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#3284149 - 05/01/11 08:27 AM
Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
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Junior Member
Registered: 05/01/11
Posts: 79
Loc: Denmark
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Hi After many years of not playing Sims I have decided to get myself a new PC (i7-2600 with GTX 570 and 8 gigs of memory so I hope I can run most games) and begin playing again. My background in sims go way back to the early days of home computers. I have played almost every combat sim on the C64, Amiga and later the PC. Some of my favorites where MicroProse f-19, Chuck Yeager ,Flight of the Intruder, Longbow Apache 1 - 2, Hind, f-15 strike eagle, Gunship (all versions) and Falcon 3.0. The coolest was to play coop in longbow apache and f-15 strike eagle with two persons in same airplane/chopper as gunner and pilot  But for the last 10 years or so I have not touched sim games (except Forza on the xbox, I guess that is kind of a sim). And I am totally clueless about what is the best combat sims around. So here a lot of questions that I hope you can help me with. I primarily like to fly chopper sims and it seems that black shark is the best chopper sim at the moment. Is there any others? Has there ever been made a follow up to longbow 2 or Gunship? I just love the apache helicopter. I will probably also look into a-10 warthog and lock on 2. Are there any other flight sims I should check? I also need to buy a new flightstick as my old CH flightstick does not support USB and some of the buttons are damaged. I have been looking in the the Thrustmaster Warthog and things it looks sweet. How is the quality of these Thrustmaster sticks? In the old days I hated Thrustmaster compared to CH quality is that still an issue? Do I need to buy pedals to be able to fly with this Warthog setup or can I save that cost in the beginning and use one of the hats on the stick or something? Hope you can help me. On a none flightsim related note:
Two other games I played a lot back then was Silent Hunter and Red Storm Rising. I can see that Silent Hunter is still around is that any good? Are there any games out there similar to Red Storm Rising?
Edited by clarasdk (05/06/11 01:52 PM)
_________________________
Noob in current sims, but played tons of combat sims back in the 80's and 90's
Flying:
ROF (80% of the time)
DCS A-10c
FSX
System:
I7-2600k, Geforce GTX570, 8 gigs memory,Thrustmaster Warthog and TrackIR 5
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#3284418 - 05/01/11 02:08 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Member
Registered: 04/06/08
Posts: 2352
Loc: UK Midlands
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AS far as helicopters go,Black Shark is probably the best.
There is an older sim,Enemy Engaged Commanche/Hokum.That needs the allmod 1.13.0. installed to bring it up to scratch.
You don't mention WW1/WW2 era sims so I guess that isn't your thing?
If you don't want a modern era sim-heavy game then there is the Strike Fighters series.
As for Silent Hunter,I do like SHV but it got a bashing on release.Mods have improved it no end though.
SHIV is probably better.
_________________________
I borrowed a book on surgical procedures from my local library today.
Apparently someone's removed the appendix.
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#3284472 - 05/01/11 03:12 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Senior Member
Registered: 09/15/04
Posts: 4336
Loc: Oregon
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Welcome! You mentioned a beloved classic Microprose sm, Red Storm Rising. Unfortunately there are none like it these days. There was an attempt going on to update it, but I haven't heard anything on that for more than a year or more.
SH III is still alive and well also, and heavily modded to a beautiful state and flexible degree of realism.
EECH lets you fly the Comanche, the Apache, and a couple of Russian choppers also. MP works, but no front seat/back seat. Same with BS, although might be less fun as you are flying a very NON Apache, non Longbow chopper.
Speaking of Longbow 2, it is still flyable, and MP capable of co-op and Pilot/CPG co-op also. However, if you have a router and are hosting, our experience is that you must use Hamachi to connect and use TCP/IP mode. Also, using a Glide wrapper is preferable for running it. The dgVoodoo wrapper not only allows you to run it in as high a resolution as your monitor and card permit, its vsynch type option (iirc) slows down the sim so it runs fine on modern computers, with the exception of one or two aspects.
Options differ, but imho Falcon 4 remains the king of all flight sims. The current commerical version is Falcon Allied Force and is the stable multiplayer version. There is a standalone modded version call FreeFalcon, which has its own website and still is developing updates. Open Falcon is the other major available variant. It too has website forums but sfaik is no longer under development. They both have strong adherents and great aspects, but are less stable for online flying. They both have worked on matters of weapons, graphics, SAM employment/realism/campaign aspects, AI, flight models and a lot of fixes and advances. FF is considered better looking, OF the most realistic of the three already highly fidelity simulations. The dynamic campaign in Falcon remains unequaled.
_________________________
Eugene
CoreDuo E6850
MSI P6N 680i Diamond
BFG N460 GTX Cyclone 1GD5 OC
Forceware 301.42
X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
WinXP Pro
2 gig RAM
Saitek X52 PRO.
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#3284474 - 05/01/11 03:14 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: Chucky]
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Junior Member
Registered: 05/01/11
Posts: 79
Loc: Denmark
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I also like ww1 and ww2 games I just mentioned the once I could remember the best. But I also used to play B-17, Battlehawks, secret of the luftwaffe, red baron, Wings on the amiga (good fun eventhough it was arcady), I basically played every plane and chopper game from 1984 and forward I did not matter what period the sim was about as long as it was a combat sim As fare as I can see the best WW2 fighter is IL-2 or ?
