What brings you back to SF2?

[MrGoTime 20]

I'm not sure the crew here constantly plays SF2 (weekly), but if you're anything like me, you go in phases. I'll play SF2 for a while, and then switch gears over to an rpg or rts or something, but something always keeps me coming back to SF2. Sometimes it's something small, like a news article or book I'm reading. 

 

Funny enough, I'm sitting in the office now craving some SF2. I work by the SLC Airport, and there are 4 F-16s doing touch and go's, and now it's inspired me to go home, dust off the joystick and fly some SF2! Funny how just seeing some fighters flying around is enough for me to switch gears back to SF2! 

[MigBuster 2,884]

The time period - AA combat is very interesting - every time I come back it takes a while to get back into it.

 

The AI - very ruthless for some aspects of AA - especially if you are in a Mystere or F-100D and you get rid of all the HUD/MAP aids

 

The endless scenarios you can create with the endless objects available - especially with the mission editor have created a lot of Nam missions I have read about.

 

Fly an F-4K or Buccaneer off the Ark Royal - no problem!

 

There are definitely aspects of this series that are unique to this series only!

[Wrench 9,795]

humph, never left.

[MrGoTime 20]

humph, never left.

 

That's what I figured for most "regulars" around these parts. 

[+1977Frenchie 1,038]

Got back on SF2 after changing my old laptop (could no have a decent image ans FPS rate). Now i'm flying quite often with full details and FPS to the top (5 merged install + NA exp. + NAM exp. + dozens of here and there packs).

 

I have log about 700 hours on SF1 and i reached the 500 hours mark last week on SF2.

[Dave63 13]

I go in fits and starts too. It runs well, most of the time. I don't have to memorize 157 different key presses to start the engine or drop bombs. But, most importantly, it has all the jets that I want to fly. Not whatever someone decides to make...And I can fly them where they're supposed to be flown.

[Boresight 51]

1st. - F-14 Tomcat

         (From SF2:NA - the reason why installed Windows 7 for the first time).

 

2nd. - The wide choice in aircraft to fly as pilot, or fight against.

[shomu1 6]

Boredom or the desire to visualize the ideas my mind comes up with.  For example F-111s with F-15E avionics, F-14D Quickstrike, etc., etc.

 

Plus it's a nice change from Ace Combat.

Edited July 11, 2015 by shomu1

[+Dave 2,322]

SF2 never leaves my HD. However I am not doing stuff for it like I used to. I think I have burned myself out. I was working on the Red Mad 2015 mod and haven't touched it in a few months.

[Viggen 643]

The community and the possibilities you have for scenarios.

 

 

I was working on the Red Mad 2015

 

[Stratos 3,188]

SF2 never leaves my HD. However I am not doing stuff for it like I used to. I think I have burned myself out. I was working on the Red Mad 2015 mod and haven't touched it in a few months.

 

Sad to hear about that. Flying USMc is always fun.

[+Gunrunner 314]

The moddability and the resulting vast, unrivalled choice of brilliant mods making almost anything from the 40's to now playable, it's the only sim out there offering good to excellent Phantoms and Mirages.

 

The devilish, mostly non-cheating AI (even when shot down it's worth sticking around and enjoying the spectacle).

 

The right mix of arcade and serious simulation making it the perfect survey sim.

 

The fact that it's almost as playable with a mice and keyboard than with a full stick set.

[+Veltro2k 6,351]

Yeah I totally understand Dave....I sometimes get that burned out feeling  and ignore my projects for months at a time...then something clicks and I go on another spree then the cycle repeats itself

[+Swordsman422 61]

The ability to blast over West Germany in 1959 in an F-100 gunning down MiG-17s, then walk the line in the Taiwan Strait, ready to smack down a half-dozen Q-5s with my F-14's quiver of Phoenix missiles. I can do anything in any aircraft from the beginning of the jet age to beyond tomorrow. And while the controls might be fairly generic, the flight dynamics and at least the avionics limitations are realistic enough to satisfy 80% of my flight sim needs.

 

That and that the community keeps giving this thing a heartbeat. I think I'll stop playing it when the last computer I have with a compatible OS dies.

[Heck 496]

Never have left it, but, what keeps me here is the modders. I have so many big mods. Nato fighters, Vietnam expansion, etc. But the one mod that keeps me constantly flying this sim is Korea. With all the mods out there, and the Naval task forces introduced in SF2NA, this sim rocks Korea, bar none. And if you study what the Masters of the Iniverse do here, you can tweak this sim to the point where it almost becomes personal, tailored specifically for you, by you. That's where it truly shines.

[+russouk2004 6,958]

For me its MODDING MODDING MODDING   lol....love this game...its so easy on the head lol

[saisran 84]

Because it's the only sim that has a proper F-14 Tomcat. Thank you TMF!

