Anyone not tried WB3 beta?

[AKDejaVu]

I was flying last night and my squadies asked if I'd tried the WB3 beta.  I had checked the FTP site earlier that day and it was busy.  I hadn't thought about it since then.

My reply to them was "na.. probably won't".

It kinda shocked me that I said it, but it was very accurate.  I just can't seem to muster the excitement for this new release that others are expressing.  Maybe its just that I'm not as dissatisfied with the current game I'm playing.  Maybe its that I'd rather not fight with another beta and its inherant problems.  I don't know.. there's just no motivation.

Anyone else in this boat?

AKDejaVu

[Ripsnort]

"Raises hand"...after the arrogant response of one of the developers, I fell immediately into this catagory.  Might try it after its officially out of beta.  But as long as the developers behave as they do, I shall stay with the sims that give their customers, and potential customers the respect that their dollars deserve.

Edit: I'm not speaking of the numerous posts by HS, this is the one that strikes me that they are all bred from the same cast:

 

Requiring an active Warbirds or Dawn of Aces account WILL cut down on the "The paratroopers don't have sniper rifles! This sucks!" type feedback which we really don't need. A completely open beta too early would just generate too much feedback from Quake players about all the "missing" FPS elements, which of course shouldn't be there at all .

                   ------------------
                   Chris "VOR" Babcock
                   Senior Software Engineer
                   iEntertainment Network

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 03-16-2001).]

[AKDejaVu]

I have to agree that is, to some degree, a factor for me too Rip.

The finally on that was when they blamed the 64 plane limit on game citing that they would remove that limitation in WB3.  Later, they proudly announce that they removed the limitation, but they will not add more than 64 planes.

It seems they are learning as they go insulting everyone that has been there before them.

AKDejaVu

[Ripsnort]

Here's another classic that 'sealed the deal' with me:
 

                Ah vs WBIII get real people.

                 ** Sorry this is my last poke.

                 Ok, what do we need to compare.

                 How about AH does this.

                 1. Render the Grand camyon at 25m res, without a frame rate hit
                 2. Show us 1, 8000 polygon model, or better yet, a pic with 100,000 + polys
                 3. A terrain, that like the WBIII beta,t is developed in 1 day (8 hours) that comes close to our BETA test terrain
                 4. Any player skins
                 5. Any player AC models
                 6. full charactor animation
                 7. airfields that "blend" in with any terrain
                 8. Alpha object behind a fog bank, behind 16 could layers, that still looks "right".

                 It goes on and on people.

                 Sorry Dale is doing a great job, but you need to understand the talent base behind WBIII.

                 Enought said, lets not drag it out.

If you read the replies of all of the posts, their own community is alittle sick of it as well.

That last bold sentence is two-fold, gives praise to competitors, then acts like they(iEN) are the only ones that have talent.

LOL, better make those canopies alittle bigger for the developers!

[Fishu]

As WB 3 is currently, I didn't like it...
Graphics doesn't really impress me if interface and flight models are that same old stuff.

Though, WB 3 has more score for tries with terrain compared to AH.
Theres smoother height differences.. I liked to see some 'small' ditch there, where it would be just flat terrain in AH or hillside.
Terrain didn't either seem so boringly same looking.
one definitive bonus: some airfields has dirt runway instead of paved runway.
In AH those building platforms are boringly stinging in the eye.

but when I look at the plane models.. those looks bit too blurry and rough looking with all the polygons in those. (what they said.. even over 3000 polygons?)

So, I would stay with AH, but I still would wish for better terrains for AH.
WB 3 beta doesnt yet convince me.. it looks like a game that could been done 3 years ago already.

[J_A_B]

Hmm....so in other words, they take their brand new game, compare it to a game which is several years old, then pat themselves on the back because their game uses better technology?   How funny!

If superior game technology is the only thing they can trumpet, then they're in trouble.  

J_A_B

[1776]

I read this on AWG: http://agw.dogfighter.com/agw//Forum3/HTML/019089.html

Why are they releasing this version of WBIII???  

It sounds like it's not ready for prime time.

All the hype that has gone into WBIII and it shows up in public in a really incomplete form.  I don't get it.  Why would I pay money to play an incomplete online game??

I guess I will just keep an eye on it to see if it ever becomes a complete sim and then take a look at it.

Damn, we are lucky that HTC is around.  They have done more in 1 year then anyone has done in years for online flight sims.

I think HTC is the only one with their sh*t together!!

[Westy]

 I'll be honest with my opinion as usuall. I had the thing within an hour of the link being up on AGW. Why? I wanted to see what the hype was about. Yes. There WAS alot of hype that came before the release.For weeks and months. So I tried it out of curiosity. And I've already said my piece about what I thought of it.

