Well, life isn't only about making even more money. Having fun doing it and being able to focus on something one has passion for ranks very highly I think (as long as you meet some minimum standard of life quality otherwise). I would choose the same thing as you I think... and by the way, I loved airplanes my whole life I think. At first more modern looking jets (starting with F-4 Phantom II to modern times. I found myself in the middle of the 1980's (born in 80) with the planes then, where it was cold war type aircraft. Thanks to IL-2 many years later, I got a big, if not bigger, interest in WW2 era aircraft too :)

The method you use for selling more versions is clever and logical. Eagle Dynamics are doing similar things, and they realize it is the best way too I think. Because then the older sims can be benefit from technology of the new sims, and at the same time keep the 'family' of the sims together. But a requirement for this to be successful is that the start sim engine technologically is 'future proof' so that can upgraded and adapted easily for the coming sim stand-alone expansions. IL-2 was like this and SoW will be too.

The gunners don't need that much AI or commands. But since they are always with us, they probably need a bit more variation to their speech than other aircraft. Even when everyone else is shot down, you still have your crew members/gunners in the same aircraft so it is logical.

I use a program called "Shoot" for Windows sometimes, that can recognize my speech (very accurate and fast!), and I use it to talk to the AI in IL-2. It is a bit complicated to set up with all the keypresses needed, but I managed to make it so fast that it is impossible to see the HUD radio stuff appear (realistic). I think that a native feature in IL-2 to support speech recognition would be a good idea for many reasons, including for third party expansions etc. For civilian flying too. There is a lot of possibilities for anyone developing the AI speech and pilot speech interaction using such a feature. Native is better than external. And this is an area that has very little development in the game world, developers just didn't care about developing and using it.

EDIIIIIT: Some things would make speech interaction much easier and useful (here are suggestions).

1. Logic to permit someone to be talking only to one other plane (selection basically, other AI ignore the commands). This way it is possible to keep closer communication with a single wingman or leader. Naming another aircraft or the group makes them listen to commands again.
2. Related to 1, tell the other pilot to execute basic maneuvers like "break left/up/down/right" or "tach weave". Wingman tactics benefit a lot.
3. Be able to use numbers to tell them more specific things. Like altitude, heading, speed, the direction of a contact, how many contacts, the range at which to open fire (just examples of possible uses). This is impractical for typing but not a problem for speech recognition.

yea speech recognitions is possible... in one language... and if u have an accent... makes it even harder for the computer to understand... and if someone else wants to play... the computer has to learn their voice too... and not many people want to read an entire novel to their computer so that it can understand their voice enough to command AI in a game...

Don't have to read a novel (although that SHOOT program, which is based on very old technology, needs a bit of training to function properly).

Nothing to force English, can use any other language that has support from whatever speech API/engine is being used.

And, nothing that says that one must fly with this specific option. A simple way of calling out a contact to an AI could be just to look at the contact (with your headtracking or whatever) and then click a button, and the right direction, height, distance etc is done automatically.

1. We had the very first in the word own game with the speech recognition build in game driver. With the training it was working 100%. Used for voice control of weapon, like on some soviet aircraft of 70-80th (MiG 25 had it for example)
The game, except not so modern for that time Engine (better than Duke 3D but worse than Quake II, had a lot of innovations, that never had before. Some features like two hands weapon control, fancy weapon, etc - was copied later by other developers.
My game simply was born too early... (except 3D engine and used DOS OS).

The game called Madspace and released in 1997. Currently I found just one english language source that describing other features of the game (12 years ago):

http://www.stereo3d.com/madspace.htm

Original box of the game was looking: http://www.old-games.ru/games/M/mads...pace_cover.jpg


2. We did many new commands... especially when you now can command up to 40 aircraft at once. Or separatelly...

the structure of commands we tried to keep as more as possible close to IL-2 structure. - more easy to learn. Also we add there new features (for example like typing altitude :)).

Hey, that's neat! I didn't know you made anything before IL-2 to be honest. I always assumed it was probably something flight related. You do seem to like to push for new things other people have not yet exploited (innovator).

