Sixgun

1. High moddability 2. Detailed carrier ops 3. Detailed comms and ATC 4. Seat-switching in multi-seat aircraft 5. Dynamic campaign 6. Good performance on older systems 7. Detailed cockpit procedures (switchology) 8. High resolution graphics, terrain and effects 9. Story-driven campaign (less dynamic)

I am in agreement that TK's system as a base is pretty much ideal, and that what most of us want and lack are some added capabilities like AAR, helicopters, fully implemented carrier ops, and a real multiplay capability. Maybe larger maps, and a more complete damage model. Anyone remember loosing their hydraulics in Fighters Anthology? I played Janes' Fighers Anthology for a lot of years even after "better sims" came out just because of all the things you could do with it.

Last night there were six of us running co-op games. Great stuff. Hope more of you will join in the fun.

Dammit, that got me all misty-eyed!

Well, we might be able to convince TK to do a newer version of SF for us with slightly more complexity and better multiplayer capability...especially if he knew there was a definite market...pre-orders would help. After all, this is what we want isn't it? Just a few more features, better multiplay (maybe not based on directplay)...the current graphics capability is pretty much good enough. I would be a definite customer.

P.S. we'd love to have you join us. :yes:

Requirements, Software: WOV, either by itself or merged with WOE (stop laughing, Streaky) CLEAN (no addons) and patched up to current standards Hamachi (freeware peer to peer networking program) TeamSpeak (also freeware) tuned to the CombatAce frequency. Requirements, Hardware: Headset or PC microphone for Teamspeak Other Requirements: Patience and a sense of humor. Readiness for challenging squinty-eyed virtual neck swivelling G-pulling fun, and willingness to get killed your fair share. Willingness to laugh about the myriad ways there are to bust your ass.

Coming in late to the fight, sorry. Many folks have had a hard time understanding radius versus rate in a turning fight, and many folks have had a hard time realizing that a Turkey can pull 6.5G at 250kts all day. IIRC, 6.5@250 beats 9@450. Also would like to echo the Man in the Fight comment, but note that Hartmann was bagged more than once himself on the way to 300+ kills.

For the last couple of nights it has been myself, StreakEagle, Tallart, and Kirk flying co-op missions in WOV. We have had some great fun.

Hate to break it to you guys, but the DVD has been out for about 9 months now. I have it and it is pretty good.

Yes, and I am hearing the occasional tree frog too. Seriously, Co-op missions are quite fun!! C'mon People!!

Crickets...

I have a Kai-gunto...my first Japanese blade purchase...anyone know what that is?

It's true, a properly forged and sharpened European blade will cut really well. I enjoyed the vids of Hank Reinhardt cutting shipping tubes. I have a couple of his blades... The hardest cut I have made to date was a cardboard carpet roll tube that they use to hold large spools of area carpet. They are about 6" diameter and have walls of approximate 3/8" thickness. If your blade angle isn't just right, you're not going to get through. My bias towards the Japanese blade comes from its combination of strength, quick handling, and cutting ability. Sure a Grosse Messer will cut targets as easily if not more so, but when it comes to multiple cuts, a katana is faster and it's edge will last longer. There are few other sword designs that compare...a relatively short blade (under 30") with a two handed grip. Aesthetics are another area where the katana shines. Plus, there's something to be said for a design that has basically remained the same for over 600 years. I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

I am a student of the Japanese sword (shinkendo), and I have several katanas. I also have several European swords, including rapiers and broadswords. I have to say that the Japanese sword is probably the best cutting sword in the world. The main reason for this is that the curvature of the blade is such that it always presents a cutting angle (not square on) to the target. The other reason is that the forging and shaping methods leave the cutting edge very hard, while letting the body of the blade be softer and thus more able to withstand shock and return to true. European blades are historically mono-tempered to a somewhat lower hardness in order to remain flexible. Most well made katanas exhibit a superb balance at about 4.5"-5.5" from the "tsuba" or hilt. At far as the armor piercing ability of the Katana, it is quite impressive.The fact that the spine of the blade remains the same thickness until the last 1-2 inches of the blade allows for great tip strength. Thrusts against plate-mail, however, are generally ill advised due to the curved plates' ability to deflect a thrust that is not right angles to the plate. http://www.chenessinc.com/videos/steelchair.wmv

YAY!! You rock dude!

