Hi. I have been lurking around these boards for quite awhile, but never posted anything. I tried AH a few times during Beta, but didn't stay because I didn't want to pay 30 bucks a month (AirWarrior costs 10 for similar gameplay) Also, I don't like how I could not carry my name to AH, because AH doesn't allow names using anything but numbers or letters (so "J_A_B" is impossible to use)
I am posting now, because I think some outside air might be needed here.
The "Combat Trim" will not ruin this game. It will not make it any more/less realistic. It will simply be an optional feature, like padlock.
As for the arguments about reducing realism:
yes, constant autotrimming reduces realism. I don't see how people can complain though, because Aces High is already unrealistic with trim.
How it it realistic that a BF-109 can trim its ruddder? A real 109 sure couldn't--they lacked rudder trim of any kind.
Why don't FW-190's get automatic pitch trim, like real ones did?
Why can any plane in the game trim itself in flight? The VAST majority of WW2 planes could only be trimmed on the ground, to a single speed. To be realistic, most planes in AH should not be able to trim in flight AT ALL....instead, they should have an option in the hanagr to "trim for ____ speed"..which would then be the plane's trim speed for the entire flight.
On top of all this, "combat trim" may very well ADD to realism, not reduce it.
Think about it...
In those [few] planes which the pilot COULD trim in flight, trimming was done with little wheels. Unlike in this game, the pilot did not lose his abilty to look around when trimming. However, If I move my hand from my view buttins to trim, I can no longer look around...and losing sight of the enemy is not a good thing.
I have a two-button K-mart joystick...no rudder pedals...no throttle except keyboard...and because of things like trim, this game puts me at a disadvantage, simply because I don't have super controls.
That is NOT realistic...contrary to popular belief, maintaining plane trim was not usually a factor in air combat--because [most] planes could not trim in flight. SO, really, the ability to trim in Aces High reduces realism for the most part, not adds to it.
There is no single perfect way to model plane trimming without also modeling real-life forces..which is obviously impossible. Different games, therefore, use various comprimises. The game I play--AirWarrior-simply keeps the plane trimmed at all times, in all attitudes, for everyone. Not exactly total realism, but its fair for everyone.
Aces High models trim, but adds an unrealistic means of controlling it. A large part of the game has become how well you can control trim, which wasn't even possible (usually) in reality.
Adding "Combat Trim" will re-focus this game on flying skills, rather than [unrealistic] trimming skills.
Thanks for reading,
J_A_B
