Discussion of Interview with Enigma

[Jason_Williams]

Quote

Dear Pilots,

Our friend and combat flight-simulator addict Enigma (as if that's his real name) has asked if I would sit down for a chat about all things Combat Pilot. I agreed and here is the result. I enjoyed talking to him and I hope you find it interesting. It's hard to answer questions about the future before you have all necessary tools and people in place, but I did my best to be honest and upfront about what we are doing. I apologize in advance for all the "ums" and stilted cadence. I slow way down when I have to talk and think at the same time! Happens when you get old. Thank you to Enigma for taking an interest in Combat Pilot development and dedicating some space on your channel for us.  

 

Below are a few new renders and screens from our dev team. They are in the interview video, but I have posted here as well for you to enjoy. Hope you like.

  

  

Jason

Hope you guys enjoyed or found it interesting. If you want to discuss this interview or have any questions you can ask here.

Original announcement is HERE. 

Jason

[Boba Fett]

Wait, no one has posted the requisite “first” yet?

[Jason_Williams]

3 minutes ago, Boba Fett said:

Wait, no one has posted the requisite “first” yet?

It's a 90 min interview. They got sucked in and forgot to post! 

Jason

[Enigma]

I hope people enjoyed the interview.

[InvisibleBlade]

It's a long listen, but some good stuff in there. Sounds like you guys have a good plan and are really trying to make this a great game. 

[ZachariasX]

Ehm... first?

[FlyingShark]

Thank you for the interview.

 

Have a nice day.

 

[ZachariasX]

A great interview indeed! took a while to listen to everything. Thanks, that was indeed good info! Really looking forward to this sim! 🫡

I have to add the term "geo spacial system" makes me sleep well tonight...

Edited September 28, 2023 by ZachariasX

[Jason_Williams]

Glad you guys liked it. I hope I can be more specific about the Pacific in the non-too-distant future. Hey that rhymes! 

Jason

[Trooper117]

After that, I'm ever more hopeful that you are going to pull this off... I'm sure you know, we are all rooting for you to succeed!

[Jason_Williams]

15 minutes ago, Trooper117 said:

After that, I'm ever more hopeful that you are going to pull this off... I'm sure you know, we are all rooting for you to succeed!

I hope we don't fail then! That would suck.

Jason

[Koziolek]

I just finished listening and there is only one thing for me to say. Good luck! I really hope you will be successful. I know it's a long way to go but I'm already excited.

BTW this is what I call communication. It is still too early, I understand you could not reveal much but you spent more than an hour showing that you care about us, customers. It is a pity you could not teach that to the people you used to work with

[Jason_Williams]

2 minutes ago, Koziolek said:

I just finished listening and there is only one thing for me to say. Good luck! I really hope you will be successful. I know it's a long way to go but I'm already excited.

BTW this is what I call communication. It is still too early, I understand you could not reveal much but you spent more than an hour showing that you care about us, customers. It is a pity you could not teach that to the people you used to work with

Thank you Koziolek. Appreciate the compliment.

Jason

[Mysticpuma]

I have only listened to the first 35 mins (listened on the way back from work). 

Really pleased to hear mention of the new technology on the table, especially PBR graphics. That certainly lays down great expectations of quality models. 

 

I know you said you can't mention off the shelf Game Engines like Unreal or the amazing water water effects of Unigine 2

What is clear though, is that starting from scratch allows all new features of these game engines to be utilised. 

I did hear you mention about systems, features, damage models. 

BoX added new visual damage tech and for me the immersion really improved significantly! 

The feature was a progressive damage effect, so rather than the wing snapping straight off, you can see the structure fail. 

And here at the 1m 40s mark:

I hope this or even a advanced version with much greater variety of "break points" can be added, along with Hydraulic failure (wheels slowly drop as Hydraulic oil pressure drops) and with a significant improvement in the damage model meaning there won't always be a few hits and the aircraft burst into flames or explodes. This video of the DM in Clod shows the survivability of an Me-110 until it finally losing a chunk of wings, the hydraulics fail and the wheel extends and the aircraft spirals to its doom. 

My final request is that whoever creates the Visual effects, does their absolute best not to make the arcadish with vast plumes of smoke (unless critically damaged and significantly in flames)

Hopefully PBR will help the fire and smoke react with the available light. 

