For a WWII PTO combat flight sim, this is what I would like to see in an initial release:
Ability to smoothly run with a realistically large number of aircraft in the air (think Cliffs of Dover)
VR is a must-have and should deliver 90fps on mid-range hardware (think Falcon BMS)
Performance prioritized over eye candy, always
Multi-threading
Ability to use an unlimited number of USB controller devices
Ability to detect 128 (or more) inputs on each controller
Period: Late 1941 to mid-1942
Setting: Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Midway
Factions: US, Japan
Flyable plane set (US): F4F, SBD, TBD
Flyable plane set (Japan): A6M, D3A, B5N
AI aircraft: Scouts like the Catalina, Jake, Pete et al, that would be needed for the opposing fleets to locate each other (and for the player to hunt and destroy)
At least one interactive carrier from the Yorktown/Hornet/Enterprise types
At least one interactive carrier from the Akagi/Soryu/Shokaku types
Appropriate surface forces and escorts for each faction
A submarine from each faction (for scouting and for us to hunt)
Massive ship AAA of multiple calibers
I think this scope of work is enough to make a strong debut and keep people very entertained and busy for a year or more. I love eye candy and I understand that it's critical to sales; We eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths... IMO, poor performance destroys immersion faster than any other facet of game design and I would hope that the devs never sacrifice performance in pursuit of eye candy.
My nice to haves would be:
An intuitive and (comparatively) easy-to-use mission editor (think DCS)
AI that attempts to replicate the Japanese 3-plane basic fighter element with the two wingmen constantly weaving
AI that supports its wingman
Massively tall cloud formations as seen in the Pacific
Convincing looking rain
A large range of historically correct aircraft skins built-in (so we don't have to rely on community skins to replicate historical battles)
That's my essay. I can't begin to express how excited I am for Combat Pilot. I've been waiting for this since CFS2.
Cheers!
