GrogHeads Forum

Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 11:25:06 AM

Title: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 11:25:06 AM
Hey all.

I used to be a pretty strong Aces High 2 player back in the day.  Since I stopped playing a few years ago I have basically stopped flying online combat flight sims.

I am interested in getting back into it.  I was going to subscribe to AH2 again, but I got to thinking that with all of the MP-capable flight sims out there now, there must be a better way.  But I'm sort of lost on figuring out where to invest my limited time and effort.

I own RoF, IL-2 CloD, BMS Falcon, DCS, so I have options.  I don't have IL-2 BoS/BoM at this point.

Just curious how y'all are spending your online flying and fighting time?
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 12, 2017, 12:40:42 PM
Right now I play Microsoft Flight Sim X through Steam every so often, but lately I've been playing X-Wing Alliance. I'd like to do some F-19/F-119 Stealth Fighter, but that's all single player (except for X, which has multiplayer). I also have IL-2 Sturmkovik 1946 but haven't played it much.

I'd like to get the Falcon collection through GOG, and the Red Baron collection too.

I can't find Aces High 2 in either Steam or GOG, though.

The Microsoft Flight Sim X game is pretty cool; you can buy plane skins in game, though some of them are ridiculously expensive. I got a Ju-87 in the Summer Sale for a few bucks, and have an A-6 Intruder on my wishlist. There's no real combat in that game, though, that I know of.

If there's a GH-only club for flyers somewhere I'd like to join up.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Skoop on August 12, 2017, 12:54:05 PM
I fly il2 BOS in mp pretty regularly since its release.  I do both PvE and PvP.  I fly Dcs pretty regular for modern stuff but I tend to do more PvE there.  Once the hornets released I'll problally fly DCS exclusively daily for a year both mp and sp.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Yskonyn on August 12, 2017, 12:56:54 PM
I am playing DCS online very regularly, but not in an dogfighting scenario. I am part of a wing so we have regular training sessions and custom events. Sometimes even with other squadrons.
The outfit I am with are pretty hardcore: we have an AWACS/ATC squadron who use LotATC to guide and support flights, a A-10C attack squadron, Mirage 2000 fighter squadron, Mi-8 Transport squadron and KA-50 attack heli squadron which are all combined into our events. Pretty neat setup!
We are EU based though, so probably dont fit well with your schedule.
Take a look at www.132virtualwing.org to get a feel.

We also do some casual BMS, but not often at all.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 01:06:57 PM
I really need to look into joining a virtual squadron.  That's probably what's holding me back.

Watching some of the virtual squadrons duking it out in BMS on YouTube looks pretty awesomely fun.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Skoop on August 12, 2017, 01:26:27 PM
Quote from: Yskonyn on August 12, 2017, 12:56:54 PM
I am playing DCS online very regularly, but not in an dogfighting scenario. I am part of a wing so we have regular training sessions and custom events. Sometimes even with other squadrons.
The outfit I am with are pretty hardcore: we have an AWACS/ATC squadron who use LotATC to guide and support flights, a A-10C attack squadron, Mirage 2000 fighter squadron, Mi-8 Transport squadron and KA-50 attack heli squadron which are all combined into our events. Pretty neat setup!
We are EU based though, so probably dont fit well with your schedule.
Take a look at www.132virtualwing.org to get a feel.

We also do some casual BMS, but not often at all.
That human awacs sounds cool, I'd imagine you'd probally need some guys flying the su25t for sead ops.  Which is why I can't wait to get my hands on the hornet to do sead ops.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Yskonyn on August 12, 2017, 01:35:22 PM
Yeah the ATC/AWACS setup is very cool indeed.
Actually the wing started out as a solely Hog driver outfit and the events still reflect that; so we generally have missions that are light on long range anti air.
Usually intel is pretty solid on which areas to avoid.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Father Ted on August 12, 2017, 01:37:24 PM
I'm one of the few remaining pub Roffers - those who just jump in a server and fly a few sorties.  Player numbers peak at around 20-30 at the weekend Euro evening time.  There are also organised events which draw a bigger crowd every so often.

CloD I believe is alive and kicking (and being moved forward by a dedicated modding team), but with only one main server AFAIK.

I personally think I'll throw my lot in with BoX for my WW2 fix, but I don't really know what the MP scene is like.

As an aside, I think MP is always going to struggle to retain players  in "proper" sims since they are almost by definition unbalanced in terms of weapons.  History buffs and die-hard "It's the man not the machine" types will enjoy them, but a lot of players get turned off by it.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Nefaro on August 12, 2017, 02:12:34 PM
For casual pub "air quake"?

I usually do DCS.  Did ROF pretty hard, for a stretch, and would still definitely consider returning to MP in that, also.

On the rare occasion I feel like flying WW2 planes, I'll go IL-2:BOS.  Although I still find some of the ground handling overly annoying since the lack of subtle physical motion makes it more of a bother than it should be (and less dev time should've been spent bothering with it). 

I'll do War Thunder if I don't want to bust out all the hardware & TrackIR - just mouse & keyboard some semi-arcade in it's "realistic" mode matches.  Definitely fits the "air quake" jest, but easy to get into.. more so when having a few drinks.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Father Ted on August 12, 2017, 03:23:09 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on August 12, 2017, 02:12:34 PM
For casual pub "air quake"?

