DCS: Black Shark OWNS me! My Preview-->

Are you good/patient enough?

So it is obvious that I am a pc gamer nerd. I have more games than I can literally, physically play at the moment. I have the best of almost all genre's, and pride my taste in only the best rated of games to fill my time...there is just too much! With finally starting the campaign in the awesome 'Empire: Total War' and late night Left4dead sessions eating away my sleep-time, it is a miracle my wife still remembers that she married some guy..a few years ago...

Add number 146 to the list...DCS: Black shark. An apologetically as-close-to-the-real-thing-as-it-gets actual simulator of the KA-50 Russian attack helicopter that us mere mortals well ever get our hands on.

To tackle such a 'game', is to have a plan of attack, else it will infuriate and scare away those with little patience. You have to do the training missions, you need to either hunt down the manual online, or print it out in it's entirety (as I did, from the disk); you HAVE to have some better than cheap flight control hardware, and now what I am learning, you HAVE to check out the incredible TrackIR 5 device. There is just no going back to normal after you spring for this 150 dollar simulator aid. It sits on your monitor, and moves the in-game POV by your every little head movement and gesture. Completely and naturally, as if sitting in the real thing. Check it out here to see some product videos.
naturalpoint.com

And that manual, what a piece of work that is! All 534 pages of glory. History, operational instructions..color pictures and diagrams of instruments, its is a virtual bible to behold. I printed the thing out [It's B&W Hardcover equivalent expensive and hard to find online] and it is about 2 inches tall of 8x11 paper! And that was double sided!! yeah...
So as I begin my epic quest to master this beast, I'll let you know how it goes. For you sim guys and gals out there, this is truly study-sim nirvana.
wish me luck!

Check the game out here: http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/

From the sites description:
"DCS: Black Shark" is a PC game of the Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter and is the first title in a new Eagle Dynamics and The Fighter Collection simulation series: "Digital Combat Simulator" (DCS). Following Eagle Dynamics' tradition of excellence, "DCS: Black Shark" will bring an even more realistic simulation experience than its predecessor "Flaming Cliffs". "DCS: Black Shark" will offer an unprecedented level of realism in regards to flight dynamics, instruments modeling, avionics systems, and weapon systems. The artificial Intelligence of ground vehicles and helicopters has been improved dramatically as well as weapon modeling. A new Mission Editor includes a powerful electronic mapping system that allows user to easily create missions and campaigns. A new campaign system allows the front line of the battlefield to move back and fourth according to your mission success or failure. Due to the increased flexibility of the DCS system, additional fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter add-ons will follow shortly."