Gentlemen and ladies,
I have just this month subscribed to this forum and the flight sim as well. Yes, I am a Noobie, but an informed one.
What I have found as I screened the numerous posts is one thing is predominate throughout.
Most everyone here, regardless of abilities, or level, or opinion; care about the experience that paricipating online gives. This online sim pilot commmunity is one that is typical of most international organizations or groups. You will ALWAYS get varied and differing opinions, sometimes heated and flaming.
But that really doesn't detract from that core experience that brings us together here to cuss and discuss our views. Let me give and example of what I mean with this statement.
My first exposure with an online flight sim was Air Warrior. Greyeagle introduced me to the game back in "95-96" while we were attending computer graphics college together. I got a cheap stick and logged on with my old 90 meg machine. Payed my dues and was in. After flyin and dyin awhile I got invited into a squad and had the opportunity to participate in a recreated event scenario being held one Saturday. The squad as a unit was to be participating in the battle from the Axis side in the Battle of Brittan. Cool. So that Saturday, I logged on and hopped into my ME109 and headed off to crush the hated Britts.
Now, anyone remotely familiar with a ME109 knows that it don't carry a LOT of fuel, hence the point of my story. The scenario kill tally was to add whatever landed kills to your total arena score and I had 2 kills already on my belt. As the squad reached the English coastline, we got jumped by a Spit formation. Furball insued. I got lucky and got two right off the bat. (love those cannons) We formed back up and headed back to fly cover for the main bomber force that were targeting London. Before we could catch up with the buffs, we get jumped again by more Spits. I get one and the rest of the squad gets two more and the rest dived out and ran. Ok. now I suddenly realize I just made Ace!
Yippie. I also realize that I'm at less than 1/4 tank and I gotta get back across the channel to France to land these kills.
So I turn East and start grabbing sky like a scalded monkey an get to 30,000 before my fuel is gone. Now I'm completely dead stick and prayin I make the coast. With a little flap manipulation and a little luck, I slid into the field at Calais. I'd MADE IT! I was a ACE!
The time for the event was 5min from concluding so I opted to just exit and logged off.
As I sat there, at the computer I noticed my hands were shaking a little, my mouth was dry, and sweat was running down the front of my chest. Never in my total gaming experiance had a simple little computer GAME done this to me. I had never before experienced the total immersion into a simulated environment. I was hooked, and I've never looked back.
That my friends, is what I think this is all about. Not the squabbles over who said what or why this is such and such. Realizing that for a few hours I can be a Fighter pilot or a Bomber pilot, or, hell, just a ball gunner for that matter. Something that, in reality is beyond my grasp. Realizing that for a few moments of suspended reality, I can live a dream that I've always had and never could achieve.
So thats why I'm here, and thats why I'll stay. NO MATTER WHAT CHANGES, THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
