Future of simulations 2010 discussion

[Sutts]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

The one thing computers do well - redundant tasks
Why would anyone want to go through complex engine start procedures everytime they fired up the SOW? Why would anyone want all the inflight complex features, because if full real is addressed it wouldn't be as nice as people perceive. By that I mean weather, wind, fuel, magnetos, etc. and dozens of other management items would be required.

Nearmiss,

I can see you represent the views of the casual simmer and that's fine. But there are also plenty of folk who would see what you've just described as the perfect sim. I for one would love to have a dozen things to worry about while navigating to my target. This is what brings you closer to the experiences of the wartime pilots. It would be great to feel the tension of a fuel tank switch over water for example...perhaps forget to use the booster pump while switching tanks and experience the horror of fuel starvation as a result of an airlock.

Little things like this would create a link between the success of a mission and how well you know your aircraft and its systems...which was always the way it was in reality.

I don't agree with the argument that all these extra system functions would have to be programmed in for the AI to use. Oleg has already given us the key systems which affect performance and competitive advantage. Almost all the other sub systems would add to immersion for the players that wanted them but would have no bearing on the outcome of a dogfight....things like fuel priming, pressurising the brake system, switching on the generator/electrical system. These are all little features that make you feel like you're operating the real aircraft, something that many of us would love to do but will never get the opportunity.

It may seem odd to some but I have no interest whatsoever in flying a real light aircraft. I'm interested in combat in WWII aircraft just like the rest of you and will never experience the reality of that, however much money I have.

I see someone was breaking the flight sim community into groups but it isn't as simple as that. Just because I enjoy the systems side of things doesn't mean I can be pushed off with a copy of FSX or DCS. I love WWII aviation - that includes everything from the aircraft, the environment, the missions and of course the combat. Flying in the sterile FSX environment has no interest for me at all. All I want to do is experience the real problems the real pilots faced back then, warts and all (including all the boring bits which are still an important part of the experience IMO).

If I don't want to wait for the engine to warm up then I can always use time compression.

I'm aware of Oleg's opinions and know he's a switched on guy who for good reasons won't throw precious resources into the complex study type sims I crave. All I ask is that he creates a means for 3rd parties to provide the extras later on, that's all. Hardcore simmers may be a smaller group but I can guarantee they are willing to throw a hell of a lot more money at a developer than the more casual simmer. Cockpits aren't my thing but you can imagine how much is spent in this area alone.

Anyhow, just wanted to get across the views of someone who gets enjoyment from both procedures and combat, a concept that many seem to find hard to grasp for some reason.