BoB SoW and SONAR

[rollnloop]

There's a "feature" in IL2 that has always irritated my ears, and destroyed part of gameplay in my view, and this is SONAR (sound navigation and ranging).

Many soundcards, including the 4 i used in IL2 current lifespan, have had this "feature", less present with my latest (audigy2) but still somewhat here:

I could hear any ennemy coming, and start evasive as soon as i did.

Playing with Attenuation= seemed to have an effect, but i never could eradicate this totally.

This changes the gameplay much, because if one wants to bounce the ennemy it can be done only with engine at idle to delay the time when intended victim will hear the incoming threat, and possibly be able to shoot prior being heard.

My own experience flying props (about 300hrs) is that one doesn't hear other engines when in air, even when flying close formation with a more powerful aircraft. On the ground, with own engine at idle, one can hear faintly other engines of close aircraft if they power up, though not too loud. When own engine is powered up, others can't be heard any more. I never flew open cockpit, if one who did can bring his own experiment he's welcome, i think it doesn't change much the experience, but who knows ?

Still, I demonstrated this "feature" to Luthier a few years ago on HL, but it seems there was no will to change it for IL2. It was certainly not impossible to do since a talented modder has done it, but it required time, and time is money.

Now, i haven't read anything yet that makes me sure this "feature" is removed from BoB, and since we are lucky enough to have a dev that reads this forum, please voice your opinion on SONAR, and let's see what happens with BoB.