I'm afraid online has never really appealed to me, not in any game... Be it FS9, IL-2, Age of Empires or Battlefield 2. Anywho, I'm gonna keep this install as clutter free as possible (although I'll no doubt find some way to mess everything up at some point in time), so I doubt I'll be reinstalling IL-2 anytime soon.mad dog: thanks for the links! I have chosen todo-backup, seems like a good program to me.EDIT: Well, the backing up image thingy was a complete and utter failure. Tried to programs: one didn't do anything at all, the other claimed my hard drive is broken. I'll stick to a backup with the standard windows thingy, I think...

momtchil: well okay, I'll look at IL-2 again ;-)Most of the combat simulators mentioned here are sims I either heard of or been playing myself. Most of those are good. I used to have Falcon 4 for the Mac, but it's ancient and won't run on my current computer. It's a pity, because it was a great game and a real eye-popper for its time. I never played Jane's F/A-18, but I did play F/A-18 Hornet. is it comparable?Anyway, I'm now working from a clean and fresh XP install. Most necessary stuff is installed by now, fortunately. How do I go about making an image now, mad dog?

F/A-18 was pretty much a naval version of Falcon as far as flying goes, but the campaign was your standard campaign style, with a little bit of alternating missions, not really much to write home about. If you have a windows 2000 or so machine, try to find a copy. Also as for it not working on XP, there's a mod out there that makes it work, however it's still heavily glitched. I would suggest playing IL-2 online if you are going to fly it. Singleplayer is a waste of time, but if you find a good group, IL-2 can be a blast. momtchil: DCS may have activation limits, but they are pretty good about more activations, and I'm pretty sure that if something happens they will remove the Activation limits. Overall though, it's worth it to just go down to best buy and drop a 20 on it at this point, even if you don't like draconian DRM (who does?).

I'm afraid online has never really appealed to me, not in any game...

Same here.

......... Overall though, it's worth it to just go down to best buy and drop a 20 on it at this point, even if you don't like draconian DRM (who does?).

If everybody does that we'll be stuck with 'draconian DRM' forever.

Same here.

I completely agree for most games, but if we're taking about air combat (esp WWII)...there is no way AI can replicate human instinct and actions. That's what separates il-2 online from other games. You really need to study, learn, and practice aerial combat maneuvers to have any sort of success in the proper servers, and not just take off, fly, shoot, land. That's what really attracts me to it.

momtchil: As much as I agree with you, if you've taken a look lately, at least you aren't buying a recent Ubisoft game, maybe if you saw this you would understand: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/02...details-drm.arsIn other words, activation limits are nothing compared to this new Ubisoft DRM. This has killed my buying Silent Hunter 5.As far as multiplayer gaming goes, I've been playing MP on various games since I was 10, I've grown to love playing with other people online.

momtchil: As much as I agree with you, if you've taken a look lately, at least you aren't buying a recent Ubisoft game, maybe if you saw this you would understand: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/02...details-drm.arsIn other words, activation limits are nothing compared to this new Ubisoft DRM. This has killed my buying Silent Hunter 5.As far as multiplayer gaming goes, I've been playing MP on various games since I was 10, I've grown to love playing with other people online.

Well, what are you saying - that I should buy this 'draconian DRM' because there is something worse out there from Ubisoft. I am sorry I refuse to buy anything with any type of 'draconian DRM'. Its ridiculous to make your users pay you and then having to jump through hoops just the use the 'great software'. My general opinion when encountering all this DRM is: 'Well, peanuts to that, I am voting with my wallet and not buying any of it.'I do agree with you that the new Ubisoft DRM is the stupidest thing they could have done. Its just as bad as the DRM on Rise of Flight which also requires an always-on 'Net connection and constant communication with the home server - honestly, what are they thinking with this...................... I can't believe some people are actually buying these products. If nobody buys it then companies will remove this type of DRM from their arsenal.Anyway I'm not going to get into another discussion about DRM, already did this in the ROF forum. I simply will not buy any software with obstructive draconian DRM.

DCS: Black Shark was one of the biggest "WOW!!!" moments for me as far as sims go. In conjunction with a Saitek X52 and Trackir5, it's one of the most engrossing experiences I've had--Once I mapped out the X52 and really got a grip on the strange flying characteristics. A true study sim!!!The DRM? How many times are you planning on installing it?! I find that not buying such a great sim because you disagree with the protection is a real shame(though I've never had problems with it). FSX has the same activation limits, also (if memory serves me correctly). And for the record, Black Shark can now be picked up at Best Buy.One last thing. Rise of Flight is removing the requirement for internet connections to play single player.

One last thing. Rise of Flight is removing the requirement for internet connections to play single player.

Really, I wasn't aware of that. Thats good news! Thanks for letting me know. If true I will be buying a copy. This just proves the point that the DRM for single player on Rise Of Flight was utter rubbish to begin with and they are likely removing it to stimulate sales. See, not buying something with rubbish DRM works sometimes.

