I believe SoW will be good.. but it wont change arcade pilot behavior...

This is actually a setting on the server side...mini map path. It is up to the server admin to have this enabled or not. It's not a cheat, just a difficulty setting.
Many servers have this mini map path enabled. If you don't like it, fly on a full switch server.

Indeed that map icon is a server setting. I much prefer to have the icon on...so I know where I am :)

But thats a configurable thing that should be something set by a server or by individual difficulty settings when offline than something imposed by the developer.

Plus the arcade behavior can be quite funny sometimes...seen some guys do some hilarious things to try and avoid a fuel truck they didn't see when they decided to just take off straight ahead at full speed :D

For gods sake I hope it won't stop Arcade flying!

Seriously, the sim fanbase is formed by way too many harcore geeks anways. Luring more ppl into this genre should be top priority, thus giving them options to give this game an arcadish entry to those that have interest in air quake servers at first. By expirience most folks start this way and only later come to enjoy the more realistic settings. I have high hopes for BoB bringing in a lot more younger folks and to shake up the old crusty community here and there. As long there are options for realistic settings for me to fly I am all for including arcade servers for those newcomers.

Similar to Beowulf, I hope there are myriad options. Personally, I fly on the more difficult servers, but to introduce this sim to an entire new generation of pilots, having scaleable options is not only nice, it's almost necessary.

True, there's also a lot of undeserved snobbery.

In reference to arcade behaviour, it's a pity no-one has compiled a collection of moments yet... put them together with some music.

All the above points leave out the factor that prevented pilots from hanging about over airfields across the Channel on either side, namely fuel endurance. At the time the BoB is representing, neither side carried drop-tanks. In and out was the order of the day, as well as the majority of fighters being restricted to either escorting bombers or intercepting them.

I don't have much problem with the idea of 'hit and run' sorties by fighters (and fighter-bombers) that hit airfields, factories harbours, trains and the like. The Luftwaffe used this tactic a lot - but they couldn't and didn't linger for long. Hanging around to "vulch" was an invitation to interception by scrambled fighters, as well as taking a hit from anti-aircraft fire. Any hit in a fuel tank threatened a swim in the Channel, or worse, and it just wasn't sensible to chance that.

So, I would like to see a setting that accurately portrays authentic fuel endurance relative to the map. But I doubt even that would prevent people from getting "arcadeish". Maybe just not award any points at all to those who don't return? ;)

B

I sure that SoW will model authentic fuel consumption (as does IL2) but in an online session (not counting co-ops) most of the action occurs in a very limited area and even 25% fuel would give you quite a bit of endurance.

In your average dogfight server people would quickly loose interest if they had to fly for 20 odd minutes before getting to the target area. (I know I would!)

Also many of the so-called vulchers setting up camp over an enemy airfield know it's only a matter of time before they get picked off by AAA or someone gets lucky enough to get off the ground. They have no intention of returning to their base. If they can get 3 or 4 or 6 planes before they get shot down it still looks very good on their K/D ratio.

Hopefully the feature of manning AAA at your airfield after your death will allow you to even the odds against those pesky vultures! (I hope there is a good Bofors training mission in the sim!)

Hhmmm! I wounder if SoW will keep track of your AAA kills? ( seperate from your Air to Air kills of course)