I will see how it works out, then pass hard but fair judgement. :mrgreen:

Anything that involves typing for stuff can be made to work with external programs, like "Shoot" that I mentioned (since it pushes keys). Request: ability to hide the interface for anything related to AI commands. Like NoHudLog=1.. It should still work, just not be visible. This makes it look better when using external voice programs - no hud stuff, no typing of letters being seen. Also the structure should be such that there is no need to reprogram the button presses when switching roles (for example, from being a new pilot at lowest rank flying wingman, and then another mission flying as squadron leader - the keypresses should always be the same to reach a plane/group. Otherwise, voice commands suddenly mean something else in one mission to another).

I vaguely remember reading that SoW will have it's own voice protocol, like IL-2 had it (no one uses it now though, people mostly use nothing, sometimes teamspeak or ventrilo). And something about the radio reception and transmit being simulated by the radio type and atmospheric conditions, range etc. It would hopefully mean too that getting your radio shot means no communication. And no communication when bailing out or crashed (this is a very unrealistic part of using teamspeak online, I don't like it). Perfect for multiplayer. One reason people don't speak can also be because they have to be quiet (play at night, people nearby, thin walls bla bla. Headphones make them hear everything but cannot talk).

A problem is still that some people don't want to talk to others directly. And people are divided by teamspeak and such other things. Maybe they are shy, exhausted whatever. It would be nice if we could make these people communicate by allowing the AI radio interface work with human players too. One can talk voice, the other can reply with the tab-number key interface if they want, instead of typing (because typing is really impractical and unrealistic). They can even use speech recognition to push those buttons.. funny but it would work. For really shy people :P I just remembered that Battlefield 2142 has a bit of this system. Limited, but worked.

More EDIT

Wish: Radio commands assignable to controller.

Method for non-speaking people to interact with others online: To call out contact, zoom in on contact and push some button. Then it transmits the contact report to the flight group in voice actor voice, just like AI would call out contacts.

One top-hat on a joystick is enough to control a lot of practical radio interaction without even having a microphone. If advanced, can be context sensitive. Call out the correct plane, determined by plane is closest to center (and distance) on view screen.

Example (top hat):
WATCH OUT (someone on your tail) - Context Sensitive.
BREAK LEFT! - Context Sensitive.
BREAK RIGHT! - Context Sensitive.
HELP ME! (anybody :P )

If held for 1 second:
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
CONTACT REPORT
WHERE ARE YOU?

Some things can be automated. Like "I'm bailing out", "I'm wounded".

To permit interaction properly with voice users and avoid spam: timer before the next command can be sent. Commands are not sent if someone is actively talking in the same flight - delay until they finish their transmission.

We did from 1992 too more than 40 games small or big before Il-2. There was one fancy flight sim called Stormfighter (1995). Also we were working with City Information System GmbH - the final result Navigations maps in cars (first was for PC).
I hope when we finally will have a separate site - all or main part of that info will be placed there.

You may also find other very popular our game in the world - gagboy or under other name - Minx (then all was copying this game even for sells) :):):) Don't fall from the chair when you will read "about" in this game by the second click of mouse :):):)
It was free distributed and was one of the puzzles in erotic game Gag

Oleg, can the altimeter gauge be set on the aircraft in SOW

Do you mean to set zero altitude on the airfiled by the user-pilot? You all want to know too much! :) Yes we have it. By separate command-button. If you don't press it before the flight - will show Sea Level. Youi need to set it before each flight. Don't know if it will be saved auto for the currently used airfield. Maybe yes.

Also I was asking my guys to make presets for trims. Saved for each aircraft by user. How it will looks/works optimal - don't know yet. Probably it ill be 3 sliders in the panel of arcraft customization. Default - trimmed for cruise speed. At least I have such idea. Useful or not - you may discuss already now. I personally thing it is very useful, especially for the beginers that begun to use more complex settings... My lder son have a problem using trimmers... my little son - simply don't understand it yet... and ask Papa to set plane to fly normal without constant input of stick.

You have dealt with us for over a decade, Oleg. You must have known we're a bunch of over-inquisitive misfits. :razz:

Thanks boss :grin::grin: