PALGN writes: "It's been quite a while since we last got our hands on a good, meaty flight simulation, and even longer since a decent military helicopter sim came chuppa-chupping into view. It's about 12 years since Origin Systems released the fantastic AH-64D Longbow 2 and it has stood (arguably) at the pinnacle of PC attack helicopter sims ever since. A new contender now arrives in the form of DCS: Black Shark, Eagle Dynamics' new sim that has firm intentions of stealing the whirlybird crown."
GamingShogun.com writes: "CH Products had a very strong showing inside their booth at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. Inside they featured two whole flight sim platforms, one military featuring a curved tri-LCD display running Eagle Dynamic Black Shark, and the other a civilian featuring three separate LCD displays running Microsoft's Flight Simulator X..."
The guys from CH - Michael Sexton in the vid - shipped one to me and it just arrived today. Installing it now. I met him at E3. He demoed the product to us and we were impressed.
http://i39.photobucket.com/...
It comes stock with 25 but you can add 25 more to one panel. They sent me the full 50. You can print out any design, place it under the glass, place the buttons on the glass, map them and it works. He told me they have a guy in the office that runs his Outlook with a panel.
If you pull a button from one panel and place it on another, that button is still mapped to the original function even though it is on another panel - until you remap it. You can have multiple templates for multiple games and up to 16 panels on a PC.
The buttons use molecular adhesive. If they get dirty on the bottom from being dropped, wipe them off and they are good as new.
If your idea of gaming doesn't involve study, if it doesn't involve reading and learning and the challenge of working hard to accomplish goals, do not buy this game. If quick reflex action is your thing, do not buy this game. And if you use Vista, do not buy this game (unless you don't mind leaving some of its potential behind). But if you're willing to log the necessary hours, train like a real pilot, and memorize the daunting complexities of one of the most difficult war machines every concocted, the rewards are many and the sense of authenticity will blow you away.
Presentation - 7.0
Graphics - 8.0
Sound - 9.0
Gameplay - 8.0
Lasting Appeal - 10
Overall -
CheatCC says, "DCS: Black Shark is not merely a game, it's a way of life. It's one of the most ambitious and complex flying sims I've ever encountered - it takes hours and hours just to get this thing off the ground, and then you have to learn to control the damn thing. And if that's not enough, you have to engage enemies in mid-flight, all the while being mindful of the myriad of buttons, gauges, and displays, which help keep you airborne. With downloadable upgrades in the future, there is every indication that Black Shark will be on your PC for years to come."