"Sandstorm" was a "noodle" name. Just threw it up there to see if it would stick. I'm open to suggestions. Needs to be something clever on the desert theme. "Era" oriented mod packages are not necessary. The game dictates the era (the server does anyway), so I am looking at establishing just one whole set of mods based only on the merit of the mods themselves. Besides, later we'll do a WOV and a WOE list too. SF is my first choice for this because of the fictitious arena, it allows for anyone to pretty much fly anything they want. I'd like very much to see what the MF guys' suggested mod package includes, but my aim was for a community vote or consensus. Metal, maybe this thread should be moved to the Virtual squadron area...I might not have been wise to start it here. Sorry. On the other hand, it may just draw cricket noises there too.

Nobody ever seems to do the Snoopy tail art on the "Hunters" paint scheme.

I'm not so sure that this is right, guys. What does this value represent? If it is a drag or angle of attack coefficient then it seems right like it is.

Aggie, can you clarify this? I don't know what I'm looking at when I see it. What needs to be changed? Is this it? [LeftOuterSlat] SystemType=HIGHLIFT_DEVICE CLiftdc=-0.0102 CDdc=0.0027 Cmdc=-0.0002 DeltaStallAlpha=2.34 AreaRatio=1.022 DeploymentMethod=AUTOMATIC_AERODYNAMIC_LOAD Setting[1].Angle=30.0 Setting[1].DeployValue=123.5 Setting[1].RetractValue=133.8 MaxDeflection=30.0 MinDeflection=0.0 ControlRate=2.0 AnimationID=3

Well said, sir...I mean Zur...sir.

I guess my point is that I'm not so sure that's desirable. At least to me, it isn't, not without better systems to transmit feel.

I guess I'll weigh in on this one. I am a civilian pilot with a little bit of dogfighting, formation work, and aerobatics in my logbook. My opinion is that the flight models on "Hard" settings are probably as realistic as they need to be. What I mean is that with these sims, you are simulating being a real pilot in a real plane, not just the plane itself. In other words, the edges of the envelope are not perfectly realistic, but are more representative of where a trained pilot, combined with a fairly realistic flight model could or would put himself. In other words, the "virtual" you isn't going to overstress your "virtual" airframe to the point of breaking something by pulling too hard on the stick, or get into a departure situation by pulling through the buffet in an accelerated stall, because your virtual you limits the real you...hopefully. In a real fighter turn in a real fighter, you have many more cues to what your airframe is doing than in a sim. The accelerated stall, for instance, starts out with a nibble (slight buffet and no noise) and rapidly progresses (as you continue to apply back stick) though a pronounced rumble and shake to a point of heavy buffet where it sounds and feels like there are twenty guys out on the wings beating them with their fists. Continued pull results in a nice excursion from controlled flight, often including un-commanded rolls, sometimes somersaults, and many times ending with a nice (hopefully upright and conventional) spin. Obviously these symptoms and behaviors vary aircraft to aircraft. IL-2 captures this fairly well in hard mode, and it's a pain in the butt with the lack of real life feedback. Trust me when I say you don't want this too well modeled on the sim, because you get no seat of the pants feel to keep you from going too far. Sure there's some rumble and some screen shake, but it's not enough. Heck, its not always enough in real life, either. A very experienced U.S. Navy A-4 pilot did an unscripted snap roll trying to regain some angles on me after I laid a big lead turn on him. It's fun to watch on video. Actually the hard settings with all the Heads up info turned off is maybe harder that the real thing because of the lack of S.O.P. feel, and unless you use a headtracker, you can't reference the airspeed too well. Believe me when I say it is hard work just pulling 5-6g and looking up through the top of the canopy at the other guy across from you in that one circle fight with the sweat rolling down into your eyes. Better have your helmet on good. Something that is definitely easier in real life is formation flight, once again, because of the lack of feel in the sim. On the balance, though, your situational awareness is always better with the sim because of padlock view. It's all about tradeoffs. The real issue with flight sim realism is getting the relative performances of these virtual airframes in the right order. Just my two cents. FastCargo can relate much better than I. A flight sim buddy of mine who is a corporate pilot said one day: "If these sims get any better, I will never want to fly a real plane ever again." I'm not sure I agree, but the sims are getting really good.

So when are they going to quit screwing around and make a live action adaptation of Starblazers?

Yeah we got to get this going again. Lately it's been me, DaSpungie, and Doghouse showing up in HL. Unfortunately, usually nobody has time to actually play. Hopefully we can get a regular group at a regular time, say two nights per week, two hour windows. Anybody up for a challenge ladder? Don't hit me.