Ive onl been playing and paying for a year, but Ive popped in and out ever since warbirds, always kept an eye on the game.
to me it seems the flight model is a lot lower fidelity than it was way back. that may entirely be my perspective, bit just seems there is less "feel" to the game now... the sharp corners have been shaved off.. auto take off, auto combat trip, stall limiter, clipboard map with arrow pointing where you are going...
You dont have to know how to take off, hold level, navigate.. nothing..
aircraft (all of them) seem way to stable... there is no wind.. for me it takes the FLYING aspect almost out the game.. it seems less like a combat flight sim and more like a First Person Shooter with airplanes..
my take probably doesn't make sense, probably shouldn't, im just trying to explain my take which is hard.
what irks me more, is that people EXPECT this crap..
example..
take the clipboard map.. that shows where you are and what direction you are facing.. get rid of the little plane icon.. and replace it with a dot..
you still know exactly where you are.. but you have to look at your compass to determine your direction.. SIMPLE.. guess what, people would piss and cry in droves.. that they have to go through all the trouble at looking at a instrument to see what direction they are facing.
I remember a time when bomb craters would damage your landing gear if you drove through them at speed... I can only imagine what caused that to be nerfed.. but let me guess.
"oh no, there is a bomb crater in the runway, I actually have to make an effort to take off.. that sucks, im not paying to have take off, im paying to pwn n00bs!!" "how am I supposed to spawn out and die over and over again several times a minute if I have to drive around this dang crater! this sucks!!"
the you get into stick stirring, and unrealistic manuevers that in no way shape or form could be pulled off by anyone EVER... you come in chasing a guy both of you doing over 400mph and out of nowhere he slams nose down pulling probably -10Gs gimme a break.. his eyeballs would pop out of his head, he would look like the damn cookie monster.. if that doesn't throw here comes the aircraft rendition of thriller.. time for us to flop up and down roll in a symphony of mindless spastic undulations.. its not hard to counter, but thats not the point, that crap shouldn't even be possible.
the list goes on, some things bother different folks more than others... for mer, personally no one of these things ive mentioned are in and of themselves "deal breakers" but when you deal with them all together, it really sullys the game play (for me). which is why I all too often find myself logging on, flying 1 maybe 2 sorts.. and then logging off..
nothing.. well few things would make me happier that if all the AUTO crap was gone.. from autakeoff to auto trim.. to fly the airplane you have to FLY the airplane..
but that will never happen? why.. you see it on the text every day
"how do I start my engine"
"go to the TA" "read the website"
"i dont wanna, just tell me"
"how do I put up my gear"
"go to the TA, read the website"
these people, they aren't necessary idiots.. some are.. but mostly they just don't want to make any EFFORT to do.. ANYTHING.. that's just society in general.. everyone wants things given, but doesent want to earn them. Im sure many of these crutches built in the game are specifically to cater to these people who want instant gratification with not effort put forth on their part.. too bad it carries such a diluting factor, because others have to put up with them.
