DCS vs FSX - which is better realism?

[Landshark]

Ignoring all the combat stuff in DCS, which would you recommend if I wanted detailed/realism for a filght simulator?

I guess my real question is, how detailed is FSX compared to DCS? I'm familiar with DCS and very much enjoy the technical details in the cockpits and controls. Is FSX more arcade like or is it also technical/realistic?

Thanks!

[Delita]

Flight simulator literally set the standard for flight Sims in the day. It's very much a simulator. Not arcade like.

[JWNoctis]

Neither are arcadeish. Default planes in FSX might not be as detailed as default planes in DCS, but you get what you pay for - And there are excellent addons out there that /are/ as real as it gets.

[R4D20]

The real question is:
Which is better for your wallet.
30$ for a single plane...

[Capntedy9]

If you want guns, explosions, and Bombs, and fly combat missions then DCS. If you want to fly anywhere in the world, or formation in several different planes, with the exception of specific ones, that you will have to purchase, Currently limited but growing then FSX,,,,, which is not capable of esplosions other than when you crash. That is my thoughts but, I have not spent nearly as much time on DCS.

[do0t ﺕ]

It's easy.

If you want to simulate combat, go DCS.

If you want to simulate GA/Commercial airliners, go FSX/Prepar3d.

[Thogmar]

Originally posted by de_dank:

The real question is:
Which is better for your wallet.
30$ for a single plane... :KSad:

$30 for a single FSX plane maybe, many DCS aircraft are twice that much.
But the point is that many players end up using specific aircraft for many dozens if not hundreds or thousands of hours. Unlike other game DLC, the addons for flight sim end up being fractions of a penny per hour in gameplay value. The total price is usually meaningless, and being that you can simulate multi-million dollar aircraft that you'd never have access to in real life, the value is even better.
Spread it out, learn each plane in depth, and the cost is far less than any game, movie, or other activity.

[Drunk Pilot]

It really comes down to the party that makes an addon, However as a base package, DCS curbstomps FSX. DCS' new engine easily beats FSX both in visuals and performance by a country mile. You also get actual animated people and passengers in DCS as well as a vastly superior damage and collisions model. In FSX trying to land on a building or fly through a bridge gets you a respawn. Dont get me wrong, FSX is still fairly realistic, but now Im wishing for a full realised civil flight sim made in DCS' engine. Dovetail has a really high bar to jump.

[Thogmar]

Originally posted by Drunk Pilot:

It really comes down to the party that makes an addon, However as a base package, DCS curbstomps FSX. DCS' new engine easily beats FSX both in visuals and performance by a country mile. You also get actual animated people and passengers in DCS as well as a vastly superior damage and collisions model. In FSX trying to land on a building or fly through a bridge gets you a respawn. Dont get me wrong, FSX is still fairly realistic, but now Im wishing for a full realised civil flight sim made in DCS' engine. Dovetail has a really high bar to jump.

As a base package for a tiny area of scenery and some very detailed military aircraft yes.
As far as having highly detailed airliners, ga planes, classic planes - as you mention no.
FSX STILL triumphs on system details, and X-plane triumphs on civil flight aircraft flight modeling.
DCS will NEVER have a civil sim, it's not their wheelhouse, and FSX has ZERO need for animated people, damage and collision models or other eye candy.
So there's no "curbstomp" each has its strengths and all simpilots should try them all, it's not that expensive to buy all three base packages and buy some add ons to start out.

[Vernibob]

I thinkin a debate is about to immerge in this haha! but too be honest i could sit here and type an essay of what i think is better and too be honest i dont think there is an answer. I think it is what you prefer.

In MY OPINION i do think DCS is better for flying. For the pure fact is you can learn to fly but then you need to learn to be good! Other wise you be shot out of the sky withing 30 seconds of being in your mission area.

One area that DCS does stand out tall is Helicopters. If thats your thing..... Go DCS.

As im bigging up DCS though as i type this too you i am sipping coffe, writing this and coming out of steam to check my instruments and setting up my landing procedure in my A319. Because i love the preperation of that kind of stuff...

SO in summary Here is what i would do:
1. Buy FSX anyway if you havent because it seems like your prepared to part with dollar bills
2. Download DCS: ITS FREE!! the default plane doesnt really sell DCS that well but you get a good insight into it.
3. Pick what kind of aviation you are into and research add ons for the sim its best for (FSX: GA/Airlines. DCS: Helicopters/Military)
4. Before buying said Add on see if you can find the documentation to read that comes with it, it gives you an insight on how deep the study for that aircraft is.
5. download what you wish to fly and learn.

Hope this helps and i havent gone too much off on a tangent. its all your prespective.


p.s:

Again i love both sims <3

[Capntedy9]

Originally posted by Vernibob:

I thinkin a debate is about to immerge in this haha! but too be honest i could sit here and type an essay of what i think is better and too be honest i dont think there is an answer. I think it is what you prefer.

I agree totally about the Downloading for free the DCS and for $5 I even bought the F15E. I am originally a Flight simmer, and the Milviz F-15E for the former FSX Non-steam, is fantastic you can load bombs, I guess you could drop them, but it is still not Combat sim. However flight wize it rocks! I just wish they would somehow fix a way to fly the FSX online again now. But Gamespy is gone. I tried a few so called options but they failed. I wanted to connect two computer that didn't fly but one time and I still don't know what I did right for that and wrong the other 100 attempts. :)

[Twelvefield]

It all depends on how you define realism. Both sims have some bits and pieces that are very realistic. Both also cut corners because you are flying a glowing box on your desk and not a real plane.

Surprisingly, FSX does really well with helo autorotation. Last time I played a DCS helicopter, autorotation was clumsy. Maybe it is better now. On the other hand, in all other ways FSX helicopters are toys compared to DCS choppers.

So there's a whole laundry list of items like this.

FSX isn't expensive on its own. If you can afford DCS, you can afforrd FSX, so you really should fly both. It's those add-ons that kill you.

[udidwht]

Originally posted by capntedy:

If you want guns, explosions, and Bombs, and fly combat missions then DCS. If you want to fly anywhere in the world, or formation in several different planes, with the exception of specific ones, that you will have to purchase, Currently limited but growing then FSX,,,,, which is not capable of esplosions other than when you crash. That is my thoughts but, I have not spent nearly as much time on DCS.

Incorrect. FSX or P3D with Tacpack combined with FSX@war

[batmantornado27]

Well it depends on what style you like either combat or just flying

[Thogmar]

Originally posted by Udidwht:

Originally posted by capntedy:

If you want guns, explosions, and Bombs, and fly combat missions then DCS. If you want to fly anywhere in the world, or formation in several different planes, with the exception of specific ones, that you will have to purchase, Currently limited but growing then FSX,,,,, which is not capable of esplosions other than when you crash. That is my thoughts but, I have not spent nearly as much time on DCS.

Incorrect. FSX or P3D with Tacpack combined with FSX@war

Baloney. Tac/War are a very nice set of addons for FSX/P3D - get them.
DCS is a MUCH, MUCH, deeper systems simulator with far more detailed systems - get it.

The FSX upgrades are in NO WAY comparable to DCS. None.

[SteveFSX/P3D]

Originally posted by Thogmar:

Originally posted by Udidwht:

Incorrect. FSX or P3D with Tacpack combined with FSX@war

The FSX upgrades are in NO WAY comparable to DCS. None.

Do you mean in terms of weapons and so on? ........ then yes, but surely the likes of PMDG is comparable or even better in terms of systems.