Wow, some very nice responses going. The more i hear about the new improvements, the more excited i get. I mean, the radar is a great feature on its own (even if we'll have to wait longer for it), but new AI and flying without nav lights at night is even better.
A few questions about gameplay issues in regards to fighting at night:
1) Since it's mentioned in the radar video that there is accurate ground clutter interference, i guess that there is some sort of ground data being parsed to the radar code. Does this make it possible to have navigation/bombing radars like H2S in the future?
2) Since it will be difficult to operate the radar while flying the aircraft, what about adding a level stabilizer feature for the night fighters too? For example, you could engage level stab while working the radar, disengage to correct your heading (the aircraft would still respond to stick inputs when you are in the radar seat and you don't have level stab on, just like it happens with bombers), reengage and so on.
Now if exhaust glow was modeled you could navigate this way close enough to a bomber to be able to see its silhouette or exhausts. From that point on you would disengage level stab, jump to the front seat and just open fire. This is pretty much the way it was done in real life as well, the pilot was guided to visual range by the radar operator, but he still needed to see the target before opening fire.
Which brings me to the final question...
3) Will the AI visual detection range be adjusted for night scenarios? In reality a lot of times bombers came under fire from night fighters that were very close to them, yet they hadn't seen them until the tracers started flying by. It would be highly discouraging to carefully sneak up on a lone Lancaster for 10 minutes only to have the AI gunners start firing at you 500m before you can see the bomber's silhouette outlined against the night sky.
Again, thanks for all your hard work guys, we're eagerly anticipating the first results.
