Combat Pilot - First Release

[Feldgrün]

From the FAQ:

Q. What will you be releasing first? 

A. What we will sell exactly, either as a first product or the general release, is unknown at this early point. There are many options and configurations available to us. We may sell a small product to generate income ourselves and not rely on outside parties for additional funding, or we may make a deal with an outside party that will allow us to make our first release larger and more feature rich. It remains to be seen. What we do know is that we have a plan for the first year of development and we are striving to meet those development goals and deadlines. Once that foundation is built, our future plans will come into focus much more. (5/21/23)

First release should be two planes. I'd love to see a full initial release with aircraft carriers, a full set of planes, an airbase on Midway, etc., but I expect that will be a long ways off. To generate income and interest in this sim, I'd recommend a very basic map and two airplanes: F4F Wildcat & A6M Zero. It could even just be air start over the sea. This would give us time and experience to fly these new planes while the rest of the sim is being developed. It would also generate money for this project's development. Perhaps those who bought the initial two-plane version would get a discount on the full version.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Feldgrün

[javelina]

It's practically a given the Wildcat and Zero, I would think.  Great points.  Heck, I'd even go for an initial SBD and a test dive bomb range.  🙂

As time marches on, we'll learn more. 

[Majakowski]

Who would buy a game that features only two airplanes and then only air starts with no scenery at all? I certainly wouldn't and would wait until proper content is there. Problem is that all people who will wait for proper content wouldn't earn the company money in the meantime.

We are not talking about an internal prototype featuring two boxes swirling around in the void to just test the feasibility of a basic idea but a game that is bound to gain traction from offering a rich experience and will heavily depend on how its introduction into the market will be received.

And leaving out practically all the enthusiasts that are there for more than some warthunder skirmish will certainly be seen as a kick in the bowels and immediately destroy all trust in the company.

Edited May 26, 2023 by Majakowski

[JediMaster]

Didn't Rise of Flight start out with 2 planes only? No carriers, but there was terrain.

[Trooper117]

21 hours ago, Feldgrün said:

Q. What will you be releasing first? 

A. What we will sell exactly, either as a first product or the general release, is unknown at this early point.

There is your answer... saying anything else at this point is a waste of time

[javelina]

40 minutes ago, Trooper117 said:

There is your answer... saying anything else at this point is a waste of time

Exactly

[Feldgrün]

1 hour ago, Trooper117 said:

There is your answer... saying anything else at this point is a waste of time

Anything we post here is speculation. There's no game yet. We're all wasting our time, in a manner of speaking.

Starting with two planes is my suggestion for a future game that we may not see for years. 

[Lusekofte]

I probably do What I do in DCS and box. I buy those planes and never fly them. In hope for content I want. 
I understand the choice of planes that goes for itself. I am used to kickstarter in this genre 

It involve a risk of wasting money, not money that was meant to feed your kids, but money you can afford to loose

[Chief_Mouser]

Well, it is supposed to be Midway, so there's your map. But to have any slightly meaningful sim here there needs to be at least one Japanese carrier (even if generic) as well, so that each side has a starting point. That way, even if it is F4F vs Zeros as the initial aircraft in early release that would be a useable beginning.

The very minimum would be a carrier for each side if the island map couldn't be included.

The main problem with releasing the best two fighters first is that the shoot-em-up kids will be well bored and over it long before the rest of the game is fleshed out. If all that follows is a succession of deathtraps (Devastator, Buffalo) and slow and vulnerable bombers with little armament (Val, Kate, Vindicator) only the die-hards like me will want to bother.

I need a fully fleshed scenario with Midway island, carriers and escorts for both sides, a full set of the main aircraft - Wildcat, Dauntless, Devastator, Zero, Val, Kate, Buffalo, Catalina and perhaps the Jake to make it a worthwhile game. If a few of the lesser-involved aircraft are released later then that would be a bonus, but not to have the main players in at the beginning is probably dooming the whole thing to a quick death.

[Feldgrün]

2 hours ago, Chief_Mouser said:

The main problem with releasing the best two fighters first is that the shoot-em-up kids will be well bored and over it long before the rest of the game is fleshed out.

Maybe, but if it's only two planes, once more come and MP is an option, they'll get to shoot each other up instead of just AI. Also, with the addition of the "deathtraps (Devastator, Buffalo) and slow and vulnerable bombers with little armament (Val, Kate, Vindicator)" they'll have even more targets to shoot up. Even if those targets are flown by you.

[JFM]

I already can guess/know the answer as to whether we’ll have them, but B-17s took part in Midway and dropped a lot of bombs on the IJN CVs. B-26s attacked Akagi with torpedoes. None of these bombs or torpedoes hit, but still…

[Feldgrün]

I would love to see B-17s in this game, if only AI. It's one of the additions to GB that Jason wishes he could have added.

Having AI B-17s to attack or defend would make a huge difference for a high altitude engagement that isn't often seen in the GB series.

[BlitzPig_EL]

The B17s that flew early on in the Pacific were not flying a high altitude profile, nor were they as numerous as they were in the 8th. Airforce in Europe.

[Calos_01]

12 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

The B17s that flew early on in the Pacific were not flying a high altitude profile, nor were they as numerous as they were in the 8th. Airforce in Europe.

exactly, interesting reading here:

https://thejavagoldblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/bombers-to-the-philippines-quick/
 

[Calos_01]

13 hours ago, BlitzPig_EL said:

The B17s that flew early on in the Pacific were not flying a high altitude profile, nor were they as numerous as they were in the 8th. Airforce in Europe.

Something like this 

[BlitzPig_EL]

They often flew low enough o.n recon missions over The Slot to strafe Japanese seaplane bases.