Chrono

The problem with educated-guesses is that it leads to more and more of them and ultimately more and more complaints. Example: Fudge the radar range, but now you have 100% accurate data on a AAA system. The real Longbow could engage and defeat the system, but the sim, because it's fudged some data, isn't going to allow it. Now you have to fudge the AI so that Longbows don't go after this type of system if they're painted by it, but call in an air strike or skirt it. Now your KA-50's are going to get more action than necessary, since AAA is going to falsely constrict airspace. So you're flying along in your KA-50, hunting some artillery, but you've got Longbows all over the place because, statistically, they're occupying less airspace. So you complain on a forum about all the unrealistic air-to-air helicopter dogfighting going on. What's ED to do? From the example, it's not so easy to simply make the Longbows' #DEFINE AIR_TO_AIR_PROPENSITY or whatever a little less.

Whatever the date is, sooner's better, for me. With my American dollars getting cheaper by the day, I might not be able to afford it in the spring!

Tomcat, baby!

Boo Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is not our ally. If we never sold them another piece of military equipment again, it'd be too soon. They'd all be milking camels if it weren't for our "modern and decadent Western lifestyles" that demands their oil. There's a lot of technology that simply needs an "economic argument" to be made for it and "oil age" will go the way of the "bronze age". Wait until gasoline hits $4 or $5 per gallon in the U.S. Decentralized cities and towns? Mass transit and the end of the long commute? A return to the days before the car? "Company Condos", like they have in Japan? Electric cars? Algae-based biodiesel? Methinks Saudia Arabia sees the writing on the wall.

What if someone invented a multicore CPU and somehow figured how to run two different lines of code at once? Or better yet, came out with a specific piece of hardware that could process the graphics? :music_whistling:

Until the trees get in there and block the enemy LOS, I think I'm going to be dying quite a bit. Choppers really need trees. Single biggest oversight of the Longbow series. And heck, DI's Apache and Hind had them, albeit in a very simple way. Still, they blocked fire effectively.

Didn't watch the link, but adding a "non-combat" aircraft like a transport helo ought to be an easier add than something like the Apache or a fast-mover, for sure. No (or very minimal) weapons systems means a lot less research and programming. Plus you can attract the MS Flight Sim crowd that doesn't like being shot up too much (pussies... :P). Fly in, fly out, mostly. Maybe a hot LZ here or there, but nothing too difficult. Just stay behind the scouts and gunships.

Until they wander into here and leave with their tail between their legs... But seriously, a good casual mode will keep the price of the sim down for the rest of us. Falcon's "easy" avionics are pretty much FUBARed since they get no attention from the developers.

(Horse Race Announcer's Voice) And it's Mi-24 out in front! No one's even close! My God, he's coming up on the rear of the MD-500! (/Horse Race Announcer's Voice) I voted for the Cobra, because I want some maritime ops and I like landing on something like the U.S.S. Tarawa. But anything else that lands on a boat is okay, too.

I wonder if CH has any plans to come out with a split throttle to support independent control of the engines, or RPM/Collective control? No need for a complete redesign - just slap a latch and the left hand portion of another Pro Throttle onto a base. That'd be ultra cool. Anyone remember the poll CH had a long time ago at CH Hangar? Asking us if we wanted MFDs, an F-15-style HOTAS, and other such things? They've delivered on the MFDs, sort of...

Awesome info and some awesome links - this'll be a good start for creating some training material.

Agreed, thanks for coming out with anything at all. A good chopper sim has been long over due, and the addition of the Apache and A-10 will keep me entertained for a long time.

I've still got the strategy guide to Longbow 2, but I wonder if there are other resources out there. Real life documents from the worlds' armies? Great documents, online, produced by the various communities? My understanding is that you've got to fly your chopper like a tanker, not a pilot. Choppers should be viewed as fast tanks with long guns, not fighters that can hover. :pilotfly: My biggest problem in Longbow has always been coming over a rise in the terrain and getting pegged by something just on the other side to my flank. :helpsmilie: Stay in the valleys? Or stay on the ridges and look down into the valleys? Discuss.

Strike Fighters, Wings Over Vietnam, Wings Over Europe, and the host of community add-ons. I've got Wings Over Europe - it looks fun, but I'm way too busy to get into it.

A mercenary campaign would remind me of U.N. Squadron. I wouldn't mind it, if it were one of a few campaigns. I kind of miss the "personal" squadrons where the AI had names, grew in skill, and there was some background story and cut scenes. I'm thinking of F-117A: Stealth Fighter 2.0, back in the early '90s. Might be able to grow the sim audience a bit with a bit of an RPG backstory.