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Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

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Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#131

Post by Fabricio20 »

greendayle wrote: post #125
Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

VTOL VR

No joke here, if you have a VR headset laying around, give this game a try, it's made by a solo developer who used to make mods for KSP. It's insane how good it is, with lots of systems being pretty detailed yet approachable. You don't need anything more than a VR headset for it, in fact, not supporting external input devices like HOTAS is sold as a feature.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#132

Post by laurensr »

ArtWomb wrote: post #121
Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

Day-Z with F-14 tomcats ;) Do you recall "Onslaught Mode" in Unreal?

I wonder why you reference Onslaught Mode in Unreal. Does this game offer similar gameplay? To those who don't play UT: it is a game mode where teams compete to connect a network of nodes from their base to the other team's base.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#133

Post by sdfghswe »

the_af wrote: post #91
mbo wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Check out Tiny Combat Arena - https://store.steampowered.com/app/1347550/Tiny_Combat_Arena...

+1 to this, and let me elaborate: Tiny Combat Arena focuses on a (somewhat fictional) version of the Harrier Jump Jet and opponents from around that era. Attractive low-poly graphics -- and I do mean attractive -- very good performance and the right balance between arcade and flightsim. There is a flight model to the game, and some weapons systems get simulated in simplified form. Do you remember the flightsims of yo…

I was skeptical when you said attractive low-poly graphics. I'd never seen such thing. But checking the link out, it is pretty.

Incidentally, why is it that so many flight simulators are low-poly? I've seen FPS with amazing graphics, why not make flight simulators with amazing graphics as well?

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#134

Post by sdfghswe »

tonyarkles wrote: post #56
myth_drannon wrote: post #55

Anyone wanting to get into flight simulator programming, I found this little gem of a book "Flights of fantasy" https://archive.org/details/flightsoffantasy00lamp It's old but some concepts still apply

You have just solved an issue for me that has, apparently, bothered me for 30 years. When I was a kid, I saw that book at a bookstore and was so enthralled with it, but I had just started learning C and it was way too expensive for my parents to buy. I have occasionally over the years tried to figure out what book it was but didn’t have any success… until today! So thank you!!!

> I saw that book at a bookstore and was so enthralled with it, but I had just started learning C and it was way too expensive for my parents to buy

Man, this just made me really sad :-(

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#135

Post by mrguyorama »

wossab wrote: post #112
Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

War Thunder has a zillion planes, 3 modes of realism (including the one you want), runs native on LINUX and is free to try.

If only it were actually enjoyable to play without spending a thousand dollars.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#136

Post by mrguyorama »

greendayle wrote: post #125
Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

VTOL VR

This is the exact kind of "I'm futzing about with switches for ten minutes" game the parent did not want though.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#137

Post by nocoiner »

fock wrote: post #98
Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

I don't know if it's memory failing but the old Microsoft Combat flight simulators (not sure about physics, it's 20years now) seemed to tick a lot of those boxes (+aircraft models were not thaaat shabby to look at).

I really liked the Combat Flight Simulator set in the Pacific. It was a blast flying the Corsair.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#138

Post by mrguyorama »

alpaca128 wrote: post #29
declan_roberts wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazing how low the bar is for FOSS games on Linux.

Right now one of the most hyped Battlefield alternatives is Battlebit which looks not very modern but apparently plays so much better than whatever EA put out in recent years that people happily play it. Amazing how low the bar is for AAA games in terms of gameplay and fun.

Except battlebit uses perfectly modern rendering techniques, technologies, and features, just with cuboid player models. It looks rather nice. This on the other hand is rendered clearly with 90s systems, it looks phong shaded.

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#139

Post by glimshe »

Buttons840 wrote: post #63

I've wanted a more accessible combat flight simulator. Something like DCS or Falcon BMS with realistic flight physics, but more arcade controls (the aircraft should handle realistically, but I shouldn't have to spend 20 minutes starting the aircraft and pushing simulated buttons and switches in the cockpit, even though I have a great appreciation for that level of detail). I don't want my aircraft to have 99 missiles…

You can find older games from the 90s that might hit the spot. VGA 320x200 graphics, though. Things like the Dynamix Air Combat series are great. Falcon 3/Mig-29 are also quite accessible, as are the Microprose games (although these tend to be a bit less realistic).

Re: Linux Air Combat: free, lightweight and open-source combat flight simulator

#140

Post by the_af »

sdfghswe wrote: post #133
the_af wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 to this, and let me elaborate: Tiny Combat Arena focuses on a (somewhat fictional) version of the Harrier Jump Jet and opponents from around that era. Attractive low-poly graphics -- and I do mean attractive -- very good performance and the right balance between arcade and flightsim. There is a flight model to the game, and some weapons systems get simulated in simplified form. Do you remember the flightsims of yo…

I was skeptical when you said attractive low-poly graphics. I'd never seen such thing. But checking the link out, it is pretty. Incidentally, why is it that so many flight simulators are low-poly? I've seen FPS with amazing graphics, why not make flight simulators with amazing graphics as well?

> But checking the link out, it is pretty.

Yes, did you see the contrail effects? Pretty cool. And I own the game -- it's even cooler in action. And the explosions of cluster bombs raining on tanks... very satisfying!

> Incidentally, why is it that so many flight simulators are low-poly? I've seen FPS with amazing graphics, why not make flight simulators with amazing graphics as well?

For commercial games, I'm sure you know DCS and its amazing photorealistic graphics. I assume you mean indie games, and I think the answer is multiple:

- The authors want to recreate the experience from the flightsims of their childhood, which were all wireframe or flat polygons.

- Flat polygons can look pretty cool if well animated. They give a cartoon/retro vibe that many of us like.

- It's way faster to prototype and have something running on low-poly than having to deal with textures, shaders and whatnot, especially if that's not what the developer is interested in toying with.

- "Good graphics" in a flightsim can be very taxing! Developers probably just want to toy with their favorite planes, add some cool features, and have it running on a midrange computer. I can play Tiny Combat Arena at very high res with all effects maxed on a mid-range laptop from 2016! I think I probably wouldn't even be able to start DCS with this, let alone having it maxed.

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