My Dilema- How do you Handle Your Time to DCS?

[dne48]

Ok, I am just letting off some steam. I've had the A-10 since it was first released. I love flight sims. You love lfight sims. Wew have Real Life. How in the heck do you balance your time?

 

The DCS A-10 is the best sim out there. I think anyone who reads this would agree. But I love the radial engines, the WW2 aircraft and time period. I also enjoy the occasional off line flight in Over Flanders Field (OFF).. I only fly online in FSX and now it is sparingly in FSX with some of the fellows I started flying on line with a few years ago. I don't want to desert them- and yet I can't get them to give up their Cessna's and try out the A-10. These guys are in their early 60's as I am.

 

I desperately wanted to join a squadron and have damn near went nuts in wanting to do an online flight. I still have never went online with the A-10. Something is scaring the hell out of me with that. I have been invited by a number of individuals months and months ago. I signed up for the ATO that you can find where the Spare Time Pilots and others are helping the new comers. I have joined the forums of some of the online squads but never seem to have the time to get involved. I don't think i am stupid, and I am semi retired so i have more spare time than most. Many of you have children; i have grandchildren and that takes up lots of time, besides---then you get back to what do you want to give up? I honestly can't put Cliffs of Dover and FSX and OFF totally aside. I wonder how some of you can do it. Do you devote the vast majority of your time to the A-10? I just can't throw away the rest

Edited May 22, 2011 by dne48

[EtherealN]

Ok, I am just letting off some steam. I've had the A-10 since it was first released. I love flight sims. You love lfight sims. Wew have Real Life. How in the heck do you balance your time?

 

Highlighted your problem. Drop that thing right there and you'll be golden. :D

But well, in my case I have a pretty flexible job schedule that allows me to plan my days myself (most of the time).

 

I still have never went online with the A-10. Something is scaring the hell out of me with that.

 

Stop being scared! People online are (usually) pretty friendly and as long as you've done the basic homework playing online is one of the best ways there is to learn. Nothing beats having someone right there to ask when there's a small question that just pops up mid-flight.

[delta9856]

I struggle to find time to fly. Mostly only on the weekends as I have sports and school during the week that keep me pretty bogged down.

[swift]

[Azazel]

DCS A-10C is very much a study simulator. If the only time you have to fly is an hour on the weekend then you are going to struggle to keep up in actual missions but don't worry your time won't be wasted. This simulator is just like others in the sense that the longer you continue to fly it the better you'll get. A lot of getting better at the A-10 is becoming comfortable with its HOTAS system and learning how to manipulate the CDU and DSMS. The more you practice with the A-10's HOTAS the faster it becomes muscle memory. If you need a squadron to fly with checkout the 16th ACCW. We always fly on Friday nights (mostly training missions) and usually there is someone on our Team Speak on weekday nights. Good luck.

[Cali]

Well said Azazel, I don't have A-10C, but I have FC2 and BS. If I don't fly for a few weeks I forget where and what some buttons do. I haven't flown BS for at least 4 months and when I do fly it again it's gonna be interesting.

 

I work Sunday-Thurdays night, so I stay up all night or at least til 4-5am and fly. That is my time, wife and kids are sleep. Sometimes I can sneak a hour here and there throughout the week, but that's rare. So most of my flying is Friday and Saturday nights.

 

Trying to find the balance will take some time to figure out, depending on where your priorties are. I have a full time job and a family (wife and 4 kids) I have figured out what works for me.

[vortex360]

It is like doing college homework. I used to wait for the last minute to get my homework done but now I get it done early as it is rather a pleasant subject. :book:

[HiJack]

This SIM will need all your time :P

 

It’s like bicycling! Once you learned the main features it never goes away. As bicycling it is also much much more fun when done with other humans. Go online m8! You loose 95% of the fun if you don’t!

 

(HJ)

[Nu-NRG]

Well, with me, real life first, sim later. Not every day I feel like playing (tiresome work at job or just weird day) but when I do feel like playing, I ENJOY it SOOOO much. And my fiance, leaves me alone when I fly.

[ErichVon]

Ok, I am just letting off some steam. I've had the A-10 since it was first released. I love flight sims. You love lfight sims. Wew have Real Life. How in the heck do you balance your time?

 

The DCS A-10 is the best sim out there. I think anyone who reads this would agree. But I love the radial engines, the WW2 aircraft and time period. I also enjoy the occasional off line flight in Over Flanders Field (OFF).. I only fly online in FSX and now it is sparingly in FSX with some of the fellows I started flying on line with a few years ago. I don't want to desert them- and yet I can't get them to give up their Cessna's and try out the A-10. These guys are in their early 60's as I am.

