I've found the latest version (1.90) very playable. I've been a strong critic of WW2OL since it's BETA but it's changed a hell of a lot. The keymapper is a huge improvement over what it used to be. The 64 player view limit has caught me out sometimes but not all that often, most instances of this may stem from poor SA as the icon system IMHO is one of the best ever used in a MMOG, combine this with the lack of a Linda Blair view you have to be a lot more vigilant so you don't get bounced.
The radio system still leaves a lot to be desired, I have gotten used to it but it's not as intuitive as others more tried and tested solutions, seems they went for something different and were not quite sure what that 'different' was going to be.
The graphical 'chunks' are a huge improvement from the old way of displaying damage but still not far enough but this is under review and the way it is now is not really a show stopper for me.
I'm not a RL pilot so it's hard to comment on the FM's but they do feel a lot more believeable than before. The luftwobbles are already moaning they can't turn fight without their Messerschmitt Tri-Plane from version 1.8x
Now they have to use boom and zoom tactics to survive although I feel the experienced 109 pilot will still be able to mix it up but right now most of them are too busy moaning about Allied bias
I like the way in WW2OL you take off across a bumpy airfield and without some care you'll end up stuck in a bush where as in WB or AH you can just go full throttle and not have to worry to much about flaps etc, the planes especially the bombers do really 'feel' heavy.
The gunnery is more challenging, how realistic this is I don't know but it feels more realistic compared to guncams from history archives for planes of that era.
The mission system really needs fleshing out it feels like more of a placeholder than anything and you do see a lot of lone wolves in the arena just using a mission to launch without bothering to check it's goal or to fly with others or even fly to the designated target. That being said as as happened in AH it does offer the facility for players to link up properly with a common radio channel and the organisations behind the two sides have put up some good missions. The attrition system at first can be frustrating but it soon teaches you the value of landing your aircraft and I've not seen the kind of gamey suicide tactics used in other sims like AH or WB.
Bombing is where WW2OL really keeps my interest, it's a shame there were so many show stoppers before v1.9o for me as right from the start CRS have opted for realistic bombsights that require time and skill to use to good effect and requires good co-ordination between the bombardier and his pilot. I wish all online sims would use realistic bombsights.
The graphics won't win any awards but this sim is a few years old now but does still cut the mustard for me. A terrain fileld with landmarks that can be used in conjunction with a printed map means GPS is not needed and the lack of inflight radar is very refreshing yet it's still easy to find a fight. I like flying low on the way back home from a mission following roads skipping over lines of trees and watching hedgerows whizz by. The ack is'nt uber here and it is possible to fly across a city and take only a few pings and not loose vital parts from an uber accurate otto. The cockpits are nicely done apart from the unreadable instruments at 800x600 res, at 1024x768 it's much improved and you can make out the information you need from the dials without always having to drop to instrument view. I like the restrictive view system, IMO it's more realistic than some sims I've played.
It's got it's bugs there is no denying that, some may find them show stoppers such as the 64 player limit but as I said this has effected me only a few times but I do wish there was perhaps an option to switch the bias of this 64 limiot depending on what you were doing so if you flew planes you could tell the system to show 64 planes first and not ground units as well and vice versa, perhaps even have it a toggle option as you select you mission so if you're up high in a bomber you can bias towards planes, if you're going to jabo then perhaps leave it the way it is and if you're on the ground bias towards GV's etc. The damage model needs serious attention but it is being worked on and CRS are now delivering on the promises they made, it may be too late for some but if you're a flightsim fan you're doing yourself a dis-service by not taking up the offer of a free trial and finding out about this sim for yourself.
I'm sure some smart mouth with an agenda will want to quote and tear this post apart, save yourself some time I'm not going to be responding. I saw the thread and popped in my two cents, don't agree? don't like it? tough sh*t
