buddye

HI WF2, Thanks for posting the video. It was interesting for me as I do not scan the SIMHQ forum. Why would we want to close a ROF thread? Seems we will have new information and data daily on this WWI flight Sim.

Yes, there are always risk and the management of ROF is clearly "green" and short on experience, IMHO, but the developers have a dream and they are all over worked and under paided Russians living in a very high inflation country who have joined an upstart company. I clearly understand the risk that the game could/may become a "wall flower" and of no use to me because of problems with the ROF business model. Everyone should vote on ROF with their pocket book which is the way the business world works. I choose to support the developers and check out the work they have done with a specific focus on the AI.

Thanks for the post. It has a nice list of ROF strengths and weakness (but I gather you do not own a copy as yet). I look forward to testing the AI (as an AI developer it is my prime interest), the FM , physic, gunnery, and damage. I am also interested in the landscap and ROF performance. I will puchase ROF to support the Flight Sim developers (as I understand the risk, pain and effort) and to test its features and compile its strengths and weakness (and my personal likes and dislikes).

Well, as an American and a developer on another flight sim, it does seem to me to be a rather a "low" priority issue considering the scope of the flight sim and how busy the developers can get.

Well, it is true that the communication and anouncements are having a few restarts. Management may be a bit green.

I just have to say that I have nothing but respect (and thanks) for TK and his team who take an older Flight Sim and "extend" its life for the players enjoyment. The same can be said for Winder and his team who had the ideas and skill to extended OFF and the same can be said for many other flight sim teams as well. They all need to be supported by our small (and growing smaller) flight Sim community. When a Flight Sim meets your own personal "requirements" then take the time to "get it" and complete an analysis of its strenthgs and weaknesses first hand. We owe it to our fight sim community, IMHO. Do not let somebody else do this homework for you.

Good discussion. I think it why so many players list strengths and weakness that do not personally matter to them (personnally) and therefore do not add value. It may also be why people buy car features they do not require/want. Using your example for Ford and Toyota cars: If I do not require a GPS and a Power Windows, then they should not be listed as a strength (if not on the other car) as they are really an unnecessary cost for me and not really a strength. For a Flight Sim, if I do not require MP, then it is not a strength but if you compare it would be listed even though it would not matter to you personnally. It is OK to compare features you require, I think.

Thanks for the data Womenfly2, very interesting. Beta Testing provides good data as always. I do not think it is effective for one to compare flight sims. One should list his/her requirements for a flight sim (specific as possible), and then test the flight sim against his/her requirements. When one compares he/she just ends up proving what he already thinks, IMHO. A set of rquirements is not so personnal. The bottom line should then be a list of strengths and weakness of the Sim you are testing based on meeting or not meeting your requirements list.

If I have learned anything over the years, it is that 'EVERYONE" wants/insist/demands something different in a fight sim. Everyone's flight sim feature priority list is different. Also each and every fight sim has its strengths and weaknesses. I consider this data a fact so everyone's comments are based/reflected from their priorities and views of what is important to them. When I see a well received feature of another flight sim that I am testing (and I own and test all the prop full function flight sim's), I start thinking about how to implement it in BOBII but I know not everyone will want the new feature. An example is historicly accurate weather (BOBII's campaign simulates the weather each hour of each day of the BOB based on weather records). Some players do not want to fly in rain and bad weather as they have other priorities (yes, it is a disappointment but a fact) so we offer options with a default which results in more development cost and effort. I am also interested to see if ROF marketing strategy (an ex-exec software manager's fault of mine) will work (narrow base with later add on's, required internet connection, and a strong focus on MP (will the AI be effective?) and not single player). With our base of full function flight sim's being so very small, we developers and players must learn, experiment, and test each and every one to learn their strengths and weaknesses with respect to what we want and value in our flight sim's.

I will purchase ROF (just like I purchased BAH) to take a look at the AI and check out the FM and other features. I would recomemnd the BAH developers to do the same. We all need first hand knowledge of fight sims.

The OFF team will get their sales. It will just not come all in one short period like the big names. Just keep making improvements, fixes, content, and new stuff. Keep the customers engaged and always review customers comments and recommendations. The sales will come weekly over the years if you stick to your basic beliefs (historic accuracy, realisism, and fun). A publishers is for a new game and requires a very big cut of the pie. We have continually had BOBII weekly sales since 2005 when then game was published. The weekly sales increased with the download version. I recommend a long term out look for OFF and getting the correct price.

Sales are a problem for a old sim like BOBII and BAH (Yes, BAH will be considered old as it must use CSF3). Here is what we did: 1. Get you price right. It is too high now. A fair price for our given the market is about $20. 2. Get BAH into a fast download environment so the Friday night impuse buyer will try it. 3. You can get 20-30 downloads per week during the winter and fewer in the summer when players go outside for fun activities. 4. Keep your outstanding support and forum involvement 5. Maybe a major upgrade down the road if sales support it but again price it as an upgrade. 6. Stay the course

This is really super. I love this forum and already feel at home. This was so smooth so the development taem can basicly keep on chugging. I also think the new owner is a good manager, businessman, and leader who stepped in and made the correct offer. Funny about opportunity. :yes: