DCS, VTOL, or War Thunder?

[Player1]

Would appreciate any input on the differences in play styles between the three.

[Jaes]

Can't speak for VTOL, but here's the primary difference between DCS and War Thunder:

War Thunder is more or less "Simcade," not a super complex simulator in the vein of DCS, but realistic enough to give you a good idea of how the various vehicles work. War Thunder primarily focuses on giving you a constant stream of high intensity combat at various degree of realism (Arcade, Realistic, and Simulator battles) and offers a ridiculous amount of content for free. If you're willing to grind for it anyways.


DCS is a full on Simulator. Its entire purpose is to give you the experience of being a pilot operating within an aircraft built for war. You will spend more time learning to figure out what all the switches, knobs, and buttons do in your cockpit than you will in combat when you first start out. Once you get over the learn curve of how to operate your cockpit controls, you will then need to learn how to operate your aircraft in flying conditions. And then combat conditions.

You also need to have a HOTAS and a headtracker/vr headset to get the best experience out of it.

It's a cool experience, but it's not meant to be dropped into a game and play.


War Thunder is a much more accessible game than DCS, but it doesn't give you the Pilot experience that DCS does. They're fundamentally different games, the only similarity happens to be they both have combat aircraft in them.

[xCrossFaith]

I don't really see how dcs and war thunder can be compared given how different they are, other than both having planes they don't have any similarities

[醉仙望月]

War Thunder

• Clickable Cockpit: No
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: Yes
  
• VR motion controllers: No

DCS

• Clickable Cockpit: Yes
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: Yes
  
• VR motion controllers: Bad

VTOL VR

• Clickable Cockpit: Yes
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: No
  
• VR motion controllers: Yes

[MiscOne]

Originally posted by 醉仙望月:

War Thunder

• Clickable Cockpit: No
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: Yes
  
• VR motion controllers: No

DCS

• Clickable Cockpit: Yes
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: Yes
  
• VR motion controllers: Bad

VTOL VR

• Clickable Cockpit: Yes
  
• Keyboard & Mouse or HOTAS: No
  
• VR motion controllers: Yes

VTOL has Moded Hotas.

Originally posted by NotchoNachos:

Would appreciate any input on the differences in play styles between the three.

If you want PURE Realism get DCS...if you want MP Fun with Realistic Feeling get War Thunder, if you want best VR Expirience get VTOL...if you want all of them get all! War Thunder is "free" and DCS has a rly cheap entrance with the non total Realistic Planes. VTOL Keys from Humble Bundle are availible Cheap too.

BTW for WW2 Planes. IL-2 is the way too as a Realistic game.

[Player1]

Thank you for the replies

[CaptainSpacetime]

Yeah i feel like if you're listing DCS and VTOL you probably want one of those over War Thunder which isn't a sim.

DCS does look awesome though but quite the investment for the setup.

[Player1]

Originally posted by CaptainSpacetime:

Yeah i feel like if you're listing DCS and VTOL you probably want one of those over War Thunder which isn't a sim.

DCS does look awesome though but quite the investment for the setup.

Im willing to invest, just wanted to hear from those with more experience as Im new to the genre. Thank you for the reply

[smartest indiana resident]

Originally posted by Jaes:

Can't speak for VTOL, but here's the primary difference between DCS and War Thunder:

War Thunder is more or less "Simcade," not a super complex simulator in the vein of DCS, but realistic enough to give you a good idea of how the various vehicles work. War Thunder primarily focuses on giving you a constant stream of high intensity combat at various degree of realism (Arcade, Realistic, and Simulator battles) and offers a ridiculous amount of content for free. If you're willing to grind for it anyways.


DCS is a full on Simulator. Its entire purpose is to give you the experience of being a pilot operating within an aircraft built for war. You will spend more time learning to figure out what all the switches, knobs, and buttons do in your cockpit than you will in combat when you first start out. Once you get over the learn curve of how to operate your cockpit controls, you will then need to learn how to operate your aircraft in flying conditions. And then combat conditions.

You also need to have a HOTAS and a headtracker/vr headset to get the best experience out of it.

It's a cool experience, but it's not meant to be dropped into a game and play.


War Thunder is a much more accessible game than DCS, but it doesn't give you the Pilot experience that DCS does. They're fundamentally different games, the only similarity happens to be they both have combat aircraft in them.

Tl;dr comparing these is impossible because they all follow different mechanics. It’s like comparing apples and oranges

[UnknownConsequences]

I fly DCS. It took me about 5 months to be able to fly the F18 in a way that I might return to the Carrier. I played warthunder first and found it not to be much of a sim.

The cost of entry into DCS is high. F2P gets you the SIU25T and T51 with 1 map. Extra maps are about $50 USD and a new plane (F18, f16, etc) are usually $80 USD. Plus you will need a HOTAS and they start at $200 up to $2000. Head Trackers are a nice option, TrackIR is about $250. I fly VR with a Quest 2 ($300 USD at the time) but I fly with people that are using a PiMax ($1000 +).

It is more of how much effort you want to put into it. DCS requires alot of effort and time (I fly at least 2 hours a day). WarThunder you can pick up and put down.

[MiscOne]

Originally posted by UnknownConsequences:

I fly DCS. It took me about 5 months to be able to fly the F18 in a way that I might return to the Carrier. I played warthunder first and found it not to be much of a sim.

The cost of entry into DCS is high. F2P gets you the SIU25T and T51 with 1 map. Extra maps are about $50 USD and a new plane (F18, f16, etc) are usually $80 USD. Plus you will need a HOTAS and they start at $200 up to $2000. Head Trackers are a nice option, TrackIR is about $250. I fly VR with a Quest 2 ($300 USD at the time) but I fly with people that are using a PiMax ($1000 +).

It is more of how much effort you want to put into it. DCS requires alot of effort and time (I fly at least 2 hours a day). WarThunder you can pick up and put down.

Yeah VR Siming has no Open End in the Buyable Price Section...you can get these Fancy 3 DoF Rigs which even Simulate Rotation and stuff...and it goes Higher and Higher.

And the Pimax....BWAH worst Headset i ever Had! Its just a pure scam from my point. Its totally overpriced for what you get. Had the Varjo Aero on my Head from a Friend. Thats what i call Future! Such a Great VR Device...but back at home i saw my oculus 2 isnt bad either...and its better by far then the Pimax if its not about the blurry messy shining pseudo 200 Degree view.

[Wolwaryn]

Defiantly NOT war thunder, I repeat Defiantly NOT war thunder, the amount of greed here is pfff

[Player1]

Thank you everyone for your in-depth responses. Really appreciate the time