[Do335 382]

Campaign engine that beats any current commercial title.

 

Open modding so if I don't like something I can change it.

 

Competent AI that provides repeated challenges.

 

 

 

The modders that make Korea and WW2 possible --- avionics shiavionics.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Do335

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

It`s a huge sandbox for me and I feel like 5 year old playing with you guys.

 

Im not getting a kind of burnout, cause I try to keep a steady chilling workflow on my end. The help of you all is keeping me getting further and further in my projects.

 

And sorry for asking so many stupid questions

[stuntman 170]

I play it on a weekly basis, usually on weekends. As you guys said, it is a terrific sandbox, and I have 20 standalones installs, that can cover many scenarios

[LucShep 11]

Like with some of you, for me SF2 has phases where it becomes a bit "gone in vacation", sometimes for very long periods. But I keep coming back for it.

 

It shares drive space with other combat flight sim/games in my computer. Some WW2 based, others based on modern era.

Some are "hardcore/purist" inclined (Falcon BMS, IL2 CloD, even FC2), others not so much (Arma 3, Wings of Prey).

But I keep coming back to SF2 everytime, and for various reasons, no matter how much I also enjoy the other titles (and other titles of various genres of games).

 

Must be said, like with IL2-1946, the mods (and my own private modifications) are also half the appeal of SF2 for me.

Besides IL2 1946, I don't think I've ever came across such a friendly game for this.

 

I can follow the modding progress on various projects, download and try things that get to be a definite "must have" in my SF2 merged installation, etc.

There's always something of interest, and I'm constantly amazed how the guys pull such awesome stuff.

I can do "my own" customized (modded) installation and waste hours enjoying every progress with changes (or mess up!).

 

And, while I feel that mods from this community really increase the quality of content from stock immensely, there's something else that stands out for me..... It's the aproach and gameplay of SF2. 

Some call it "SimLite". I just call it "perfect happy medium".

I can decide to have some quick fun with SF2, feel immersed and satisfied, and never get the feeling I'm being fed with ridiculously hilarious crap, feeling treated like I'm stupid (hello Hawx!). 

SF2 has that right dose of realism, a balance between some of the details and properties for the hardcore simmer, and the good fun with uncomplicated aproach that a casual gamer looks for. It's neither, it's both.

 

There's an equivalent to it in racing-sims, and that's GTR2 by SimBin.

A great game on its own already in "vanilla" stage, but a thousand times better with add-ons -- still striving today after all these years.

 

Honestly, I never understood why TW's Strike Fighters 2 wasn't a huge success (lack of online?).

 

 

 

PS: ....wow, sorry for the wall of text!

Edited July 23, 2015 by LucShep

[Z09SS 21]

When I take a break it's usually some random airplane video on YouTube that gets me in the mood to drag my HOTAS out and fire up SF2 and come back to playing again.

[saisran 84]

i had the most amazing airbattle i have ever experienced and OBS was off!

 

Modified stock europe campaign set to modern times full complement of 4++ Aircrafts.

 

The mission that started turned out to be the last mission of the war and the game has set my squadron to be the sacrifice as the rest of our friendly forces conducts the last push on the ground war.

 

We were an 8 Ship Aircraft of F-14D(02) given 4x AIM-7P and 4x AIM-9M each. On a CAP/Fighter Sweep Missio). I took the liberty of Adding 2x AIM-54ECCM for each aircraft at the expese of the Sparrows.

 

Flying the route, radar scanning at 230nm range got contacts coming from the 10 12 and 2. Banked MY AC Left right, Up and down, and rolling the tomcat on its back to try and get a clearer picture of the sky. Changed thew radar to TWS, Clycling through the contacts IFF designates them all to be hostile, waited for them to get within 100nm. The contacts on the left got closer fast about 60-70nm on radar they are closing in and heading straight for us. on radar they looked like a 2 section flight. I designated 2 AIM54 and got number two to attack. After he fired both of his AIM54s i target the other two and got number 3 to shoot. The contacts on my 2 have also entered phoenix range. I Assigned them to the Flight lead of my 2nd flight after lead fired his missiles i ordered them to engage air.

 

By now the Left group is around 40nm out If they're Mig-29/Su-27s were about to be within their range. The contact upfront is also within firing parameters so i launched my 54s at them as well. Then i got 2 to go after the closest target at no3 and the left. With 2 and 3 checking the left contacts which turned out to be mig-29's. I turned to help my other flight on the contact on our right. The ones coming from 12 im sure at this point are Su-27s as they were based the farthest and on that direction of he map. As i was getting in range on the targets on our right Command called out for another target on my 3, 25nm!

