Looking for a good combat flight sim that uses a control pad (PC)

[nstgc]

Well, its that time of the year where retailers all over the nation are trying to pry money out of our hands and that means sales. I've been wanting a good combat flight simulator, but I don't know of any for the PC. I'm looking for one with good graphics, good controls, and action packed.

I really loved the Ace Combat 3: Shattered Skies (I think it was 3) by the way. Something like that. It doesn't have to have real aircraft, it could be space craft too.

[edit] By "good graphics" I don't mean "state of the art". Smooth and can be played at 1920x1200 resolution. Like 2009 graphics.

[edit2] by the way I don't like the look of older aircraft. The WW2 era craft...no.

[BronBron06]

Space Flight Sim


Freelancer? 2003 game still awesome as far as I can tell... dont know if it can live up to your standard

You can always search for mods (still has a decent size community)

[Ultra_Magnus]

Lock On: Modern Air Combat

It is very realistic though, if you are used to ace combat it will come as quite a shock.  It has very good graphics for such an old game, but then again it pretty much required a top of the line rig to run when it came out.

[dcudney]

iL2-Sturmovik is by far the best combat sim i've played.  If you can get over your hate for WW2 era planes this one is very well worth a look

[tomoya-kun]

Well, its that time of the year where retailers all over the nation are trying to pry money out of our hands and that means sales. I've been wanting a good combat flight simulator, but I don't know of any for the PC. I'm looking for one with good graphics, good controls, and action packed.

I really loved the Ace Combat 3: Shattered Skies (I think it was 3) by the way. Something like that. It doesn't have to have real aircraft, it could be space craft too.

[edit] By "good graphics" I don't mean "state of the art". Smooth and can be played at 1920x1200 resolution. Like 2009 graphics.

[edit2] by the way I don't like the look of older aircraft. The WW2 era craft...no.

No good modern combat flightsims, the sturmovik series are the only really good ones

[metro.]

I heard Hawx was okay, but it's not very...sim-like.

[Ultra_Magnus]

No good modern combat flightsims, the sturmovik series are the only really good ones

This just isn't true, DCS A-10C Warthog, and Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2.0, are modern and apparently very good, and very very accurate.  I can't comment personally as I don't have the system to run them.

[AceHigh]

Loled when I saw the word "flight sim" in the same context as "Ace Combat". 

[nstgc]

Loled when I saw the word "flight sim" in the same context as "Ace Combat". 

Yes, its not very realistic is it? Still, it was fun.

[edit] Just saw that HAWX is on sale on Steam ($10 for both) so I'll get the demo for the first one, and see how I like it. Probably will buy it.

[AceHigh]

Yes, I am sure it is fun. The problem with ultra-realistic combat flight sims with modern aircraft is that just like in reality, pilots would launch their missiles long before they see the enemy. I doubt it makes it very fun for a game. So in my opinion the only good realistic flight sims would be from WW2 era because you still can dogfight with machine guns.

[nstgc]

I don't like the look of those aircraft. I don't know why, but they just look bad to me. I want to play a game, not train for the USAF. I remember two things very clearly in Ace Combat 4 (not 3). One was flying threw a canyon at insane speeds speeds (I would clime to the top of the map then nose dive into the canyon with engines to full pull up at the last minute then fly threw at full speed), and the other was shooting down Yellow Squadron with nothing but machine guns on the second hardest difficulty level (I got bored before I unlocked the hardest). Would that ever happen? No, but I'd take that over looking at ugly WW2 era planes any day.

[edit] By the way, what would you call something like Ace Combat? I can understand completely why you wouldn't want to call it a simulator, but I don't know of a better term.

[AceHigh]

I don't know, arcade perhaps? But I get your point, "sim" just got stuck with all games where you fly something.

[lapa321]

A couple. No exactly ace combat, but they're technically-sorta-maybe arcadey-ish flying games.

Gun Metal - Haven't actually played this but looks fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-8EBinTNEo

Battle Engine Aquilla - Played the heck out of this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp_Yk5uQnEw

[tomoya-kun]

No good modern combat flightsims, the sturmovik series are the only really good ones

This just isn't true, DCS A-10C Warthog, and Lock On: Flaming Cliffs 2.0, are modern and apparently very good, and very very accurate.  I can't comment personally as I don't have the system to run them.

I have DCS, it is very complicated and most of it is not combat.  Combat flightsim implies that the main goal is shooting and not trying to get off the ground while pressing the right switches.