I've always wondered if it depends on the amount of testing data that exists versus if HTC had to purchase or create a wind tunnel app to generate the data knowing the airfoil and 3D wing shape and extrapolating the drag and lift factors for the rest of the airframe. 3D model rendering is one thing, 3D physics modeling and motion is another.
It would be kind of fun if Hitech added a feature to our film playback where you see threads attached to the lift surfaces and you could freeze frame, zoom in, and see what's happening to the airflow. Might give the trainers a bit more visual info to work with player questions.
Also the amount of engine\prop data still available, or did they have to build\purchase an extrapolation program to create values based on similarities that could be scrounged up off the internet or various private and government data sources.
Then there is the matter of internal photos of pilot and crew positions. Unless accurate enough scale drawings are allowable sources leaving the color pallet up to known historic country standards and the ingenuity of the art team. The ventral gun position in the A20 and Boston for example. Good drawings are out on the internet and the AAF manual.
It could also be a budgeting issue due to the economy and what can be expected. Like many companies HTC may have cut back on overtime for projects(sleeping under the table to hit release dates) and we are all waiting for the 2013 budget cycle to kick in 1.1.13.
In the last few years alot of toys and effects have been pumped out creating an expectation of toys and changes versus game play. If the game becomes about new toys and effects opposed to playing the game, then can the game stand on it's own as a combat simulator?
Are you here to play the game or are you here becasue you want SantaTech to stirr the pot one more time? I love new toys like anyone else. But, a new toy is not combat or the interactive community in the arenas.
Toys are not a substitute for bordom.
Just remember the Me410. We spent months telling each other it would be a drag racing Semi with gun packages from hades. We got a fully loaded 18 wheeler instead, most of the time sitting in the garage collecting dust. Come to think of it one of my gunsights helped a squadmate hit bombers from 2-2.5k (25Mil below center elevation)with the 50BK. My best was about 1.5k testing that gunsight in the drone circle. Correcting the optical resolution in the gunsights was one of the better tweeks Hitech made to his game over the years........
