IL-2 Sturmovik

I've seen it mentioned twice recently, so there must be some interest for this game here.

I bought the 'gold' edition that came with the Aces expansion when it came out. So far i haven't played online, but the career path is really cool.

This game has the meanest learning curve of all the games i've tried. I still have a long way to go to consider myslef anything better than a total newbie. Learning all the subtle and not so subtle differences between each bird and actually finishing a mission without abusing bullet-time, etc. And worst of all, i play with a gamepad so forget about precision. My usual settings are no blackouts/redouts, infinite ammo (except on bomber campaigns), no camera restriction and no rotor torque effect (too much of a pain to correct with a gamepad). I probably hold the world record for total number of spin-crashes, but the statisfaction of getting out of a deadly spin (mostly out of sheer luck) outsets the frustration of starting the mission for a nth time.

Anyway, any tips are welcome and it would be cool if we could set up a coop game. I think there's a battle of britain fan made coop campaign somewhere out there on the internet.

Anyway, any tips are welcome and it would be cool

Here''s one: download this movie and start appreciating the physics model even more.

"Cpt.Scarlet" wrote:

This game has the meanest learning curve of all the games i''ve tried. I still have a long way to go to consider myslef anything better than a total newbie. Learning all the subtle and not so subtle differences between each bird and actually finishing a mission without abusing bullet-time, etc. And worst of all, i play with a gamepad so forget about precision. My usual settings are no blackouts/redouts, infinite ammo (except on bomber campaigns), no camera restriction and no rotor torque effect (too much of a pain to correct with a gamepad). I probably hold the world record for total number of spin-crashes, but the statisfaction of getting out of a deadly spin (mostly out of sheer luck) outsets the frustration of starting the mission for a nth time.

By far yes, the meanest learning curve i''ve ever seen. For a long time I could barely strafe enemy armor, and dogfighting? Well, the only way I was taking down enemy bombers was by ramming them.

I stopped playing becuase I just got tired of failing over, and over again, but that said, it''s still the best game of its kind out there, and the one time I managed to appear from the clouds above a Stuka and nail him with the massive gun on the Yak-9K and watched him explode... such good times.

IL-2 is an amazing sim, no question. I REALLY can''t wait for Pacific Fighters, their next game.

For the life of me I can not play this game, yet I can handle a 10 story tall Vertical Tank in Steel Battalion. Go figure.

"Edwin" wrote:

For the life of me I can not play this game, yet I can handle a 10 story tall Vertical Tank in Steel Battalion. Go figure.

Realism Vs. Fantasy, my friend...

True, but keep in mind Steel Battalion is a sim game with true physics on par of IL2 and HL2.

True, but comparing the physics to a fully 3d model (IL-2) compared to a mostly 2D model (SB and HL2) is the problem. IL-2 has all three axis, X, Y, and Z, and all three must be kept in check. With SB, all you usually need to worry about is X and Y, since you''re based on the ground. Removing that one axis makes it a whole new ballgame.

Damn it you''re right. Now for my feeble attempt at self defense at my ridiculously expensive game. It's hard not to tip over when you're several thousand tons and 10 stories tall moving pretty damn fast!

OT: Burnout 3 f*cking rocks. Look for a full preview soon.

I hear the first two burnout games were amazing, and there''s a lot of anticipation about the third.

Anyway, like all flight sims, practice makes perfect. I just got back into Longbow 2, for example, and BOY am I rusty at it, but I''m getting better with each mission.

I hear the first two burnout games were amazing,

HEAR?! You sir need to stop reading this and go buy the game THIS VERY MOMENT. Best $20 (or $15 if bought used) you will EVER spend. EVER.

The problem, you see, is that I don''t own a console. I''m PC only, my friend.

Sturmovik is a great game, but does have a wicked learning curve and just cant be played casually. You really have to devote almost as much time to the game as a real life pilot would and you dont get the real world feedback you do in a real airplane. That being said leading a flight that shoots down a flight of Stukas is quite rewarding... I play it every once in awhile just in a one on one scenario - :).

I reloaded Sturmovik (bastids!) and I''m wondering if I should run it in Glide or DirectX mode. Any idea which the Radeon cards do better on? I know with nVidia I used Glide.

Cpt.Scarlet: I have one suggestion for you. For this game you really have to buy a joystick. I attempted it with a keypad for awhile and after I invested $20 in a normal sidewinder it was a pleasure to play. I really only played the computer senarios but once you get a joystick and get used to the controls it gets much easier.

Suggestion #2. Start by flying with the IL-2. The plane is a flying tank but it is steady and not as sensitive to ""mistakes"" as the Yak, so a beginner should be able to learn a bit more quickly using that.

How much is the Gold expansion set these days anyway?? Now that I am talking about it I want to load it up and start strafing PanzerIV''s again!

I use DirectX with my 9800 and it runs everything with max details, gorgeous looking game when patched btw.

I also recommend the ""DCG"" 3rd party replacement for the standard mission generator. It allows you much greater control over your quick missions and campaigns as well as more varied missions.

Apparently their next game is set around the Battle of Britain, Spitfires and Hurricanes at dawn.

<thread hijack>

Ok, what games should a flight sim noob buy, if IL has too steep a learning curve? What are the classics?

</thread hijack.>

Compared to most games, all flight sims have a fairly steep learning curve.

For civilian sims I started off with an old version of MS Flight Simulator and promptly migrated to Flight Unlimited 2 by LGS, which I recommend as old as it is.

For combat sims, something more arcadey like F22 Lightning 3.

The problem is that flight sims are few and far between, there are often very large release gaps between the great ones so it might be worth the effort of getting hold of IL2, switching the realism to minimum and just practice using the quick missions.
A good joystick is a must IMO, something like a Saitek Cyborg Evo or CH45 would do you in good stead.

