If you like Flight sims these two beauties are must haves in any game collection. Both are amongst the best flight sims you can purchase anywhere. The detail in both games is amazing. Each game has hundreds of key bindings, though there is an easy mode where you can ignore most of the controls. You have a fully functioning cockpit with most of the dials, buttons and switches working. The ground textures look real from a distance and even close up they are excellent. The flight models are amazing.
You can create your own missions for both games using the level/mission editor and you'll find an active modding community so there's an almost endless stream of free items to download to expand and enhance your flying experience. These are brilliant flight sims that even Joe Bloggs or John Doe could play.
You get six degrees of freedom in both games; which means if you have a Track IR (tracks head movement) you can look around you cockpit and out of the cockpit windows as though you were in a real cockpit. (both games support three monitor set ups for an even better immersive experience) You can get a feel for the six degrees of freedom by using the keypad keys 1 to 9, however, using a Track IR is much better. (Unfortunately a Track IR unit will cost you around $150 with the TrackClip Pro, but they can be used with many other games that also support six degrees of freedom - that includes most flight sims that have been released over the last several years, a lot of racing games (for example all of the Dirt franchise), and even some FPS games like the ArmA series and the Operation Flashpoint series. you can check out the TrackIR website HERE)
Digital Combat Simulator A-10C Warthog
You can find details, images and video HERE
DCS: A-10C Warthog is a PC simulation of the U.S. premier Close Air Support attack aircraft. This is the second aircraft in the DCS series, following DCS: Black Shark, and raises the bar even higher in the DCS series. Warthog brings the most realistic PC simulation of a modern fixed wing combat aircraft in regards to flight dynamics, avionics, sensors, and weapon systems. You also have the option to play Warthog in "Game" mode for a casual game experience. Fly missions in the Caucuses region of the Black Sea against and with a wide array of air, land and sea forces with new and improved intelligence. Create your own missions and campaigns with the included Mission and Campaign Editors, and fly with and against friends online using the included online game browser.
Key features:
• Fly the A-10C “Warthog” in either realistic or game modes.
• Fly missions in either Georgia and Russia.
• Interactive training missions shallow the learning curve dramatically.
• Rich campaigns and single missions included.
• Multiplayer cooperative and head-to-head.
• Feature-rich Mission and Campaign editors allow user created content.
• The most realistic flight dynamics ever done for a PC simulation.
• Huge array of land, air and sea units to flight along and against.
• Ability to command ground forces during missions.
• Fully interactive Forward Air Controller (FAC) that helps you find targets.
Digital Combat Simulator: Black Shark
You can find details, images and video HERE
DCS: Black Shark is a simulation of the Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter and is the first simulation module of the Digital Combat Simulator series by The Fighter Collection and Eagle Dynamics.
DCS: Black Shark can be played as the most realistic combat helicopter simulation ever created for the PC with authentic flight dynamics and systems modeling. Black Shark may also be played as a console-style arcade game for the casual gamer.
A detailed and accurate 330,000 sq km depiction of the western Caucasus region serves as the battlefield and includes a broad array of eastern and western air, land and sea units.
Each air, land and sea unit is accurately modeled to include detailed models, weapon systems, movement dynamics and artificial intelligence. Each bullet, rocket, shell or bomb fired is modeled in detail for accurate performance.
Powerful and easy to use Mission and Campaign Editors are provided to allow creation of user-created missions and campaigns. Non-linear campaigns are provided with unlimited replayability. Multiplayer game play is provided to include both cooperative play using the Ka-50 data link and head-to-head. Multiplayer supports up to 16 players.
A set of detailed training missions, single missions and a campaign are included.
Key features:
• A highly-detailed six degrees of freedom cockpit allows you to look anywhere in the cockpit using TrackIR®.
• An unrivalled flight physics system provides the most realistic helicopter flight experience available. Interface with the fully 3D cockpit using a mouse with the option for an English cockpit.
• Detailed modeling and control of engine, fuel, hydraulics, electrical, navigation, radio, fire suppression, sensor, and weapon systems (casual game play modes also available).
• Advanced weapon physics for missiles, rockets and cannon rounds to include ricochets.
• Detailed simulation of the "Shkval" optical targeting system and the "Vikhr" anti-tank guided missile system that allows attacks on both ground and air units.
• Accurate emulation of both the "ABRIS" moving map navigation system and "Skosok" night vision goggles for day and night missions.
