News From The Front (+ screenshots)

[FlyXwire]

Word has it that the long awaited Developer's Blog for KOTS/AOF is finally close to coming online, so new images and info for the sim should be up shortly (XX).

In the meantime, a developing battle rages!

[Lufbery]

It looks great! What kind of horsepower does your computer have to get such nice graphics?

[FlyXwire]

Hiya Lufbery,

The screenshots were taken on the design team's standard work station PC:

CPU: core 2 duo E6600, System RAM: 4 gb, GPU: GeForce 8800GTX 768 mb

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Beutiful,I like the Hans Kirschstein DVII.Are their any vids on the dogfights?

[Willi Von Klugerman]

I know sounds a bit wierd but is it possible to create a patch that includes a "memorial monument" for the fallen Nasta at ORA.It would be a great tribiute to him.

[FlyXwire]

Hi Willi,

Right now NEOQB is concentrating on hitting their build and business milestones needed for the project.

Hopefully soon after the Leipzig Game Con this week, we'll get to see the mentioned blog and new media.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Well Im thinking of forming an un-official squadron of my own.Go to my other thread "Lets form some KOTS squadrons!!" for details.See you in the skies!!

[US95Pickett]

I've been anxiously awaiting the release of KOTS, however, I just read this at the wings-of-valor forum:

"Braking News From KoS.

· neobq is still searching for a publisher.
· It is planned to release a basic version of the simulation with two (?) planes and a large map.
· More planes will be available as add ons to be bought separately. The planes will cost money only when the player wants to fly them. They are free of charge when flown by the in game AI within missions.
· An update in the beginning of next year will introduce planes (bombers) with 2 or 3 crew members (pilot, bombardier and gunner).
· It is planned to have controllable ground units in single player.
· There will be a mission editor but it will not be published. The developer may charge for additional missions created by them.
· For online play there will be a publicly available server software capable of holding 128 players per map.
· There will be no AI controlled ground units in multi player.
· There will be a simple interface to plan missions, for example escort missions for bombers, in a fast and easy way.
· With the support of Intel the game engine has been improved to hold around 40 fps during air battles although the flight models and physics are based on dynamic flow calculations. Those calculations will not only apply to the player's aircraft but also on AI controlled aircraft.

They are going to charge you/ me/ us, money every step of the way.
The only thing you will be able to do with this game is paint your plane
And play the game, just 2 planes and 1 map and a few SP missions as the
Base game, all else is pay pay pay to have as this reads above… "



FlyXwire, it seems you are in regular contact with the KOTS dev team, is this true?

[FlyXwire]

As much as possible Pickett, but I can't forward everyone's questions for clarifications (I know you understand).

The quoted feature set above is unofficial information, but I support the overall concept of buying add-on aircraft to grow your sim's content over time. Here's a bit more of what I wrote about this on another forum today in this regards (the sim's certainly been getting much attention these past few days):

I think the design scheme above is close to what's been projected, except for the indication of only two initial player-aircraft being available (that would be a change), and a mission editor not being included in the package.

The scheme is based on the "grow your own game" concept, where you decide the content you wish to expand it by. Aircraft add-ons, mission packs, and other object content can be purchased as desired, this enabling expansion and support of the sim into the future. The plan requires the designers to stay engaged in the growth process too, through offering official add-ons, by controlling important code modifications via free patches, and to maintain online compatability for instance.....all the while being able to profit from the process of doing so.

I have to admit that I support this concept wholeheartedly, and have talked it up on a number of forums over these past years. It supports the sim's initial start-up and introduction process, and also projects a revenue stream for small developers to draw on over time (so they stay in business).

We've seen too many WWI sim projects fail over these past years, so hopefully some publisher now will see the sense of taking on the risk of producing another combat flight sim (if there's potential money to be made).

Of course it's not all about the dollars, as offering the consumer something he/she can get excited about buying is just as important too. Market realities dictate that both the commercial interests and the consumer have something to show for their investment.

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Why can't they make a sim with the aircraft already in it?RB3D never had aircraft add-on's,because it already had aircraft.Are they making KOTS with the already in it?Im not sure about the add-on idea.