Unfortunately "skill" has little to do with detecting deflection and closure rates. Being able to clearly see the plane has the most to do with it and on a computer screen you are at a distinct disadvantage versus real life.
Except you don't see things 'clearly' as you might think, in real life. A human's ability to measure distances and speed does not reach out as far as you think. Many people dig up the 'stereoscopic vision' argument for this, but stereoscopic vision is practically meaningless when the distance is further out than some 50 feet.
When an object is further than that, people judge distance in relation to background visual input - human sight selects a 'reference point' on the background, and judges how fast the target is moving by comparing its position and how it shifts compared to the background.
If an object is moving either directly away or into you, often it is very hard to judge relative distance - especially when the surrounding is empty and void like the skies.
Whatever movement an object does further out than 1k, the icon system tracks it with increments of 500yards which is plenty enough.
Whatever is within 1k, AH graphics is pretty much sufficient enough to give most of the visual input needed.
Admit it guys - you just want to go back to the days when we could instantly judge E-states at first glance without having to watch the attitude of the plane.
