My first sims were on a C64, but it really kicked of in 1991 when I got Red Baron on the PC (286/16Mhz) and later that year with Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
After that I was hooked.
Aces of the Pacific
Aces over Europe
Pacific Air War
Falcon 3
Tornado
Hind
To name but a few that really stuck with me, but it was Warbirds that really changed the way I looked at sims. Although I tried Air Warrior once in 1995, there soon came the opportunity to join a free open beta for Confirmed Kill.
Confirmed Kill was the precursor to what we now know as Warbirds. Once you've experienced virtual combat with tens or even hundred plus people you'll never look at these games in the same way again. The difference between Artificial Intelligence driven enemies and real humans is too big, the experience uncomparable even today, and IMHO for some time to come.
People are unpredictable, he can be a virtual veteran or a first time player, he might have spotted you, you may have surprised him etc etc etc The experience is much closer to what we've read about. No, as a game it is something totally different - multiplayer.
After 7 years of Warbirds, at that time in its 3rd incarnation which I didn't like as much as the 2nd one, there came a free alternative that was almost as good in terms of multiplay and superior as a sim: IL2.
So how many years have we been playing the Il2 series?
Is it already four years, albeit in its 3rd incarnation - Forgotten Battles + Ace Expansion Pack + Pacific Fighters?
Haven't been online much lately, but I am really looking forward to patch 4.0 which will introduce us to the new flight model, giving us a glimse of the sequal Battle of Britain (working title only).
If your PC is up to it, try to get Forgotten Battles+Ace Expansion Pack at bargain prices, and I even believe you can get the latest add on Pacific Fighters at similar bargain prices.
You won't be sorry.