Well, since I generally fly the SE5a, air quake isn't really an option for me, but yes, it's going on far below me.  I fly on the Wargrounds server which does run missions with bombing and recon objectives, so, when enough peeps are on, there is usually stuff other than air quake happening.  Having said that, as I type this, the only populated server is NFF, which is a dedicated dogfight server.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 06:12:11 PM
The only RoF server I've spent any time on is New Wings.  I think Father Ted and I passed each other once or twice on there a year or two ago.  The problem I personally have is simply being able to find anybody else.  I've literally flown to enemy airfields and then circled at 1-2000' a mile or two away hoping to entice someone to take off and engage.

I'm not opposed to doing BoX but I'm just curious how populated it will be. 

I lean towards AH2 because back in the day there was always something going on, even for the solo player who wanted to lone wolf.  When it was good, it was VERY good.  I'm not sure they've retained their player base with so many options, especially for low to no-cost games like BoX and War Thunder.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Staggerwing on August 12, 2017, 08:45:18 PM
What the hel is BoX? Some generic monicker for the IL-2 games?
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 09:02:54 PM
Bo=Battle of
X=Stalingrad, Moscow, etc.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Nefaro on August 13, 2017, 08:19:22 AM
Quote from: Toonces on August 12, 2017, 06:12:11 PM
The only RoF server I've spent any time on is New Wings.  I think Father Ted and I passed each other once or twice on there a year or two ago.  The problem I personally have is simply being able to find anybody else.  I've literally flown to enemy airfields and then circled at 1-2000' a mile or two away hoping to entice someone to take off and engage.

I'm not opposed to doing BoX but I'm just curious how populated it will be. 

I lean towards AH2 because back in the day there was always something going on, even for the solo player who wanted to lone wolf.  When it was good, it was VERY good.  I'm not sure they've retained their player base with so many options, especially for low to no-cost games like BoX and War Thunder.


That was a regular issue with ROF multi-player, even a few years ago.

Sometimes the server pop would be big enough on the weekend, on the two full-realism servers.  But often there would be so few players in them that you'd just be flying around for long stretches, squinting to look for others.  Even closer to realism, perhaps, but not ideal when you get so few pvp engagements for the time spent in-game.  At least there were a few AI planes on those server missions to eventually shoot at.

Maybe that's why I started doing DCS mp.  Between being able to traverse the area faster, and having radar & AWACS available, you can get into action much faster in each flight.  There is always a constant fight going on, even with a small server population, in DCS mp.  Even if some aircraft are attempting to stay low & ground masked for a time, it still doesn't take as long before something other than repeated sky-scanning to happen. 

I've had some of the most fun dogfighting in those old WW1 ROF crates on multiplayer battlefield missions, but there often wasn't enough people on for a full & regular experience.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Tuna on August 13, 2017, 08:53:52 AM
We should schedule an online Grogheads Flight night (after I get my keyboard situation fixed of course).  :crazy2:
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Skoop on August 13, 2017, 03:31:58 PM
I think one of the new features being added for the kuban module in il2 boX is a dedicated coop mode which should be fun for playing single player content with a few friends.  A lot of players have been asking for this since the beginning, nice to have it finally implemented.  The drop in coop mode works great in arma, I'd love to see it implimented in a similar way for flight sims.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Nefaro on August 14, 2017, 04:51:49 PM
Quote from: Tuna on August 13, 2017, 08:53:52 AM
We should schedule an online Grogheads Flight night (after I get my keyboard situation fixed of course).  :crazy2:

I expect you'll just end up spilling your liquor in the next one soon, too.

:))
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: mirth on August 14, 2017, 04:57:34 PM
Quote from: Tuna on August 13, 2017, 08:53:52 AM
We should schedule an online Grogheads Flight night (after I get my keyboard situation fixed of course).  :crazy2:

A gunked up keyboard. The curse of many a Groghead.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 15, 2017, 07:05:02 AM
Quote from: mirth on August 14, 2017, 04:57:34 PM
Quote from: Tuna on August 13, 2017, 08:53:52 AM
We should schedule an online Grogheads Flight night (after I get my keyboard situation fixed of course).  :crazy2:

A gunked up keyboard. The curse of many a Groghead.

Along with bookmarked goatse.cx sites.
Title: Re: Status of online, multiplayer combat flight simming?
Post by: Toonces on September 07, 2017, 06:34:49 AM
It turns out that Aces High 3 has migrated over to Steam.  I went ahead and installed it last weekend.  It comes with a free 2-week trial period so I figured it was low-risk.  The only thing  you can't do during the trial that I can tell is you can't download custom skins; all the other functionality is there.

I've logged about 10 hours the last couple of days.  The game looks good.  During Sunday and most weeknights the number of players seems to hang around 100-150.  100 is kind of light; 150 is when it starts to get interesting.  I can't remember how that stacks up to the old days pre-War Thunder.

Gameplay is essentially the same.  For some reason my TrackIR works much more smoothly in the version than previous versions, and I've been using that pretty much exclusively vice using hat switches. 

I need to give it a bit more time before I commit to $15/month.  Sortieing out of fightertown into furballs is fun,  but I'm not sure that's going to have legs long term.  Right now the experience is novel again, but I fear it will wear off.  I mean, it's good fun to kill a couple of hours, but I'm not sure it's $15/month worth good fun.  I'll keep you posted.