Friday 2010-02-25 Development update:Interview by Grégory Lemasson/Discussion Thread

[Freycinet]

Originally Posted by Oleg Maddox

It is really very hard task but my target.
At the moment we can't begin with civilian big aircraft. There is not some special features that are neccessary for modeling such aircraft and envirouments (modern radar system, speeches, etc)
But....
Right at the time when we will release first tools will be possible to make:

1. Sport piston engine aircraft
2. Almost any or any piston engine or multi engines aircraft of WWII time
3. envirouments, including new ground objects that will corresponds to that time (cars, ships, U-boats, tanks, rail road cars and many other things...)
4. to make own campagin engines, including for online. As a separate modules, that are using our API.
6. To program new devices for aircaft and other technics (this will happens a bit later that all above).
7. To add new calsses of controlable units in the game (cars, tanks, ships, u-boats, maybe even human as a first person... ). But this tool will be relased as the last from our side and for this we will need a time. The most complex.

Then... at the same time we should make own next sim. The next will be separate sim, but it will be possible to install as a merged version with previous one... Experience show me that this is the only one right way.
With new sim we will add new features (like in the past). Half or the models already done for the new sim so probably you may calculate what the sim it should be. Can't name you... because everything may happens... And in reality we was planning two sims right after BoB.... Maybe this also happens. All will depends of success or no success on the market with BoB. Hope success... everything will be fine then. I even can image how fine and how great will be life of this project Then I can to retire on a pension after some 10 years of SoW success

I know it is a big task, but who else is there to pick it up?

MS threw the hat in the ring, Austin Myers is doing his (great) thing but doesn´t seem too interested in systems modelling of more complex planes. But that is exactly the point: systems modelling of complex modern planes CANNOT be made by the same guy who makes a civil flight sim "back-bone". It MUST be outsourced to 3rd party developers, who will flock in if they get the right engine to work with.

As Obama learned in politics: If you are a small player, it is necessary to start a MOVEMENT, not just do all yourself, or with a small staff. If SoW can become a civil sim backbone, then giving the right instruments to 3rd party developers could possible create a catalyst effect, and we would have Take-Off!

From what I see in the Spitfire vid and elsewhere, SoW has the technical capacities in-built for professional developers to create content. The requirements are too high for amateur developers like the third-party scene around Il-2, but professionals who can actually earn money selling add-ons should be able to work with it, I guess. Just get some translators to work on documentation (very important!) and change the name of the engine (SoW is too warlike).

[JVM]

Originally Posted by Freycinet

The requirements are too high for amateur developers like the third-party scene around Il-2, but professionals who can actually earn money selling add-ons should be able to work with it, I guess. Just get some translators to work on documentation (very important!) and change the name of the engine (SoW is too warlike).

You have a really low opinion of "amateurs"...Most often "amateurs" are professionals in other ways and understand what it means to start, drive and complete a project and in consequence some of them can perfectly tackle add-ons for SoW...

Most of the "professionals" in MSFS third-parties have started as "amateurs" (you have to start at one point!), and many top-level add-ons for MSFS are from "amateurs" and will give nothing in quality to any of the professional ones...

Another advantage of being an "amateur" is that you are not in for the money but only out of passion, of willingness to prove something etc...this allows them to explore ways which would be too costly in time for the developer for an unforeseeable result, and/or to not be constrained by time considerations!

Give everybody a chance at it and be prepared to be surprised...and also to get some sub-standard stuff but that's the name of the game!

JV

[Oleg Maddox]

Originally Posted by JVM

You have a really low opinion of "amateurs"...Most often "amateurs" are professionals in other ways and understand what it means to start, drive and complete a project and in consequence some of them can perfectly tackle add-ons for SoW...

Most of the "professionals" in MSFS third-parties have started as "amateurs" (you have to start at one point!), and many top-level add-ons for MSFS are from "amateurs" and will give nothing in quality to any of the professional ones...

Another advantage of being an "amateur" is that you are not in for the money but only out of passion, of willingness to prove something etc...this allows them to explore ways which would be too costly in time for the developer for an unforeseeable result, and/or to not be constrained by time considerations!

Give everybody a chance at it and be prepared to be surprised...and also to get some sub-standard stuff but that's the name of the game!

JV

Perfect words!

I would add just following:

To make the base - the first game or sim with special tools that allowing third party to make additional content is way more profesional work than to make additional content...
To develop the base code of engine and its initial main features is way more different and more complex than to modify it....

You can be professional creator of add-on, but you can't make the main thing - the engine and its features.

Investments in development of the main code around which all the things doing third party isn't even close in comparison to investments of third party. By other words... to add something in already ready advanced product isn't the same as to develope from zero this advanced product.

Simply people should understand this great difference.