Flying Circus is coming along nicely.

flying-circus
#1

As of the last IL-2 Great Battles update, early access of Flying Circus got two new aircraft, the Sopwith Camel and the Pfalz D.III.
There’s now four, out of ten announced, aircraft available.

When Oculus started their Kickstarter campaign, my favourite flightsim was Rise of Flight. As the developer headsets, and ultimately the consumer headsets, were released, it became clear that the VR image was not. :wink:
So I thought, what sim would be better to show the advantages of VR, than a seat of the pants, knife fight in a phonebooth sim like RoF? Unfortunately, VR demanded the DX11 API, and RoF was only DX9.

Now, the ‘spiritual sequel’ to RoF is in early access.
It’s called Flying Circus, and is part of the IL-2 Great Battles franchise.

Having tried three of the four released aircraft, I can safely say that I was right! VR is perfect for simulated WWI air combat!

As I fly the Camel, I realize how cramped the cockpit is and just how much the wings cover your view. The nickname ’Camel’ also becomes evident, as there really is a hump in front of you.

I just finished a 6 on 6, Camels vs. Fokkers, and it was so much fun!
As of now, the Fokker is no match for the Camel. The AI won’t utilize the superior climb performance, nor its turnrate. Sometimes they foolishly try to out run their enemy. Keep in mind that this is early access.

But man, it’s fun to sneak up close behind and take aim on the pilot. The pilot slumps over and the Fokker either pulls up, or spins out, or just slowly spiral downwards, and impacts the first planet that comes in its way. :wink:

Can’t wait until FC is released, with all ten aircraft, and the map…

@777Studios_Jason, if you’re reading this;
Awesome!

#2

It’s pretty darn neat that’s for sure!

#3

My RoF squadron just disbanded. I hope that someday we, as friends, will migrate to IL2:FC. But I am not so sure. There are already rumblings about the speed of the Camel versus the Dr.1. Many RoF players have looked to Flying Circus to rectify whatever flight performance desire (or myth) they have subscribed to. I support 777 for refusing to give in to FM fights. I hope that 1) traditional RoF players dump their flight model expectations and just enjoy the new experience or 2) The more rabid RoF fans can be allowed to whither on the vine while a new population of players come to the sim unfettered by the prejudice that can come from relying on often sketchy historical sources.

And well said @Troll! FC in VR is the most beautiful display yet of the technology with its current limitations.

#4

I believe they said they’re using the exact same FMs as ROF because they stand by the work put into them. It’s all 3D model/texture improvements, damage models, and some other things.

While I also have my own opinions on the veracity of the FM for this plane or that, I agree with the decision to not reinvent the wheel right now. That can always be done later if necessary.

I still have ROF installed, though, because it will be a long time before Flying Circus has close to the breadth of planes and theaters available. The downgrade in graphics is a little jarring if I try to play ROF immediately after DCS or Il-2 but otherwise it still is totally viable.

#5

I agree VR and IL2-ROF is great. After few fights in old crates, I loaded P-47 and had a lot of fun with .50 cal.

#6

Thanks for the write up troll. Glad you are enjoying it. Open cockpits are indeed a lot of fun in VR!

Jason

#7

Thanks Troll,
I’ve been missing out. I’m only flying the Jug and K4. I really miss ROF. We should have a go in VR tonight. I’m going home Early.

#8

Yeah, it’s funny how people can be so sure about performance of aircraft used 100 years ago.
To me, ‘believable’ will do.

Even if that’s the case, I don’t think they will behave exactly the same in FC as in RoF. The IL-2 GB series has seen quite a few refinements in how flight modelling is done, and bugs from the RoF era has been eliminated.
But I guess the underlying calculations of each aircraft, remains more or less the same.

#9

For me it’s usually more about relative performance than absolute.

I don’t care if the time to climb is 10% slower or faster than some reference or a test run 40 years after the war. I do care if plane A out climbs plane B when pretty much no one believes that it could have done that.

I also care when the AI can pull a move in a plane that causes my plane to stall or spin out. An AI Camel shouldn’t be able to fly rings around my Camel. That kind of thing.

If a few numbers don’t match, so what?

#10

EDIT: I’m not sarcastic, I’m really on @JediMaster 's side…

#11

Bought everything for ROF, always loved WW1 flight simulation going back to Red Baron and Dawn Patrol by Rowan software I think it was?

Bought FC on day one too but believe it or not have hardly used it yet, thats partly because I’ve been so busy but also because I want to wait until we get a suitable map and even more aircraft before I really start exploring it, have not tried it in VR yet either but encouraged to read its really good this way.

Hope it’s not too long into 2019 before we see a dedicated FC map.

#12

Ah, Dawn Patrol. Looked better than the Dynamix Baron series but had the worst control set in the history of WWI sims, matched only by the other Rowan/Empire flight sims that had the same layouts.

One side of the quick ref card contained all the commands used to fly, fight, and pretty much do everything the game could do. The entire OTHER side was dedicated to view commands. The most elaborate, complicated, and largely unnecessary commands ever concocted.

I think there were commands like “external view from enemy target to player with ground target in view” and other absurd ones.

Dawn Patrol looked great and it sounded great (the Dynamix sims’ sounds were anemic by comparison) but it was so difficult to figure the game out I barely used it.

#13

But the AI is a much better pilot, than you… :wink:
No, really, stuff like that bugs me too…

My first 3dfx accelerated sim was Flying Corps Gold, by Rowan. I was amazed by the graphics.
I think I tried the first version of Red Baron, on a friends 386. I also flew a lot of Red Baron 3D.

Looking at Flying Circus, we’ve come a long way…

#14

I am really looking forward to WWI tanks (I have no intel, just hoping) and the new 100x100km, highly detailed terrain. With IL2’s amazing mission editor, the future is bright indeed.

#15

Agree that it doesn’t have to be perfect, just reasonable.

Wheels