WWW.IL2FLYING.COM
Just found this, contains tutorial on flying in IL2. Might be helpful.

If you want to start a Flight Sim then IL-2 is a good one because it is probably by far the best WW2 Sim around... It can be forgiving if you dial the realism down and it is phenomenal with some patches and can be picked up fairly cheap (below 30 US) in most places... If you want to just ""fly"" the latest MS Flight Sim game is good. Once you conquer one Flt Sim you can pretty much pick up another with a minimum of pain in the learning curve. You can pick up any of the Jane''s series, but you may have to fight XP to get it to run....

Gotta agree. I am an IL-2 lover and fly it almost daily. Just doesn''t get any better than this.

"mateo" wrote:

<thread hijack>

Ok, what games should a flight sim noob buy, if IL has too steep a learning curve? What are the classics?

</thread hijack.>

Depends on what you''re looking for. Recommended starter sims, IMO:

WWI - Red Baron II/3D, great flight modeling (after patching) awesome campaigns.

WWII - European Air War, easy to find, great variety of aircraft, awesome dynamic campaigns, and a very good learning curve.

Modern Aircraft - Jane''s USAF. This is an awesome survey sim that has a good variety of planes and a great flight model for new pilots.

Helicopters - Longbow or Longbow II. Even though this can be an unforgiving sim when it''s realistic, it''s training modules are the best around.

Hope that helps.

MiG Alley is another good one, but high learning curve as well, but is set in the Korean War which distinguishes it alone....

Yeah, Mig Alley is an awesome sim, as was all the rowan sims, but since he mentioned he was a noob, I didn''t mention it.

Yeah they made a great WWI sim as well didnt they? I cant recall the title? Well you cant really be a noob because there arent too many ""easy"" sims... The one good thing about the genre being cold right now is that many of the ""old"" sims are pretty cheap when you run across them...

- Spy

"Mayfield" wrote:

WWW.IL2FLYING.COM
Just found this, contains tutorial on flying in IL2. Might be helpful.

This is a gift from god! Thanks for the link, it will save many a John ''mad'' Doe. Finally i know -exactly- what to do when i fall in a spin. I''ve tested the turning tips this morning and realized i really need a joystick. The best i can manage is a hiccup turn. No wonder i had dificulties staying in formation. Now, if they could add a tutorial on complex engine managment, i''d be in heaven.

I agree that IL2 is a good introduction to flight sim. You can select the level of realism at the begining of each mission, from arcade-style to full realism, and you can slow down the action down to 1/4 at will. It didn''t took me long to be showered with medals with arcade settings but the ''feel'' and satisfaction are just not the same.

The only drawback is the lack of documentation. Even my copy of Falcon AT that came on 2 5.25"" disks had a 200+ pages manual. IL2''s manual only explains the interface. There are training movies that cover the basics, but they are long and boring... you better take good notes, because you sure as sh*t don''t want to watch that 15 minutes replay twice to know how to land correctly. On the other hand, there''s a wealth of info on fansites and the offical board.

I checked the reviews for the last few flight sims before choosing il2 and the others (lock on: modern air combat, MS combat flight simulator) got less stellar reviews.

"SpyNavy" wrote:

Yeah they made a great WWI sim as well didnt they? I cant recall the title? Well you cant really be a noob because there arent too many ""easy"" sims... The one good thing about the genre being cold right now is that many of the ""old"" sims are pretty cheap when you run across them...

- Spy

Yeah, they made Flying Corps and Flying Corps Gold, which is an excellent WWI flight sim, at least on par with Red Baron 3D, if only missing the excellent dynamic campaigns.

Looking for opinions, as an alternative to IL-2, which is entirely golden, but how good are the Microsoft WWII Flight Combat games? Specifically Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe? With IL-2 around, is it even worth considering for a purchase?

Gamespot mentioned that heavy bombers dive-bomb in CFS 3... That stopped me right there, but maybe it''s been patched since. Otherwise, the campaign looked more personal (story-driven) than IL2:FB random dynamic ones.

So i did the inevitable and bought a saitek stick. It''s a world apart and a lot more fun to play. So far my finnish gladiator biplan with its deadly twin pea-shooters has downed 5 russian bombers and 1 fighter (a yak!) in 6 missions.

Jump in an IL-2 and you''ll never go back - what a monster of an airplane... Great controls and firepower - truly a force multiplier...

"Prederick" wrote:

Looking for opinions, as an alternative to IL-2, which is entirely golden, but how good are the Microsoft WWII Flight Combat games? Specifically Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe? With IL-2 around, is it even worth considering for a purchase?

Having not played IL-2 I can''t compare them, but I have played MS Combat flight sim''s 1, 2, and 3. CFS 1 and 2 are very story driven, and very linear. Not a lot of variation in that you will not be able to replay the campaign and have something different happening. With the amount of user made missions and planes that are out there for CFS 1, and 2 especially, it would not be a bad way to go, buying CFS 2.

CFS 3 is a whole other ball game entirely. It has a dynamic campaign, and is not as story driven as CFS 1:2. Even though it was dynamic, it felt very cookie cutter to me. There seemed to little variation in how each mission would be carried out. In CFS 3, your actions decide what will happen in the total war, and thus there is some management that goes along with that. Selecting new air bases, pushing the front line until you can make a land assault, and managing some resources are all things that you have to juggle to achieve victory in campaign mode. Also, you assign different attributes to your pilot, and you gain more points for attributes as you successfully pass missions. This gives it a bit more Roleplay feel to it. I think that they tried to cram too much into CFS 3, and forgot to make it fun. I''ve noticed that patches have been released since I tried it last, I might have to take a look at those.