About a year ago, I got a $10 Atari version of CFS and installed it on the work laptop (only computer avail. to me at the time). Got a little Saitek wireless joystick, and had a blast. Loved it. Then I built my current PC (mostly to run FS9), and figured "golly, I just gotta get CFS3 now!"... and frankly, I hated it. For example: after changing to an external view, one loses one's carefully-setup forward cockpit view, etc., etc. I was amazed that the cheapo version on the laptop was more enjoyable and user-friendly than the full version on my new PC with the X45 controller! Then a friend who's a hopeless IL2 junky turned me on to the ubisoft combat sims. IMHO, IL2 and PF are WAY superior to CFS3. The textures are better, the graphics in general are better, the flight characteristics are more real (and fully adjustable), the aircraft and combat sounds, damage, etc. are better (it's insane with my Kinyo 5.1 headphones on- when someone gets on my 6 and puts a few rounds in the airplane, I still jump- after many hours on this sim!). The "flyby" view is fantastic, too... I could go on and on. I've been meaning to go back to CFS3 to make a more in-depth comparison, but I've been having too much fun playing with PF. My only beef with PF: not enough location options in the "Quick Mission Builder" mode. I haven't checked out the campaigns yet... anyway, it's all subjective, but the above is my two cents, submitted for your perusal and consideration. Gotta go now- I think I hear sleigh bells on the localizer for 04 Right at EWR!!
So tell me this, when was the last time you saw a real aircraft with symetrical damage?
As good as the IL2 sims are they are highly exaggerated in every way and therefore lack realism. You shouldn't stall a plane by going into a shallow climb, machineguns, no matter what time leave a smoke trail that could act as a smoke screen for a battleship, muzzleflashes have never looked like a flamethrower and the simple act of turning a plane should not put you into a flat spin.
Although the graphics and effects are very good they are wildly over done and before long the start to get boring.
Although the stock CFS3 airfiles are nothing special the IL2 ones are just stupid. If aircraft really did fly like that then there wouldn't be an aircraft industry. In IL2 a flat spin is achieved merely by making a sudden movement. You have to try damn hard in CFS3 to achieve the same effect.
All in all IL2 and all it's accessories are very pretty and for a while, fun. However CFS has so much more to offer, not just as a stock program but with 3rd party stuff too. I brought IL2. Played it, and enjoyed it. But within three weeks I was back to CFS2 and when CFS3 came out i've never looked back.
:D
