Since my name was brought up
Yes, I have been exploring the options out there and so far here is my synopsis:
War ThunderI have invested very little time in this so far. I tried getting into the full realism (cannot remember the true name) arena but no-one else was and I just sat there with a timer waiting to join a fight. I tried the next level down, which I hated. and which is why I have not been tempted to invest more time in it. I might try it again but I will have to be bored to tears to do that and that is not a good base from which to play a game.
BoSI have started to explore this game. So far I am really looking to set up all the controls properly and am playing some of the missions against AI. There is no doubt the graphics are better than AHIII. The physics of the flight model is up for debate in terms of my preference for a game but this may be down to my controller set up. I experience a lot of initial lag in controller input and then of course I am over correcting causing a lot of bounce and a distinct lack of smooth flying. The landings are much more difficult than in either AHIII or DCS but I put this down to the bounce.
My gunnery in this game is much worse than in AHII but on a par with AHIII. A combination of the input bounce and lack of visual feedback on hits. From videos I have seen on this game the input bounce is not limited to me and it is a big part of the reason I have not invested more time in the game.
DCSI have had this game for some time now. It flies very nicely. Inputs are smooth and the terrain detail is very nice. Enemy planes are small and very hard to see, which is realistic. I did a fighter combat experience a few years ago and even after an offset merge just finding the enemy was a major part of the fight.
Graphics are very nice. Gunnery is tricky, once again with the visuals being very similar to AHIII with no massive sprites to confirm you are on target. I like the fact you can change the gunsight size, that is more realistic, but in terms of gameplay it adds little. The biggest issue I have with DCS is the engine management part of the game. I have tried the tutorials several times and always get stuck on the engine start tutorial as I simply cannot find a way to use the trim controls and primer buttons in the cockpit. I use a macro to start the engine and that is how I get through the game.
This game flies so well, just I am not convinced I want to do all the engine management stuff. Plus, a large portion of the community like more modern jets. I have no interest for anything other than ww2.
AHIIIDespite some of you thinking I am a troll or out to promote other games, nothing could be further from the truth. I am however a realist and not against speaking my mind.
AH is
probably the best WW2 based fighter
game out there. It allows us to strap into a cockpit and within a very short period of time we are up and playing. It is rather like chess, relatively easy to learn but with so many levels of mastery there is always someone better out there. This is good for all level of players.
I never minded the AHII graphics and I am not convinced the AHIII change is much of a leap forward when compared to other games. But I agree it needed to happen. There are some really nice touches, like the clouds we now get to fly through and there are some horrors, like the light misty disc above our heads. AHIII is still a work in progress and I am sure many of the glitches will be fixed.
If there was a fault you would have to look at planes such as the Brewster. If they were that good in real life then I am sure they would have featured as killers in the war. In addition to that I see planes flip and flop around in impossible fashion when people are 'stick stirring'. We all know it and see it. I have not seen that in other games and I would say that has to be a FM 'thing'
The biggest issue is IMO with the player base and the propensity to avoid combat. That is 95% of the reason I have been actively seeking out other games. And there is little Hitech can do to force people to fight. That has to come from within the community. I know I ran from Fugitive the other day as I had expended all my ammo, otherwise I would have stayed and killed him
Thanks for listening.