 

I desperately wanted to join a squadron and have damn near went nuts in wanting to do an online flight. I still have never went online with the A-10. Something is scaring the hell out of me with that. I have been invited by a number of individuals months and months ago. I signed up for the ATO that you can find where the Spare Time Pilots and others are helping the new comers. I have joined the forums of some of the online squads but never seem to have the time to get involved. I don't think i am stupid, and I am semi retired so i have more spare time than most. Many of you have children; i have grandchildren and that takes up lots of time, besides---then you get back to what do you want to give up? I honestly can't put Cliffs of Dover and FSX and OFF totally aside. I wonder how some of you can do it. Do you devote the vast majority of your time to the A-10? I just can't throw away the rest

 

RETIREMENT!! LOL! I have lots of time.

 

Yes, 100% A-10C, currently. I sleep once in awhile, usually right here in my chair. I try to get a two mile walk in daily. I eat once in awhile.

 

Wife ack is the worst of it. At least I am home, she knows where I am. I'm not bowling on Wednesday nights, I'm not to the gun club target shooting, I'm not out in my boat fishing, I don't bar hop anymore (but I do suffer the consequences of doing so, but hey---no hangover), AND I am not doing Navy Reserve weekends and 2 week ACDUTRAs anymore. She has her girlfriend activities.

 

I do miss my Navy buddies.

 

Too much to remember as to doing any other sim currently. I played Flaming Cliffs about a week but I do not do so currently as the controls mappings are not the same as to DCS: Warthog.

 

I miss the other game I played for 4 years. I still get mixed up doing the other game's keyboard key presses as old habits never die.

 

Playing online in here is easy. At least I never get bounced from high above by an enemy plane---friendlies will do it, though. Playing online here is much the same as playing offline except when somebody decides to reset their server. You guys need a cumulative scoring system to compete against, though.

 

Once I get rid of my DSL and get RoadRunner cable I may very well go back to Aces High---I miss it. This game is just not the same thing, not dynamic enough for me with an ever changing enemy both on the ground and especially in the air. I have not met anyone to DCS that used to do Aces High and quit Aces High cold turkey. Though one guy in my old squad there, is what got me interested here.

 

This DCS: Warthog sim is way superior to FSX.

 

I did hospital once for 8 days. I think I had withdrawal symptoms not doing the PC that long. LOL!

 

:pilotfly:

[Cibit]

Divorce and unemployment may benefit, but as you say your semi retired so I guess you have more time than most. When I was just starting out I was never out of the pit. Now I try to compromise with quality flying generally in a MP environment most days but not for the 6 to 8 hour sessions that where the norm:)

[Inseckt]

I never have the time, but I play all the time anyway:)

[Zenra]

I just had to give all the rest up. F4, FSX and several add ons haven't been run since the DCS A-10C beta release. I do still stat BS once in a while, but the A-10 has it all. I have a blast flying the missions, but also enjoy navigating routes, using TACAN stations like VORs in FSX, etc. I like the dynamic weather, even with its rough edges currently, and the scenery is just stunning. Best value in a flight sim out there, bar none.

[Cali]

Forgot about retirement, I still have at least 8 years to go.

[RedX]

Simple. I'm divorced. I can do whatever I want now.:devil: (except when our kid is at my house)

[dne48]

Giving up the FSX is the easiest to do. I never had a sense of being in the cockpit with any FSX plane as I do with the A-10C. And COD (Cliffs of Dover) has a long way to go and may never approach the satisfaction of this sim. Lots of interesting comments. Thanks

[dbeaty]

I have not taken up the online multiplayer community on many sims, including this one so you are one up on me. I did take an entire ACM course on Air Warrior on GEnie. So I can say I've tried. One of the most intimidating aspects is feeling like an idiot or not matching up to the "experts" expectations. It's one of the reasons I have kept flying with solo all these years.

 

But it sounds like you have it down already so just join in, and enjoy! Your other buds won't know what they're missing.

 

There are a few blow hards out there. If you read some posts here you'll see it first hand. But ignore them. There are some good souls, that are in it for the spirit of enjoyment like you. They understand it's a game, after all. I bet those are the fellows you'll find to fly with.

dbeaty

[WarriorX]

IMHO Multiplayer is where it's at friends.

 

I would encourage you all to hop on Teamspeak 3, and get online!

 

For those worried about their experience level, remember there are many pilots of all levels online...heck, the sim just released on Steam, and we will get some more new pilots when the boxed DVD version drops.

 

Regarding the jerks and blowhards, they usually don't last too long when you are actually using Teamspeak, most get shunned quickly, besides they like the anonymity of the forums better.