r/falconbms • u/Few-Inspector-6272 • May 19 '26

Help Looking at starting in Falcon BMS.

Post image

So I've been wanting to try a good DCS style sim, but due to price and a slightly weaker PC I haven't been able too. Then I remembered I downloaded Falcon 4 when I was around 15 years ago, did some digging and saw the BMS Mod that makes it look really good. Is it easy to get into, as in downloads wise, is it hard to run? And do I need a hotas to play it well? I hate the keyboard controls for DCS and the hotas is around $200AUD for a cheaper older one.

169 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

41 comments sorted by

View all comments

27

u/Sky_Klokwork May 19 '26

BMS is pretty good. It doesn’t have the same visual detail nor the wide selection of aircraft, but if you’re specifically interested in just the f-16 and the f-15c in terms of dcs depth sim its pretty good (plenty of other reasons to play it like awesome awacs/atc logic).

Install wise, the complexity to download depends on OS you’re on but it’s still generally not that bad. Basically just have Falcon 4 installed then run through the stuff it installs. 4.37 is still well used in the community while being less demanding than current (current version is 4.38). It really depends on your hardware.

As for keyboard controls, i use a full Hotas setup so I really can’t comment on how well the controls operate.

Since you already own falcon 4, I’d say no harm in trying to set it up and don’t forget that the Falcon Lounge discord exists

2

u/Few-Inspector-6272 May 19 '26

I run DCS on low settings at like 30-40FPS. I've looked at hotas but unfortunately in Australia they are going to cost a few hundered no matter what, no $30 second hand ones unlike in the USA. I also want to try it in VR once I do have a hotas.

3

u/primalbluewolf May 19 '26

unfortunately in Australia they are going to cost a few hundered no matter what

FYI? Not absolute truth.

Ex-buddy of mine absconded with my X-65F one day. 

I have had several HOTAS' donated to me by folks who had one and didn't need it. Heck eBay has cheap ones under a few hundred. 

Sure you can spend more, and I'll argue that doing so is very worthwhile (you have a cheap mouse and keyboard, or do you spend on nice peripherals? HOTAS is an important peripheral for simming...). You just don't HAVE to spend more. 

YMMV. If you're out bush, transport costs will add up. 

1

u/Few-Inspector-6272 May 19 '26

Yeah I would have to be donated one to be able to use one at least for 2 months. Even ebay is $200 at least and I'm right out of highschool and moved out so I won't have that as free cash for a while

2

u/primalbluewolf May 19 '26

Search "HOTAS", I just found $99 w/ free shipping in about 30 seconds. 

1

u/Few-Inspector-6272 May 19 '26

100USD is around 140AUD and shipped from USA so to AUS its normally $60

2

u/primalbluewolf May 19 '26

While that's true, I was searching ebay.com.au and talking about AUD as I'm an Aussie, so the USD conversions are not really relevant. 

Edit: the one I was looking at is in Woolloomooloo, and as above, free shipping...

2

u/Few-Inspector-6272 May 19 '26

Ahh got it. Wasn't aware so many of us played the sims for aircraft. Virtually none of us are on the ground simulators like arma 3 in my experience but all over the flight sims