How does one get started in sims?

stevedrew · 7 November 2009, 08:52 PM

dedgerly,

I have been flying Over Flanders' Fields for a while now. If you want realism, you can't go past it. It also has 39 flyable aircraft included. You won't have to wait or pay extra.

Here is a link to the OFF "Requirements" page. It'll let you know if your computer will be able to handle OFF, and what you'll need if you can't run it. Extra RAM is always helpful.

Enjoy your flying.

Blue Skies

Steve

sightreader · 7 November 2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevedrew

It also has 39 flyable aircraft included. You won't have to wait or pay extra.

That definitely is an annoying thing about RoF... seven dollars or so per additional plane.

I put in a request that they at least group new planes into discount bundles or have some sorta "buy two get one free" thing to encourage the hard core over the dabblers...

stevedrew · 8 November 2009, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sightreader

That definitely is an annoying thing about RoF... seven dollars or so per additional plane.

I put in a request that they at least group new planes into discount bundles or have some sorta "buy two get one free" thing to encourage the hard core over the dabblers...

There is an add-on pack soon to be released for OFF that adds another 6 aircraft. The game developers are constanly updating the software ...tweaking it, fine tuning it. The patches in this Sim are not "fixes"...they're improvements.

I'm unsure if neoqb actually LISTEN to their customers, but I can categorically state that OBD Software interact with their customers on a daily basis. Visit CombatAce Forum and check it out. If you have a suggestion, and it's a good one, other users will agree, and OBD will incorporate it in their next "patch".

Well done OBD!

JFM · 8 November 2009, 07:29 AM

Is there a price estimate for the OFF add-on pack?

Chock · 8 November 2009, 07:59 AM

I think I paid 29.99 (US Dollars) for OFF on DVD, plus a bit of postage since I am in the UK. The DVD arrived in I think under seven days, which I thought was not too bad. So that made it (not including postage) slightly under 20 pounds (that's UK pounds Sterling).

I already had Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3 (which you need in order to play OFF, since it is effectively a huge supermod for that sim), so I did not have to buy that. But in actual fact you are in a slightly better position even if you do have to buy CFS3, since the later versions of it which were sold, came on DVD rather than three CDs and they were already patched and do not require the CD in the drive, as my original version of CFS3 does, so I think I'll probably buy a DVD copy of CFS3 anyway at some point, just for the convenience of keeping my CD drive empty. CFS3 can be easily found on the net for less than ten quid, which would certainly mean it was possible to find it for under fifteen US Dollars, since it is now seven years old.

So overall, that would make getting OFF up and running if you do not have CFS3, add up to about 45 US Dollars at a maximum, and possibly less. Take a look on the OFF website's frequently asked questions to find out which version of CFS3 they reckon is the best one to have (there are a couple of boxed budget reissues of it which aren't ideal).

Al

sightreader · 8 November 2009, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevedrew

There is an add-on pack soon to be released for OFF that adds another 6 aircraft.

Ooh, cool... except that my nightmare is that the add-on pack will have planes I already bought separately!

PS: it sounds like you're a bit disillusioned with NeoQB?

JFM · 8 November 2009, 08:36 AM

Great info, Chock, everything you wrote. I could've used detail like that when I first got into sims! I already have all that (I paid fifty bucks for mine, plus a usury-esque nine dollar shipping charge) and I am curious about the cost of the pending add-on pack that stevedrew referenced. I searched around and didn't see anything but I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Re: RoF, they listen, eventually. There's a huge post at their site about pending changes, many born from customer input. They haven't listened to me, though, about their snake-oil sale of the Alb D.III (OAW) as the version that fought in

Bloody April! I love Alb D.III (OAW)s, just not tarted up with bogus MvR and Voss skins. I have doubts we'll see the classic Johannisthal Alb D.III anytime soon.

Chock · 8 November 2009, 08:56 AM

The RoF business model is to some extent fairly dependent on them listening to their customers, since it is a bit like a MMORPG in some respects, with much of the revenue coming from continued purchases. We just have to hope that the output matches the intent, and I'm yet to be convinced on that score. Nevertheless, it is an interesting approach to combating the limited outright sales a WW1 sim would normally garner, so I hope it works out.

Al

sightreader · 8 November 2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chock

Nevertheless, it is an interesting approach to combating the limited outright sales a WW1 sim would normally garner, so I hope it works out.

I certainly support the idea as a good way of sustaining the sim, but it is a novel concept, so I think unintended consequences (such as turning away those who most frequently buy extra planes) are to be expected. Hopefully they'll adjust...

Gremlin_WoH · 8 November 2009, 10:21 AM

To get some impressions about past and present W.W.I flight sims -> Wings Of Honor

Cheers