So, I tried to play IL-2:1946 and I just can't get it to work, for me at least. I'm not the patient type.
Can anyone recommend another flight sim that is more arcade-ish? (PC or otherwise)
I've got a PS3 and I'm looking at Birds of Steel and from what I've seen it's a little flight sim-ish, but less of a learning curve than IL-2 (which I hope to graduate too, someday) :crazy2:
Danke
Check out:
Flying Tigers: Shadows over China
The Air Conflicts series
The Battlestations series
Combat Wings
Blazing Angels
Although prefixed by IL2, Birds of PreyI believe fits your criteria. And there's always Warthunder.
I second Flying Tigers. Slick and set in a rarely covered theater. I just bought it during the Steam summer sale.
Battle of Britain II - Wings of Victory (not arcade but about the same level as IL 1946)
http://www.a2asimulations.com/bob/
http://www.matrixgames.com/products/353/details/Battle.of.Britain.II.-.Wings.of.Victory (only US)
Comparisons (http://www.simhq.com/_air14/air_505a.html)
When the BOBII patch 2.12 comes out, the natural question will be, "which will be the better Battle of Britain simulation — BOBII version 2.12, or IL-2: Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover version 1.05?". As a beta tester for the BDG and BOBII, and also someone very active in creating and distributing missions for IL-2: Sturmovik Cliffs of Dover, I can offer a perspective.
IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover v1.05 wins on:
Graphics such as the aircraft externals, shadows, landscapes (hills, trees, roads, grass) and cockpits
Damage modeling, which is the most detailed I have seen in any sim, and which adds enormous immersion to combat flying
Full mission editor enabling almost total control of the game environment for mission designers and casual players
Ability to model aspects of both ground (vehicles, trains) and air warfare
Larger number of available aircraft types both flyable and non-flyable
Inclusion of large area of France in the BoB map
Online playability; which even though still a bit hit and miss in Cliffs of Dover, is completely absent in BOBII
Battle of Britain II: Wings of Victory v2.12 wins on:
Unparalleled single player AI, so "real" you can be forgiven for thinking you are fighting against a human opponent, both in the campaign game, and also in first person perspective dogfighting against the PC AI
Highly detailed offline dynamic strategic campaign game, plus closely researched historical single missions
Fidelity of flight models and aircraft sounds
Obsessive historical accuracy, with respect to locations of units, airfield layouts and facilities, factories and ports, coastlines, AAA emplacements
Multiskin automated aircraft skinning
Size of map, which includes all of 10, 11 and 12 Groups' areas of operation vs Cliffs of Dover's 11 Group map
Clouds and weather; these are not only better implemented, they are historically correct for each part of England, on the particular day of the campaign. In Cliffs of Dover, weather and clouds are still not properly implemented
Playability on lower end systems, especially the ability to put literally hundreds of aircraft in the air at the same time at high FPS
^When is 2.12 expected to arrive?
As a flight-simmer I really appreciate that breakdown Pete, but I guess both titles would be too "sim-heavy" for the OP's needs
Arcady WW2 "flight sim" my recommendation would be Eagles of WW2 by Slitherine.
I've tried and tried with "proper" flight sims, when I eventually manage to take off my next experience is usually being killed by the ground.
Dogfight 1942 is also a pretty good arcade-y type of aerial sim. I played it for quite a while and got the DLC for it.
What about those Third Wire sims? IIRC, there are prop-driven warbirds available.
Go for War Thunder. Free to play, tonnes of planes on offer, and offering up three distinct realism settings (arcade, realistic, simulation). Even simulation is fairly light and accessible.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 07, 2016, 03:34:34 PM
^When is 2.12 expected to arrive?
2.13 was released in january this year : http://a2asimulations.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=51298&sid=a1bad188f50224606008f798dbfbcb36
(installing on windows 8/10 could be problematic)
There is also B-17 FLYING FORTRESS: THE MIGHTY 8TH (https://www.gog.com/game/b_17_flying_fortress_the_mighty_8th), and its on sale for $1.49 over at GOG.com...
The arcade game Dogfight 1942 (http://store.steampowered.com/app/217790/) is included in this bundle : https://www.bundlestars.com/en/bundle/war-heroes-bundle ($2.99 for the bundle)
Also included : Men of War Assault Squad I - IL-1946 - Warfare - Joint Task Force - Blitzkrieg 2 Anthology ...
Quote from: steve58 on July 08, 2016, 09:10:55 AM
There is also B-17 FLYING FORTRESS: THE MIGHTY 8TH (https://www.gog.com/game/b_17_flying_fortress_the_mighty_8th), and its on sale for $1.49 over at GOG.com...
Agreed - this is a very different sim, combining flight sim with team management, with a large dose of navigation & bombing technique thrown in. A challenging game but great fun when you hit the target AND get home safely. The PC version of the board game of the same/similar name I think. Absolutely worth $1.49 of anyone's money.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 07, 2016, 06:26:52 PM
Go for War Thunder. Free to play, tonnes of planes on offer, and offering up three distinct realism settings (arcade, realistic, simulation). Even simulation is fairly light and accessible.
I second this. The key word here is accessible. Good gameplay, and you won't need a semester class in interpreting the HUD or interface.
Downloading War Thunder as I type this.
A co-worker of mine said you have to pay $$ if you really want to get far in the game. He didn't tell me what that meant and I didn't ask.
Thanks for all the suggestions folks!!
No, you really don't. As far as free-to-play, pay-to-avoid-the-grind type games, I think War Thunder is easily the most innocuous. It's only once you get to the really high tier planes and tanks that you feel the need to pay to avoid the repair times.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 09, 2016, 10:52:01 PM
No, you really don't. As far as free-to-play, pay-to-avoid-the-grind type games, I think War Thunder is easily the most innocuous. It's only once you get to the really high tier planes and tanks that you feel the need to pay to avoid the repair times.
Thank you.
It can't hurt to try it out!