JediMaster

What about the non-flyables? Does the Hornet, or Tomcat, or Foxhound put up a similar fight? As for the A-10 as "base", the problem there is it doesn't have a radar. If we had a true multirole plane like the F-15E in there, I'd say that would be the ideal template. Every other plane can do some or all of what it can do. It has AA and AG radar, a TGP, AMRAAMs and JDAMs...

Well, let's face it, how many people does that take? One for a model and one for textures (assuming one person can't do both)? I don't think it really takes too much time to change the external appearance of something compared to things like FMs, DMs, avionics, a cockpit, etc. As for why they'd spend time on something that's not flyable, I have only one guess: Glowing Amraam. If those planes will be featured in the PR videos he makes, it would behoove them to make them look next-gen and not LOMAC-era. Now the speculation on a DCS F/A-18C has been fierce for a long time, so I would expect that will be the one (along with some great Blue Angels skins) out next. The MiG-31 is a plane I've always liked, even though it's not much nicer to fly than the Foxbat before it, and I would like to see it in DCS World flyable, although I don't care if it's "DCS" or along the lines of FC's planes.

You wake her up doing comms? Your PC is in your bedroom? There's nowhere else you could put it?

I remember being allowed to touch the airplanes pre-Desert Shield as well. After that, roped off.

You say that now, but in a shooting war you'd find the NK SSMs with a 1 mile range DEADLY.

So...DCS F-86F? I'd rather spend $35 for one that can fight than in FSX.

If you want to play just with someone you know, it's easy. All you need is for one person to host the server and give their IP address to the other. They type that in, click connect, and away you go. I've played Il-2 online on and off for 10 years and never used HL or any other public lobbies. I just did it direct. You don't need Hamachi, Tunngle, or anything similar, unless both of you have convoluted NAT/firewall schemes and can't connect to the other via direct IP.

How similar would this be to getting a pet fish or bee license? Methinks you have too many license types over there.

Allow me to blow your mind... *steam powered model rockets*

So you notice a definite difference from FC2 to FC3 beta?

I can fly the A-10A in FC2 just like the one in SF2. Things like drag and weight might be better modeled in FC2, but still you can ripple off 6 Mavericks in one pass and make the world's worst landing approaches and come out fine. FC always had the illusion of realism better done than SF ever managed, but it was only in specific areas. For one thing, the AAMs in FC just sucked, especially the western ones. Now that they're improving that stuff for DCS World, all those things are applicable to FC3 as well, which means FC3 will be de facto improved over FC2 even when the cockpits and avionics are modeled the same.

I was just pondering the immortal words of Socrates when he said "I drank what?"

I take it that model is not in the current public beta yet?

See, that's why it's better to use 1 screen. Fewer disappointments. If you set the bar too high, you'll never get over it again.

Sounds like everything SF2 onwards! Every first-gen titled was rereleased (including First Eagles 2), and then we got one expansion pack (Exp 2 for Europe) and one new title (North Atlantic) not previously done for first gen. We've also had a couple of dozen DLCs, mostly simple changes that were already done as mods, a few skin packs, and a couple of good things like a campaign customizer and the mission editor (which came with Exp 2, but if you didn't want that you could now get it separately). SF2 uses DX10/11, so it looks better and runs faster than gen 1 titles on Vista/7/8 PCs. It's not a HUGE leap over SF1, though. Notably MP was deleted, so it's SP only now. Also, there's a large amount of dissatisfaction with TK that's come to the fore in recent months (basically NA was supposed to be a "brave new world" and many thought it was more a "timid new parking lot"), and many are now looking to ED's DCS World as the Next Big Thing. Personally I think DCS World will never get as far in that scene because it costs more and isn't as easily moddable, but what there is to fly is generally done to a higher degree of fidelity. If only they could get more terrains out than the Caucasus!

Stupidity? That's pretty much what it boils down to. People fight because of stupidity.

Ah, so it's medical leave. That makes a lot more sense! As long as it's paid, of course. Being told by your doctor you can't go to work while your job doesn't pay you is NOT a good situation.

I don't recall exactly when I saw it for less than $10, but it was this week. Anyway, the F3 GOTY version is still $12 till the 27th, including all the DLC. I find the Fallout games are very good deals when it comes to $/hr!

Cheaper? You missed it, I think it was yesterday or the day before it was $5! I notice it's back to $12 for the rest of the weekend.

...and remember, just can because you CAN eat too much doesn't mean you SHOULD!

The Hand of God mode and Dog mode were both great.

Six weeks?!?! Are you 90? To get 6 weeks off in the US, you generally have to...well, have about 60 years of service or own the company. Anyway, shooting Mavericks is probably more complex here than in any previous sim, but it's still not TOO bad. Rockets, AIM-9s, guns, and dumb bombs are easy. LGBs? Not so much. JDAMs? Ditto.

Good question. I've not heard a peep since the initial fanfare. I'll see if anyone knows anything!

Well, that gets into the whole "then we're no better than they are" (which I think is a fallacious argument to start with, as the idea against this sort of thing is supposed to be we're all equal regardless of race or creed, but whatever...) aspect of capital punishment. Nothing "cruel or unusual", but death itself is not encompassed by that definition, merely the methods by which it is meted out. Honestly, I think the bigger issue is NOT to make a big deal about it. The guy who is executed for abusing and murdering women he picked up at a bar should be treated no different from one who killed hundreds for some religious or political agenda. Don't let their trial and execution be a platform for the airing of their views, marginalize them instead and treat the guy as just another scumbag unworthy of any attention bar "another one was executed today".

There have been a bunch of rumors since this review was written as far as 1C and 777 in talks about continuing this franchise alongside "Luthier and CloD team let go" rumors. When an official statement is made as far as the future of the franchise, even though it's irrelevant to CloD itself as now available, I'll update the review with a bit.