Initial gut feeling impressions;
Bad bits first: The looks of the game are still way inferior to v1.05. (I hate that part).The blotchy/blurred paintwork on the wings and engine nacelles is really off-putting. The high clouds are still missing.
The Blenheim is still way too sluggish on the ground, needing +4 boost just to taxi. Ridiculous. Also the Blenheim engine sounds are non-existent until you throttle up to above 0 boost.
Force Feedback - With my stick (G940), I have a huge loose area in the centre of travel, followed by a very stiff 'stirring a box of rocks' feeling after that. This doesn't occur in any other flight sim, and is unaffected by altering the stick's software. This wasn't the case before this patch either (although there were other issues that were thankfully short lived, like a few seconds). - Edit: problem must've been my end after all. Fired up the game today with no problems and nothing altered. Weird.
Good bits: The Spit 100oct seems to be performing well online. +5 boost @2650rpm with neutral elevator trim gives a steady 2000ft per min climb rate at around 165 -170mph. Gut feeling says this is in the ball park. I also shot down a 109 who was unable to just put his nose down and run away, but he could've been a new bloke.....
The negative 'G' cutout behaviour is now much less sensitive without detracting from the fact that it was there IRL. It still cuts if you shove on the stick like a new chap, as it should do.
The airspeed indicator in the Hurri 100oct now works properly in two stages, but unfortunately not so in the Spit 100oct. The boost gauge in the Spit now has a graphical anomaly in that the red housing is fat at the top and thin at the bottom, and so looks 'bent' (thx Ivan!).
I'd say we still have a way to go, but this patch is moving in the right direction. I only flew the Blenheim offline, and the Spit and Hurri 100oct online, so there may be differences in other aspects of the sim I haven't noticed. The good news is; I'm beginning to feel enthusiastic about the game again, whereas yesterday I couldn't have given a flying fandango for the whole thing. Now that's what I call progress.
