Lets create a WWI sim of our own!

[Willi Von Klugerman]

How about it!Would it be great for us dromers to help make a WWI flight sim?It doesn't have to be overly beautifull,it could have graphics the same level as RB3D and it would be cheaper to make.We could find someone that could do it for us and us experts can contribiute in the project by helping them with the research and accuracy.This would be a sim that is affordable and doesn't need alot of memory.Just a suggestion

[Fokker Ace]

Not only a lot of time but also a lot of cash would be needed to get someone to create the software.

While it would be awesome, given the present unpopularity of simulations in general and the already existing WWI games I don't see how this would work.

Hopefully I'm wrong!

PS - Rmember when game software used to come with beautiful manuals? The artwork, historical background, and level of detail in the first WWI sim I bought was simply amazing.

[Rickitycrate]

Willi, too much work involved. That's why I try to not talk trash about any sim. These developers work damm hard. Not only that we have 3 new WWI sims either out now or will be soon. Two of them are very affordable and should give us all we could hope for IMHO. I understand what you mean tho. I would really like to be part of a team creating one of these. Fortunately other people are much smarter and more talented than I. I can maybe make a paper airplane Good luck if you give it a try.

Fokker Ace, I remember that and huge nickle candy bars. Or were they a dime? hehe

[Ross_Moorhouse]

Having worked twice in the PC game industry as a developer it can take up to 3 or more years to develop a game and lots of money. Hope you have both.

[sightreader]

Originally Posted by Willi Von Klugerman

Would it be great for us dromers to help make a WWI flight sim?

Well, I wasn't working on a computer sim, but I am working on a board/card flight sim. I would sorely need expert advice to get the flight models right.

The first generation - which is still a ways off - would be a "print and play" thing, where you download files, print it, chop it up with a paper cutter, then play.

The preliminary version would probably be just a Sopwith Camel-ish aircraft flying around. I figure that if I can model something as quirky as a Camel, I can model anything. The initial test version won't have any shooting yet: I think shooting is easier to model and it is dependent on getting the flight system to work anyway.

My objectives for the earliest test versions are as follows:

• accessible, possibly even to children
• fast playing, minimizing or eliminating clunky procedures and overhead
• players have to invent/adopt actual aerial tactics to win
• energy and vertical tactics a strong focus
• realistic ability of pilots to react to others (tailing advantages, etc)
• ability to model relatively subtle differences in aircraft (torque, climb performance, roll rate, speed, so forth)

Eventually, I hope to feature:

• deflection shooting
• larger dogfights don't play any slower than small games
• tailing advantages
• observers
• little to no randomness/luck

If I get lucky, I might also be able to model the following:

• stalls, spins, structural failure, making some planes truly difficult/dangerous to fly
• incremental damage affecting flight performance
• ability to "draw a bead" and target specific portions of an enemy
• visibility from the cockpit affecting ability to react
• gun jams, engine problems and other systems failures
• ground fire, ground targets, air racing

The thing is, I don't know if I'd be able to talk anyone into giving this thing a try, especially someone who knows a lot about aerial tactics and aerodynamics.

[VFC_Baxter]

I think we already have more WWI sims than we need so if you did make one you would have to make it different. Maybe WWI carrier ops or one dedicated to the Independant Air Force (sort of WWI version of B17 - The Mighty 8th)?

[Tim West]

uh..have you seen RoF

Unless it's better going than that..you'd have a hard time getting any start up funds...'cept your own of course. And even if it is going to be better than say RoF, you'd have to fund it ..on your own till it got picked up by a publisher.

Too much work and money for a low end sim.