Flight Simulator X

[Tex_Hill]

Sorry to threadjack, but on the subject of sims where you get to blow stuff up...

I have a fancy new computer on the way, and I've been searching for a game that has a substantial focus on CAS. I saw a military helicopter add-on for MSFS that looked mediocre...Also F/A-18 Korea looked like it might be fun, and there is an OIF add-on. Anyone try that? Other suggestions?

Right now, the combat flight sim market is experiencing a decline. Years ago, combat flight sims would have made up almost half of the entertainment software sold for PC's. Now I would bet that they make up less than 5 or 10%. As a result, fewer publishers are willing to invest the money to develop new ones.

There are two combat sims that are worth mentioning however, Lock On Modern Air Combat (LOMAC) and Falcon 4.0 Allied Force (F4AF)- I recommend installing the free Red Viper Mod over it. Both of these are popular & each has its strengths & weaknesses.

I have never played LOMAC, but here is what I know about it. LOMAC limits you to flying the A-10, F-15C, MiG-29, Su-25, Su-27, & Su-33. It also does not have a dynamic campaign so you are restricted to flying the same missions over & over again if you fly offline. I understand that it has good eye candy. It does not model actual flight ops as accurately as F4AF does.


My favorite is F4AF with the free Red Viper mod installed over it. F4AF is a stand alone sim which in it's stock form limits you to flying the F-16 but you can easily fly any aircraft, (except helo's) by either deleting one file or installing the Red Viper mod.

F4AF has a dynamic campaign engine so you each time you start a new campaign you don't end up flying the same missions as your previous campaign. F4AF gives the player control of the force levels at the start of the campaign so you can iset the difficulty of the campaign.

In F4AF you can fly CAS (both on call & preplanned), OCA strike, SEAD/DEAD, Sweep, BAI, BARCAP, TARCAP, HAVCAP, Escort, Recon, etc., etc.

Stock F4AF does not have JDAM's or JSOW's. The Red Viper mod does include these weapons.

F4AF without the Red Viper mod is a good sim with campaigns set in the Balkans & Korea. Red Viper takes it to the next level with a new graphics engine, and numerous other improvements. Personally, I would not play F4Af without the Red Viper mod.

Here are some screen shots from F4AF/RedViper:

From an Israeli Campaign add on:

 

[ItsTurboTime]

I think I'm sold. Thanks for the info.

 

[Tex_Hill]

Visit these forums for more info:

http://forums.frugalsworld.com/vbb/

http://www.freefalcon.com/forum/index.php

 

[BOMBSonHAWKEYES]

You can always go to the oft!

 

[raptor10]

or the (relatively speaking) LCT

 

[navyao]

I've got F4AF but I've never heard of "Red Viper." Are you flying that Rhino? I have to blow stuff up and shoot $hit down, I'm an AO! Most importantly though, are there carrier ops? That's why I haven't gotten into F4 - it's Air Force stuff...Touching on another item, Hornet Korea was cool about 10 years ago. OIF is a joke. I paid almost the same amount for the full Hornet Korea sim as I did for that waste of HD space. Janes F/A-18 is awesome. Came out in 99' and guys have put a ton of add ons out there. You fly the E mod Rhino. Carrier ops is the most realistic I've ever seen in a sim and nothing can touch it that I know of; marshall stack, mothers weather, etc. Mid air-refueling and missions are integrated with the air wing. Last, I have the Tmaster Cougar. Yea, it's expensive but it sure feels like the real deal.

 

[CenterMass]

You can fly almost any jet in Falcon, but you will have the F-16 pit and external views. Other jets in your flight will appear correctly. Also, the flight models are not as accurate as the F-16.

You can't take off from the carrier, you have to join the flight after take off. You are able to land, but you cannot contact the towerr.

Faily active forum for Janes F/A-18. http://www.simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=15&page=1