How do i get into this game?

[Iskandar]

Huge military aviation fan (specifically 4th gen) and this game caught my eye, I dont own a joytstick or anything like that, only a mouse and keyboard.

Are there any things I should know/own for this game before making the plunge?

[Paradox1126]

if you really want to get into it you need to ask yourself how much time, energy , and money you want to spend for this.

when i started i took the plunge immediately. i have a full blown rig and all the modules. i knew that i was all in and its been worth every second and every penny.

whats your budget? 500 dollars for a hotas set would be ideal.

spending time on learn a module? we're talking 2 months of studying and then trial and error. not only learning the flight characteristics of the plane but the systems of the plan as well. then you also have to learn the ' game ' aspect of it. DCS , its game play and parameters.

if you love aviation like many of us do then i say its a no brainer. start looking for equiptment you want to use and start reading about which module you would like to fly.

[XIII]

If youre a huge fan, then 100% you should give DCS a try. Its not just fun to fly those planes, but its almost educational about how planes and combat actually works. Theres nothing quite like it.
But you really have to put energy into learning it, its not easy, and the modules are quite expensive.


Theres a solid way to try the game for free, btw: DCS core is F2P come and with 2 planes, but those arent full quality.
But there is the A4-Skyhawk mod, which is close to some of the "full quality" planes you can buy. So get the F2P game and download the mod, then you can start trying. Its not as crazy complex as modern planes, but shows how heavily simulated the aircraft are. Fun to fly and bomb with.

You definitely want a joystick tho. Minimum is something like a Thrustmaster T-16, 50 bucks or so. Depends on how much you wanna spend, but for some basic fun with an A4 thats enough. With more complex planes its a bit more trick.

While Id definitely recommend the A4 for a try, just to give you an idea of the cost structure:
Only buy planes on sale. Cheapest ones are like ~25-30 bucks on sale. But generally the F16/F18 is the best choice if you want the full experience that DCS can deliver, for the least money.
40-50 bucks on sale, but you can buy one of them, and then spend >100 hours just on that plane. Small fighters, but incredibly versatile and with most of the modern tech.
Personally Id prefer the F-18, because its just a bit more versatile/complex/advanced than the 16. You get carrier-landings, anti-ship and cruise missiles, as well as more computer. F-16 is cool, but just a bit more specialized and quirky.

Not that theres anything wrong with starting with a simpler plane like the Mig-21 or so, but you get much less variety from that module.

Originally posted by Paradox1126:

spending time on learn a module? we're talking 2 months of studying and then trial and error

Lets not be silly, you can learn the basics of an F16/18 in a few days. Enough to lift off, land, and shoot some IR-missiles at unlucky people, as well as CCIP drop dumb bumbs.

Like, what you gonna do with 2 months? Learning every single system of the aircraft so you can fly the entire thing in your mind? ^^

[Cream Corn Lover]

for a starter a $500 dollar hotas is not needed I started with a $50 joystick with throttle. It wasn't great but it worked 2 years later I upgraded and spent more money for a better hotas

[Cream Corn Lover]

Originally posted by XIII:

If youre a huge fan, then 100% you should give DCS a try. Its not just fun to fly those planes, but its almost educational about how planes and combat actually works. Theres nothing quite like it.
But you really have to put energy into learning it, its not easy, and the modules are quite expensive.


Theres a solid way to try the game for free, btw: DCS core is F2P come and with 2 planes, but those arent full quality.
But there is the A4-Skyhawk mod, which is close to some of the "full quality" planes you can buy. So get the F2P game and download the mod, then you can start trying. Its not as crazy complex as modern planes, but shows how heavily simulated the aircraft are. Fun to fly and bomb with.

You definitely want a joystick tho. Minimum is something like a Thrustmaster T-16, 50 bucks or so. Depends on how much you wanna spend, but for some basic fun with an A4 thats enough. With more complex planes its a bit more trick.

