Well, I was with AH since early Beta - I liked it, I was obsessed, addicted... after some time its flaws were pushing through my enthusiasm, I kept on flying it because there were no alternatives (tried em all...
) - then IL2 & WW2O came out. IL2 wasn't playable on my machine back then so I left it, almost same with WW2O. Back to AH... squad broke apart, members leaving for several other sims... fun gone - the last reason - the boys -gone.
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Went back to IL2 - with a better rig now - and was enlightened. IL2 recreates the experience I read from pilot accounts. I use the sun and clouds for cover (sun blinding effect is hardly done in AH and neon billboard icons spoil the rest), I get so close to kill that the target fills my screen (hey, in AH I thought 300 yards was close range - that's a long range volley for me now), wingmen have to watch my blind spot (even the IL2 view system is too restricted I put it over the linda blair AH 6 view). I have to ID planes before I attack (icons...).
IL2 won't go MMOG, neither will FB... maybe a future sim from Oleg. But IL2 can offer a very delightful multiplayer experience. Just join the various online arenas like:
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DiD (Dead is Dead): virtual battlefield, every registered pilot gets a persona - if that persona dies, he's dead, along with all his records, you have to create a new one - mission have to be declared 30min prior start, at the moment 1-3 missions per day (be aware that a single misison can last up to 2.5 hours!!) - mission results based on honor system, every pilot reports for himself, then calculate into supplies, air superiority and city takings - battlefield map changes every day (along with weather, flights etc) - tanks are moved once a week (e.g. shifting of frontlines) - people even fly recon missions to find tgt worth bombing!! summary: extreme realism (no icons, full realism except padlock), great immersion (lots of AI flights etc), lots of planning involved, flight leaders have to decide/know what and where to attack.
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IOW (Ilyushin Online War): on hold at the moment, IOW2 will emerge in a few weeks - IOW developers made missions - mission start as soon as enough pilots in Hyperlobby - results automatically uploaded to IOW database - missions last up to 1 hour - preset goals/victory conditions - points distributed for mission wins and kills - online database - summary: extreme realism (not even padlock allowed), short missions, tactical aspect is more important than stratecigal thinking, mission goals are clear, focused battles.
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VEF (Virtual Eastern Front): computer generated missions - basically team-dogfight in a realistic setting - mission goals not as important - pilot go for individual kills since mission succes not weighted - full realism (padlock allowed) - more for the dogfight type of pilots - not much immersion - less teamwork than in the other arenas
All in all those arenas focus on realism and teamwork. DiD features a strong strategical parts and is very time consuming, for IOW features full realism settings at no planning effort. VEF is more for the MA pilot, still a full real realism - it's the only arena that's worth flying for a lonewulf as well, the other 2 call for at least 1 squaddie. All those arenas are flown without icons which adds a lot to their immersion I'd say. Still friendly kills are extremly rare and always worth a good story on the squad board (Hi Cobra!!). Communication is essential, plotted map mandatory. Taking all that in account the 16 player restriction doesn't hurt as hard.
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As for FM and DM. Although IL2 has flaws the overall picture it gives is much more believable than AH. The planes in IL2 differ extremly. (Late G6 is a pig whereas the G6/AS rocks - 190A4 underpowered wehreas the 190A5 is really good - and that's inbetween the same model! now don't try to say that a LaGG flies the same as FockeWulf...
). IL2s lack of correct high altitude FM (oh man how I hate a P39 at 4000 meters!!) is fixed in FB. The increamental DM is way ahead of AHs binary approach (either the part is in mint condition or totally kaputt), once you learned to keep your finger off the trigger long enough the gunnery gets as acustomed as in AH (just without the long range 1k kills) - 4 kills in a 109 a pretty doable - not 10 - but 4... When attacking bombers it's important to choose your targeted subsystem. Hitting the oil cooler in an IL2 is enough to put it out of order in the long run. Gunners are deadly when you are close but they won't snipe ya at 1.5k.
IL2s dogfights are about engaging and disengaging. If you are on the loosing side try to get into a position where your enemy looses sight on you and then try to get away. Dive down into a valley and use natural cover to get away - or go for the next cloud. In AH disengaging was NOT an option unless your plane was way faster! The icon lit you up miles away.
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Ok, I stop now! WW2O is another story ...
my facts: been in AH since early beta, happily payed for it 2 (or more?) years...
now I fly IL2 and have a WW2O account running...
