Any PC flight sim fans here?

[norkusa]

I've always been a fan of console flight sims. I know the best ones are only available on PC's though but could never play them because I'm a Mac user. The few flight sims that were available for Macs I couldn't play anyway even if I wanted because my old 500Mhz G4 could barely handle them.

Things are different now and I got an Intel Mac with XP Pro on it. I've recently bought MS Flight Simulator 2004 but I haven't touched it because I don't have any kind of stick/yoke to play it with yet. Just wondering what's a good one to get is. I like the CH Products Yoke but it's kind of expensive ($107 on Amazon). I really don't mind dropping that much on it though since I see myself using it a lot but I'm worried about having to buy extras like rudder pedals and a throttle quadrant. Are those essential for playing flight sims or would I be able to get by without them?

Also, any opinions on yokes vs. sticks? I've had my eye on that slick-looking Saitek stick + throttle with the LCD screen but it seems like that would mostly be used for controlling fighters instead of commercial jets.

[Leo_A]

There aren't really any flight sims on consoles.

Unless you want to use cheap joysticks, the price of the CH Products flight yoke is pretty cheap. You don't need rudder pedals usually with most controllers, but it helps. You'll need them if you get that flight yoke though since it has no alternate method of rudder control available. If you buy a joystick and don't want rudder pedals, make sure it can twist for rudder control like most can (Though its not as good as pedals). You'll need some form of a throttle, you don't need a standalone one though since most controllers came with a throttle built in like the CH Products flight yoke, though a standalone one is nice.

"Also, any opinions on yokes vs. sticks? I've had my eye on that slick-looking Saitek stick + throttle with the LCD screen but it seems like that would mostly be used for controlling fighters instead of commercial jets"

It's nice if you mean the X-52. I use it for LOMAC and the IL-2/Pacific Fighters series. It all depends on the sim and airplane if you want a flight yoke or a joystick. If you're going to be flying large airplanes like commercial airliners a lot or just civilian private aircraft, you'd usually want a flight yoke. If you're going to be playing combat sims, you're going to want a joystick for controlling fighters, though a flight yoke is also nice for when you're flying a bomber or a P-38. I suggest get the X-52, the CH Products flight yoke, and the CH Products rudder pedals. I wouldn't want to be without any of it.

[norkusa]

Well, there's Sky Odyssey for PS2 which is a pretty decent sim-style game for consoles. Then you've got the japanese Jet De Go games for PS2 & PSP. I remember reading about one for Xbox too but I don't think it ever got released outside of Japan.

Thanks for the tips though. Any suggestions for games? All I really know about is the MS Flight Simulator series.

[Leo_A]

While I enjoy the game, it's handling is more in line with Pilotwings than real life. It's a great game though, I need to go finish it up sometime soon. :)