idrisguitar

Hornet, also may get the mirage as I love a good singleplayer campaign.

Thanks for those replies snappy and gripes. Really informative and gives me a really good idea of what I'll be dealing with in a beginner level. Honestly I would be using the ai to get used to the bfms get used to energy conservation. Practice turn rates and improve my aim. All thing that will help online. Obviously I will always keep in mind that human will be a completely different beast but having some bfms in muscle memory and have control of my plane will help to begin with that stuff.

Honestly I am working from such a beginner place I doubt ill get to a point where the level below excellent is too easy anytime soon. So for now Excellent AI is not a worry. I have heard of tacview, Love it when Growling Sidewinder goes over his engagements, will definitely use it. This is great to hear!

So before you all reply sensibly with "go online everyone is friendly and you'll learn better", I want to stress, that is my plan in the end, but not right away. Not just because I'm afraid of getting my backside handed to me, I know thats the fastest way to learn. More that I just don't have enough control over my playing time to get any kind of regular sessions planned. So the idea of being able to set up a simple mission to dogfight against AI quickly. and adjust things as I learn the rudimentary basics on my own terms, just really appeals to me. So I have questions: 1: I know the AI recently got upgraded and dogfighting is now better, is this a placebo effect or is it actually now serving as a decent basis that I could actually learn something from? 2: Is it possible to set up a merge and engagement trigger in the mission editor, to kind of get a 1 on 1 dogfight simulated as it happens online? 3: Are the maple flag BFM and ACM campaigns useful and worth buying the modules and map needed for them, or am I better in the ME creating my owns scenarios to learn. 4: Even with everything I said above, would you say it is even possible to learn the basics of the basics against AI or is it a fools errand? (I know it wont make me a pro, but I hope it can help me learn some of the more basic manoeuvres and what to do in certain situations as right now I'm useless (plan to watch art of the kill and read Shaw's book as well as watching lots of videos, like growling sidewinder.) Online is in my future, but I literally love the act of learning the plane, flying, landing, and love researching BFM, ACM and dogfighting strategies, and want to learn them on my own timescale and terms. Hope you all can help answer some of these questions.

Wow, Thanks Ramsay for those screenshot. Looks really good! And thank you for such a details post Pally. I am watching some videos and doing some reading before I make a purchase (wont have time to play significantly till near the end of the sale anyway.) And really appreciate all the input. (Hornet may still be the favourite) I looked at the Tomcat the other day and it looks like an astounding module, and I love that plane. I think i will eventually own, the A10C, Hornet and Tomcat. just dont know what order I will purchase them in. And the F5 certainly seems like a more beginner friendly full fidelity aircraft. I think importantly what is the single-player content like? Are the interactive tutorials good? and are the bonus campaigns worth it?

I aim to learn through a mix of youtube manual and most importantly the interactive tutorials that walk through each bit step by step. I really enjoy them. The huey is high on my list now but I dont want to purchase without asking what kind of tutorials it comes with, and how in depth and well they are executed? They are honestly the things I enjoy the most right now. as multiplayer is scary and the campaigns are too hard, so its a big factor in my initial fun factor with a new module.

Wow, Thank everyone! I'll give this thread another read through and check out videos, but I think the Hornet is the winner. It really does cover all disciplines and will allow me to figure out what I'll have the most fun with. And I can deal with Early Access. SP content might not be there but if anything it will make me have fun with the editor earlier which will also be beneficial for every other module going forward. Thanks so much! Can I ask what the Training, Campaigns and SP content is like for the Hornet? (I know I should get the PG map for example, and I may also get Nevada while its on sale.)

