I just dug out all my old COD updates going back to the 1st patch.
I ran blackdeath and a quick dog fight on all of them noting particular points and graphical qualities.
Wow it really has come a long way. Graphics, Smoothness and oh... the sounds we now take for granted! I think they've made the right compromises to get to where we are now. Only a few more graphics to add back in and maybe another lighting change as I quite liked the better contrast in the earlier patches but the cartoon colours were'nt quite right, but I think they've probably washed them out too far the other way now. Aircraft visibility was better in the first couple of patches and then it went down hill until the latest patch. I still think they need to work on the washed out colours and general hazy look of the game but it really is miles and miles better than it was at release.
It still has some way to go, but I dont think any other WWII flight
games will ever challenge it for the game play vs simulation vs graphics balance it has achieved, even if it didnt get much better than it is now.
I dont want COD to become a kiddies Air-Quake but I would love to get some more players online!
Maybe after a few people try out the other new games they will realise just how good COD actually is.
Anyway as Ive said before, I think these other arcade/sim games will have their market and serve it well. For a lot of us hard core simmers though, I just dont see them challenging the depth of COD modelling, that goes for FM, DM and general graphical details. But they will still be wildly successful just the same, and good luck to them. They cater to a different crowd.
(PS...and when they get bored of it they can come join us!)