I hope Maddox Games does it right. I certainly have already collected enough material - and once my scanner is no longer kaput I'll hand them over the "guideline" I've been writing.

But JG 53 did not use its "Ace of Spaces" emblem during the BoB - certainly not in the timeframe Oleg mentioned for SoW : BoB (July - October).

Yep, I know - overpainted by vertical red band :)

Hmmm - will it be realised? As Sharkmouth of II./ZG 76? Or white noses of I./ZG 26? :)

Looking forward to BOB:SOW
 

It's been a long wait but judging from the various model screenshots, BOB looks to be a great game in the tradition of the IL2 series. My colleagues and I are still playing 1946 and have been playing the IL2 series as a group (in various forms) for a few years now. We started in Russia in the early days of the game then moved to the Pacific and are currently in a new incarnation in Normandy.

The damage modelling looks really impressive. I'd like to suggest one thing although I can understand if it is difficult to implement. In IL2 the cockpit gets shot up and bullet holes show in the 'glass' but only on the inside. With all the attention to detail on the damage modelling on the outside will the cockpit glass also show damage from the outside view as opposed to just from the inside view?

All the best,
Tomaz

Gameplay question
 

I know the FM and details will be great in the game so I won't bug you about that anymore.

I'm curious as to the actual gameplay for BOB, particularly for coop online missions. Will it be similar to the IL2 series in that you select your aircraft, read the briefing/map, then start the actual mission? Is the interface basically the same or will it be different in some way?

The reason I ask is that there were obviously a lot of "scrambles" for RAF squadrons and rushing to the planes to get into the air to meet incoming raids etc. Planes were not neatly lined up behind one another on the runway as they are in IL2 but took off in three's and fours beside each other etc. Will this type of thing be incorporated into the gameplay?

thanks,

I remember Oleg said that the main reason he has no designs on the civil flight sim industry, is that his staff have no experience with modern avionics such as ILS ...but for the first sixty years of flight no one experienced such technology... early bush aircraft, trans-atlantic mail runs, 1930s glider clubs create a whole market where this is no barrier.

Combined with nostalgia for a simpler era I think Oleg could expand into and take over a significant part of the civilian market (then again I generally tend to think Oleg could do anything). :)

I heard a rumour that the interface will be moddable. Is this confirmed? It would be nice if the 3rd party could create a planning screen where it would be possible to make decisions or minor adjustments (eg. exact altitude) prior to launch. Also will the AI be modifiable?

As for the second question, it is known that this will be a feature, you can even see it in the released videos (taking off using the whole field that is - I don't think anyone knows whether running to your plane will be possible yet).

Released videos?
 

I've only seen the Spitfire/clouds video, there's more???

As to the running to the planes, I didn't mean to imply that (although that would be kinda cool), but more the planes parked around the field and the rush to take off in a messy group as opposed to the neat line up.

I know (but I took the opportunity to insinuate it ...I suspect that, if not in BoB in the next release...) ;) Go Oleg! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sf0eiQ--o

Cool
 

Thanks for the link. It looks like some sort of bootleg video, LOL. Yup, that's the takeoff method I was thinking of, very cool.

Another Question to Oleg
 

Oleg, can you tell me if there will be any possibility to create your own landscape or at least some ground obstacles in BOB?

It would be great if there would be some kind of objects like the open hangars in il2, where you can fly through or under. The best thing would be if it was possible to edit an
"arcade-like" map with caves , holes in mountains or deep valleys to fly through.