AC6 vs Birds of Prey

[Shaderhacker]

Hahahaha!

I see. What do you think about the ME-163? That plane looks like the Coors jet! I can't wait to fly that thing!

[gbtstr]

Originally Posted by Shaderhacker

All:

I'm curious. I bought AC6 when it came out and it (at that time) was the best flight sim to ever grace the console. Fast forward to this year and I discover this incredible game called Wings of Prey (port from console). I haven't yet started playing the game because I'm waiting on all my flight gear (pedals, Track IR, etc..) to come in before taking flight. I'm curious why you people think this game beats out AC6. If I remember correctly, AC6 had a beautiful story, excellent characters, and enormous action sequences. It also had incredible diversity in scenery. I could fly in the canyons (which I don't see in BoP), over snow, seas, and major cities.

Just want to hear your thoughts and comparisons.

-M

Well, it's a little more difficult to compare AC6 to WoP since they're not on the same platform. Generally, I think there are more positives to gameplay on the PC because you are allowed more depth in the game (it's easier for people with the skills and interest to mod and patch PC games) and a better/wider choice of input devices (gamepad vs stick, pedal, throttle, Track IR, etc.). The big drawback of PC stuff is the smaller audience. However, with that said, the small audience is usually a lot more faithful than the generally fickle console crowd. On consoles you have flavor of the week games, whereas on PC you can still find lobbies and things for games ten years old, or more.

Don't have WoP, but going off BoP I generally agree with the sentiments. It's a lot more fun going head to head with an opponent in a test of airmanship and gunnery than it is to go up against a bazillion targets with point and push type guided weapons. I've had many more interesting/rewarding experiences in BoP: getting my 109F-4 into a flat scissors with an La-7, getting a good snapshot attack on a Spitfire in my P-47, etc. Compare this to: standing off of a giant furball in my Super Tomcat and lobbing XLAAs into the cluster, or get into that ridiculous furball and try to QAAM or MSSL someone.

The control scheme is significantly better in AC6 than BoP, but with WoP being on PC you can probably do better still. The story in BoP, in my opinion, is just background and doesn't really add or take away from anything. In AC6 it has a bit more to do with the mission flow, but was annoying at some parts.

Sorry to go this route, but aside from eye candy and a few more MP options, Over-G Fighters, I think, was better than AC6. The physics in OGF weren't perfect, but they were nowhere near as overblown as AC6. Weapons ranges were dumbed down, but the weapons themselves seemed to react a lot more realistically - the Phoenix flew its ballistic arc for long range targets, the AIM-9X not only was all-aspect, but also had the off-boresight seeker. LGBs and iron bombs actually fell in a realistic manner, rather than launching forward off the racks. The best part, by far, OGF had and still has the best executed set of controls for a flight game on the console - without resorting to a flight stick. Why no one has duplicated that format, I have no friggin clue. Probably because none of them have played OGF because it received such a bashing by the reviewers who didn't have the common sense to check the options menu to change their controls from arcade to realistic.

Anyway. There's something awesome about eight .50 caliber guns chewing through your enemy and getting to that point. Something you don't quite get flying straight and level pushing buttons and vaporizing your enemies BVR.

[Shaderhacker]

Excellent post!

[Robotic Pope]

Originally Posted by Shaderhacker

You guys aren't talking about game specifics. Tell me what is so great about BoP/WoP. How is it different in feel, graphics, sound, atmosphere, etc.. to AC6?

Well I can compare the graphics AC6 V BoP(XB360). AC6 has more detailed aircraft and more epic landscape (canyons, mountains, lol underground tunnels) more suitable for the mach 2 action. BoP though has much, much more detail in the landscape, with forrests made of indiviual trees, churches farms, roads, railways, rivers, bridges, towns, in berlin even idividual rooms of bombed buildings are modeled. Being set in real places It is quite a flat world though with slight rolling hills now and then (no action packed canyons here).
While the planes themselves while looking very good arnt quite as nice as the AC6 ones, the planes in BoP that do have cockpits have ones that look a lot more realistic than the AC6 cockpits which look a little cartoony to me. BoP also has a wide range of choosable weather and time for each map which can completely change the tactics needed to fight well. AC6 runs at a higher frame rate though with less ocurances of slow down..

In feel and atmophere i would say AC6 is like playing an action blockbuster movie compared to Birds of prey like playing an episode of dogfights.

Sound effects are ok in both games, can't say which is better.

Both are very enjoyable games for me still.