OT- Pacific Fighters

[Speedysteve]

Well i'm still trying to get to grips with this.

I haven't played many flight sims and it's showing [;)]

First test mission = me flying in F4U. Have B29 bomber as friendly. I struggled to even keep the thing in my sights and found it hard to not end up zooming past it! I don't own a joystick at present but I feel it may improve my handling rather than just using the keyboard. At least I hope it does else i'm just plain rubbish at these games [:D]

Great game so far though. Just hope I can fully get into it.

Regards,

Steven

[Nikademus]

Can one safely assume that FB is at least better than CFS2? [;)]

[Brady]

Hi RAM, Bud I Love AH, and have maintiained my acount their for years though I have not played it for a long time do to the fact that it is totaly stale to me now, waiting for new planes...But AH is not realy all that great a sim, it is fraught with unhistorical aspects particulary the gunery efects model wich is totaly Allied Biased in its efect. In general when comparing the two games Madox's product is far more accurate on the whole across the whole spectrum, AH is a game Il-2 and it's off spring are a Sim.

[TSCofield]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Well i'm still trying to get to grips with this.

I haven't played many flight sims and it's showing [;)]

First test mission = me flying in F4U. Have B29 bomber as friendly. I struggled to even keep the thing in my sights and found it hard to not end up zooming past it! I don't own a joystick at present but I feel it may improve my handling rather than just using the keyboard. At least I hope it does else i'm just plain rubbish at these games [:D]

Great game so far though. Just hope I can fully get into it.

Regards,

Steven

I commend you for even getting the plane in the air without a joystick.

I will be honest here. I don't know of one developer that has tried to do more for the community that Oleg Maddox.

Here is a little history of the first game. IL2 Sturmovik was initially supposed to be released with one type of plane as flyable; the IL2 Sturmovik. Due to pressures of fans and sponsors he added planes. The initial planeset shipped with literally only the Bf 109 series flyable. He had no intention initially of doing a survey sim, which this has become.

Still, he heard a lot of wishes from folks, please include xxxxx plane or yyyy plane's performance is off. He added the Fw 190A5, then the Stuka, and later a whole bunch of axis iron in Forgotten Battles. During this time he constantly tweaked the flight models to suit the complaints of people in the community. At times I think he responded too much to some complaints. I can count at least four flight model changes done the FW 190 alone. If you think that I am some Soviet plane fanboy I am not. I fly Axis almost exclusively in IL2FB.

He released AEP to address the cries of people who wanted the P-51 and the P-38 as well as some Japanese planes. The current IL2FB, AEP, and PF has almost 140 aircraft flyable. So for about 70 bucks (I've seen the Gold of IL2FB for 29.00 and PF is going to run about 39.00) you get a massive amount of aircraft.

Is there soviet bias? Maybe some. He lives in Russia, has access to a lot of formerly classified documents and made his initial aircraft models based upon those. When someone has shown him definitively that another aircraft's flight model should be this or that he has gone out of his way to fix it. I don't know of anyone who has patched these games the number of times 1C has. CFS3 had what, one patch? Most of the time you are lucky to get one, maybe two out of a developer. 1C added at least three major upgrades to IL2, two to Forgotten Battles, one or to to AEP and another one is already in final stages for Pacific Fighters. These aren't just bug fixes but new maps, new aircraft, new flyables and new missions. When people said they wanted a dynamic campaign, he gave it to them. When people said they wanted US and Brit aircraft, he gave it to them. When they said they wanted carriers and pacific war, he (among others) gave it to them.

I don't normally go to the wall for a developer, I have had my dealings with them myself but Oleg Maddox has been among the most honest and trustworthy men I have had the good fortune to meet. You may not like his 'Pro Soviet' bias but to be honest, I never encountered a Soviet plane in the game that I didn't have a counter move for with a German one. The 109 is light and climbs well but is outturned by most Soviet planes after the La5 and Yak3. Sorry, that is not me talking, that is German data as well.

Enough ranting on my part.

[rroberson]

ORIGINAL: SimHq Tom Cofield

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Well i'm still trying to get to grips with this.

I haven't played many flight sims and it's showing [;)]

First test mission = me flying in F4U. Have B29 bomber as friendly. I struggled to even keep the thing in my sights and found it hard to not end up zooming past it! I don't own a joystick at present but I feel it may improve my handling rather than just using the keyboard. At least I hope it does else i'm just plain rubbish at these games [:D]

Great game so far though. Just hope I can fully get into it.

Regards,

Steven

I commend you for even getting the plane in the air without a joystick.

