I will relate my experience. I bought an LT-40 ARF and started learning to fly. I got nervous close to the ground on final with the reverse controls as the plane came towards me. Before I soloed, I had to get out of the hobby for 4 years. During that time I got G2 and practiced landing a lot. When I went back to learn to fly I soloed in about 6 flights. And it would have been less if we could have found a day without crazy crosswinds. After having practiced on the sim, I was very comfortable with plane coming toward me on final. The sim allows you to learn the controls as an instinct without thinking and without crashing a bunch of planes.

In my opinion, if you are sure you will stay in the hobby, and you want to do more than fly in circles, you might as well buy a sim right off the bat, assuming you are not on a tight budget. That way you can learn a lot of the motor skill memorization and you will be able to practice aerobatics with it latter as you progress without risking your expensive model. Look at it this way, if you save yourself one crash, it has paid for itself.

With all that said, I started with G2 and it was fine, but I got board with the plane selection and didn't want to spend more money on the addons. I recently bought Aerofly Professional Deluxe. With AFPD, the aircraft editor allows people to design new aircraft, including the appearance, so, you can download tons of aircraft for free. I also like it waaaay more than I like G2. I haven't tried G3, but I have heard mixed reports from people who have upgraded from G2.

You can learn without a sim though. As far as the slow stick, I have no idea. I have found learning to fly to be very easy. Not everyone can say that. So, one person would be best to start with a real trainer like the LT-40 that I started with. Other people can start with a more advanced trainer and be fine. As much as I love my LT-40, I wish I had started with a more advanced trainer, only because I have outgrown it so fast.

So, that is my take on it anyway. I am sure you will get a bunch more opinions.

Good luck and welcome aboard,
Patrick