Ok, so about to buy IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 and...

[Luno13]

My first word of advice is to start the game after each patch to make sure it was applied correctly. The version number will appear on the splash screen.

It will be a long process to get the game up to speed, so be prepared. Setting up the mods can be longer. Be sure to keep a vanilla backup of the game in case you mess anything up so you don't have to start from scratch.

As for joysticks: I use a Thrustmaster T.16000. It has great bang for buck ($40 retail) with a hall sensor, twist for rudder, and a throttle slider. In my experience, the similar Saitek Av8r went bonkers within a year.

I kept my stick on the right, and the mouse on the left. It takes a few days to get used to, but it makes flying and looking around very easy. However, I recently bought a TrackIR, which makes looking around very fun. If you're handy, you can use freetrack or facetracknoIR.

Il-2 1946 is the game we all play here. Il-2 Birds of Prey is the console version, and Il-2 Wings of Prey is the PC version of the console game (very odd, I know). Il-2 1946 is based on an engine from 2001, so the graphics aren't cutting edge anymore, but it's arguably more fun than BoP or WoP.

1946:



WoP:

[IceFire]

That doesn't look very representative of IL-2 1946... it looks like there is no anti-aliasing, the landscape is bellow even the Excellent level, and the default skin would be back several versions. We should put better feet forward Especially with a config that the OP will be going with it'll be more than enough for the best possible settings. Luno is definitely right... make sure you get the right settings both video card control panel (for things like antialiasing for smoother edges of objects as well as for filtering so textures look crisp and sharp. In-game there are settings to ensure you have Perfect landscape settings which enable the highest level features including pixel and displacement mapped water... i.e. the waves move and they are in 3D.

As for images of IL-2 1946... Photobucket appears offline otherwise I would upload a better shot so the best I can offer are the screen shots attached to some of my campaigns. Here's a selection:

East Front: http://www.mission4today.com/index.p...ds&screen=4957

West Front: http://www.mission4today.com/index.p...ds&screen=4172

Haven't done any Pacific campaigns where I uploaded a lot of screens but those should help. They were done in the last year on 4.11 stock.

[Luno13]

Yeah, it's an old one from when my computer couldn't do the fancy shmancy perfect settings or AA. I just haven't taken any screens on the new hardware

Still, the color palette and general appearance is there.

[tarzan]

Wow, tons of info! I read every post, thanks guys.

I will be back once I get it up and running, downloading now, 4.37GB so it's taking a bit.

I'll post some screenshots of how it looks for me on my machine.

Very confusing series of titles, I settled on 1946 because it seems to have (obviously) the most passionate following!

[tarzan]

Re: TrackIr, wow, I didn't know such thing existed!

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by tarzan

Thanks for the info, just making sure I was on the right track. Yeah after reading this forum I knew there was a lot more content on the PC version, but a big difference in graphics? Even with settings maxed out? I've seen some PC screenshots that look really nice, nice enough for me to get hooked anyway.

I do realize that this is a sim and not arcade, that's the big draw for me here and yeah, I'm looking at joysticks and reading threads. I think my big reluctance is I like to be able to look around with the right stick and fly with the left, using triggers as rudders etc, just don't see how I can do that with joystick?

I will install all updates to 4.11 (thanks for link)

And thanks for the folder advice

First .. WELCOME ABOARD!!

Second.. You need to hit the Nugget's Guide in my sig. Now. It is a pretty up to date guide for Nuggets just coming to the sim. I guarantee you that if you take the time to read it .. and follow much of what is in there your experience with this sim will be much more rewarding.

AS for flyng and looking.. depending on the stick you get you can put your views on either a hat switch or a mouse. The X-52 has a little button on the throttle that you can either program as a mouse or a 8 way hat switch. Beforte I got TIR that was what I used on my old X-45 to look around. It is a little cumbersome at forst but after a while you get used to it and it becomes second nature. I now use that button as a 4 way hat switch at the 12,3,6 and 9 o'clock positions. At 3 & 6 I have it linked to the zoom in and out but as I said it works great for viewing. You can set the speed and have a complete viewing solution.

Forget everything you liked in the console game. Get a joystick. I don't know what your status is lke but if you can afford it get a HOTAS. See the Nugget's Guide for exactly what that is. Any questions you can always either pop back in here, or at SimHQ or M4T and someone will help you or you can just PM me at either of those sites and I will gladly offer up any advice or info you need.

You might also consider signing up for Joint Ops if you have the time.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Second.. You need to hit the Nugget's Guide in my sig.

Seconded, this a very good guide to the sim.

Originally Posted by Bearcat

AS for flyng and looking.. depending on the stick you get you can put your views on either a hat switch or a mouse.

Whichever way you go for "thing that lets you look around" get used to using it a lot.

One of the keys to winning dogfights - in any flight sim and in the real world - is "Situational Awareness". That is, the ability to know where your plane is relative to the enemy and to friendly planes and what they're all doing.

If you lose sight of your foes, you're potentially screwed and in any case you waste valuable time and energy trying to figure out where they are.

As a start, fly with cockpit off so that you get the red and blue directional arrows and get used to pausing the game and popping out to external views so that you can see where your plane is relative to the rest of the world. Gradually go to full cockpit, and then to no external views.

It's very tough, but you get better with practice.