Why il2 is great

[Splitter]

Mt first experience with IL-2 (1946) was just a few months ago. I had been into other types of games and X-Plane, but I always wanted to get back to my roots in flight combat. I had avoided IL-2 early on because the theaters of war did not interest me greatly and I never followed its' development.

Any new game, if it is good, comes with a learning curve, some frustration, and some absolute wonder.

For me, all of those things were encompassed with flying an F4-U off of a carrier that first day . Each time, I would drop into the water with the left wing stalling right before impact. So I had to go online and search for some tips on taking off with that plane. Eventually, I got it and it was a great feeling of accomplishment.

Then came landing the Corsair on a carrier....I never knew plane could bounce that high lol. More research followed. Then I tried knocking down some Zekes and discovered the wonderful stall modeling . That first week was spent tweaking my control settings and learning how to turn each plane without stalling and spinning.

I could argue that first impressions of games are the most important thing. I could also argue that, if the game is good, the first few weeks are the most fun because that is when you are getting to know the basics of the game. Discovery is a wonderful thing.

Of course, if the game is VERY good, playability lasts beyond those first few weeks and you keep discovering new things about the game and refining your techniques.

IL-2 scores high on the initial interest AND with its' onging ability to keep your interest.

Splitter

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Splitter

I had avoided IL-2 early on because the theaters of war did not interest me greatly and I never followed its' development.

It's a funny thing that, because when people first talked about it, I felt the same about the theatre of war issue.
Since getting into the sim hugely, I found that my interest in, and knowledge of, that theatre of war was expanding and I wanted more.
I've since made sure I read up on it, and have benefitted from a significantly expanded knowledge.
I think this 'game' has done a lot for a greater realisation in the west as to what the USSR went through from 41-45, and that goes some way to explain what happened after.
Just reading in depth about the siege of Leningrad is incomprehensible to us modern types.
So not only a fantastic combat flight sim, but as far as I'm concerned, a great educator.
I always was a bit slow on the uptake!

But it works both ways. A friend of mine went to Leningrad (I mean St. Petersberg of course!) a couple of years ago, and visited a war museum. The English speaking guide was adamant that Britain and the US did not get involved in WWII until June 1944.
Maybe Storm of War will do for some Russians what IL2 has done for me.
I certainly hope so.

[Splitter]

Hey Dutch,

The ground battle had always fascinated me but I never paid a lot of attention to the air war. Then I saw IL-2 and thought: I HATE tank busting and mud moving, that's not the game for me. I saw the air battle in the East as hordes of outdated Russian planes battling a small number of more advanced German planes. And it ended there for years.

(Side note: I did recently discover that I purchased Pacific Fighters at some point but I don't think I played for too long. I was just getting into BF 1942 when I bought Pacific Fighters as I recall.)

Still, my gripe is that I can't play for the USAAF flying over Europe. I am looking forward to one day being able to jump in my Mustang or P-47 for an off line stock campaign and take on the Luftwaffe.

Yes, the "geekiness" of this and other forums has opened up a whole new area of WWII aircraft/airwar for me. It's a whole new level of detail and definitely an education.

Splitter

[philip.ed]

I know there is a taboo around the subject, but modding the game does allow you to play in every theatre that I am aware of...

[IceFire]

IL-2 is great because it has always had this fantastic wide ranging scope that few other games have had. In the past we've always been constricted to either the Pacific or Western Europe in two theaters that we've always known about. With IL-2 1946 and the most recent patches we're now able to go all over the world... we can now simulate and take part in various angles of battles over most of the full history of World War II. From Khalkin Gol to Sevastopol to Midway to Caen and the invasion of Norway. We even have Slovakia and Hungary and a makeshift Italy.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again... but it's just so refreshing to have one scenario where you're flying Me-262s against a formation of B-17 bombers over Germany and then the next time... you could be flying J8A Gladiators against DB-3 bombers over Finland and then scrambling in a Wildcat to defend Midway. That is just so fantastic.

[ATAG_Dutch]

Originally Posted by Splitter

Side note: I did recently discover that I purchased Pacific Fighters at some point but I don't think I played for too long. I was just getting into BF 1942 when I bought Pacific Fighters as I recall.

Still, my gripe is that I can't play for the USAAF flying over Europe. I am looking forward to one day being able to jump in my Mustang or P-47 for an off line stock campaign and take on the Luftwaffe.Splitter

I must confess, the 'Pacific Fighters' element of 1946 I've not yet 'gelled' with, owing to the length of some of the missions. 45 mins of flying over boring water only to be shot down by flak?!
I also find the landscapes a bit 'garish'.
The RAF campaign isn't too bad though.

Phil's got a point re mods whilst we await SoW. M4T have loads of downloadable campaigns and skins that'd suit your needs admirably.