Things to come from Third Wire ...

[BUFF 8]

http://bbs.thirdwire.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4146

 

you'll probably need to log in.

[Gr.Viper 131]

more birds. Pretty detailed..

I hope stock Dr.I will be balanced for Hard model

[+Tailspin 3]

Outstanding!!!

[+LloydNB 212]

Fantastic!!!

 

Beautifully detailed models, and look at those skins! I can see more late nights in front of the PC are on the horizon.

 

LloydNB

Edited March 7, 2007 by LloydNB

[Alexander51 3]

Wow bloody fantastic mates!! Another amazing way to expand this

sim. Well I e-mailed TK with a whole LIST of things that I wish WOULD COME

for this sim, but I doubt if he'll take heed. I suppose that he's more into

developing something thats moddable and expandable. So far anything to do

with the multiplayer component is nothing more than an 'afterthought'.

 

Ah hell I could be totally wrong about this and I hope that I am <S>

Looking forward to this new expansion nonetheless.

 

Craigster bubba guy

[+pcpilot 181]

Craig, I mentioned a few minor things to him on the thirdwire forums. Some suggestions that many others besides myself have asked or hoped for. His response was it isnt his priority and if we dont like it, dont buy it. Gee, I guess if listening to his customers and making a few minor improvements to playability isnt a priority, then whats worth waiting for anymore. Just to clarify, playablilty is what truely makes the game enjoyable; it adds LIFE to the game; life on the harddrive, life on the storeshelves. A truely good game kindles imagination in the player, not annoy him. To not have to piddle with little annoying things. He says he wants us to be able to jump into a cockpit and fly? Well, why do we still have to waste our time doing individual loadouts and skins? If he wants us to feel like we accomplished something, how about giving us a medal screen that KEEPs our medals for viewing later with our records. If I want to just go up and godfight a single plane or two and not 12 or 16, why cant I make that selection? He says he wants the game to be fun, but its hard to enjoy when little things constantly annoy people. Dont get me wrong, there have been a lot of improvements to the game, mostly to the game engine and addons however. The prop flight model is looking real good though spins and stalls are a rarity. What!!!?? Flight without spins??? Ah, must be that simlite thing rearing its head again. The GUI is the same as SFP1 with the same niggling things still there, or in some cases, not there. MP hasnt improved a whit as far as I can see; stark testament, take a look at hyperlobby. Clouds and water did finally catch up to the competition so no complaints there. I understand he's a small business, but he's gonna stay that way if he doesnt listen to what people want. People vote with their wallets, its life. The dedicated community and their support is why I keep coming to the forums, not thirdwire...I'm sorry to say I doubt I'll be buying anymore TW products. I know all the TW afficiandos will have my butt for saying this, but really, Im just being honest. As much as Ive enjoyed the game over the years, it still lacks so much. This GAME will never score past a 70 with me. Its my humble opinion...

Edited March 8, 2007 by pcpilot

[Smosh 0]

Ah, must be that simlite thing rearing its head again.

 

GameplayLite more like

[BUFF 8]

Well I e-mailed TK with a whole LIST of things that I wish WOULD COME

for this sim, but I doubt if he'll take heed.

You might be surprised - TK does take note & often surprises us with unexpected things.

You do have to consider though that he is literally a 1 man band who hires in a few extra people for artwork etc. when needed.

& so far FE was totally funded by TW (no developer advance etc.) & hasn't yet made a penny profit although TK thinks that it will.

 

So far anything to do with the multiplayer component is nothing more than an 'afterthought'.

TK has always been upfront in that he believes that MP is not an important feature for his main target market (& I tend to agree with him with I suspect probably under 5% using MP).

It wouldn't surprise me if at times he has seriously considered what Shockwave did with BoB2 & just dropping MP altogether.

 

On the other hand nor would it surprise me if one day MP got improved.

[+pcpilot 181]

Not trying to argue Buff, again simply stating an opinion here...But concerning MP, I think its reasonably obvious that far more people would MP if the opportunity was there. An AI will never replace a real human foe for challenge and excitement. If there are only 5% playing MP right now with FE and the whole SFP1 line, then maybe its because of the lack of meaningful MP. Compare this sim MP with say F4 or IL2 or RB3D or heck, even an older sim like F-22 lightning 3. MP is hardly not popular with literally hundreds online at almost any given time in hyperlobby alone. All the games Ive mentioned are older sims, some might even be called simlites. But the games still hold a fascination as much due to MP as any other feature of the game. Improved AI is all good and well, but the continual circle fights I get into with the AI start getting a little old. If TK doesnt want to improve MP or any other aspect of playability for whatever reason, its his game to do with as he pleases. But it sure coulda meant and been a lot more.

 

Now that being said, I REALLY dont mean to discourage anyone, espesially the modding community. Thier efforts are what make this game more than anything or anyone else. The addon aircraft, ships, targets, maps, skies, screens, skins, utilities, editors, etc., etc. etc. have demonstrated what a dedicated community can do to improve a game. If someone asked me if I thought the game would be worth the money, I would honestly answer in the affirmative. I can say without qualifacation that I personally have gotten many hours of enjoyment over the years from this game. But I can also say the frustration level has been there too. And I suppose thats what all the blather Im spewing is about, a certain frustration with the game Ive felt since early on. Bear with me and I'll go crawl back in my hole now...

[BattlerBritain 1]

I do understand where PCPilot's coming from, although for me MP doesn't matter as I'd never play it anyway (no broadband and no interest in MP).

 

But the GUI for FE is the same as SFP1 and with very little effort could be improved to give gameplay a big boost.

 

For example in FE in the Loadouts screen there's a button to Add planes to the mission which even allows you to select Enemy planes. They end up flying on your side but with a simple Friendly/Enemy toggle you then take the Loadout screen to a simple Mission generator.

 

And why are the skins all the same for one type of plane?

 

In WW1 just about every German plane had a different camo on it. With FE the Fokker D7's have quite a few skin folders to choose from but by default all planes just use 1. How about a Random skin option to make the planes at least look a bit different?

 

The biggest thing that improves gameplay, in my mind, is the terrain and ground objects, especially if you're flying down low as in FE. Without all the great add-ons that have come out where would this game be? Look at Yankee Air Pirate and the soon-to-be released Falklands add-on and you can see what levels you can take this game to. Without them the game really is a bit bland.

 

I've been collecting TK's collecting SF series of games since they came out, and I play them most days, but I'm getting a bit bored with just a different bitmap on the interface and the same mission format. Come on TK, tweek the gameplay a bit, huh?

[BUFF 8]

If there are only 5% playing MP right now with FE and the whole SFP1 line, then maybe its because of the lack of meaningful MP. Compare this sim MP with say F4 or IL2 or RB3D or heck, even an older sim like F-22 lightning 3. MP is hardly not popular with literally hundreds online at almost any given time in hyperlobby alone.

iirc even the stats for the Il2 series have the % of people playing online v units sold in single figures.