Looking for a flight sim suitable for all levels

CHokKA

CHokKA

CHokKA

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Hey everyone

I used to be into flight sims a long time ago, but haven't touched any for many years. After playing HAWX on my XBox this weekend, I realised just how much I really enjoyed them (I know HAWX is very arcadey but to be honest that was just what I need to relive some of the enjoyment of flying) and now I am wondering what I've missed on the PC.

So, can I have some suggestions of good flight sims that cater for all aspects of skill levels (beginner right up to expert) so that I can start playing them again? I don't want a sim that requires me to sit and read through a manual just to take off (I don't mind reading through theory and stuff, but spending 15 minutes reading just how to take off is a little annoying), but equally I don't want one that is a simple arcade game (HAWX is just perfect for that).

Sims that I've enjoyed in the past are:

Janes ATF
Janes WWII Fighters
Flight Unlimited series
Comanche series
F22 Lightning series
Enemy Engaged - Comanche vs Hokum

I've never played any of the MS flight sims. Is it worth looking at one of them? I've really enjoyed the combat ones but perhaps a free-flying sim would be good too. Also, I played Falcon 4.0 but it was ridiculously in-depth and I got bored of it pretty quickly after having to refer to the manual every step of the way.

Thanks all.
 
What's the difficulty level in Lock-On like then? Does it cater for both beginners and experts so that eventually I can ramp up the difficulty and have a real experience?
 
I haven't played lock-on in years!

I bet it plays really nicely now on the latest hardware :) Its definitely towards the 'hard' end of the scale, but it does have quick missions which get you straight into the action.
 
Is it available as a paid download from anywhere? I read that it uses StarForce copy protection which I've had issues with in the past.
 
CHokKA said:
Is it available as a paid download from anywhere? I read that it uses StarForce copy protection which I've had issues with in the past.
Click to expand...

The Addon Lock On - Flaming Cliffs uses starforce, the original Lock On does not. Lock On Gold is the two in one box.

I don't think the original Lock ON it is available as a download anywhere, but you can purchase it on CD from the Lock on site, the addon is available as a download but the original is needed. Lock On Gold is hard to come by these days.

http://lockon.co.uk/index.php?end_pos=1322&scr=shop&lang=en&cat_sid=2

Nate

Edit:- The developers of Lock On have since released a Helicopter simulator, which may or may not interest you, called DCS:-Black Shark. This features the KA-50 Russian attack helicopter, and is more toward the Falcon 4 scale of things. However there are options to make life easier, all the way to an arcade mode.

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/ Paid Download is available from this site.
 
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Nate--IRL-- said:
The Addon Lock On - Flaming Cliffs uses starforce, the original Lock On does not. Lock On Gold is the two in one box.

I don't think the original Lock ON it is available as a download anywhere, but you can purchase it on CD from the Lock on site, the addon is available as a download but the original is needed. Lock On Gold is hard to come by these days.

http://lockon.co.uk/index.php?end_pos=1322&scr=shop&lang=en&cat_sid=2

Nate

Edit:- The developers of Lock On have since released a Helicopter simulator, which may or may not interest you, called DCS:-Black Shark. This features the KA-50 Russian attack helicopter, and is more toward the Falcon 4 scale of things. However there are options to make life easier, all the way to an arcade mode.

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/ Paid Download is available from this site.
Click to expand...

When you say the addon is available for download, is that from the official site? If I can, I'd probably buy the original game, and then download the addon to bypass the StarForce encryption. That would work better for me to be honest.
 
The Download version of The Addon Flaming Cliffs still uses copy protection from Starforce. It is not a disk based version of starforce though, it uses internet activation.

This is also true of DCS:-Black Shark.

Nate
 
Solaris said:
TBH Flight simulator X for the win...
Click to expand...

MSFS9 > FSX (but i don't want to get into that)

Depends how much you want to spend - a fully modded FS9 blows anything else out of the water except paying thousands for an hour in an airlines full-motion simulator.
 
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