_________________________
Noob in current sims, but played tons of combat sims back in the 80's and 90's
Flying:
ROF (80% of the time)
DCS A-10c
FSX
System:
I7-2600k, Geforce GTX570, 8 gigs memory,Thrustmaster Warthog and TrackIR 5
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#3284479 - 05/01/11 03:24 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: Eugene]
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Junior Member
Registered: 05/01/11
Posts: 79
Loc: Denmark
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Welcome! You mentioned a beloved classic Microprose sm, Red Storm Rising. Unfortunately there are none like it these days. There was an attempt going on to update it, but I haven't heard anything on that for more than a year or more.
SH III is still alive and well also, and heavily modded to a beautiful state and flexible degree of realism.
EECH lets you fly the Comanche, the Apache, and a couple of Russian choppers also. MP works, but no front seat/back seat. Same with BS, although might be less fun as you are flying a very NON Apache, non Longbow chopper.
Speaking of Longbow 2, it is still flyable, and MP capable of co-op and Pilot/CPG co-op also. However, if you have a router and are hosting, our experience is that you must use Hamachi to connect and use TCP/IP mode. Also, using a Glide wrapper is preferable for running it. The dgVoodoo wrapper not only allows you to run it in as high a resolution as your monitor and card permit, its vsynch type option (iirc) slows down the sim so it runs fine on modern computers, with the exception of one or two aspects.
Options differ, but imho Falcon 4 remains the king of all flight sims. The current commerical version is Falcon Allied Force and is the stable multiplayer version. There is a standalone modded version call FreeFalcon, which has its own website and still is developing updates. Open Falcon is the other major available variant. It too has website forums but sfaik is no longer under development. They both have strong adherents and great aspects, but are less stable for online flying. They both have worked on matters of weapons, graphics, SAM employment/realism/campaign aspects, AI, flight models and a lot of fixes and advances. FF is considered better looking, OF the most realistic of the three already highly fidelity simulations. The dynamic campaign in Falcon remains unequaled.
EECH looks interesting. I still remember Commanche was very nice looking when it came out but was to arcady so I did not play it that much. Is EECH more realistic? As a Dane the F-16 has a special place as it is used by our air force (actually we are probably hitting Gaddaffi with them as we talk). One of the most sexy fighters around. I would prefare to avoid to much hassle with having to run all kind of tricks like dos box and so forth to play the games. And I also hope to find something that can push my new hardware a little Is it mission critical to get paddles to play KA-50, A-10, Falcon 4.0 and some of the other sims? I would rather start with putting the money into a good hotas setup and then invest in paddles later is that dumb?
_________________________
Noob in current sims, but played tons of combat sims back in the 80's and 90's
Flying:
ROF (80% of the time)
DCS A-10c
FSX
System:
I7-2600k, Geforce GTX570, 8 gigs memory,Thrustmaster Warthog and TrackIR 5
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#3285315 - 05/02/11 10:41 AM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Senior Member
Registered: 09/21/06
Posts: 2810
Loc: California
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HOTAS first pedals next is my opinion. Definitely HOTAS though, and maybe a TrackIR. Lots of great sims out now so good luck!
_________________________
www.DCS-Mercenaries.com A casual west coast Black Shark/A-10C Squadron always looking for extra pilots and good times!
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#3285508 - 05/02/11 02:13 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: HitchHikingFlatlander]
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Junior Member
Registered: 05/01/11
Posts: 79
Loc: Denmark
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HOTAS first pedals next is my opinion. Definitely HOTAS though, and maybe a TrackIR. Lots of great sims out now so good luck! Thx for advice. Anybody know if the Kinect can be used for head traking? I read that the drivers for it have been made published and the kids have one
_________________________
Noob in current sims, but played tons of combat sims back in the 80's and 90's
Flying:
ROF (80% of the time)
DCS A-10c
FSX
System:
I7-2600k, Geforce GTX570, 8 gigs memory,Thrustmaster Warthog and TrackIR 5
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#3285560 - 05/02/11 03:20 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Senior Member
Registered: 09/21/06
Posts: 2810
Loc: California
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I have a TrackIR so I wouldn't know but if they can make the technology work with webcams and Wii remotes I imagine a Kinect version isn't far off.
_________________________
www.DCS-Mercenaries.com A casual west coast Black Shark/A-10C Squadron always looking for extra pilots and good times!
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#3288723 - 05/06/11 01:51 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Junior Member
Registered: 05/01/11
Posts: 79
Loc: Denmark
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Ok here a little status Have played around with rise of flight demo on my laptop with my PS3 controller. And I am now 100% sure I need to get back into sim games. So PC is ordered and I have also ordered Thrustmaster Warthog hotas and trackir 5. Now I only need to find a way to sneak it past the wife..... Plan is to start out with dcs A-10 and I think rise of flight will also get alot of hours, seems to be pure flying fun! KA-50 will probably also be on my list at some point, but with A-10 I think I will have my hands full for a loooong time Anyone knows of any squadrons in Europe (or even Denmark) that could take a noob under their wings? I Know this thread should probably not be under the chopper forum anymore as it has become more general how can I move it?
_________________________
Noob in current sims, but played tons of combat sims back in the 80's and 90's
Flying:
ROF (80% of the time)
DCS A-10c
FSX
System:
I7-2600k, Geforce GTX570, 8 gigs memory,Thrustmaster Warthog and TrackIR 5
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#3289453 - 05/07/11 01:51 PM
Re: Getting back into Sims after many years... lots of questions
[Re: clarasdk]
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Member
Registered: 04/06/08
Posts: 2352
Loc: UK Midlands
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That was some shopping list. No way the wife won't spot that lot incoming!
You can't move the topic,only a mod/admin can.I think it's ok in here though.
_________________________
I borrowed a book on surgical procedures from my local library today.
Apparently someone's removed the appendix.
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