it's a good performer. There is a decent bit of micromanaging going on with the flying though. Lots of MFD modes, targeting functions and the like. The tempo involved with flying a mission can get pretty hectic.
Damn. I really need to replace my busted joystick. I miss IL-2 bigtime. And my space sims.
After the Janes games [previously mentioned] I couldn't really see any good simulation games, everything was very arcady with a few minor "sim" options [obviously just so they could add a bullet point to the back of the box to attract more buyers].
The OP specifically mentions that he does not want anything like Ace Combat. They're definitely NOT sims.
It's not a DOS-Box, it's just DOSBox, and it's really excellent and not very hard to use. But it's meant for DOS games, and AFAIK those are Windows games.
The OP specifically named Ace Combat and HAWX as not what he was looking for.
Take a look at Falcon 4.0 AF and IL-2 1946. That's some pretty realistic flyin' and shootin'.
Wasn't there a Microsoft Combat Flight sim game that came out awhile back?
Falcon 4/AF
Black Shark - KA-50 Attack Helictoper Sim
That's it.
Falcon 4/AF especially has quite the active community. Mods, textures, you name it. Lockon has a community as well, just not quite so rabid.
The thing going for Lockon and Black Shark have going for it is graphics and modern planes. The latest version of Lockon, or LO-MAC as it was known is that you can play online with and against those who have Black Shark, so you can have someone flying modern jets while someone else is flying a modern attack helicopter. The Black Shark developers are also working on new modules - aircraft - for future releases.
THAT was the game that defined my love of computer gaming. It came with a 400 page manual book, no freaking PDF... so awesome. I spent nights pouring over it and memorizing specs and envelop limits, all the enemy planes. I never did get to experience Falcon 4 but if it was anything like 3 then you are in for a treat. Check youtube for validation of how intense it is... full on sim. There's like a 10minute video of a guy using the mouse to manipulate cockpit controls to get the jet started. Crazy stuff.
PSN - sumowot
I think you can go full "cold start" on the ramp, and it takes like 10 minutes just to get to taxiing.
It had all kinds of jet aircraft from different era's - Korea/Vietnam/modern day....
Flight Simulator X is about the fine art of flying aircraft, not actual combat--so military add-ons do not feature warfare.
I bet it would be great training though.
I love doing the A-10 quick mission in Lock On.
USAF is really old too, and all Jane's games a HELL to run on anything after Windows 98.
I have the original release of Falcon 4.0 as well as the Allied Force version. The gigantic three ring binder that came with the original Falcon 4.0 Special Edition is a godsend. Because this game simulates the shit out of an F-16, which is, as you know, probably the most versatile fighter in the history of American military aviation. Cold starts, runway procedure, AWAC, all the communications, targeting and RADAR minutiae you care to experience. It features dynamic battlefield campaigns where if you destroy a bridge, it stays destroyed until engineers come back to rebuild. While it's destroyed units will have to use alternate routes, so what you do in the air affects the ground war. And the ground war can affect the air war with mobile and static Ground to Air attack units of various types. Falcon 4 is a very granular, intensely realistic simulation.
And now I'm getting the shakes, because I have no fucking joystick. One day, Saitek X52. One day.
and the extra LOMAC binder too.
But AF changed many things, so you need the original Falcon 4.0 binder and the huge AF new manual.
It was the MiG-29. Some cool avionics in that plane. And such a beast to fly with manual trimming you never had to worry about with the F-16.
Oo\ Ironsizide
I was addicted to Jane's USNF'97 for ages.
Yeah, it's pretty sad what happened to Janes. According to the Wiki article they basically raised the bar too high and burned themselves out after creating F/A-18. Most of the original team left.
Then consoles started rising in sales and technology to compete with computer games. In the end it really killed the market for military flight sims. Either way, their sims were great games. It would be nice if at the very least they released a verion that could run on a modern OS.
"Faster, Faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." -HST
I used to really enjoy F-22 ADF because of the crazy maneuvers that plane could pull off. I'm not sure how realistic it was, but once you wrapped your head around the vectored thrusting, it was a pretty trivial affair to train your guns on targets or achieve wicked fast missile locks in dog fights. I'm not sure if that runs on modern systems or how well it holds up these days. The campaign is composed of a series of scripted missions, which were fun enough back when I played it. The avionics in F-22 ADF were awesome too, but once again, I have no idea how realistic they are. Lot's of hands free, automated emissions levels and stuff that made combat a breeze and a really intuitive MFD.
And I played the hell out of Jane's Fighters Anthology.
I remember the Su27 game was also insane to fly. Manual trim, which let you pull off the.... I forget the name of the manoeveur, dragonfly or something? Basically you rip the plane into the vertical while still maintaining forward motion, effectively turning your plane into a giant airbrake so you can get shot easier (but looks cool!)
Anyway, this thread is making me die a little inside for some Falcon 4 goodness.
The move is called the Cobra, FYI (and FMI)
PSN - sumowot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Flight_Simulator_3:_Battle_for_Europe
I've had some great times in Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator
I'm just not sure if it'll run on XP/Vista/Win 7. I'd hate to grab it and either find out it doesn't work on my current OS or one that I'll likely upgrade to soon.
Ditto. Though its definitely sim lite, which is fine by me.
...and leads to some weeeeird MP scenarios. Among other things for a while I was a top air-to-air player with an A-10.
FA doesn't restrict weapon loadouts, which meant I could carry 16 Sidewinders on the thing. You can dodge one. Two, not so much. Three? Four?
Oh.
Oo\ Ironsizide
And I've vowed that my next stick shall be nothing less than a Saitek X52. It'll be a little while, unless I find an outrageous deal, before I can afford that purchase. Fucking priorities suck sometimes. :P
The new Logitech HOTAS, on the other hand (hah, I maek pun), that looks like it's built to last.
Or maybe CH stuff, those are hardcore too.
Still, that Logitech setup looks [strike]interesting[/strike] fucking sexy. The bit about Force Feedback definitely got my attention. I've got a few games that utilize that feature. I wonder what the price point is going to be on it?
It's not new anymore. I've had mine for a few months. And it is goddamn hardcore.
Especially since its the only HOTAS setup I can think of that has full-fledged force feedback. And it is durable as hell.
Sadly, it doesn't work with some older games like simpler HOTAS systems use. Works beautifully with LOMAC, DCS, and Falcon 4.0, or so I've heard.
I'll be able to afford that in like never.
Yep.