The gauges you refer to are typically NOT critical.
Realistically online all you need are airspeed, vsi, manifold, fuel sometimes if you take a gas guzzler, compass, (might be 1 or 2 more cant think of them now) anything more is not really critical as triming can be done by eye/feel.

A toggle key could be added to show instrument panel as in Falcon 4. Which has a virtual pilot body in pit.

No need for a virtual pilot to get in the way of the gauges. I can see my own legs and arms in my peripheral vision.

1002. Size of pilots HEAD

Skarphol

Sorry... don't agree at all.

You need the slip and ball to make sure your aircraft has best registration on targets. Many people ignore the slip and ball and screw around for a year or two wondering why they can't shoot straight. LOL

On several aircraft the slip and ball is lined up in line of site behind the joystick. That is a nuisance, but with a big old virtual fist wrapped around the stick (which means nothing) you can't see it at all.

That looks like Saxmundham in Suffolk. Is it?

That is half-way true for IL2. We don't know if it will be true for SoW, especially when all indications point to increased systems modelling at higher difficulty settings. You might need to manipulate fuel tank selectors in mid-flight, you might need to air-start a damaged engine that cut out during violent maneuvers, or got choked/starved due to incorrect fuel mixture, etc etc. Things like that require quite a few controls, which are not in direct visibility of the pilot most of the times. The reason? Well, they keep the instruments you mentioned in his immediate field of view because they are important. The other stuff gets tucked away on side consoles and in all sorts of weird places depending on aircraft. Most of the controls required to start a P-47 for example, are situated left of the pilot at about the height of his legs, so they would be obscured if a pilot was displayed in the first person cockpit view.

I have a TrackIR3 that helps quite a lot, but only a MS sidewinder precision pro 2 stick. It has a single throttle, twist rudder, a hat switch and 8 buttons, that's all.

So, how am i going to start up my engine and manage non-critical but nevertheless important systems of my aircraft in a full difficulty SoW server, when all i have is 8 joystick buttons and a keyboard? By clicking things with the mouse of course. As you can see, non-critical controls means controls that are not used in combat or emergencies. They are still pretty much a necessity for starting and completing the mission though, things like starter, battery switch, fuel tank selector valve etc. I don't mind seeing a pilot in the cockpit, but if i can't click on what i need to click i want a way to turn him off instantly. Maybe a toggle key can be added to turn off the pilot, if it is in fact decided to display him.

As i like to say, i don't want to force my opinion of how the game should be on other people, but i also dislike having the same done to me (not accusing you of such by the way). So, when in doubt, the best thing is to use toggles and option menu parameters and keep everyone happy ;)

I'd say the scale of the pilot is pretty important, your concerned with the size of roads but not the size of the pilots?

I appreciate the attempt to belittle other posters tho

How you going to start your engine...E is usually the defualt key. No need for gauge, all functions mapped to keystrokes.

That's why i said it might work for IL2 but it might not for SoW.

A single command engine start works in IL2. You seem to think that this will be possible in SoW as well and it will most probably, but only on lower difficulty settings.

According to the interview of the development team posted on the forums of the check-six simulation community, in higher difficulty settings this doesn't work for SoW because there's a detailed start-up sequence. Just like the ones used in Black Shark and FSX, but with fewer things to do because WW2 aircraft are not so complex.

So to put it in simple terms, if i had a virtual pilot modelled in the cockpit at all times, i might be forced to fly certain aircraft at reduced difficulty settings because i wouldn't be able to see and click some of the switches needed for the higher difficulty settings.

WW2 aircraft are not as complex as modern ones, but you still need to flick anywhere between 5 and 20 switches to turn the engines on, depending on airframe. There's simply not enough buttons to map everything if all you have is a Sidewinder joystick and a keyboard.

I prefer using a hybrid control scheme, with flight controls, flaps, gear, guns and engine controls mapped to joystick and keyboard, leaving all the other stuff to be operated by the mouse. I think it's easier than having to map and remember that ctrl+shift+F turns the fuel selector valve counter-clockwise and ctrl+alt+F turns it clockwise.

As i said before, i have no problems with a pilot being modelled in the cockpit, as long as i can turn him off whenever i want to. You can keep him on at all times and map everything to your HOTAS set, i can keep him off most of the time and use the clickable cockpit interface, we both get what we want and that's pretty much it ;)

You got it right mate. Pilots' size is easily adjustable = it is a false problem. On the contrary, landscapes need a long work: if you ain't it right in the beginning it's more difficult to correct things. Moreover, when I fly I see the landscape all time long, while I hardly see any pilot at all in game. But maybe it's just me ... :D

Cheers,
Insuber