Wish list for WOFF Gold...or further expansions...

[33LIMA 972]

No harm in starting one of these here, so here's mine, which concentrates on enhancing the historical experience (and to an extent, playability) rather than accommodating my 'pet favourites':

 

1. 'General purpose' 2-seaters (eg BE2, RE8, DFW, Aviatik) regularly operating on their own (or in pairs), less frequently in flight formations, especially near the Lines, to simulate art obs missions and solo visual or photo recces;

 

2. main planeset gaps filled, by AI-only planes if need be - 'must have'=DH4, AW FK8, Dorand AR1, Breguet 14 bomber and recce, Farman F.40; 'nice to have' would include Voisin 3, Dolphin, SPAD 2-seater, Caudron G3, Salmson 2A2, Roland D-type, Pfalz D.XII, SSW DIII/IV, DH9, Albatros C.III.

 

3. squadrons present on the order of batlle but not flying in the sim because their actual mount isn't available, given a suitable substitute, rather than left out altogether, which should reduce quiet flights (without the need to cut AI visual scan cycle times so scouts can go for scouts more often);

 

4. More aircrew animation - at the very least, pilot head movement (which is tied into aileron and elevator movement, but barely visible) made significantly more pronounced (like CFS2 add-on Combat Aces) - ideally, gunners/observers also making random scanning movements;

 

5. Archie (AA fire) changed so that (i) there is more of it, visible at long range so it's a good target indicator and (ii) there is less of it at very low altitude and (iii) none of it shooting down friendly balloons;

 

6. replace unusual or inappropriate terminilogy, like 'craft' with 'aircraft', the US modernism 'Intel' with 'intelligence', and correcting references to the air war being dubbed with the current, later or code name of the current ground battle;

 

7. aircraft distant LODs changed to that they start to be visible at 3-5 miles, without the need to resort to 'dot mode';

 

...and tho possibly not feasible:

 

8. a reliable 'warp to next encounter' feature;

 

9. System resources devoted to generating/tracking flights only within in a reasonable radius of the player's vicinity, rather than all along the front (which makes sense in Falcon 4 but not in a sim set in a static theatre were such changes in the front line as there are, are not connected with what results the player or his unit achieve);

 

10. Bail-outs from planes and balloons  - with or without parachutes, as appropriate!

[Olham 164]

A wishlist like Calvin's - but dreaming must be allowed, I guess. Mmuahahahahaaa!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[JFM 18]

Good stuff! Is it a bonus that my pet favorites would also enhance historical experience?

 

Let me start by saying I expect none of the following to be implemented. Just thinking aloud:

 

1. Variable degrees of fuel tank damage. Currently, one bullet drains the tank. I.e., the tank must always be hit at the lowest point. I'd like to see the sim recognize damage at the midpoint or near the top, where only SOME of the fuel drains out. Of course, beyond that, one shot to a pressurized fuel tank should cause nearly immediate engine failure, LONG before the fuel would drain out.

 

2. Prop damage, from flak, enemy machine guns, and synchronization failure.

 

3. Flat tires.

 

4. Icing.

 

5. Glory. Not the honor kind, the atmospheric kind. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_(optical_phenomenon)

 

6. Historically accurate airfields. In lieu of providing that, allowance for outside parties to provide them. A toe was stuck in the water in that regard but the movement throttled down very quickly.

 

7. Cockpit damage.

 

8. Bullet holes with high-res skins. Also, an upgrade to the bullet hole damage. Respectfully, its visual appearance is a bit arcady at the moment.

[Olham 164]

6. Historically accurate airfields. In lieu of providing that, allowance for outside parties to provide them. A toe was stuck in the water in that regard but the movement throttled down very quickly.

 

I'm all with you here!

If we had airfields like Roucourt, La Gorgue, Bertincourt, La Brayelle, Bertangles, Ghistelle, Vert Galand, Boistrancourt, Bailleul, Metz-Frescaty etc. etc. in WOFF,

that would raise the amount of immersion to an almost unbearable level for me!

Edited November 12, 2015 by Olham

[33LIMA 972]

Yeah I forgot about visible bulletholes on hi-res skins. And strange that after building some realistic airfields for earlier versions - I recall supplying WM with some diagrams - these have disappeared. More than realistic airfields, though, I'd like to see that Holy Grail of WW1 flight sims - ground crewmen spinning your props and then stepping back to watch you depart!

[Buddy1998 2]

If time and budget are the issue for OBD, then focus should be on improving the simulation with the current planes in the three critical areas. Like AI, FM and DM to make it as real as possible. Since majority of gameplay will be in the air. Then the focus can switch to improving single player campaign like OFFice did for OFF.

 

Last final update can be a Universal Editor to easily add/modify aircraft, terrain and objects. Kindda like the steam workshop.

[JFM 18]

Yeah I forgot about visible bulletholes on hi-res skins. And strange that after building some realistic airfields for earlier versions - I recall supplying WM with some diagrams - these have disappeared. More than realistic airfields, though, I'd like to see that Holy Grail of WW1 flight sims - ground crewmen spinning your props and then stepping back to watch you depart!

 

I agree, but with the caveat that attention be paid to which engine utilized that. For instance, since the Mercedes engines had starting mags you wouldn't have guys spinning props for the Albs, Fokker DVII, Walfisch, etc. You see repros having guys swing props but not even for all of them, as I saw a Fokker DVII in CA and the pilot fired it up. But I agree it would be cool to have that. Will sims ever progress that far?

 

Speaking of spinning props--and I know this would be WAY down the list even if these things were actually addressed--the props in WOFF spin too freely after the engines are shut down. They spin and spin and spin like props on a modern turboprop spinning in the breeze. But turboprop props aren't connected to a crankshaft and pistons. Props on recip engines had to overcome cylinder compression and that stops rotation quickly; sometimes the props "back up" partially at the very end. Behold the very end of this video for an example:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HYpvRBlti4

 

 

[Hauksbee 103]

6. Historically accurate airfields. In lieu of providing that, allowance for outside parties to provide them. A toe was stuck in the water in that regard but the movement throttled down very quickly.

 

All I really want from WOFF GOLD is for OBD to cover my bar tab at the BOC.

 

As for historically correct airfields...we're working on it.

[JFM 18]

I know you are, Hauksbee!  I wasn't talking about you.

[Olham 164]

Great news, Hauksbee! Many of them shouldn't be all too difficult.

Vert Galand is a crossing with farm buildings in one corner, and three fields with Bessonau hangars,

sheds, and tents. All these "buildings" might already be in WOFF and could be put together?

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2015 by Olham

[Stickshaker 0]

I very much would like to see late-war rare airplanes, like the SSW D.III and/or D.IV and Junkers D.I

Also I would like 'real' grass, but that may not be possible with the CFS3 engine.

Still, I am very happy with what we already got, thanks to the relentless dedication of the OBD team. Even if the development cycle of this sim has to end sometimes, I hope that the expertise and database that was accumulated in its creation will be utilized in a new WWI sim one day. It would be a great waste to let all the knowledge and insights wither away.

[Dutch_P47M 9]

Better graphics are always welcome.  

I would like to see the repair of the Force feedback, the WOFF FFB feels right now as a rumble on a gamepad [if it is are working], just try CFS3-MAW and you will feel what I do mean inhere. This is I think rather simple job by porting the FFB aircraftfiles from OFF to WOFF.  

Edited November 17, 2015 by Dutch_P47M