While Id definitely recommend the A4 for a try, just to give you an idea of the cost structure:
Only buy planes on sale. Cheapest ones are like ~25-30 bucks on sale. But generally the F16/F18 is the best choice if you want the full experience that DCS can deliver, for the least money.
40-50 bucks on sale, but you can buy one of them, and then spend >100 hours just on that plane. Small fighters, but incredibly versatile and with most of the modern tech.
Personally Id prefer the F-18, because its just a bit more versatile/complex/advanced than the 16. You get carrier-landings, anti-ship and cruise missiles, as well as more computer. F-16 is cool, but just a bit more specialized and quirky.

Not that theres anything wrong with starting with a simpler plane like the Mig-21 or so, but you get much less variety from that module.

Originally posted by Paradox1126:

spending time on learn a module? we're talking 2 months of studying and then trial and error

Lets not be silly, you can learn the basics of an F16/18 in a few days. Enough to lift off, land, and shoot some IR-missiles at unlucky people, as well as CCIP drop dumb bumbs.

Like, what you gonna do with 2 months? Learning every single system of the aircraft so you can fly the entire thing in your mind? ^^

I hate how people say it takes months to learn a module because it really doesn't I could fully use the f16 after only having used it for like a week

[Noob Van Noob]

DCS is a bit of an investment tbh, in both planes and hardware so keep that in mind. you can fly on keyboard but tbh it's not really the best experience. you really do want a joystick (and ideally throttle) for this game. I'd recommend a VKB Gladiator as a very solid flight stick for the price. Highly recommend starting out with that stick or a similar one but if you're really looking for something more budget there are other options. the t16000 thrustmaster as mentioned before is popular as a budget stick but the twist axis is prone to failure due to a design flaw so be prepared to deal with that if you go that route. The Thrustmaster TWCS throttle is an excellent budget choice for a throttle if you decide to go for a throttle later and works even better once you get some damping fluid on it.

After sorting out hardware, you'll want to pick a plane to learn and fly. the best option that most recommend is to choose a plane that really interests you since that will help motivate you to learn to fly it. DCS modules go on sale fairly frequently, so if price is a concern I would wait for a sale before taking the plunge.

[XIII]

Originally posted by Noob Van Noob:

After sorting out hardware

You guys understand youre just scaring away people with that silliness about needing to spend >300 bucks on hardware before you can even play the game?

Like, its not necessary, and most people arent motivated to put that much money into flight sims. Leave them make their own decisions, rather than try to force your hardcore-simming habits on them.

[Noob Van Noob]

Originally posted by XIII:

Originally posted by Noob Van Noob:

After sorting out hardware

You guys understand youre just scaring away people with that silliness about needing to spend >300 bucks on hardware before you can even play the game?

Like, its not necessary, and most people arent motivated to put that much money into flight sims. Leave them make their own decisions, rather than try to force your hardcore-simming habits on them.

i mentioned that flight is possible on a keyboard and that flight is generally better with a stick, along with the same stick you mentioned in your post :P not sure where that 300 bucks is coming from.

[XIII]

Originally posted by Noob Van Noob:

i mentioned that flight is possible on a keyboard and that flight is generally better with a stick, along with the same stick you mentioned in your post :P not sure where that 300 bucks is coming from.

I ment the VKB and TWCS^^
And dont get me wrong, I love my VKB, but its not exactly the first joystick to suggest to someone. Thats stuff you get if you really like flight sims.

[Noob Van Noob]

Originally posted by XIII:

Originally posted by Noob Van Noob:

i mentioned that flight is possible on a keyboard and that flight is generally better with a stick, along with the same stick you mentioned in your post :P not sure where that 300 bucks is coming from.

I ment the VKB and TWCS^^
And dont get me wrong, I love my VKB, but its not exactly the first joystick to suggest to someone. Thats stuff you get if you really like flight sims.

that's fair, it is a bit pricier compared to a stick like the t16000m. mentioned it mainly because I feel it's excellent value for the price but definitely not needed, I could've worded that better. as for the TWCS, you can get it bundled with the t16000m for a decent price. I think i got my t16000 and TWCS together for ~90 bucks off ebay.

