The second half is suspension of disbelief, and that is only now starting to be achieved. The modelling of the outside environment so that we will believe we are actually in a moving aircraft, instead of looking out at a flat, or polygonal landscape, is just beginning to happen. I’m talking about life-like scenery, at a realistic framerate that actually looks like good old Mother Earth instead of a generated landscape. This has proved to be immensely taxing for a PC’s CPU, but the tide is finally turning with the advent of fast Pentiums and 3D graphics accelerators. Check out Flight Unlimited as a good example of real world modelling. It actually models the airflow over the aircraft to achieve proper flight physics in a realistic world. Only one problem with it - no guns!

Lastly then, you need to accurately model other aircraft and weapons and avionics systems in a combat simulation to enable the user to interact realistically with the environment. Controlling these other fighters, maybe managing a ground war, and then possibly a dynamic campaign environment, is no easy feat when you factor in the realism of radar performance, weapons envelopes, and the artificial intelligence of the pilots you are supposedly fighting with. All this again demands a great deal of the computer’s processing power.

The eternal upgrade cycle.....

Here’s the thing with the PC market - the latest and greatest PC you can buy will be old news in 12 months. That said, there are a couple of areas that will really help you get the most out of your flight sims without constantly encroaching on your wallet. The newest one of these is 3D accelerator cards, but the others mainly concern a fast computer and good peripherals.

 Do you still own a 486 based computer? If you do you can forget the rest of this article, because you DEFINITELY need an upgrade first! If you are going to become serious about playing a good simulator, I would recommend a P166 as standard, with at least 16 MB of EDO RAM and preferably 32 MB. If you are buying a computer or upgrading soon, buy MMX, because it will allow for future products that will incorporate some of its extra features.

Click the image for a larger shot...

A computer of this standard will see you out for the next two years, but you can futureproof it some more by investing in a top notch 3D graphics card. For most of you who already have a good graphics card in your PC, it will involve buying a dedicated new 3D card. The beauty of this is that for the first time ever, a card is available that can accelerate 3D video to 30 frames per second or higher. Of course, this rate is actually difficult to achieve with all the new features engaged. Then factor in a dynamic campaign engine, and the old CPU starts to lag a bit again. For example, with the upcoming Falcon 4.0 by Specturm Holobyte (screenshot above), the alpha is running around 20 fps on a P166 with 32 meg or Ram and a dedicated 3dfx accelerator board. This may not seem impressive, but when you recognize the detail of the environment, and the number of calculations necessary for a realistic flight model, realistic weapons modelling AND a dynamic engine... if this were NOT hardware based we would be around 5 fps.

With a host of extra features such as transparency and fog effects, smoothing and lighting, the best card for this task is the Diamond Monster 3D or the Orchid Righteous 3D, both featuring the 3Dfx Voodoo Graphics chip. At this stage it has wide industry support, as well as full support for Microsoft’s Direct3D standard, ensuring future compatibility. It is by far the most amazing change you will ever see in your computer, and will boost most forthcoming flight sims into a new league. Check out the Graphics+ version of EF2000 to see what I mean. It comes as a demo with the Diamond Monster 3D and has to be seen to be believed!

Finally, you need a good joystick setup to really get the edge on your opponents. This really is a case of not knowing what you’re missing until you try it. Modern jet fighters all use a system known as HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick), which lets the pilot use his fingers to do the walking, instead of adjusting vital systems by taking his hands off the controls and searching inside the cockpit for that split second decision. It really can mean the difference between instantly switching weapons, engaging afterburner or air brake and turning in one movement, instead of taking seconds to hunt around the keyboard for the right combination of buttons (good sims have literally hundreds of keys to remember!) only to find you have lost the enemy and he has killed you instead.

In my view there is only one brand worth considering, and that is the Thrustmaster range of joysticks, throttles and pedals. I personally use the F-16 FLCS, TQS and RCS, which is modelled on a real F-16 stick setup and has unlimited programmability. This allows you to use existing files or create your own to fully optimise each game you play for the commands you want to input. Once you fly your sims with this level of realism, you will never go back to that single joystick ever again, I promise you! The final touch for the Thrustmaster range is the brilliant CS Commander programming utility for Windows, which allows you to program your sticks with drag and drop ease. It costs money, but it is well worth the price if you own the F-16 setup or even the FCS/WCS combination.

I’ve got the gear, now what?

Once the hardware is in place, the difficult (read expensive!) part is done. The next step is the software. Obviously some personal tastes will come into play here, but as we are dealing with the pursuit of realism, I will only cover those I consider to be the best in each genre.

