FlightSim + flightstick recommendations

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Emret

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Messages
342
I was always a flight sim fan before I got my computer, I used to look at the reviews of various flight sim/arcade games and drool over them.. this was about 6-7 years ago though hehe..


I have yet to play a flightsim game since I bought my first computer few years ago.. So I'll need your recommendations for various games and equipment..

I'm not looking at ridiculiously realistic games but not shoot'em up kind arcade games either.. I'd prefer if it has some multiplayer/online capabilities (and a relatively active community to play with)

I'm also looking for a flightstick set (maybe rudder pedals too if its really necessary?).. Price is an issue maybe about $50-70 I would spend on this

All recommendations are very appreciated
 
Flight Sims I enjoy a great deal are IL-2 Sturmovik and the Ace Expansion Pack, Lock-On Modern Air Combat, Pacific Fighters and when I just want to cruise around - Flight Simulator 2004, when I'm on a Vietnam kick I also play Strike Fighters: Project 1.

As for controllers - I use a Logitech Extreme 3D Pro and it gets the job done but I'm looking to do what I've wanted to do for ages now and add a good throttle.

I've had my eye on the Saitek X52 Flight Control System which pairs a great joystick and throttle for a decent amount.

I've also been looking around at the Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar setup which includes probably the best stick paired with a great throttle (HOTAS ) although I'm having a bit of a problem convincing myself that $300 is what I want to pay.

I've also been looking at the offerings of CH Products and they have some great controllers as well.
 
It's also really pricey, though.

The X45 is still available, and at a MUCH more reasonable price. That's what I'm using.

I'll second the recommendations for flight sims, by the way:
* IL2 Sturmovik "Gold Pack" (Forgotten Battles & Ace Expansion Pack) + Pacific Fighters
* Lock On: Modern Air Combat
* Wings Over Vietnam (the updated re-release of "Strike Fighters: Project 1")

These should all fit your criteria. There is a learning curve - these aren't arcade games, after all. BUT....it's not that bad (no Falcon 4.0 or Jane's F/A-18, here!), and it's worth it. Makes each 'kill' that much more intense and enjoyable when you really have to work for it.

"IL2:FB" + "Pacific Fighters" covers WW2, so it's really the easiest to "learn" - no flight computers, no complicated targetting, you don't even really have all that many weapons and 'pulling the trigger' is all that's needed to fire any of them! WW2 fighters, though, were a challenge to fly, so the difficulty in this game comes from "learning how to fly" - how to take off (without crashing), fly around, and land (without crashing). The aircraft carriers in "Pacific Fighters" don't make it any easier. Nations represented are primarily Germany and Russia (IL2:FB) and the US and Japan (Pacific Fighters). Pacific Fighters does install on its own if those are all you want to fly, but...trust us on this....you WILL want IL2. It adds a LOT of unbelievably awesome aircraft. Pacific Fighters streaming trailer here.

"Wings Over Vietnam" is...predictably...a Vietnam sim. Flying the F-4 Phantom and various other US aircraft vs the Mig-21 and various other Soviet aircraft. Since it's a "modern" sim, there are some avionics to learn. Not much, though. Radar targetting is very simply, and the HUD is not overly complicated. This is still very much a 'gun' and 'simple missile' era. The aircraft are MUCH easier to take off and land with, which makes up for the slight increase in "in the cockpit" work.

"Lock On: Modern Air Combat" is, well, about modern air combat. It postulates a Russian civil disturbance in the Black Sea that the US gets (a little) involved in. Lots of Russian hardware vs Russian hardware fighting, with a little US thrown in. Modern aircraft - A10s, F-15s, Mig-29s, etc. Very easy to take off, very easy to land, EXTREMELY easy to navigate....the weapons are quite diffcult to use, though. You'll spend some time in the manual for this one. Totally worth it, IMHO. Check out the streaming trailer, here.
 
I've had the X52 from Saitek for quite awhile. Its truly awesome. One gripe is there isn't a function to flip off the LCD Display on the throttle, and occasionally the lights will flip out. Hoping drivers take care of this in the future.

I've used it for Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed and Mechwarrior 4 series. Its quite fun but it takes getting used to after you've been inundated with mouse/keyboard controls for recent games. I'll say this in JTL, its definitely improved my survivability against multiple higher tier ships. Doing brake stands and blasting Ties is a lot more fun then taracking one while three others blast it in your posterior :D
 
Pacific Fighters rocks for sure :) it very adjustable from arcade right up to a decent sim level.

Before buying an X52 there are an awful lot of reports on the saitek forums about the deadzone being bloody awful on them. Can't comment myself as I don't have one, the X45 on the other hand is a nice stick/throttle combo.

I would also very much recommend the TrackIR unit from www.naturalpoint.com which is just superb.

Dano.
 
You aren´t flight simming before you get TrackIR it´s as simple as that. I would recommend FS 2004 for the only reason it has support for the vector expansion :)

As for joystick get Saitek or Microsoft. Logitechs aren´t very well suited for flight simming. To little travel and the rudder in particular tend to break on them.

Game Pacific Fighter in combination with IL 2 FB and Aces expansion pack is a killer package.

FS 2004 and LOMAC is what I sim with at the moment.

Rudder pedals I use my MOMO Force pedals it´s awesome. You don´t really have to spend 150 $ for the CH PRO Pedals or something if it´s something I would save on it would be rudder pedals and get a good stick or perhaps stick and throttle for the money.
 
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