I used to play them all the time, y'know, like 5-10 years ago >.> I still have the original x-plane game, and it's graphics are fricken horrible, not to mention flight physics.
So, I've been trying to find a new one, something with realistic graphics, physics, and gameplay. I went to the x-plane website and found a downloadble demo of x-plane 9. The stinker is, with the demo you can only fly for 10 minutes, and then the game locks up all your controls and you crash >.> You can close and re-start the game to get back in control, but 10 minutes later, you go poof again. Kinda sucks.
The graphics are beautiful though, and they have extremely realistic physics in x-plane. Their website mentions that some companies use the program to train pilots, or test out potential airframes before building a new plane.
Some screens I took, all 1280x1024 resolution so I'll link lest the fury of the moderators rains down on my thread:
http://i48.tinypic.com/33o7hol.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/mw2pmh.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/5a2rsn.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/21aigs3.jpg
Anyone know any similar 'games' I might be able to pick up? I heard of microsoft flight simulator 200...7... I think it was 2007 anyways, but I've never played it or seen any footage or screens from in-game.
Not really after a combat sim, though something that includes combat capability would be nice.
Well I've never played those, but one game (which is combat based) I would certainly recommend playing is the Freespace series, it takes place in space but its not Newtonian physics (you know, every action has a reaction). Quite fun too with the combat and the storyline as well. It also made me realize how many laws of physics freelancer broke.
I used to play around with Microsoft Flight Sim '04 or '05 or one of those. that game your talking about looks alot like FlightSim, actually. Decent graphics, realistic controls and flight handling.
Its fun, and relaxing to just fly around.
I remember trying to take off using a jet on this tiny runway in the Himalayas. You literally couldn't get up enough speed before the end of the runway and would go flying off the edge of a cliff to get the speed you need, and hopefully manage to pull up before you crashed at the bottom of the mountainside.
Taking an airliner between the world trade center towers was fun too! :P
Grab IL-2, come play with me.
I think Flight Sim X from MS is the latest installment in the series. I could be wrong though. I got the previous one. It's graphics are ok, but nothing spectacular. The X should have prettier graphics, but at the same time it required pretty heavy computer to run. And to be honest MS really sucks at making a decent 3D engine. You get way prettier graphics in other games that run smoother too.
I have Logitech's 3D Pro joystick and sometimes I let my kids fly the planes. I'm not into looking for realism in those games, just casual fun.
X-plane is indeed used in some schools for simulator training, it's highly complex and lots of variables are adjustable on spot (like visibility, clouds, winds, plane failures, etc) the terrain is also higly realistic.
The MS flight sim series is a bit less realistic in what concerns the terrain, but there are lots of downloads for it and the models are pretty realistic too (if you can buy or get paywares)
Techincal reality= X plane
Fun = Flight sim
Also there's a game called Lock on: Modern air combat. It has a "storyline" about a ficitional war in Ukraine I think (can't remember well) And many modern aircraft from where to choose. However many people use it for normal flights that do not include any combat and just do it for the fun of flying an F18 or A10. The game is also higly complex and takes a while to learn.
And of course an older combat sim; combat flight simulator 3 in WW2 you can pick from allieds or axis and do missions as you please, with territory being affected as you win or lose battles
I recomend a Combet Flight sim... it's called IL2-Sturmovik (a WWII sim), it's for hardcore players, all the things are focused in reality all the controls are real and the phisychs are awesome, and the damage mechanic let you without words you can shred in parts your enemys planes. And of course play it online with +64 players....
EDIT:
A video of an emergency landing. Disregard the fact that i was ignoring half the ILS indications, and that the cockpit lights are off...
Falcon 4.0 Allied Force. Below average graphics, but stunning realism in avionics and flight model. I had played many flight "games" before... and my first takeoff in an F-16 resulted in a tail strike :-P
I'd rather not say how my first AA engagement ended.
Neither that my first OCA strike (Offensive counter air) against an enemy airport ended over the FLOT (Front Line Of Troops) because i was flying way too low...
Mental note: Do not ever fly under 16,000 feet when SAM and AAA are around you. Never. Ever.
Really, it's a great simulator. But do not get scared at the manual: it's about 700 pages. And i'm almost sure after reading it... you could turn on, take off, navigate, and land, in a friggin' real F-16. And most likely would be able to shoot some weapons at some targets, too.
Quote:Also there's a game called Lock on: Modern air combat. I
I read opinions from fanatics of flight simulation who described it as a game in which AI could pull huge G's turns, and do impossible ones, completely ignoring physics. Is that still true, or was it fixed? Plus they complained about its lack of realism in certain aspects related to avionics and such.
Depends on the game. I m not into full realistic sims. I don't even like to be onboard a plane to be sincere.
However, I am VERY good at Tie Fighter and F22 Lightning II, ancient games but good games.:D
' Wrote:Grab IL-2, come play with me.