The coolest game ever...

[Skipper]

Hey everyone ,
I was recently talking to a friend about what would be the best flight sim game to be made in the future.We both agreed that it would have to have as good flying models as PF and Il2 but it would also have to go much deeper than just going up , shooting down a few planes and then landing.We decided it would be much cooler if you say started the game in 1939 when the war begain.You could pick whether to be a fighter or bomber puilot and you would play through the years in real time-with a speed up function ofcourse.We decided you should also be able to visit locations such as the pub and make new ffriends and actually get to know your squadron.It would be completely free form so whether you had a squadron that loved or hated you it would all depend on your actions.
We thought it would also be cool to be able to have a family who you could visit on leave and see growing and worry about getting killed just to immerse yourself further.
Finally , we thought it would be cool if you were able to get shot down over occupied territories you ended up on the run and had to make your way home....however you liked.If you got captured you could break out however you wanted of POW camps and if you so ished....stay and fight for the resistance.
Obviously this game has many flaws would probably take years to make and cost too much money and thus it will never be made but just imagine what a great game it would be.Perhaps you disagree I don't really mind just give me your views all the same!

Skip

[Beowolff]

many of the things you and your friend wished for was already done in the "original" Red Baron (WWI) flight sim. it was a cracker-jack sim and way ahead of its time, and included leave time, invitations from other squadrons to join them, transfers to other squadrons---by choice and or official transfer, taunts and challenges from enemy pilots, and TRAPS set and sprang by those enemy pilots if you accepted their challenges, capture if you were shot down over enemy lines, sometimes escape from the prison camp, sometimes NOT till the war was over, hospital if you were shot down and wounded or injured...sometimes you were able to return to duty right away---sometimes you were in the hospital till the war was over. etc, etc. of course, all of that in a very simplistic fashion...but still.

too darn bad game makers have gotten away from all of that. it REALLY made a good game SO much better.

Beowolff

[Skipper]

I toatlly agree with you though I have never played "Red Baron".It seems that more and more in every gaming genre that companies are opting to spend their budgets on graphics which is fine , but in many cases it has lead to the storyline and gameplay element which is key to every game being neglected.How much is this "Red Baron" game?I may buy it if it is as good as you say it its.

Skip

[Beowolff]

trust me, for its time, it was fantastic... (original Red Baron) but these days, it would seem sadly outdated and too simplistic graphics-wise to play. also, i doubt it would even play on the more modern machines... it was intended for 286/386/486 cpu machines... and with most people these days having 1.5 to3.5 gig computers. the newer computers are just TOO fast for it, and though it might or might not even load up... gameplay would be jumping around like a crazed grasshopper in a hot frying pan. LOL! practically uncontrollable and unplayable. sure, there are ways to do it... but it takes much effort... and then when the game gets going and you mentally compare it to more modern 'graphic' intensive games, you'd be going... what the hell? why did i waste my time on this?

now Red Baron II and Red Baron 3D are more modern versions of the old original game... and they are still available in places and usually bargin-binned prices... (i've seen them for 5.00 $ American) and for the most part, will still play on more modern machines. but i never really got into them that much, they seemed to lack something from the original Red Baron. but that was just me, millions more loved them and there are still many that play them. in fact, some dude did a third-party addon (payware I believe) for RB 3D called Full Canvas Jacket awhile back... and it supposedly was kick-ass and really modernized the newer 3D version a lot. but i haven't purchased it or played it so do not know for sure how good it was/is. for sure a quick google search would turn up tons of info on Red Baron 3D and Full Canvas Jacket.

it (RB 3D) was the last of the great WWI flying sims... made by a GREAT gaming company, Dynamax (?) i believe. a wonderful company that was state of the art in gaming until it went belly up several years ago.

there's been other false start WWI flying sims, but most of them were bummers for kiddies or never made it past the pre and early developement stages. a serious WWI flying sim would be VERY welcome at this time. if only someone with clout and money could be convinced.



and yes, back to your original topic... we NEED our combat sims to concentrate MORE on immersion and gameplay than eye candy. or at least put as much into one side as the other. but sadly, that just may not happen. game developers and distributors are firmly (and wrongly) convinced that the hard, fast cash is in GRAPHICS alone. and everything else HAS to take a backseat to that. and they're NOT going to change their minds about that anytime soon. money talks, and BS walks. or at least in their minds.

we may never again see a game (like Red Baron) that can actually make you feel as if you're a small part of a GREAT combined effort---the effort of making war.

Beowolff

[:FI:RULES]

oooooh, Red Baron....My first flight sim...Oh, I´m old