Com-Central.net

I also contacted micrsoft on the cfs3 servers and this is what they sent me:

I would like to inform you that all the servers are down due to potential identified critical security vulnerabilities.



We don't want our customer's computers to be affected by these security issues. Microsoft takes security risks very seriously. This is a temporary shut down. However, if the risk is too high the servers will not be brought back.



Reid, you can also check the status of the servers at: www.microsoft.com/games/combatfs3. If the servers are not going to go back online, the message will be displayed on this page.



You can try playing the game by using IP to IP connection within the game.



So I guess we sit and wait and hope they come back on

cajunsun

I hate to say it, but it sounds like typical corporate MS mumbo jumbo to me. The person did indicate to in their statement the servers will not be brought back.

All that fluff about them caring if they hose your machine is just that...fluff.

I've been wrong before, but judging from history and what MS has done to help, don't be surprised if they 'never come back online'.

Thanks for the addional info, cajunsun.

And I think I have to agree with you, Bushy. And as longtime supporter of the platform, moderator of this CFS3 forum and also an original member and C/O of what I believe is, aside from IMS, one of the longest-standing virtual squad for CFS3 (JG300 being formed in Nov 2002 on the eve of the CFS3 release and still flying today.......except online since we can't now) , it looks like it may be time to look the facts in the eye.

CFS3 is a very fun, very beautiful combat flight sim when run on today's hardware but after 5 years, options are now too good , and too numerous, to ignore. I believe CFS3 will continue to live on via the offline mission and campaign players as well as the "modder" crowd which have generated some impressive alternatives within the CFS3 arena such as OFF and MAW, etc. Kudos to those folks.

For online flying though, right now as I write this there are approx 850 people logged in to Hyperlobby to fly dogfights, Co-Op missions and just plain have a good time killing and being killed in IL2. Game servers open for business are too numerous to count and scroll three pages. Both the European and Pacific theatres are represented and the list of available planes and mission types boggles the mind of the CFS3 player.

I hope the situation is resolved sooner than later or never, but in my opinion life is too short to wait on some corporate suit to decide policy for the pasttime of my squadmates and myself. We've had a VERY good run in CFS3, intense squad matches going back to when the BM-357 guys were around, a few full WEC tournaments even making it into the final rounds a time or two, the really cool "No Guts No Glory" NGNG series that the 56th guys put together, and a fun AvHistory ladder competition that JG300-Lurps won...not to mention the good times and great people we've met online in the regular open rooms.

Tough to ignore the options right now though and for $19 you can't beat the entry fee for the "alternative" online WWII combat sim ......a few of us have started our "learning curve" and are sharpening up our tusks. I know it might be seen by a few as sacrilege posting the below in the CFS3 forum, but as far as the topic of online flying goes I believe it is highly relevant and entirely on-topic.....here's the "newbie" stats of an ol' pig getting his feet wet.....

http://www.warbirdsofprey.org/stats_zekes/zekestats/playerdetails.php?id=883

....and here's what it's looked like!

Ya' know, I just got a new rig, went looking for my CFS3 disks last night and today and can't find it...maybe it's a sign. Those were good times, but I think the writing is on the wall, and started when certain elements appeared in that sim anyway ("binary instant-on elevator trim" for example, yielding P-38's that out-turned a Tempest suddenly and phenomena like that). It was great in it's day, but now as co-moderator of this forum, I'm shopping for IL-1946 as Stoopy suggests. And from what I can tell, all the best and most honorable opponents I recall from CFS3 "went over" quite some time ago. Must be a reason....