 

Shit, way to screw up RC! Banked my jet hard, Scan at 50nm. Found them and engaged. They turned out to be my primary target 4 Su-25 on a attack run towards our friendly ground assault team. Got in Close. Fired my sparrows on the lead which missed. I was too hot on the merged. Had to pull up and slice to the left to get behind the frogfoots. The manuever blacked out my screen but i have tone on the seakers. Fox 2. Despite all the flares. The AIM-9M Guided. My RWR began screaming. Unaccounted, Su27s are at my 3 and they have me on radar. The RWR screaming was tense but mission completion comes first. Fired another heaters on the next Su25 But that one missed. Set out another which hit. Rolled onto the 3rd and fired my last missile. Turned towards the last Su-25 and closing in or the gun. I heard a missile launch call. I figured it came from at least 20nm as i was alone on the frogfoot hunt. But before i can depress the trigger i saw a smoke trail on my mirror. Dumped the nose and pumped chaffs and flares. The Missile went past the canopy. I was surrounded by Su-27s and Mig-29s missile launches were called and all of them in red. i rolled the tomcat on her back dove to the groung still pumping counter measures. level out just below 100ft as smoke trails hit the ground up front, behind and all over my plane. the maneuver gave me near mach speed. i dont care how low i am. i gave the tomcat full mill and flew the tomcat between the buildings. by this time i have enough wits in me to ask my squad for assistance. I designated them each a target and got the second flight to freely engage. They got the remaining frogfoot and we got the mission complete. I could just ordered them to rejoin and go home but were surrounded by Fulcrums, flankers and now even Floggers.he Flankers are up high circling around like Vultures waiting for me to raise my head while the floggers are hot in pursuit of my lone Tomcat. Additionally the Fulcrums are laying waste to the A-10s So i got the flight to protect the A-10. The F-16 Flight was already decimated i guess with BVR. 1 Fulcrum got too close. I pulled up in a high g manuver and the RWR went silent as the 23's lost their lock. Managed to get behind it and gunned it down. Before his friends can fire at me. Missile calls so i pumped and dove once more. And one after another two of my flight got shot down. they turned out to be the flight lead and number 3. so i managed to get to get 4 and the the new lead to engage. However the Fight is now WVR and they still have their 54's hampering the're maneuverability. In the time that i was diving and popping. New sections seemed to be appearing and i had a missile launch coming my way atleast every 2 secs. By the time no 2 git shot down i was already out of chaffs. and my attempts to gun another fighter down failed. The last of my flight was down. And looking at the map shows nothing but red. The smart move (ages ago) was to try and break for home, howver i decided to stay and fight. I singled out a Mig-23. which engaged his burners and ran. I ran after it, and the flankers and floggers wet after me. Going Mach 1.3 at deck height spoiled most of the missiles but a lone R-60 fused jut behild my Tomcat. I managed to continue flying and almost go a solution against the flogger i was chasing but the engines caught fire and i lost all power. i baled and the tomcat skidded on the ground and exploded.

 

Despite the death of 4 airmen 2 ending up as POW, My pilot survived and we completed the campaign in a victory against the Enemy. It seems that after i was shot down, the enemy had already expended their ammo on me and my squadron. The squadrons of eagles and grippens that RC refuses to send to my aid did came and finished them off. We managed to save the ground forces from the frogfoots and a couple of A-10 Managed to reduce the enemys ground forces and later be over run by our own troops. Victory achieved at the expense of my squadron.

 

 

This kind of gaming experience is why i'm still with SF2!

Edited July 27, 2015 by saisran

[Boresight 51]

Hello saisran,

 

Nice report - putting the F-14 (probably my favourite), against MiG-29's and Su-27', seams interesting and rewarding.

 

Could you tell me, how did you modify stock europe campaign set to modern times with the above mentioned jets?

 

edit:

 

Do you have add-on campaigns installed, or are the expansion packs sufice?

 

Thank you.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Boresight

[Platinum Rogue 48]

I'm back, kind of. I've only just got my first SF2 title (Europe), forced upon me by having to go to windows 7 a year ago. I was 'grounded' by work, marriage, children, and life's generally-bumpy road. Previously I had a fully merged 'WIngs Over xxxxx' NATO fighters 4 install and played it to death, even in the presence of more technical sims like Falcon and LOMAC occupying my HD at the time. Back then, the attraction was that I could fly pretty much what I wanted, where I wanted, and no matter what I was flying, the same joystick buttons did the same thing in any aircraft. Even if I only had 30 minutes to spare I could skip to the good bits and still enjoy it as much as a 90-minute wheels-up to engines-off kill-athon. And the same seems true now, along with prettier graphics  It's about the only thing in flightsim-ing which has stayed the same AND got better while I've been away, and I love it just for that.