Author Topic: Il2 -Sturmovik (Read 2458 times)

Edbert · « **Reply #15 on:** July 27, 2004, 12:36:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Tumor
IL-2FB is awesome. Flight models feel better (harder), graphix way better, engine management etc. If Oleg ever figures out how to combine massive multiplay with his eye candy and flight models (for realists).. HTC is history.

As one of Dale and Doug's biggest fans I fear you may be right. I give IL2/FB/AEP the nod over AH2 in all aspects of the "simulator". But then again it is 3 CDs and numerous large patches worth of code and sights/sounds. It is easier to be good at the candy when you come in a box.

"If Oleg ever figures out how..." is a big thing though. There's not only the net code but the server load would be almost impossible. Can you imaging tracking 500 players and all of their bullets and bombs with IL2, and all of theother small details? I'm thinking large cluster, Beowulf anyone?

Wotan · « **Reply #16 on:** July 27, 2004, 01:13:51 PM »

Oleg's not worried about massive online. From survey's he has stated that only around 10% of the people who bought FB fly online regularly. He makes more selling the game and the add-ons then he would from online subscriptions.

HTC has been able to keep cost down and keep the min requirements low enough to fill the online vacuum.

With FA, WBs 200X, and AH the competition for online subscription play is tight anyway. I guess Oleg could come up with a scheme to license a 250 man server to folks and let them run their own.

It would require a user friendly terrain editor that would allow the server side to place the objects (towns, buildings etc) as needed. This would help reduce the sys and bandwidth requirements but they would still be high. Right now the large Leningrad map has over 1 million objects on it. Most of the other maps are too small to have over 100 people on. Some are crowed with 32 (Tunisia).

Oleg is busy with BoB anyway and will make quite a bit without massive online capability.

That said even with 32 folks on a DF server with small maps is terrific fun. No one blows up your fuel or hangars and there no dweebs in gv's rolling up to vulch you as you spawn.

Even the scripted DF servers do a better job providing fun then the CT or main in AH could do. Hell, on those type servers I even do a little jabo now and again...

http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/334_1090096841_ss3.jpg

So the ah main may have 500 folks online but 90% are pork and auger with the other 10% spread out over the map. The smaller 256 x 256 maps help keep the fight close but once the 512 x 512s come back in rotation that 10% will be hard to find.

I just gave up on AH all together. The game play is just capture the flag with planes and not much of an air combat game. Even with wwiiol’s FM that type of game is better played over there. It’s more in depth and more immersive with all aspects covered (land, sea, air). All these games have their problems but as I said before fighting p51 in AH is just boring in FB/AEP it’s a lot of fun.

United · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2004, 01:28:36 PM »

Just downloaded the original demo. From first glance its a great game, nose bounces a lot, and the FM is a little bit sketchy (less forgiving than what I experience in other sims). Eye candy is the best Ive seen in a simulator, but no online play!

If anyone else has the demo, btw, tell me and id be glad to go online with ya in it!

Eagler · « **Reply #18 on:** July 27, 2004, 01:41:36 PM »

you can get it for a steal on ebay:
http://search.ebay.com/il2-forgotten-battles_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQfromZR10QQsotrZ2QQsosortpropertyZ1QQsosortorderZ1

Wotan · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2004, 02:01:16 PM »

If you are going to buy anything get the FB/AEP Gold pack. (unless you have FB then just get AEP).

Edbert · « **Reply #20 on:** July 27, 2004, 02:48:48 PM »

...don't forget another major plus with IL2/FB/AEP...

Native support for TrackIR!

Edbert · « **Reply #21 on:** July 27, 2004, 02:50:08 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by United
From first glance its a great game, nose bounces a lot, and the FM is a little bit sketchy (less forgiving than what I experience in other sims).

EVERYTHING is less forgiving, you have to really manage your engine now, and just wait til you see the gunnery

Creamo · « **Reply #22 on:** July 27, 2004, 03:11:16 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by sling322
Online options arent what you think. They arent massively multiplayer like AH or even WB or AW. The number allowed online in a game at one time is limited.

To be fair, you assume what online options players may find essential. If you want to capture and bomb, and win a reset, sure, you need a large arena. But to furbal, 500 people in a MA make no difference to the player. Your avoiding everything else going on to find 20 people that want to furbal as well, and hope you have fuel to do so before the guys playing AH RISK show up to do some fuel strat number thing.

