The funny part about this is that they "redesigned" the whole graphics thing once already when Oleg was on board. Now they brought it up to "advanced beta" level by (according to you) spending a whole lotta money. All because they care what we think of the present game, not because they are about to repackage it with Soviet planes for their home audience.
And my theory about them bouncing with whatever they made and NOT supporting Cliffs of Dover is more far fetched? No common sense in that one what so ever.
I'm pretty sure that if most reasonable people agreed that 1C: Maddox gave at least a damn then the flight sim market wouldn't be just a niche. You speak from a group of a few hundred people that still actually have this installed and play it after receiving a broken game with no support, and yet at the same time you represent "most reasonable people."
BTW, do you know what I played today that
wasn't broken? Il-2 w/ HSFX 6, and Rise of Flight.