Based on the OP's initial post, I would highly recommend the Strike Fighters series.

Strike Fighters is a great medium-complexity sim series that allows you to fly a lot of different jets and is very strongly supported by the modding community. I'm partial to the Vietnam sim, but there are plenty to choose from so you should be able to find the era that interests you.

If you're coming back to flight sims from a long period away, I cannot recommend DCS to start. In my opinion, DCS really demands a varsity level HOTAS rig and a solid commitment to enjoy.

DCS world includes the FC2 Su25 - this is a country mile away from DCS A10 or DCS Ka50... if you re-read the original recommendation you'll see that it was a free introduction to FC2, and a way of gauging whether higher or lower fidelity was wanted.

SF2 may well be what he ends up with, but AFAIK this costs money to try out (though not much) and is definitely at the low-end fidelity.

I still would recommend this over actually diving into the more expensive purchasing modules for DCS world until this direction is confirmed as of interest of course... A10 and the others are much harder to do well, requiring dedicated study to 'learn' them... which would be offputting ab-initio, and potentially a waste of cash if your interests don't lie that way.

So I tried DCS world, and it looks amazing. The cockpit of the Su-25T was gorgeous (remember, I am used to Novalogic games).

The lack of an interactive tutorial was disappointing. We learn so much better by doing, not just watching. The dim is very in depth, just like I knew it would be. I did crash twice though (both on purpose).

I think I definately want to go that way with my purchases. I think I'll pick up LockOn Platinum (to get used to the ED style) after I complete my custom HOTAS armatures (think JoyLoc Clampmaster, but made of wood).

phd_doc, check PMs please.

While the DCS environment will be as you saw in DCS World (exceptional graphics), the fidelity of the Lock On aircraft will be similar to that Su-25. Having played with a fully-clickable cockpit, I find it easier to remember WHERE a switch is located and click it rather than having to remember a myriad of keyboard combinations. In other words, with a fully-working cockpit, I only need to remember the "important bits," which is usually on the HOTAS 90% and the rest is easily accessible with a mouse click. The rest of the "advanced functions" I just need to know where they are.

I do not understand why some think that DCS A10C is a "difficult" sim to learn --- the excellent built-in tutorials and the even-better online (YouTube) tutorials make learning this sim very easy, plus the active online community makes finding a "mentor" to show you the ropes is also not a problem. (You guys should see the state at which BMS is in!!) I have always said that with a minimum amount of reading (just to familiarize the cockpit) and 2 hours in the air, a new pilot can go from green to I-know-how-to-blow-stuff-up-and-this-is-awesome straight away. DCS simply offers a lot more DEPTH but it is up to the user how much time he needs/wants to invest in the sim. New pilots can always start on a warm jet or use the "cheat keys" to start up quick. Being able to create your own waypoints and route from the CDU is cool, but new pilots can always leave that for later. Air-to-air refuelling teaches fine control of the aircraft, but with the efficiency of the A10s engines, this isn't really necessary unless the mission calls for crossing the entire map.

The important bits that pilots need to know --- take off, navigation, dropping ordnance, navigating back home, and landing --- very easy to do. Two or three sessions with a decent instructor is more than enough.

Basically, doc, what I'm saying is don't let the perceived complexity of DCS A10C or DCS BS2 or even Falcon 4 BMS deter you from having a go at those sims. You can be up-and-flying in no time, you can be killing things after a few tutorial sessions, but these are the types of sims that keeps you learning and learning as you go along. However, the "fun bits" of making things go BOOM! is only going to cost you a quick few hours of your time but the will keep you hooked in for months and months afterwards!

it's sad that they decided to make A-10, I simply don't like slow attack aircraft, I'm not going into DCS until the F-14/15/16/18 or such...

MiG 21 RTW

I'm with DCS World installer on my PC just waiting the MIG-21 release. I have hopes that someday DCS will have all Strike Fighters planes and a dynamic campaign... someday...

Edit: lol, installed and made a mission with some friendly russian A-10, just to test the A-A missiles of the SU-25T...

Russian need more powerfull missiles... the R-60M didn't do *much* damage to the A-10



going to land!


I find the A-10 pilot lack of faith disturbing... just 1 click away from landing strip!


Maybe I'll get the A-10C, BMS is nice, but I'm becoming a graphics (and damage model) whore ;-)

I fired up DCS World again last night and spent a minute or two poring through the options menu. Once I figured out how to advacne my nav waypoints, and how to jettison my weapons, I spent some time trying to fly the Su (I fly the ground combat instant mission, closest thing to a safe "training" as I could come up with).

The handling definately picked up from being loaded with gear, and I was able to land...

I landed a full 2 klicks short of the runway. I was managing my airspeed solely through throttle control. I didn't notice the air brakes responding.

I'll try again in a day or 2.

Look on YouTube - all the FC2 aircraft tutes were on there, by DCS - here's the Su-25T tutes:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5AF7950EAC0B18D0&feature=plcp

I downloaded tutorial videos off the website and played them through the DCS World training menu.