Lately there have been a lot of posts asking for things to make the game "more real". Things like, no icons... killshooter off... friendly collisions on... removal of F3 mode in certain planes... damaged instruments... random system failure... and the list goes on and on.
For those wishing for these things... I can understand your points... and why you are asking. You want a totally immersive experience playing Aces High. You want to really feel like you are flying in real combat.
On the other hand... there are those that ask for things like AI gunners for bombers, F3 for all planes, targeting systems, repair during rearm, and other things to make the game "easier" and more arcade like.
What I think we should all remember is that in all things there needs to be balance. Personally, I think the HTC Staff does a pretty good job of this. They have some customers that are purists and realists. They have some that come from the PS3 and XBOX generations, and they have some that fall in the middle. To take the main arenas too far to one side or the other is risking losing paying customers that dont want to spend their money playing in that extreme environment... no matter which way it goes. And it is the combined income from ALL the paying customers that keeps Aces High going.
To move too far into "realism" will make this a game for only those who want it that way... and make the learning curve even steeper than it is now. This will not only drive away current customers, but prevent new ones from coming in.
To take it too far away from realism, will drive away the "purists"... and those who want as real a WW2 combat experience as they can get. More, and possibly younger players may join... but lets face it... there are already games out there that have these features, and they are better looking in terms of effects and graphics. What sets AH apart... in MY opinion... is it's community, and the dedication of its staff.
Many of these things can be done now with the Custom Arenas. For those that want it... they are perfect places to test your theories, and see if others want to play the game that way too.
So for what my opinion is worth... if it is worth anything... I think we have things pretty darn good. Ultimately HTC is going to decide what is best for their business... but I dont see them ever taking things too far in one direction and risk losing money. Remember... its a game to us... but its their jobs, and how they make their livings.
Should any of us stop wishing for things? No... we should not. Because occasionally... just occasionally, one gets through and gets implemented. And that makes the 174035 Posts and 9688 Topics currently in the wishlist worth reading.