Id have to agree, they look really nice.The muted textures do indeed give it that real feel.
Ive never played the actual game , I think i tried the demo once but it failed to run properly so I dont think i ever realised it was so good a game.
Ive been asking for bullet holes /instrument damage/oil spray etc for years now. I dont think eye candy should be overlooked at all. After all when you think about it the more you are immersed in a virtual world where things behave similarly to the real world the more we feel we are really doing stuff.
Its exactly those points where things dont behave how you would expect that lose the 'feel' that we all seem to crave.If your engine is hit and according to what you can see it has oil damage yet what you see is not a speck of oil anywhere youve missed an opertunity to fool the brain into thinking its 'almost real'.
I say MORE eye candy!! one day i want it so real looking that i cant tell which is real! Then we can start making 'ACES virtual dancing girls HIGH XXXIV'

hehe