Not being an avid historian, I am not too familiar with historical sims, but I am assured that the best WW1 sim currently is Flying Corps, with the best WW2 sims seeming to be the on-line Warbirds and Air Warrior II. And good news for all concerned, the upcoming Confirmed Kill by Eidos and TAS by Proline look to far surpass these online sims. If these are your cup of tea, remember that you will need a set of rudder pedals to fully use these aircraft, whereas more modern sims covering jets do not rely greatly on rudders, except at landing and on the ground.

The best helicopter sims out now are probably Janes AH-64D Longbow and iMagics' Apache Longbow, although AH-64D has the edge in terrain realism. Comanche 3 looks set to redefine the genre however, with its brilliant VoxelSpace2 technology offering absolutely gorgeous low level terrain, with real hills to hide behind, steep valleys, and fantastic object detail. Apparently the flight model will offer basic flight for novices, as well as the full bitch-to-fly realism if you want it. I strongly recommend a set of rudder pedals and throttle if you want to venture into rotor territory, as they are extremely difficult to fly without them. Also look out for Team Apache, another AH-64 sim with breathtaking scenery that will be coming out soon.

Modern fighter jet sims are by far the most popular type around, and as such present the buyer with the most choice. Each proclaims itself to be the best around for this and that, but which really are the best in the realism side? The best simulator out right now is without a doubt EF2000 with the TACTCOM upgrade pack. This simulator models the EF2000(!) with outstanding realism, right down to guiding laser guided bombs a-la-Gulf War style, air to air refuelling (realistic therefore very difficult!), different radar modes, and the digital fly-by-wire controls. The terrain is excellent in its own right, but with the Graphics+ patch it is outstanding! Enemy AI is very good, and the TACTCOM pack allows you to play head to head against another player over a modem line, or up to eight on a full network. You can also set up custom missions, customised dogfights (go guns only against the Su-35 if you want to test your true dogfighting skills), and a myriad of other variables. It is definitely the best simulator on the market today, but stand by for some heavy competition from Falcon 4.0 and DID’s new sim, TFX3:F22, which promises to out-do EF2000 in every way, which is no mean feat in itself.

DID therefore to my mind are THE premiere flight sim company today. Just check out the early reviews to see what I mean. The graphics will be to die for and gameplay will not only allow air combat, but tactical or strategic war play by lifting you out of the cockpit and into an AWACS type scenario. This is the sim to wait for if you truly only want the absolute best. Until then, play EF2000, which is the best out now.

A possible contender could also be F22:Raptor, another F22 sim which has meticulously mapped digital satellite terrain, and gorgeous graphics. Standby for a good review first before buying it. A good example of graphics being used to sell an otherwise average simulator is Novalogic’s F22 Lightning II. It may look good, but it feels like you are flying through treacle, and its flight model isn’t, if you know what I mean. It is good fun if you are only interested in arcade type sims, but don’t expect realistic radars, weapons envelopes or anything else.

Similarly, Jetfighter III is nothing special. Although better than Novalogic’s offering, it is not as realistic as EF2000. The carrier landings are good but there is no real challenge in the game. It also feels like you are flying in a bubble similar to F22:Lightning II, by which I mean that the world around you seems to appear in a bubble around you. There is no feeling of distance or speed, which is generally a good indication of how a sim will perform in other departments. In real life you can see mountains a long way off, whereas with these two they seem to appear when your bubble reaches them. EF2000 on the other hand has good distance judging, and fade which actually looks believable. The Graphics+ version is even better in this regard, with realistic transparent fog effects. TFX3:F22 should make everything else before it pale by comparison.

The best of the best.

OK, so here then is what I consider the definitive list of sims worth buying for long term enjoyment. The list is not very long, but then I prefer realism to anything else, which should be your goal if you truly want to experience the thrill of air combat. I have not included historical sims as I don’t know enough about them to give you a proper informed opinion.

Jets
TFX3:F22

Wishlist
Team Apache
Falcon 4.0

Out Now
AH-64D Longbow
EF2000 with TACTCOM

Keep in mind that most of these will require a steep learning curve at first, but don’t be put off by this. After all, real fighter pilots and helo pilots undergo some of the most difficult training in the world, so not everyone is going to be cut out for it. However, if you really enjoy these and are good at them, rest assured that you are part of the way there. I personally have been playing them for about a year now, and have just been accepted into the Royal Australian Air Force to undergo pilot training for the real thing. I certainly believe that a good knowledge of what actually goes on up there helped me get through the rigorous selection process, and that only came about by playing the most realistic sims possible.