I found this out playing around in both the M3/M16 and C.205. With even the top edge of the Clipboard visible, you take a heavy FPS hit. Try it: take a 205 up with the default head position set and check your frame rate. Now move the view forward until the top of the Clipboard isn't visible anymore. You get a slight FPS increase. For the people running P III 750s with 128 megs of RAM, they really don't see any reason for the 5 or 6 FPS increase. For guys like me, running on a P 200 and 32 megs of SDRAM, those 5 or 6 extra FPS are worth it.
An example: I was putting around in an M3 just North of A20. My frame rate was a steady 16 FPS with the default head position. When I moved the view forward enough to knock out the top edge of the Clipboard, it jumped to 26. Same for the C.205; 12 FPS normally, 21 when I push the view forward enough to not see the Clipboard. Herein lies the problem: if you puch the view up to the point you don't see the Clipboard, you lose gauges. As it stands now, you can't read prop RPM in the 205 with the head position pushed up.
Even with the Clipboard sitting there, barely in view, you take an FPS hit. It's still showing where you are on the map, even though you're not looking at it directly. This is why you take a hit.
The inevitable request:
Would HT and the gang consider pushing the Clipboard to a spot in the cockpit where you can't see it at all? Next to the pilot, on the floor, would be perfect for an idle position. To recite the problem above: if I move the head position forward to where I don't see the Clipboard, I can't see some gauges. Oil temp and pressure are the two most common gauges lost. In the 205 I've lost prop RPM and MAN pressure gauges, plus both oil gauges, because of this.
Heck, shove the Clipboard down a foot further and I'd get a 7-10 FPS increase. Problem is we can't move the idle position of the Clipboard. Click on the sucker to move it, and it pops up. So, I'm asking you guys to take care of it. Perhaps a minor FPS increase tweak for 1.04?
Flakbait
