A very bad learning tool.....

[sniperton]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

In any case, things like plane ID tags and padlocking corrects for the game's rendering limitations and for the limits of computer monitors.

I'd also point out that we're simulating the exploits of men who usually had 20/20 or better vision, excellent peripheral vision, and extremely good object recognition and reaction times. So, arguably things like padlocking, plane ID, etc. allows IL2 to model a "human factor" that most people (and probably most players of IL2) don't have.

Viewed in this light, it is no more unrealistic than allowing out-of-shape, middle-aged civilians to have the same resistance to g-forces and injury as a highly-trained and athletic 20 year old.

I agree. Unless you have a three-monitor setup of 25+ inches each, your vision is so much limited in comparison to RL that visual aids like plane IDs and the like cannot be considered 'unrealistic' IMHO. And I think a 2D 'flat' instrument panel (like UDPSpeed) would be closer to RL experience than the present-day 3D one, even if you use it with a TIR and a stereoscopic mod.