How exactly does removing ammo counters improve the game?
There are tradeoffs for realism/playability in any sim. Most of the
"make it more difficult for the hell of it" crowd seem to forget a
great deal. For example, how many fly with a HOTAS setup in
here? I worked on fighters in the mid-80s and hotas was just
in it's infancy on the birds I worked. In the 1940s you had to
reach down and flip switches, turn knobs, pull levers to control
things like trim and the prop.
On your computer you can press a single button and have it
perform several functions at once. I don't hear many complaints
that the trim controls work too quickly, or the engine starts too
fast.
All I am saying is have a little perspective. I am certainly not
against improvements, far from it. I'd like to have a rear view
mirror available to the aircraft that had one..I also realize this
is not a priority here.
The realism in this case does not oppose the gameplay aspect of it - the realism
IS gameplay.
The very fundamental heart of the whole simulation genre itself relies on reality - a simulated sensation which is in close resemblance to the real-life counterpart aircraft, is practically the only edge these types of games hold, over all other else. No matter what someone wants to say about "gameplay", the goal of simulation is to make it as real as it gets.
Now, there are some problems inherent in trying to simulate reality.
For instance, we can't expect a gamer to go through weeks and months of flight training to up a simulated aircraft.
Nor can we expect them to create custom cockpits looking like the real thing, having to operate all the switches and stuff.
Sometimes, the limitations of current technology make it absolutely necessary to implement some types of concessions. The icon system immediately jumps into mind.
However, aside from that which cannot be averted, all else should be as close to the real thing as it gets, at least, up to the point which the developers can handle.
Like I said we don't expect people to take weeks and months of training to just operate a plane. But we do expect people to gain weeks, months, years of experience to become good in this game - why?
Because, how the game is played out - the essentials that follow within the boundaries of realism AS gameplay(not realism VERSUS gameplay), itself, is something that cannot be yielded. Yielding in something like that, results in something like relaxed realism arenas, external views, unlimited ammo... - you name it.
Ammo counters are the same thing - ammo counters are one of the factors which determine how realistic the gunnery can become. Maintaining strict discipline with the trigger takes practice and experience. As you cannot keep accurate track of your ammo laod round-per-round, you are expected to conserve it and save it until you are absolutely sure you can hit it. You have to keep a general sense of how much firing time your plane has, how much you have fired so far and so on.
It makes up an important part of the process of learning air-to-air combat.
Not to mention, it also distinguishes individual characteristics of certain types of planes from others - some planes are more advanced and pilot-friendly in the internal systems(such as ammo counters, automated controls, better cockpit layout and etc etc..) compared to others. Having an ammo counter is a relative advantage which one type of plane has, but the other does not.
The upper mentioned factors, are realism issues which make up gameplay, not deterr it.
Ofcourse, once one gets used to all the wonderful crutches a game has to offer, one may think differently about 'realism'.
Heck, why do we even need stalls and limited ammo at all?