The DRM? How many times are you planning on installing it?!

As many times as I want to - just like my other simulators, games and software. I have a few machines in 2 countries, some prone to crashes, so it will definitely be a few times. Again I am not getting involved in another DRM discussion, already been through all that and have made my views on it clear.

FSX has the same activation limits, also (if memory serves me correctly). And for the record, Black Shark can now be picked up at Best Buy.

That's not true, my DVD FSX version has no such thing. Maybe if you buy it on-line now it does - I did get mine a while ago. I am aware DCS Black Shark can be picked up at Best Buy, I am still not getting it with that DRM and thats that. Speaking of DCS, anybody remember the old 'Enemy Engaged: Apache v Havok' and 'Enemy Engaged: Comanhce v Hokum'. They were pretty solid Heli sims from the 90s. I did spend considerable time in those.

As many times as I want to - just like my other simulators, games and software. I have a few machines in 2 countries, some prone to crashes, so it will definitely be a few times. Again I am not getting involved in another DRM discussion, already been through all that and have made my views on it clear.

I digress. :(

That's not true, my DVD FSX version has no such thing. Maybe if you buy it on-line now it does - I did get mine a while ago.

My friend reached the limit of activations for FSX Deluxe a while back (a copy I gave him as I purchased the Gold Edition). He had to go through support. So yes, FSX does have an activation limit! Something along the lines of unlimited activations for the same PC, but you can move the software to a different PC 2 (TWO) times.

FSX is another great example of how this activation methods only ends up affecting people that have purchased, because I believe from day one there was a pirated version of FSX that inactivated the need to 'activate'...As I'm sure many other games with similar methods have been pirated.

My friend reached the limit of activations for FSX Deluxe a while back (a copy I gave him as I purchased the Gold Edition). He had to go through support. So yes, FSX does have an activation limit! Something along the lines of unlimited activations for the same PC, but you can move the software to a different PC 2 (TWO) times.

I also have the FSX Gold Edition but I haven't encountered this limit. Then again I have only installed it once in one system so far and I'm not a heavy FSX user, I still tend to prefer FS9 - so I could have missed this. Also it doesn't mention this anywhere on the box or manual, but then this is Microsoft we are talking about. At any rate this is news to me.

Gold edition came out after they removed it.#1 is the most relevant:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960481

Gold edition came out after they removed it.#1 is the most relevant:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960481

Thanks for the information Peter. Its nice to know my FSX version doesn't have that. It was a good thing I waited and didn't buy FSX right away when it came out.

Thanks for the information Peter. Its nice to know my FSX version doesn't have that. It was a good thing I waited and didn't buy FSX right away when it came out.

Just FYI, Windows, MS Office, MS Visual Studio, Photoshop, all kinds of stuff do have activations and limits. So the fight against activation limits is pretty impossible to fight unless you join the Linux crowd. As far as activation limits on DCS goes though, just so you know, when you uninstall the game, the activation remains on that computer, and if you are going to change something major on the computer, you revoke the activation on that PC before you swap it over, and it tosses that activation back in the pool. Note that deactivation is limited as well, but it still extends it. As far as hoops goes though, usually it only takes one or two e-mails to ED to get the problem fixed (in the same conversation, in other words, not multiple requests, just multiple replies). While normally I am against activation limits, DCS is one of those things where if you don't buy it, you just won't see any more DCS games, because it's so high risk of a game to make financially. Even if you don't support activation limits, like I don't, in the case of flight simulators, I let it slide because of how rare it is to see them. In the case of something like an FPS, those are a dime a dozen, and not very precious, so I will boycott those, however things like DCS are just too rare to boycott, and because of them being rare, if they gross low, then you won't see any more.

Just FYI, Windows, MS Office, MS Visual Studio, Photoshop, all kinds of stuff do have activations and limits. So the fight against activation limits is pretty impossible to fight unless you join the Linux crowd. As far as activation limits on DCS goes though, just so you know, when you uninstall the game, the activation remains on that computer, and if you are going to change something major on the computer, you revoke the activation on that PC before you swap it over, and it tosses that activation back in the pool. Note that deactivation is limited as well, but it still extends it. As far as hoops goes though, usually it only takes one or two e-mails to ED to get the problem fixed (in the same conversation, in other words, not multiple requests, just multiple replies). While normally I am against activation limits, DCS is one of those things where if you don't buy it, you just won't see any more DCS games, because it's so high risk of a game to make financially. Even if you don't support activation limits, like I don't, in the case of flight simulators, I let it slide because of how rare it is to see them. In the case of something like an FPS, those are a dime a dozen, and not very precious, so I will boycott those, however things like DCS are just too rare to boycott, and because of them being rare, if they gross low, then you won't see any more.

Nail on the head!To the OP: DCS is worth every penny. Also, the multiplayer can be FANTASTIC and realistic. Realistic quality combat sims are few and far between.