Off topic, but need help finding a jet combat sim

[burninator]

The first flight sim I got in the early 90's was F/A-18 Hornet 2.0 by graphic sims.  I absolutely loved the gameplay and the realism to the flight ops, systems, landing, taking off, etc...  Right now I have F/A Hornet 3.0, which is basically the same game with slightly better graphics (better by mid to late 90's standards, horrible compared to CFS2).

CFS2 is great, but sometimes I feel the need to kick the tires and light the fires.  Good ole F/A 3.0 doesn't cut it anymore on account of the graphics.  I just tried to play the demo of LOMAC, but the video requirements are way to high for my system (a dell inspiron 2200, no after market graphics card).

Can anyone recommend a good modern air combat simulator to replace Hornet 3.0 that has minimal graphics requirements (similar to CFS2)?  Keep in mind I'm really looking for use of all the flight and weapons systems and all the finer details of landing and taking off.  Thanks for the help!

[Mushroom_Farmer]

Well, I would recommend Falcon 4.0, but I don't exactly know what you mean by "minimal graphics". I've played it on a PII-266MHz with a Diamond Viper. It plays so-so on that. It is however very mentally demanding.

[RitterKreuz]

Microsoft could really cash in on a good 1950's Korean war era jet fighter combat sim. "Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 4"

The Sabers vs. the MiG-15 and 17 over Korea... pure pursuit jet fighter combat - all guns - none of this hit a button and the guy 20 miles from you dies nonsense.  ::)

[Hagar]

[quote]Microsoft could really cash in on a good 1950's Korean war era jet fighter combat sim. "Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 4"

The Sabers vs. the MiG-15 and 17 over Korea... pure pursuit jet fighter combat - all guns - none of this hit a button and the guy 20 miles from you dies nonsense.

[ATI_7500]

Microsoft could really cash in on a good 1950's Korean war era jet fighter combat sim. "Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 4"

Strike Fighters - Korean War mod.

Strike Fighters - $5.
The mod: Free.

[RitterKreuz]

sounds good but i never have owned a copy of CFS2  :-/

[burninator]

Well, I would recommend Falcon 4.0, but I don't exactly know what you mean by "minimal graphics". I've played it on a PII-266MHz with a Diamond Viper. It plays so-so on that. It is however very mentally demanding.

"Minimal" was my way of saying I don't even know exactly what my computer has in terms of hardware.

[ATI_7500]

sounds good but i never have owned a copy of CFS2  :-/

You haven't missed a thing...at least in the stock game.

[Mobius]

Sounds like Falcon 4.0 will fit the bill exactly for you.  Falcon 4.0 runs just fine on XP, if you manage to find an original copy of Falcon 4.0, you can update it to use some of the newer mods out there, or you can avoid the whole "Falcon Dance" and just get Falcon 4.0: Allied Force.  If you want a lot of buttons to push, that is the sim for you.  If you want, you can go through the 20 minute cold start-up procedures for the F-16, input all your navigation and targeting data through the ICP, take-off and fly to the target, deliver your weapons, and navigate back to land.  The really cool thing about that though, is the fact that you can do almost everything through the clickable cockpit, instead of pressing buttons on the keyboard, that way it's like you're actually pressing the buttons and flipping the switches you would have to in a real F-16, to get the job done.  If you do get it though, make sure you patch it up to the latest version (1.0.9 I think).

http://www.lead-pursuit.com/

[burninator]

[quote]Sounds like Falcon 4.0 will fit the bill exactly for you.

[Mobius]

The original Falcon 4.0 does work on XP, but your computer should be able to handle Allied Force, it's pretty much the same sim as the original Falcon, just updated recently.  I've run Allied Force on a computer that is 6 or 7 years old, and it ran just fine, with no stutters or anything, but still, that's not saying your not guaranteed to not have problems either.

[RitterKreuz]

you know what, i take that back... i DID own a copy of CFS2 but that was ages ago. its CFS1 i never bothered with  :D i used to play it before i was married... before i was out of school... before i had my own place.... wow that was a while back!!  :o so long ago i forgot all about it.

couldnt tell you where my copy of CFS2 is today. prolly lost after the 4th or 5th time i moved!

[burninator]

What about Jane's F/A-18 or Graphic Sim's F/A-18 Operation Iraqi Freedom?  Operation Iraqi Freedom looks like an  updated version of Hornet 3.0, which would be cool since that's what I'm familiar with, but I can't get a good feel about how it is as a game from the demo.  Jane's looks pretty sweet too, but Falcon 4.0: AF seems to be the gold standard.  How do these F-18 games compare to Falcon 4.0: AF?

[Mobius]

Well, really not close, nothing comes close to Falcon in regards to system reality.  Another thing about Falcon is the dynamic campaign, where you fly randomly generated missions in a huge battlefield that changes as missions are flown and objects destroyed etc.  I'm holding to my statements before, Falcon is the way to go.

[burninator]

[quote]Well, really not close, nothing comes close to Falcon in regards to system reality.