Here it is
I'm not typically one to post on development forums, but I feel I need to say something.
No cockpit view for over half of the planes is simply ridiculous and inexcusable. I agree that part of this is laziness, and part of it is simply testing to see how much they can get away with. If excellence is expected, excellence will be delivered; but there has to be consequences for not. I don't disagree that some people have worked very hard on this, but the bottom line is simple; it doesn't matter how difficult it is to make or render, or create, if accurate cockpit modeling was top priority, then it would be delivered.
I am a commercial pilot and a CFI and have been flying since high school. I have also been playing flight sims for just as long. True flight enthusiasts would not buy a game labeled as a "sim" unless the game had full cockpits. And until now, that's what the publishers have given us. However, there seems to be this culture associated with consoles that gives the developers the right to gloss over features. Part of this might stem from the audience. I don't know.
You have to understand what true commitment to quality is, though. You have to understand what it means to have a work ethic. Simply doing the job is not enough. This is their career, this is a game they expect to make quite a chunk of change from, and they owe it us to not comprise in key areas. We let them do it, though. We let them do it by making excuses for them and not holding them accountable.
I've read all of the posts and I am so glad to see all of you speaking out for this silliness. Except for a small few, I am amazed at the solidarity of the fans. The aviation world is a close community, one that typically has a singular vision; whether its pilots, or flight enthusiast, we are a select bread of people with specific, sometimes misunderstood, interests and expectations. Cockpit views may not seem like a big deal to some, and no doubt reviewers who have never stepped foot in a plane smaller than a Boeing 717 will probably be among them. I, however, have limited R and R time and I cannot afford to buy a game that does not let me make the most of this time. As a pilot in real life, I can't stand playing third person flight or racing games. Even nose cams or bumper cams don't cut it. Most of my friends don't understand, and that's fine (they aren't pilots or enthusiasts), but here we have a game made for those like myself and I am appalled, though not entirely surprised, to see what's happened.
Please, you all are professionals. This is what you do for a living. Take the extra time. The game is releasing for $49.99, which is ten dollars cheaper than most 360 and PS3 games. Charge that extra ten and I doubt anyone would care so long as the product was finished.
Kids who are reading this, please understand how important it is to have a good work ethic. I made it this far in life though hard work, dedication, a willingness to push past obstacles, and the attitude of "the bare minimum is not good enough." I expect this same ethic from my flight students. I expect it from a company that wants fifty dollars in return for a product. If this were any other product besides software, it wouldn't have made it off the assembly line.
Anton, I'm sure you are a hard worker, but I'm speaking generally, and mainly to the philosophy of the company as a whole. I do hope that these rumors are not true, and if they are that we will be treated to a patch, not DLC of which we will inevitably be charged money.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and keep up your voices everyone.
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08-12-2009, 06:34 PM
Hybrid Mode
