bbosen - 2025-10-01

Feature Comparison Checklist: LAC vs Other Linux-Available Flight Sims

Key:
✅ = Fully supported / well implemented
⚠️ = Partial / conditional / varies
❌ = Not supported or not practical

+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------------+---------------+---------------+-------------------------+
| Feature Category                                          | LAC            | FlightGear    | YSFlight      | DCS / IL-2 (Wine/Proton) 
+----------------------------------------------------------+-----------------+---------------+---------------+-------------------------+
| High frame rate / low latency                            | ✅ Excellent     | ⚠️ Variable   | ✅ Very Good   | ⚠️ HW dependent          |
| Standardized, consistent cockpit layout                  | ✅ Consistent    | ❌ Per-plane  | ✅ Mostly      | ❌ Per-plane             |
| Immediate view control (look around, external views)     | ✅ Fast          | ⚠️ Some lag   | ✅ Fast        | ✅ Advanced              |
| Voice comms display                                      | ✅ Built in      | ❌ External   | ❌ None        | ⚠️ Overlay, Wine issues  |
| Remappable controls                                      | ✅ Full support  | ✅ Yes        | ✅ Yes         | ✅ Advanced              |
| Clear HUD / essential flight data                        | ✅ Efficient     | ✅ Detailed   | ⚠️ Basic       | ✅ Advanced              |
| Multi-user combat missions                               | ✅ Core focus    | ⚠️ Add-on     | ✅ Basic       | ✅ Core design           |
| Tactical mission data (e.g. airfield repair status)      | ✅ Cockpit       | ❌ Absent     | ❌ None        | ✅ Some via mods         |
| Joystick/controller support                              | ✅ Native        | ✅ Native     | ✅ Native      | ✅ Advanced              |
| VR / head tracking                                       | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Partial    | ❌ None        | ✅ Full support          |
| Realistic flight physics                                 | ⚠️ Very Good     | ✅ Excellent  | ⚠️ Good        | ✅ Excellent             |
| Historical aircraft simulation                           | ✅ 54 WW2        | ✅ Mixed      | ⚠️ Mixed       | ✅ Highly detailed       |
| Cockpit interaction (clickable controls)                 | ❌ Not modeled   | ✅ Yes        | ❌ None        | ✅ Full interaction      |
| Linux-native / easy to set up                            | ✅ Native        | ✅ Native     | ✅ Native      | ❌ Requires Wine/Proton  |
| Runs well on low-power devices (e.g., Raspberry Pi)      | ✅ Yes           | ❌ No         | ⚠️ Yes?        | ❌ Not viable            |
+----------------------------------------------------------+----------------+--------------+---------------+---------------------------+

Summary:

  • If you need fast, free, consistent, multiplayer-focused air combat with "good enough" graphics and low system demands:
    → LAC is the most practical Linux-native choice.

  • If you prioritize immersive realism, attractive graphics (sometimes at the expense of smooth control response and dips in frame rate), and detailed aircraft systems:
    → FlightGear (Linux-native but lacking robust combat focus) or
    → DCS/IL-2 (not free, require Windows emulation) offer more realism, but with higher hardware/expense demands and setup complexity.

  • If you want lightweight fun outside of WW2 with low hardware demands:
    → YsFlight is almost as lightweight and simulates aircraft from other eras.

 

Last edit: bbosen 2025-10-01