I'd say go for it too SDDrew.

I'm still running XP with only 2GB of memory on an i7 920 with an old GeForce GTS 250 card. I fully accept that my system isn't up to running everything maxed out but even with lots turned to Low I'm having a ball.

No stutters for me and only the occasional crash which I think will be addressed in an upcoming patch. Personally I have enough fun just flying cross country and practicing takeoffs, landings and high speed climbs etc. Also navigating the old fashioned way without the map icon is hugely rewarding.

I just love this game, warts and all and can see it going from strength to strength. Believe me, it is worth it.

I will upgrade my graphics card and operating system when the new generation hit the shelves and lower the price of the current high end cards. Until then I'm very content with what I've got and the planned graphics update patch might even allow me to increase my settings a little which will be a bonus.:grin:

If I had a do-over I'd wait.

There is a lot that needs fixing and it remains to be seen if you will have to buy the add-on to get the fixes . It is a shame because it could have been brilliant. Maybe it will be one day but its not right now.

Good descision. For the money this sim is available for now, there is not a lot you can do wrong with getting it, even if development were to stop right now.

I wouldn't bother buying this version until the expansion comes out and is proven to run well and finished.

The sim needs work but the developer has a history of supporting their products and have plans for free patches and paid addons for a series that will cover most major theaters of WW2 aircombat. If your an aircombat flight simmer then I highly recommend supporting the sim now rather than later. The development could fail tomorrow, but for the price of cheap night out you could be investing in years of air combat sim enjoyment.

If money is tight, don't go!
If you can get it for $9.99 its a keeper.
The game have its issues and if you are used to the finetuned interface of IL-2 1946 (it might look old but it is like an iPhone = intuitive ;)) I would wait for the next patch or the sequel.
You should also make sure your GPU are up to specs. A tiny GPU like my nVidia GTX260 will strain your relationship with the game.

The learning curve in COD is steep and the additional problems of the bugs might be the famous last drop (reason) which gets it shelved unnessesarily.

I'm running a GTS 250 and still get a lot of enjoyment out of the product.
I think the problem is unrealistic expectations with regards to screen resolution (I run at 1280x768) and detail settings (I use high for objects and effects, medium for landscape and low for the rest). In this way I can still enjoy great looking airplanes, fluid flight models and air combat while waiting for further optimisations and for my budget to catch up with the technology!

Agreed 100%

On that note, this goes out to all.. If a $50 dollar game is something you have to factor into your budget.. Than chances are your hobby (PC flight sims) is a hobby you can not afford at this time. I would recomend another hobby like checkers or chess (the real hands on version, not the PC game version). It too will give you hundreds of hours of entertainment for a small investment (less than $50) and you don't need a $1,500 dollar PC to play it.

Wait for what?
 

How much does it cost to have fun?

$25 for the Movies @ 1.5 hours

$50 to go to a fair @ 4 hours

$20 for a pizza @ .5 hours

$35 for a book @ varies

$25 for IL2 COD @ 500 hours to date

Seriously though, most entertainment is purchased without the knowledge of just how much fun you might get out of it.

However, if you ask yourself...

1) Do I love ww2 aviation?

2) Do I love tactics and strategy?

3) Do I love simulating air battles against others who also love 1, and 2?

4) Do I love competition and comradery?

Chances are that if you already have an interest in combat flight sims, the cost is irrelevant.

ASUS Sabertooth MB--Intel 2600k@4.7--EVGA GTX580 3GB--Corasir 1200 watt psu--Corsair 8gb 1833--Corsair H70 cooler--Corsair 650d case--OCZ Vertex 3--Track IR5--CH Eclipse Yoke--CH Trottle Quadrant--CH MFP--CH Rudders

I love looking at it that way,

354 hours at £29.99, is £0.11 Pence per HOUR!

...and the price just keeps going down!

Priceless! :-P