22.11.2008, 04:53
The problem with improving the game as opposed to adding new aircraft is that its a little subjective. How many of us flew missions for real in WW2? Everyone has different impressions on how important certain aspects were and inevitably over-emphasise their favourite point. I'm probably no different, and though I suspect having flown aircraft for real does help, I have to confess the military aeroplanes I've flown are trainers. Nothing too exotic.
Concerning aeroplanes though, there is a certain kudos involved in releasing a new one - I see this with simulators of all kinds on a regular basis, and on some soldier-sims there seems to be an arms race to develop the perfect virtual AK-47 and no-one ever agrees that it is. Crazy. The default one was perfectly good, and if you're in the heat of battle, are you seriously going to study your gun in intricate detail and admire the complex artwork that now takes four times as much texture space on your video card? I think not, but for the user, its a buzz because he convinces himself his AK is better. All this stems from human psychology.
In a sense its no bad thing because it creates a slightly competitive atmosphere as people strive to impress with their latest creation. Aeroplanes are, if you like, a fixed standard to strive for. A game mod may or may not be brilliant buts its too subjective. A poor aeroplane model is obviously so.
Concerning aeroplanes though, there is a certain kudos involved in releasing a new one - I see this with simulators of all kinds on a regular basis, and on some soldier-sims there seems to be an arms race to develop the perfect virtual AK-47 and no-one ever agrees that it is. Crazy. The default one was perfectly good, and if you're in the heat of battle, are you seriously going to study your gun in intricate detail and admire the complex artwork that now takes four times as much texture space on your video card? I think not, but for the user, its a buzz because he convinces himself his AK is better. All this stems from human psychology.
In a sense its no bad thing because it creates a slightly competitive atmosphere as people strive to impress with their latest creation. Aeroplanes are, if you like, a fixed standard to strive for. A game mod may or may not be brilliant buts its too subjective. A poor aeroplane model is obviously so.