There are many gun camera films available from the Pacific, and while few have massive flames and black smoke, (unless a fuel tank erupts) the usual is smoke that dissipates very quickly and this leaves a thin smoke and vapour trail. BoX unmodded is so over the top it's frustrating. 

Here is a great discussion thread with a perfect end result. 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/82663-would-anyone-be-able-to-take-a-look-at-aircraft-deep-black-fire-smoke-effect-files-please/

The result of the modding was much more natural. 

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/82663-would-anyone-be-able-to-take-a-look-at-aircraft-deep-black-fire-smoke-effect-files-please/?do=findComment&comment=1251962

 

All in all, from what I have listened to, the project sounds very interesting and your passion for it really shines through in the interview. 

Final point, please do this regularly (every 3 months?). As can be seen by popping over to the BoX forums, lack of communication is beyond frustrating I know you understand that but community engagement really is vital for keeping the interest alive and the Sim in people's minds.

Good luck for the future, cheers, Mysticpuma. 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Mysticpuma

[Mysticpuma]

Oh and PS. When I posted on the BoX forums my question "If you were starting a flight sim from scratch, what would you want", firstly I had no idea you were considering this, but secondly... what a great post 😂😂😂😂

https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/82455-so-if-you-started-a-flight-sim-from-scratch-a-new-project-what-are-your-must-have-features/?do=findComment&comment=1248573

Edited September 28, 2023 by Mysticpuma

[Sea Serpent]

Clearly there are two different approaches to customer relations! Good interview.👍

[wheelsup_cavu]

Good interview.

 

Wheels

[Lusekofte]

Well this fore sure sounds good. I can’t really find anything to bitch about.  
 

What a bummer. 
 

give me my Kate

[kissTheSky]

Just starting listening. Looks to be quite interesting listening. 
 

Thanks for this @Jason_Williams and @Enigma.

[Sea Serpent]

39 minutes ago, Lusekofte said:

Well this fore sure sounds good. I can’t really find anything to bitch about.  
 

What a bummer. 
 

give me my Kate

You truly are a b**ch, lol, but I’ve come to appreciate your Leroy Jenkins approach to the Mi-24, so there is that.  Not too much else.

[Boom]

Lots of info contained therein. But what impressed me the most was Jason's philosophy towards the games development. Pragmatic and methodical, yet still given to soaring visions necessary to carry the game forward for many years to come. Nothing is ruled out, a willingness to learn (and adapt from older games) from the past and very customer focused.

Very impressive and bodes well for the future.

[Ribbon]

Impressive interview from both sides (Q&A).

 

[Enceladus]

If there were 3 features I would want to have in Combat Pilot, these would be my picks:

1. Drop Tanks

2. The ability to be warned by your wingmen and gunner(s) of enemy planes, and to be able to call for help.

3. If you hover the mouse over an instrument it tells you what it is and what it’s reading, for instance the Oil Pressure gauge 52 lbs/square inch. This will be useful for the Japanese planes; when I’m flying a German or Soviet plane (and Italian, forgot about that) in IL-2 GBs, I don’t like it that I’m looking at an instrument, I don’t know what it is because it’s in a language I’m not very familiar with and don’t know what it’s telling me.

[SOLIDKREATE]

I am watching right now Jason. I can't wait man!

[Mysticpuma]

1 hour in now. 

Couple of extra questions. I heard mention that Multiplayer and Servers will be a focus. I know this is a contentious issue, a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it, but I love stats. Love them! 😂

Years ago, I used to play on the Warclouds Server in the original IL2 and they had a superb custom stats system called T.A.R.G.E.T 

Rather than repost what I asked of Clod, here is a link which shows the type of stats it could record (percentage of bullets fired, percentage hit, how many targets destroyed, etc, etc). 

Will Combat Pilot put in place either in game or as a tool set for servers, a detailed way of recording multiple options of stats, long term so that each time a player returns their records continue? 

@Enigmaone point I heard you make was that Multiplayer is more popular. Sadly the facts show that offline has 4x as man users than online, so focusing on Multiplayer is a quick way to reduce potential revenue. I like both, but the figures don't lie.

Jason, you mention third parties working with the team and that you are open to this... I know TFS were approached previously and a couple of modellers are or have helped out from the team, do you see TFS as a possible third party in the future, or maybe just part of it? 

Final question, the Ai. Have you heard back from Buddeye who created the amazing Ai for BoBII:WoV? 

Thanks for the interview both of you. Really interesting so far 👍