The air war simulator is there. You really have to master the airplane simulator first though, and many don’t have the patience or inclination to do that.
The airplane simulator part is freaking fantastic. Switchology is all there, sure, but you can buy simpler planes like a Spitfire if you don’t like all the buttons. The simulation of flight is best in class for any game. Add VR to that and you have a winner right there.
The war simulator is currently scripted campaigns. There are a bunch of them depending on which plane you fly. They are fine. Some are great, some less so. Really multiplayer is where that all shines.
Be warned they stay in business off the early access model, so when the Viper is released, it probably won’t have a campaign to go with it. Hornet has been in early access for over a year, and plenty of systems, like ground radar, are still in progress. It sees regular updates though, and what was there on day one is glorious and easily worth the cost of entry.
They are working on a dynamic campaign engine. Will be a few years before it comes out, and who knows at what quality. I’m optimistic. The sim is clearly a labor of love, with people who have been working on it since the Flanker days.
Not only is it worth building a PC for, it is worth investing in VR, and a high end HOTAS systems like the Warthog. There are many who take that further with home sim-pits etc.
My opinion is opposite to @scharmers. I honestly don’t know where all the bitterness comes from, but would guess only after many hours of playing.
I love this sim to death. It is everything I dreamed of as a boy sitting in an F-14 cockpit at the airshow. DCS World is free to download. You can tool around in a P-51 or SU-25. Check out some you-tube videos and make your own opinion.
So some may recall 6-12 months ago I was trying to get into both DCS and IL-2 VR with a 4770 CPU and 1080 GPU, and ultimately failing because it was impossible get consistent performance in either game.
I have finally upgraded my CPU with a 3700x and 32gb of fast DDR4 RAM, so I have tried both games again.
IL-2 VR now runs significantly better. I can now do 8v8 dogfights with attractive graphics settings and never dip below 45fps (sometimes it even runs at 90fps). Very happy with how it’s working now.
It isn’t just the level increase in FPS, but also the more stable FPS that completely changes the experience. Before, I was running uglier graphics and even though 80% of the time it played at 45fps the remainder of the time was very frustrating. Not having the immersion torn away each time there is a fps drop makes the game alot more fun.
Initial results in DCS were more disappointing, but that one always required more tuning which I don’t think I have the patience to do now that IL-2 is working good. The whole ‘VR optimisations’ they promised which turned out to be nothing pissed me off too.
“A living, dynamic world in which to fly and fight” does not necessarily equal dynamic campaign engine. A good scripted campaign could do an even better job of providing that illusion.
I still haven’t pulled the trigger on a new Intel chip. Meant to during Amazon Prime day, and then ended up traveling for work.
That whole VR optimization thing is definitely mud in EDs eye. The weird thing is that a small portion of people actually did see the promised benefit. Subjectively, I was one of them. After that patch, my frames skyrocketed. I didn’t bother rolling back so have nothing scientific.
Anyway, there is still a lack of bench’s for the new AMD’s. If you do get a chance, can you pop up a quick mission and get frames? Seriously, nothing seems to be out there for DCS and it’s not too late for me to go AMD.
Ah, those here who know me and my history with sims all the way back to the Usenet days would be disappointed if I didn’t take that bait! ;)
A good scripted campaign in no way equals a good dynamic world campaign and the illusion of fighting in a real world environment. The ability to go anywhere and do anything and the world battles and dogfights and activities go on, not centered on you, is what the real world is. If you have a mission to attack and take out an AA site to prepare for a sortie coming behind and you’re ambushed by an AA gun hidden on the path in to the main target, cool. If you have to replay that mission and now you know that AA gun is hidden and thus you take steps to avoid it or take it out, that’s not reality.
I’ve had so many memorable moments going off the designated path in flight sims, whether it’s abandoning my mission to rescue someone in trouble I spy off in the distance, or just free flying looking for trouble. The element of surprise is what creates a supremely immersive air combat world. IMO of course. ;)
I like dynamic campaigns too. Which is better? I don’t know. It depends on the game and campaign. I cited Freespace 2. That was so memorable to me, even if replays made it predictable. Never could get into Battle of Britain for whatever reason.
Take Skyrim. Is that a dynamic or scripted campaign? I’m thinking a hybrid of the two can also work well.
The way I read your original post, “campaign engine” could be either, and certainly a scripted campaign can provide a dynamic and living environment… at least once.
DCS does have some random elements, but there is not currently continuity between missions.
Trying to defend DCS by extolling its rich SP experience is, like Nimrod said, NON SEQUITUR.
Note: I’ll quit bitching about DCS if a) they bring the AI to at least IL2 levels, and b) provide an east Asian map for me to fly my Sabre and Fagot over.
Now that’s just not nice. I was providing information originally, and made it clear that the campaigns ranged from good to so so. I even said multiplayer is where it all shined.
What are you on about? What in the world is your agenda?
edit: OK read your edit. You do seem like an all or nothing kind of guy. Wasn’t it not long ago that you lumped IL-2 into that “Soulless Russian” category? Now starting to extol virtues? That day will come with DCS. Just watch.
My agenda is that I like to roll up my sleeves and argue about flightsims!
I will wager you one American dollar that the following statements will be true on July 30, 2021:
-There will still be major, unfinished, outstanding issues with the F14, the F18, and F16;
-There will no dynamic campaign of any kind whatsoever.
And I take back a little of my “soulless Russian trash” statement at least for IL2. They’ve been trying to make it less soulless.
I’d take that bet for three months from now. Why wait for 2021?
In my opinion there are no “major” issues with either the Hornet or Tomcat today. Both of them are a total freaking blast to fly right now. Based on that track record, I have every reason to believe that the Viper will also be a total blast to play in three months when it released.
Dynamic campaign. You lose. Mbot created a dynamic campaign engine for DCS you can play right now. I ain’t saying it’s good. I haven’t tried it. Maybe a technically, but I’ll take it!
Not by a long shot. Tomcat probably closer than Hornet. Both fly great though and have more gizmos and gadgets than most of us would ever use. Both are plenty effective in combat. Tomcat especially is a total riot with two player and those Phoenix missiles. No doubt there are plenty of sub-sub menu’s that will be included.
Maybe that is why I am so much more positive towards the product than some. I consider initial “early access” release as version 1.0. I have no expectation further than what I can play right now. Everything that comes after that is just extra goodness.