[sergio.e.samayoa]

Originally posted by Glizzard:

I hate how people say it takes months to learn a module because it really doesn't I could fully use the f16 after only having used it for like a week

In arcade mode and/or with "invincible", "unlimited ammo" and so? sure, even less.
But this is more a SIMULATOR than GAME -
If you want arcade experience there are plenty of games such Ace Combat, Start Wars Squadrons and so.

[Delta Dagger]

Originally posted by sergio.e.samayoa:

Originally posted by Glizzard:

I hate how people say it takes months to learn a module because it really doesn't I could fully use the f16 after only having used it for like a week

In arcade mode and/or with "invincible", "unlimited ammo" and so? sure, even less.
But this is more a SIMULATOR than GAME -
If you want arcade experience there are plenty of games such Ace Combat, Start Wars Squadrons and so.

What are you on about?

[XIII]

Originally posted by Noob Van Noob:

that's fair, it is a bit pricier compared to a stick like the t16000m. mentioned it mainly because I feel it's excellent value for the price but definitely not needed, I could've worded that better. as for the TWCS, you can get it bundled with the t16000m for a decent price. I think i got my t16000 and TWCS together for ~90 bucks off ebay.

Tbh maybe we shouldve just asked OP what hes willing to spend before bombarding him wiht information^^

[TequilaZaire]

Step 1: Buy a plane. An F-18 or an F-16 is a fun start and gives you a wide array of mission types. They are popular and have a lot of tutorials to watch and read as needed.

Step 2: Buy a Flightstick and Throttle. Entry level is fine, under $200 is more than adequate. Hell there are some who still play with under $100 setups.

Step 3: Do the basic tutorials for your plane of choice, read the manual as you go along and take it slow. Add in Chuck's Guide on your plane of choice as they are great for beginners too.

Step 4: Patience. Just learn the basics and have fun. Don't worry about campaigns, multiplayer, or mods. Mods are great AFTER you know the basics and understand their weaknesses and strengths. Some mods are well supported and developed, but by and large don't have the wealth of info the official modules have. As a new player they will be more frustrating than fun. Avoid the Low Fidelity planes at this point, having the ability to easily click around a cockpit is helpful as a new player. As tempting as the Flaming Cliffs 3 package is with so many planes, one good High Fidelity module like the F-18 is more than enough at first.

Step 5. Once you have the basics, practice what you learn. You'll be blowing up and shooting stuff pretty quickly via tutorials so don't stress and ask questions as needed.

YOU WILL BE OVERWHELMED. THAT IS NORMAL. Things will click a lot sooner than you think and the 1001 buttons will soon filter down to the essential you'll use the most. Enjoy your virtual cockpit and learn it well. That's all part of the fun!

[Onno]

Originally posted by ☢ ☣ Pizza.Reaper ☣ ☢:

Huge military aviation fan (specifically 4th gen) and this game caught my eye, I dont own a joytstick or anything like that, only a mouse and keyboard.

Are there any things I should know/own for this game before making the plunge?

1. Get a flight stick and maybe also a throttle. The stick is what makes controlling the aircraft way more intuive and also a lot smoother. You won't stall as much and you can be much more accurate with a stick than with a keyboard. You don't necessarily need a throttle, but it helps as well. Also, while a gamepad might work, it is not nearly accurate enough to be a replacement for a stick. A nice cheap stick is the T.16000M. I would not use the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro, as it uses potmeters for its position sensing, which is prone to wearing out quickly.
2. Get head tracking. It will make tracking things outside the cockpit a lot easier. The cheapest way is with a webcam and the open source OpenTrack application. There are also commercial solutions like the TrackIR and Tobii EyeTrack.
3. Consider joining a squadron if you would like online instruction.

[XIII]

Originally posted by Onno:

2. Get head tracking. It will make tracking things outside the cockpit a lot easier. The cheapest way is with a webcam and the open source OpenTrack application. There are also commercial solutions like the TrackIR and Tobii EyeTrack.

I can also recommend delanclip.