Il-2 just takes out all the extra stuff and gives you DF maps. Add in graphics that are way better, it’s free, and at least for 30 furballers, it’s a helluva good time.

I like the COOP missions online better, but that’s what AH TOD will be doing.

wklink · « **Reply #23 on:** July 27, 2004, 03:18:01 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by United
Just downloaded the original demo. From first glance its a great game, nose bounces a lot, and the FM is a little bit sketchy (less forgiving than what I experience in other sims). Eye candy is the best Ive seen in a simulator, but no online play!

If anyone else has the demo, btw, tell me and id be glad to go online with ya in it!

The game has changed significantly from that first demo.

I have played the game from pre-alpha to currently and it is by far the best offline flight simulator ever made. The graphics, flight models and campaign are top notch. You can scale it to be as easy or as hard as you want and with the patches (which are not just patches but generally aircraft and terrain add ons as well) have made it better.

This is an example of the rare time when a developer not only creates a product, but continues to support it long after release. In the works is a new game using the IL2 Engine covering the Pacific war with landable aircraft carriers. See pic:

I can't wait for this.

rabbidrabbit · « **Reply #24 on:** July 27, 2004, 03:59:27 PM »

I still don't get why HTC doesn't work on providing better graphics as optional downloadable patches. It seems they are stuck in the late 90's with the bandwidth/CPU power thought process. Maybe I'm missing something but if IL2 can get MMOG going I'd leave HTC. Most customers have machines capable of much better graphics than whats in AH2 and those who don't could just move that slider down.

Wotan · « **Reply #25 on:** July 27, 2004, 04:22:12 PM »

All you have to do is read the whines of the folks who can’t get their pii 400s to run ah2 now. There’s far more of them and they are far more vocal.

Besides just up dating ah graphics won’t pull more folks in, look at Wbs. It looks better then ah and is about the same price but had 35 people online on a Sunday.

If anything ht would loose folks.

People aren’t going to stop playing FB/AEP because ht updates, they aren’t going to stop playing wwiiol. HT has to update moderately to keep his existing player base. That’s where he earns his living. AH isn’t what it is because HT can’t do anything else. It what it is because it’s making money.

rabbidrabbit · « **Reply #26 on:** July 27, 2004, 04:34:22 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Wotan
All you have to do is read the whines of the folks who can’t get their pii 400s to run ah2 now. There’s far more of them and they are far more vocal.

Besides just up dating ah graphics won’t pull more folks in, look at Wbs. It looks better then ah and is about the same price but had 35 people online on a Sunday.

If anything ht would loose folks.

People aren’t going to stop playing FB/AEP because ht updates, they aren’t going to stop playing wwiiol. HT has to update moderately to keep his existing player base. That’s where he earns his living. AH isn’t what it is because HT can’t do anything else. It what it is because it’s making money.

Still don't understand why optional graphic upgrades would hurt business. if anything, it should help retain those who want better eye candy while retaining the low end business. What am I missing?

Pongo · « **Reply #27 on:** July 27, 2004, 04:48:39 PM »

So you think that HT should architect the game so that it can have two or more totally differrent front end graphics engines, with two or more totally different sets of wireframes and skins and maps. With two or more totally different hit resolution systems for the different front ends. Or one more complex that could interface with any graphics front end.
All with just his lonesome to write and support.
Different cockpits for each level, Different skins for each add on skin for each level
Or he could write one graphics engine that allows level of detail to be dropped hopefully enought to allow lower performing systems to participate.

I like what he is trying to do. I think what your sugesting(if I understood it) would be unworkable.

rabbidrabbit · « **Reply #28 on:** July 27, 2004, 05:22:20 PM »

I would think that the whole idea of AH2 was to have this engine in place. You see what I'm talking about on most other games out there where one can crank down the graphics to suit the limits of of your machine.

Wotan · « **Reply #29 on:** July 27, 2004, 05:35:48 PM »

HT doesn’t have the resources or the personnel to maintain and develop multiple front ends. While they spend time developing a higher detail option then this means no new aircraft for some time and means tod will be pushed back even further. The folks playing AH2 are the folks who played AH1. It looked worse the n AH2.

You have variable graphic settings via the sliders.

A higher level of detail front end will mean more work for little return. No matter if they offer it as an option or as mandatory. In fact as an option it would mean more work. Making it mandatory will push some customers away.

Folks like me who left AH didn’t do so because of graphics we did it over game play. As I said it’s just capture the flag with planes.