I will be honest here. I don't know of one developer that has tried to do more for the community that Oleg Maddox.

Here is a little history of the first game. IL2 Sturmovik was initially supposed to be released with one type of plane as flyable; the IL2 Sturmovik. Due to pressures of fans and sponsors he added planes. The initial planeset shipped with literally only the Bf 109 series flyable. He had no intention initially of doing a survey sim, which this has become.

Still, he heard a lot of wishes from folks, please include xxxxx plane or yyyy plane's performance is off. He added the Fw 190A5, then the Stuka, and later a whole bunch of axis iron in Forgotten Battles. During this time he constantly tweaked the flight models to suit the complaints of people in the community. At times I think he responded too much to some complaints. I can count at least four flight model changes done the FW 190 alone. If you think that I am some Soviet plane fanboy I am not. I fly Axis almost exclusively in IL2FB.

He released AEP to address the cries of people who wanted the P-51 and the P-38 as well as some Japanese planes. The current IL2FB, AEP, and PF has almost 140 aircraft flyable. So for about 70 bucks (I've seen the Gold of IL2FB for 29.00 and PF is going to run about 39.00) you get a massive amount of aircraft.

Is there soviet bias? Maybe some. He lives in Russia, has access to a lot of formerly classified documents and made his initial aircraft models based upon those. When someone has shown him definitively that another aircraft's flight model should be this or that he has gone out of his way to fix it. I don't know of anyone who has patched these games the number of times 1C has. CFS3 had what, one patch? Most of the time you are lucky to get one, maybe two out of a developer. 1C added at least three major upgrades to IL2, two to Forgotten Battles, one or to to AEP and another one is already in final stages for Pacific Fighters. These aren't just bug fixes but new maps, new aircraft, new flyables and new missions. When people said they wanted a dynamic campaign, he gave it to them. When people said they wanted US and Brit aircraft, he gave it to them. When they said they wanted carriers and pacific war, he (among others) gave it to them.

I don't normally go to the wall for a developer, I have had my dealings with them myself but Oleg Maddox has been among the most honest and trustworthy men I have had the good fortune to meet. You may not like his 'Pro Soviet' bias but to be honest, I never encountered a Soviet plane in the game that I didn't have a counter move for with a German one. The 109 is light and climbs well but is outturned by most Soviet planes after the La5 and Yak3. Sorry, that is not me talking, that is German data as well.

Enough ranting on my part.

I would like to echo this. I got involved with IL2 a few years back and didnt really enjoy it...just not my theatre. About 8 months ago I decided it was time for a new prop sim and grabbed IL2 and its upgrades and was blown away. Not by the sim, which is amazing enough, but by the amount of support the developer gives to the sim. The latest "patch" (I just dont think of them as patches, more like free add ons) added flyable aircraft and maps. Not another nickel did you have to pay for the download. The skelton of PF is on the streets now. Yes, its missing art and planes that the Maddox wanted in it. I guarantee sometime in the next few weeks they will all be available for download...the cost...not a nickel. I cannot tell you how many times software companies have abandoned their product one it hits the shelves...not this guy. If you even think you might enjoy buzzing the pacific a bit, you owe it to yourself to pick up this title.

[Speedysteve]

ORIGINAL: SimHq Tom Cofield

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Well i'm still trying to get to grips with this.

I haven't played many flight sims and it's showing [;)]

First test mission = me flying in F4U. Have B29 bomber as friendly. I struggled to even keep the thing in my sights and found it hard to not end up zooming past it! I don't own a joystick at present but I feel it may improve my handling rather than just using the keyboard. At least I hope it does else i'm just plain rubbish at these games [:D]

Great game so far though. Just hope I can fully get into it.

Regards,

Steven

I commend you for even getting the plane in the air without a joystick.

It was fun [;)]

Even better when the plane was in the air......press.......left key......stop it's turning too much....press right key....sttttttoooooooppppp.......ok small adjustment.......yes B29 in my sights!....closing in....fire!......no no stupod B29 stay where you are don't turn......press left key......turn.......too much too much.......press right key......yes back on course......woohoo closing.........oh no going to quick.....pull up pull up.....nooooooooo.......crash! [:'(]

[Ron Saueracker]

Big O fan as well. Great guy, great sim, great approach.[&o]

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: Speedy


Even better when the plane was in the air......press.......left key......stop it's turning too much....press right key....sttttttoooooooppppp.......ok small adjustment.......yes B29 in my sights!....closing in....fire!......no no stupod B29 stay where you are don't turn......press left key......turn.......too much too much.......press right key......yes back on course......woohoo closing.........oh no going to quick.....pull up pull up.....nooooooooo.......crash! [:'(]

Sounds like a good description of my first attempt to pilot a Bf-109....only sans B-29.

