Oh stop with the views suck every mention of IL-2. It's not true, but AH players opinions.
You just have to get used to the fact that you've played AH and the views here are really nice because you can modify and then save them CAV. I love that feature. Plus your spoiled by the 6 view. It's almost like turning off the cockpit in other sims. People will never ever stop posting how awful they are because -
1. They like the extra comfort of looking behind them and seeing any possible threat. As much as you hate to hear it, it’s my opinion AH 6 view is a gameplay concession and I don't blame the decision one bit.
Still… this seems a stretch to me. Hurts my neck to look at it actually.
2. They haven't figured out the interface or spent time with a good hotas and setup a profile.
Regarding #1, this will be argued and excuses will be made to no end, but until someone straps on a freakin helmet mounted camera and sits in the actual fighters and looks around to prove actual view limits, it’s all just speculation. As crazy as it sounds, I’ve seen them at concerts where a guy wore one into the pit for a live video. It would work I bet. Anyway, without that, your best guess for what’s realistic is looking at pictures, and from what I’ve seen, in early planes, you couldn’t see toejam behind you. I think that’s why they weaved, and changed course, and had wingmen tactics to cover each to other overcome this, but I could be wrong. I think Tail-end Charlie or something they called it put Charles Yeager in a chute once.
Also, it’s got a lot to do with why guys in AH want reduced icons and such. Icons are a necessity in computer games, much for the results you experienced with them off. Whether you think getting a good bounce on someone because they are unaware you were on their 6 is fun, or realistic, or dweebery, or whatever, the AH liberal 6 view forces guys to make other changes in things like icons. For the record, I think IL-2’s 6 view is more realistic, but I just hate it because when you look back right or left, there is no compensation for leaning a bit, it is set like you just look back as a statue, which is too limiting.
Regarding #2, it’s a simulation that requires a good computer, catered to flightsim enthusiasts. If you haven’t got the tools in a hotas to take advantage of all the cool view options, nor the patience to spend time figuring it out, your best off playing something else anyway. The mouse scroll is great, and padlock is very smooth. There is even some technology for a hands-free mouse action in TrackIR IL-2 supports which people are reporting very favorable reviews. $119 bones at FlightSim Central, but SOB has like a mortgage in a Cougar w/updates so it’s not a far fetched addition to your gear.
Bottom line- Playing IL-2 online is for me, COOP or almost nothing. The furbals are lotsa fun , don't get me wrong, but COOP is where it’s at. Jumping into Hyperlobby dogfights after playing AH is just looking for disappointment. I have the advantage of playing it LAN a lot, so I’m bias on ease of setting up missions, but if your in a squad that is for IL-2, certainly you’d find tons of fun.
Lotsa people here discount IL-2 and COOP in any game for that matter (BF1942 comes to mind) because they like to fight real people. That’s worthy of mention because I think it’s just as good to do missions with real people as wingmen, blasting the AI in well scripted missions because the AI is always going to be there, fly the exact mission, not drive you insane on the message buffer, going to fly pretty decent, and always ready to launch at your whim. That said, you can setup whatever you want. Loads of AI bombers with fighter cover, you can escort any combination of planes, with other players in bombers and you in escorts etc… That’s almost impossible in any massive multiplayer game, and a way worth it trade off. It’s what I think the new Mission Theater HTC is working on will be based. If that works, it will be incredible. I’m just wondering how HTC will pull it off, or better yet, the players themselves, who will make or break it, kinda like the CT.
This concludes my Beetle post. Without the stank of Fumuna cheese of course.