Thanks for all the wonderful replies. What a lovely community. I think the format of my post may not have been clear, but after each point I explain why I’m conflicted, so when I mention fc3. The conflict was that I wanted a clickable cockpit and knew it wouldn’t have it. But it seems clear that with VR, and il-2 covering my low fidelity sim flying needs that I will skip on FC3. I will do some research on the f-5, f18, a10c and the harrier, think I will go with a or w of those to get me started. I also welcome any more opinions and advice, but once again thanks so much for the help! -Idris P.s. Baaz, I will definitely look into the helos too :),

Hi there. So I have got into dcs recently and am loving learning the basics with the frogfoot. Ive been excited to invest some money into the game having enjoyed some flights with the free planes. But I’m having a lot of conflicting thoughts that I’d like advice on. 1: I want a clickable cockpit cause that realism and immersion excites me, also I’ll be getting a rift s at the end of the year and think a full fidelity module will be great for that Conflict: however I’m worried about the depth and the sheer amount of investment to learn them might stop me from simply flying And enjoying the simulator. 2: I want to get modules that give me a good mix of a2a a2g and also carrier landings and takeoffs as I love that extra challenge. This doesn’t have to happen right away, but that’s what i want to end up with. Conflict: If I was to go full fidelity to cover the above three, it would probably stretch me to thin in terms of learning it all. 3:Fc3 seems like the right choice in regards to both of the above points, in terms of range of gameplay and value. But I also want good tutorial missions so am worried fc3 might not be as good in that regard compared to the a10c for example. Conflict: I really love the idea of a clickable cockpit (which would be missing in FC3) with an indepth startup and really feeling like a pilot before a mission. Especially for VR. 4: and most importantly. I have no plans to play multiplayer. Me free time is way too inconsistent and I’m just someone who loves playing on their own. So I’m wanting to go with the modules with the most singplayer content, campaigns both dlc and user made. I will also love getting into the editor and enjoy creating my own scenarios (I’m a unity developer and coder and can’t wait to get stuck in). Conflict: the clear winner for single player content is the a10c and while I love plane and know I will own it in the end. The 660 page manual is soooooo intimidating. I’m sorry for this nonsense of a post. As I said I’m super conflicted and don’t know what the right decision is. I will say I have a $100-150 budget so that might help with the advice. And as mentioned am only getting VR for Christmas. Also I have il-2 all three campaigns for ww2 and easier access sim flying, so maybe DCS should fill a full fidelity slot in my collection? I’m going to stop talking now. Really hope you can help but would understand if this gets no replies as well :p

Hey, Thanks for the advice. I have now got the A10c and the hornet on the top of my list and will probably just go ahead and buy them and support the dev. I have a t16000m and a TWCS and ch rudder pedals. so a good collection all for less than £180 all in. Happy with that at the moment, but will eventually upgrade to warthog hotas and windforce rudder at some point in the next few years if i keep up with my simming. (currently loving elite dangerous too... next stop VR) Appreciate all the advice. Cant wait to truly dive in.

Thanks, I think Ill bump up the Hornet on my list then! The Hornet trailer is epic!

I am new, have just got the base game. And have the Warthog and Huey on my list. (Also the Mustang but that.s lower priority... Super excited for a sale :)) However I also want to do carrier landings as I have always loved that in il-2 1946. Surprisingly searching the net for this info really just confused me more. What do I need to buy to get access to missions or the assets to launch and land in a carrier? Hope you guys can help. Also Hey, I'm new and super excited to get stuck in, Currently enjoying learning the Frogfoot.

Thank you MephisBelle. You are a boon to this community from the many months I have been viewing, (have just joined recently)

I cant answer directly but will make an educated guess as I have been heavily researching VR settings as im getting occulus rift s soon. (and also have a similar setup with a 1080) in VR I believe cockpit resolution is highly important. You want to be able to read the text on all the switches and read the gauges easily. So upping the resolution is a must, especially in some of the older / lower fidelity planes. MSAA is also kind of linked to this. this setting will smooth over some of the jagged edges, and make visually tracking targets (especially ground) a lot easier. The main problem in VR is the blurriness of the things in the distance, lots of players do not want to activate labels for targets as it kills the realism, so MSAA is necessary to make visual tracking on the ground and in the air fairly possible I believe. It hits performance but most would agree its a high priority.

This is wonderful work. I have it bookmarked. Cant wait to see it fill out. Just wanted to say I truly appreciate all your efforts. Can I ask is there a link to your collection on the a10c? I am currently learning that plane and it sounds amazing.