Lawn dart.

[;)]

[Caltone]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

ORIGINAL: SimHq Tom Cofield

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Well i'm still trying to get to grips with this.

I haven't played many flight sims and it's showing [;)]

First test mission = me flying in F4U. Have B29 bomber as friendly. I struggled to even keep the thing in my sights and found it hard to not end up zooming past it! I don't own a joystick at present but I feel it may improve my handling rather than just using the keyboard. At least I hope it does else i'm just plain rubbish at these games [:D]

Great game so far though. Just hope I can fully get into it.

Regards,

Steven

I commend you for even getting the plane in the air without a joystick.

It was fun [;)]

Even better when the plane was in the air......press.......left key......stop it's turning too much....press right key....sttttttoooooooppppp.......ok small adjustment.......yes B29 in my sights!....closing in....fire!......no no stupod B29 stay where you are don't turn......press left key......turn.......too much too much.......press right key......yes back on course......woohoo closing.........oh no going to quick.....pull up pull up.....nooooooooo.......crash! [:'(]

Don't feel too bad, I've managed to roll off the port side of the carrier, off the starboard side, into the island, etc and I have a joystick [:D]

You definately need to pick up a joystick. Add a forcefeedback one for some added fun when you roll off the port side, off the starboard side ... [:D]

[Cpt.Buckmaster]

ORIGINAL: steveh11Matrix

I'm guessing that the next mission is an attack on Prince of Wales and Prince of Wales! [:)]

Steve.

Aww c'mon! At least it'll be the Lexington and Lexington and Lexington against the Akagi, Akagi, Akagi, and Akagi at the Battle of Midway! [:D]

P.S. Oh... and DD 446 and DD 446 and DD 446 escorting. [8|]

[tigercub]

RAM you are a man from my own hart!

[testarossa]

ORIGINAL: Caltone
You definately need to pick up a joystick. Add a forcefeedback one for some added fun when you roll off the port side, off the starboard side ... [:D]

I think force feedback is extremely annoying in flight sim cause it throws off the gun sight. Saitek X45 is my baby.[&o]

[Tankerace]

I love my force feedback. Admittedly, force feedback does throw your aim out, but then so would firing a gun in a real point. And the whole point of a sim is to simulate the experience of flying.

[BarkhornXX]

I think force feedback is extremely annoying in flight sim cause it throws off the gun sight. Saitek X45 is my baby

I think that the original FF effects in FB were a tad too powerful - so I use a toned down version which is a nice compromise.

BTW, I too flew only Axis in FB (before AEP that is) and I can tell you that you can kill anything in a 109 or a 190 w/ the right tactics and good gunnery.

Barkhorn.

[Tankerace]

Don't know why, but I liked the Brewster F239 in FB. Couldn't kill anything in it, but man I could make that plan get up and do some stunts.

[Ron Saueracker]

ORIGINAL: Tankerace

Don't know why, but I liked the Brewster F239 in FB. Couldn't kill anything in it, but man I could make that plan get up and do some stunts.

The Finns called it the "Pearl of the Sky" or something because of this ease of handling. the further "improvements" to it for USN service severly taxed the airframe, turning it into a pig.

[Tankerace]

No joke. In FB multiplayer, I had 2 109s and an A6M2 on me, I did so many rols, loops, and stunts (flying under bridges upside down) that finally they jus tpeeled off to attack someone else. Then I stalled and plowed into a hill. But the point is [:D]

[Speedysteve]

Any idea how much a decent joystick costs in the UK?

Force feedback one?

Recommendations?

Etc.

Think i'll wait to get one before attempting to ram a plane again [;)]

Regards,

Steven

[Nikademus]

interesting comments on the force feedback joystick. Never had the opp to try one. Still using a CH flightstick pro. [;)]

Here's another simmy question. Cockpit view or no cockpit view? which is considered more realistic?

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

interesting comments on the force feedback joystick. Never had the opp to try one. Still using a CH flightstick pro. [;)]

I have ThrustMaster FLCS F-16 + TQS F-16 (but with digital chip upgrade). They are now almost 10 years old but still one of the best options there are for simmers...

Here's another simmy question. Cockpit view or no cockpit view? which is considered more realistic?

What do you mean exactly with this question? [;)]


Leo "Apollo11"


P.S. Will get Pacific Fighhters as soon as possible - I owned every Il-2 version there was...