 The bare nekkid truth is,  WB III could be mind blowingly advanced (which it aint) but as long as being a customer  I would have to endure HotSeat and the current iEN team/management? I'll never be a customer.  A good gaming community starts at the top down.  There are alot of goodpeopel in the WB's comunity. More concentrated jack tulips in one place too. But I have too much dignity and respect for myself than to have to put up with HS and teams baloney.

  -Westy

 
 




[This message has been edited by Westy (edited 03-16-2001).]

[Ripsnort]

Did you ever wonder why HT and Pyro pretty much stay away from posting 'opinions' of the other sims out there?  Exactly for this reason.

[jihad]

1. Render the Grand camyon at 25m res, without a frame rate hit
2. Show us 1, 8000 polygon model, or better yet, a pic with 100,000 + polys
3. A terrain, that like the WBIII beta,t is developed in 1 day (8 hours) that comes close to our BETA test terrain
4. Any player skins
5. Any player AC models
6. full charactor animation
7. airfields that "blend" in with any terrain
8. Alpha object behind a fog bank, behind 16 could layers, that still looks "right".

To put it bluntly..

Hotstink is full of toejam in regards to several statements.

#1. Look at the resources his bloated code requires... I'll wager HT could do more with less.

#2. Look at the difference in aircraft perpectives in external view... dumb bellybutton went with 3DSmax instead of Multi Gen - and it really shows. <LOL>

#3. I could put together a terrain in 8 hours with the AH terrain editor, and the whole community has access to the editor..thats not the case with Hotstinks bloatware.

#4. Why would this make any difference? I'll guarantee Superfly and Natedog will produce higher quality better looking historically accurate paint schemes and get them into the game quicker than the WB community and producers will.

#5. See above.

#6. Dunno wtf this is and probably doesn't make a hill of beans anyway.

#7. <chuckle> Shows how much Hotstink knows about AH terrain editor, this is easily done.

#8. Show me the money, all I saw was some vaporous crap that could pass for a fart blowing in the wind.

After checking out this so-called beta <alpha> I won't bother downloading the next incomplete pile of crap they throw out, if this is Hotstinks best effort no wonder iEN won't hire him full time.

[fscott]

I have been flying WBIII in offline combat mode, and I will say that actual aerial combat beats AH, at least IMO.  For some reason, it feels smoother, and the flight path of enemy planes just looks smoother and more fluid. In other words, it looks real when a bogey is following you through all your evasive maneuvers.

Additionally, combat damage is more visually exciting than AH.  When you rip up an enemy plane, you can actually see numerous little pieces of metal coming off the planes, as well as pieces of the airframe such as ailerons, rudders, wintips.  It really gives you the impression that you are "chewing" the plane up.

On the other hand, it has the same old boring rubber band flight model, which in my book is a HUGE negative.  190's feel like they are in a molasses roll mode.  Also, some of the 3D cockpit art like on the 1090E is very cartoony, although you could get used to it.

All in all, I could care less about the attitude or arrogance behind a sim.  Could give a flip whether or not the developers think they are gods.  If they put out a good product, I'm there dude.  As of right now, it is still a good alternative for AH, but not quite up to par.  The clouds are really great though. I wish AH had those clouds.

fscott

[Ripsnort]

<Sits patiently, warming hands by the fire, wondering where the WB Cheerleaders are...>

 

Actually, I'm game for any new improvements that one speaks of in regards to software technology, but....show me the money!  Can they bring this software along fast enough (from beta to production) before others lose interest and/or another competitor or 2 (WW2 online/IL-2) come 'online'?  That is to be seen.

[AKSeaWulfe]

Maybe I'll check it out... when they have an arena setup for it.. and the game is more complete.

Of course, in the end, if they resort to an hourly charge or anything over 30$/month, well it's gonna be a waste of a pretty nice terrain engine.
-SW

[Ripsnort]

Fscott:

When you rip up an enemy plane, you can
                   actually see numerous little pieces of metal coming off the planes, as well as pieces of the airframe such
                   as ailerons, rudders, wintips. It really gives you the impression that you are "chewing" the plane up.

Errr...you don't play AH much do you?  AH has this as well, and in addition to the little parts coming off, when you explode the plane, you get a cascade of parts all over!

WBIII will get better, its beta, and they have to.

[Westy]

Perhaps the WB netcops are too busy being called out on thier bull? Cabby, one of the biggest tulips I've ever seen in any of the sims has gotten a couple of em fired up.
 http://agw.dogfighter.com/agw//Forum3/HTML/019036.html


-Westy