FE1 with ENB vs FE2?

[+malibu43 142]

Folks,

 

I have all the SF2 series and obviously found the upgrade from SF1 to be very worth it. However, I still only have SF1 with the expansion pack and the ENB mod installed. I'm trying to decide if it's worth upgrading to FE2...

 

With the SF2 series, it's a no brainer because of the all the great new mods that are constantly coming out that require SF2. The "Mod" folder thing makes it really easy. But for FE, there aren't nearly as many new things in the works and my install stays pretty much untouched for months or years at a time. So in that sense, some of the advantages of the second gen don't factor in. Basically, upgrading would just be for graphical improvements and any other code updates that are in there (are there any?).

 

Any thoughts on if the upgrade is worth it? FWIW - I"m not really much of a WWI guy. More into WWII and "Jet" stuff. It's just there for some occasional fun. And along those lines, I have the free version of RoF installed as well. It has a pretty limited plane set (only two), but for someone couldn't even pick a Spad or Sopwith Camel out of a lineup, a really diverse planeset isn't that big of a deal. And for the same price as FE2, I could get ICE for RoF, which I think would add quite a few more planes.

 

What would you do if you were me?

Edited August 10, 2011 by malibu43

[VFC_Baxter 18]

Sorry for long delay in replying, I didn't notice your post. I do not know what ENB is and of course I am not you so I cannot really say. But what you buy depends on how much time you have to spend on playing computer games, if you have an income or not etc. Me, I work full time and want to relax when I get on the computer and not worry about the engine settings or other technical details that accompany some of the ROF planes. I just want to fly instantly, so FE suits me better I think. I run FE1 Gold on my main PC with Jan Tuma's excellent terrain enhancement. I run FE2 on my laptop, but with reduced graphic settings because it doesn't have a dedicated graphics card. I have ROF as well and still play FE in preference. The multiplayer in ROF might be more of a draw card for you though. There is also another one you might like if you like boardgames and that is Blue Max. You can look at that at http://www.youplay.it/default.asp Basically it is an online board game. You pick a game and a plane and when it is your turn you get an email. Not pressure and you play as often as you like when you like and it only takes a few minutes to play.

 

Not much help I know but the bottom line, buy them all and play them.

[33LIMA 972]

Re RoF, it can be more economical to buy any extra planes you're interested in, than an ICE upgrade which may or may not have the flyables you want, and as Malibu probably already knows, you can turn off the complex engine management stuff and just spin the prop and go. I got the free-to-play 2-plane version and was so impressed I bought most of the current planes in the recent sale. Just flying them around is an absolute treat for both eyes and ears and dogfighting is an experience just not equalled in any other sim I've played. FE/FE2 is about the next best dogfighter, fairly close behind RoF on balance, plus it has some advantages of its own, including bigger formations and furballs and somewhat more active skies. Thanks to the modders it covers all eras without RoF's dearth of 2-seaters, with no early-war ones at all, yet. OFF has supreme breadth and depth out-of-the-box of course, tho critically for a WW1 sim, I have found it hard to get enthusiastic about the CFS3-based dogfighting and patrolling (where FE excels) what with very poor formation keeping, poor plane visibility without resorting to radar/labels (not helped by Archie patterns that spread all over the sky), indifferent 2-seater AI and AI pilots that fly at their plane's unladen weight (the latter at least is reported fixed with P4). But I digress.

 

I have both FE and FE2, both modded much the same. FE2 runs a bit better on Vista and I like the persistent plane wrecks but miss somewhat the changing seasonal terrain. Effects last longer in FE2 and the horizon can be a fair bit further out, which helps the immersion, especially in better weather or at greater height. I seemed to notice the FE2 AI was a bit sharper, certainly seemed to notice 'something' different when I started with FE2. Probably it's a marginal upgrade for you.

[+malibu43 142]

Thanks, guys.

 

I've decided not to buy anything at the moment. It doesn't seem like the upgrade from FE1 to FE2 would be worth it for me. And until I've actually had some more time to play RoF (I've had the demo installed for a couple months now, but have only flown around in quick missions using the keyboard...), I don't have any reason to spend $$$ to add more aircraft.

 

In general, I think RoF looks better. In fact, I think the graphics are pretty amazing. FE with Juan's tree's looks pretty damn good too, though. For now I'll just keep 'em both!

[+ojcar 157]

ROF looks very good and the physics are awesome, but I think the plane shining is waaaaay overdone, as we are talking about canvas planes. They are shining like metal planes! Maybe an excess of eyecandy (very common in today games). The quick missions are OK, but I don't like the plane building polytics. They have launched a lot of planes spraying the whole war instead building slowly comprehensive packages for early or late war, but we have not a good planeset for any war period, making the campaigns very sterile (lacking nearly all two seaters, for example). Also the AI is much worst than FE one.

 

If you want to fly highly detailed and beautiful planes, with pretty cockpits, etc, ROF is better than anyone, but if you want tons of planes, good campaigns and the best dogfighting experience, FE is your game. FE1 is very good. FE2 is more or less the same. I have upgraded to 2 series for supporting Thirdwire and the possibility of future patches, as FE1 is not supported anymore