WW2 on the PC?

[Chas]

Anybody else here find themselves wasting time with WWII pc games?

Guilty as charged, and if sentenced I will not appeal. I love Silent Hunter 3 (German U-Boat sim) - I am sure my upstairs neighbours are harboring murderous fantasies of wacking me after the long drawn-out convoy battle I had the other night. Plenty of explosions and alarm bells.

I also have an affinity for IL2 1946. Not the sharpest AI, but easily the best air combat sim.

I haven't had the pleasure of Silent Hunter 4 yet, but it looks like a peach.

 

[Davep]

Yes!

Brothers in Arm Series
Company of Heroes Series
Call of Duty Series

 

[p51]

I actually hate video games for the most part. I liked playing them as a kid but I guess I knew so many people who spent hours at a time with games that went on for so long and they'd get wrapped up in them like they were doing whatever it was for real, I just couldn't stand video games. I still utterly refuse to play any kind of game that requires days or weeks, as well as anything that you have to buy a guide book for.
That being said, my wife recently decided she wanted a Nintendo Wii, which came as a big shock as I never would have thought she'd want one. So to get me interested, she wanted me to get a game I'd play. I got "Blazing Angels" which I must admit I do like. The controls are reasonably accurate and hitting things is just as tough as it is with a real airplane. While you do progress through the history of WW2 (starting off with the RAF in 1939), each campaign is independent. So far I've gotten to the Pearl Harbor stage. I guess it'll keep going through to VE day eventually?
But other than racing or flying games, I still have no real interest. I must admit I'd like a accurate B-17 simulator but I can't see how you could crew all the positions yourself…

 

[Davep]

Most games don't go on forever. And when it comes to WW2 games, they are chapter based, with there only being 6-8 chapters. In the case of Brothers in Arms, they have gone back and re-created the actually battle setting, by duplicating exactly the buildings, houses and streets. In some case they have interjected real historical characters. Finally there is a storyline, and you fight with a team of soldiers, i.e. you aren't running around all by yourself.

WW2 Games also are not won or lost based on obtaining points or hits, but rather it is about getting through the chapters and to the end of the story.

 

[Sunny]

All of my brothers, and my father, play Call of Duty and Medal of Honor first-person shooters. It's pretty entertaining - and noisy! - when all four computers are going at once. Poor Dad is the easiest target; his eyesight simply isn't as good so he can't react as fast. He compensates, though, by choosing usernames like "Loving Daddy." Supposedly to make the boys feel guilty for shooting him!

They set up Internet games when Bro. No. 2 is away at college, sometimes including other friends. They talk, or rather gloat and yell at each other, on cell phones or Skype while they're playing.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I like IL2 but I wish it had some kind of trainer mode, like a Stearman or a Tiger Moth or something.

It's a very realistic sim, and I have had as much luck flying the P40 as I would have in the real thing, given the fact that my last flying lesson was in 1981.

 

[scotrace]

See also this handy thread.

 

[Warden]

I am not a great one for PC games, but as I will be part of a small team keeping the services running at work over the festive period, we play Call of Duty as a treat.

What else was a million pound data network installed for? The problem is, as a youth I did not spend hours playing computer games so I am not very good. This means when it comes to pick sides in the game, no one wants Harry. It is rather like being back at school when it came to pick sides for football. Me and the whizzy kids left at the end of the process.

Harry

 

[Spitfire]

Used to play the oldschool Microsoft Combat Flight Simualtor WWII Europe Series a lot. Great game!!!
But Windows Vista and my joystick don't seem to be on speakingterms.
So I am grounded - untill Vista do something. (Stupid system really).

 

[ScionPI2005]

Used to play the oldschool Microsoft Combat Flight Simualtor WWII Europe Series a lot. Great game!!!
But Windows Vista and my joystick don't seem to be on speakingterms.
So I am grounded - untill Vista do something. (Stupid system really).

That game was great! It's been years since I've played it, but I have fond memories of it.

 

[Chas]

I just picked up "Silent Hunter 4" (USN Submarines in the Pacific) and loving it.

 

[der schneider]

Chas I wanted to PM you and recomend a book but I couldnt find a button to send you a Private message.

There is a book you may find interesting called "a mind in prison" I dont recall the author's name but could look it up for you.

 

[byronic]

Used to play the oldschool Microsoft Combat Flight Simualtor WWII Europe Series a lot. Great game!!!
But Windows Vista and my joystick don't seem to be on speakingterms.
So I am grounded - untill Vista do something. (Stupid system really).

So I'm not the only one having problems with this? My joystick worked perfectly on xp, but being a bit slow on the uptake I didn't think upgrading to vista was the cause of my problems. I must trawl the web and see if I can download a patch. There's nothing quite as de-stressing as blowing a few crates out of the sky after a hard day at the office.

 

[Chas]

Screenshot from "Silent Hunter 4"