A final message from Luthier

[luthier]

Good day gentlemen,

I have been a part of the Il-2 community since its earliest days. I remember getting excited by this project way back in 1999, just as the very first info and screenshots began coming out.

I remember the day I received the IL-2 Sturmovik Beta in the mail. I dropped whatever I was doing, closed my work, installed it on my work machine. I remember the very first mission I flew in Il-2 as if it was a second ago. Dusk, coastline below, dark black pixels of the four enemy planes outlined against the clouds on the horizon.

I remember the first time I got to fly the very first airplane I built for the game. I had fallen in love with the BI-1, and finally seeing the fruits of my labor in game, seeing all those polygons and pixels I poured so much love into materialize and become a living, breathing flying machine in my most favorite game in the world. The feeling was absolutely indescribable.

I remember the first time I finally met Oleg and set foot in the Maddox Games office. I still remember the office layout, where everyone sat, what I talked about with every single person in the room.

I remember the sleepless nights and the incredible hectic sense of the world crumbling around me in the months leading up to the release of my first very own major release, Pacific Fighters. The eerie quiet when it went to print and suddenly it was all over, replaced by the wait for reviews and community feedback.

So it is with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye to the IL-2 series today. It’s been a part of my life for so long, the one thing I cannot remember is not being a part of the Il-2 world.

I thank you all for being there with me, the fans, and especially all the Il-2 team members. I’m proud to have met and worked alongside you. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the Il-2 series for all these incredible years.

I loved every second of it.

Ilya “Luthier” Shevchenko

[furbs]

Good luck with what ever you try next Luthier.

[JG52Uther]

Bye Ilya, A shame it all fell apart, but thanks for trying. I wish you success in the future.

[JG52Krupi]

Thanks Ilya, I am sorry that you didn't get the success that you most definitely deserved.

All the best in your future endeavours!

[FG28_Kodiak]

Sad

Hope we will hear something from Project Galba in future

[Mysticpuma]

Good luck. Hope to see you in the new flight sim skies

[banned]

See ya mate. An incredibly sad day. I too have been there from the start. It's going to be extremely sad not having those feelings of what is coming in the next release.

All the best mate.

[baronWastelan]

Thanks for the excellent 'toy' Cliffs of Dover. Many of us will be admiring it, off and on, for years to come. In the distant future it will be regarded as a software equivalent of the famous Venus statue with no arms.

[Screamadelica]

Good luck Ilya.

[fireship4]

Thanks Ilya and good luck.