Gaming Combat Flight Sims: modern titles worth considering - anyone playing them?

[MasterControl90]

****WARNING LONG THREAD AHEAD**** As a kid and a young teenager I had an obsession for flight Sims: as a kid I used to play with a tiny whiny 80s analog joystick from Kraft (originally bundled with a 1990 IBM ps/1 286 machine) enjoying Red Baron 3D and the earliest version of iF-22 (not the novalogic one) and growing up I had a lot of fun with the original IL2 and the improved Forgotten Battles with another cheap ass saitek joy. From that time I moved away from the genre, mainly because of the lack of time and equipment, but I always kept an eye on it (well my main preference were always fps games but I enjoy pretty much any kind of game). Recently I had two deals: il2 1946 for 1€ from gog and a plasticky but very nice thrustmaster T16000 (joy only) for just 23€ and this made me getting intersted in the genre again.
Sadly IL2 1946 is still based off the 10+ years engine or the original IL2 and it is a clunky mess of settings and different patches, especially for multiplayer.

In a nutshell do you have any suggestion for a modern "not too expensive" combat flight sim (It can be historical or modern setting) that has all the quality of life improvement that a modern game should have? Also do you still play this genre?

PS: cliffs of Dover with unofficial patches looks good but it is a clunky mess exactly like 1946.

 

[dollarydoo]

dcs world is free and offers a decent simulation of the su-25 close air support aircraft (also free)

 

[MasterControl90]

Isn't it made from the same people that made Lock On? I heard it is pricey to get planes on it, how is the learning curve?

 

[dollarydoo]

yeah, same people. if youre getting a fully modeled plane with as much authenticity as possible when it comes to systems weapons and flight model they usually charge 60-80. the not-so-simulated planes and modules drop to kind of lower. although they frequently have sales which are 50,60,70 percent off so thats nice

 

[migles]

the last type of that game i played (and i think only) was the ace combat series in the ps2, really enjoyed them
and looking up it seems the series is still being made, which is neat. not sure if they are still good..
but they are usually console only games... which is a really bummer

 

[MasterControl90]

yeah, same people. if youre getting a fully modeled plane with as much authenticity as possible when it comes to systems weapons and flight model they usually charge 60-80. the not-so-simulated planes and modules drop to kind of lower. although they frequently have sales which are 50,60,70 percent off so thats nice

mmmmh I've to check what package is interesting to me and wait for some sale. Thanks mate! In the meanwhile I'm testing some cheap head tracking system while going full speed under bridges

the last type of that game i played (and i think only) was the ace combat series in the ps2, really enjoyed them
and looking up it seems the series is still being made, which is neat. not sure if they are still good..
but they are usually console only games... which is a really bummer

More recent games are also on PC although ace series are not flight Sims at all.

 

[migles]

More recent games are also on PC although ace series are not flight Sims at all.

ho yeah it's not a sim
but since ya said combat flight.. i guessed it would fit
the other day i was looking for flight simulators, asked here in the temp, i only knew the microsoft ones, and well i got recommended ace combat which also puzzled me because i don't see it being a sim

 

[dollarydoo]

ya the ace combat games got me into modern combat flight sims. the arcade gameplay mechanics are silly but the stories plot voice acting and music are all spot on