Friday 2010-02-25 Development update:Interview by Grégory Lemasson/Discussion Thread

[MikkOwl]

Originally Posted by zapatista

your saying there that there is only 2 states possible for a ww2 pilot in relation to oxygen supply
a) perfectly normal and healthy
b) "far to late" (presumably instant near death state, or death itself)

I think he means that the signs are difficult to notice at all, in particular (and this is important) because the judgement is impaired, like with drunk people. Therefore there are signs, but when very quickly stepping into these conditions, the signs are probably easier for others to notice than for yourself. People with 'altitude poisoning' can do crazy things and don't realize what is really happening. But yes, I agree with you that there's not only two states, there's other things that we could and should notice. But these should not be so obviously apparent when just cruising that we always see directly what is happening.

Originally Posted by zapatista

so how do you "model" the pilot smelling the fuel in the cockpit ?

Try to think beyond just 'smell'. How do humans react to strong fumes? Especially in your example of it splashing around.

If I was a designer for Maddox Games, I would:

1. Make the eyes mist (vision become foggy).
2. Coughing (sound effect & movement of the viewscreen matching the cough attacks).

And more things maybe, depending on what was appropriate. I think you will agree that these two points would be clearly noticable, even in a dogfight, just like it would be clearly noticable to the real pilot. It is true that we still don't smell it, and that is a disadvantage. But the other multiple signs are clear for anyone to understand that nasty fumes are in the air.

EDIT: (Sorry for editing, I just realized I had more I could reply to)

so to SIMULATE the experience of the pilot it would be helpfull to get some additional clues, and this can take many forms and is really what the discussion should be about
1) simple "oxygen status" msg flash on screen ?
2) having the oxygen dial "light up brighter" so that with an initial glance at your instruments you get increased awareness of the important one
3) etc ... etc... many ways to do it

Good ideas. The on-screen message is appropriate if other proper signs are not there, or the user does not have good enough hardware to see the signs/instruments properly. Or if they just feel like having it obvious because of whatever reason.

The oxygen dial lighting up brighter is a great idea if the user does not quite have the hardware (you know, like need to zoom a lot to be able to read the instruments, while others with bigger better monitors and graphics cards can see it without much zoom), but still doesn't want the helmet mounted display message telling him that there is an O2 problem. Because then he can just look casually at the meter, if TRYING to check it, and see easier that it is not normal. Really great idea actually. I support it 100% as an option.

[AndyJWest]

There is another solution here, that also solves the DRM issue discussed in another thread. SoW:BoB shold be sold with a stink-dongle that releases the appropriate aroma during flight - a scent of hops and new-mown hay as your Hurri lifts out of Biggin Hill, acompanied by the aroma of 100-octane fuel leaking slightly into the cockpit. Suddenly, a scent of saurcraut and jackboot-polish alerts you to danger. You notice the metallic tang of 20mm cannon shells as they whizz by, but also notice the undertone of inexperienced youth and a distinct odour of wishing to be back home in Dusseldorf. Before you know it the threat has gone, leaving nothing but the scent of a half-empty fuel tank and the vaguest hint of Hermann Goering's aftershave.

Flying back to base you notice the pleasant aroma of new-mown-hay (again), and a vague hint of singed Dornier from somewhere along the coast. Turning into finals, your senses are assaulted by the overwhelming smell of bacon. Yum, lunchtime!...

[Skoshi Tiger]

[QUOTE=AndyJWest;146586]You notice the metallic tang of 20mm cannon shells as they whizz by,
QUOTE]

Closely followed by the smell of soiled underwear !)

Cheers!

[zapatista]

Originally Posted by MikkOwl

........... re fuel leak in cockpit ...............
Try to think beyond just 'smell'. How do humans react to strong fumes? Especially in your example of it splashing around.

If I was a designer for Maddox Games, I would:

1. Make the eyes mist (vision become foggy).
2. Coughing (sound effect & movement of the viewscreen matching the cough attacks).

And more things maybe, depending on what was appropriate. I think you will agree that these two points would be clearly noticable, even in a dogfight, just like it would be clearly noticable to the real pilot. It is true that we still don't smell it, and that is a disadvantage. But the other multiple signs are clear for anyone to understand that nasty fumes are in the air.

you are slightly missing my point, it is this:

for ex, when the hurrican pilot is in his cockpit flying around believing he is alone in the air, and suddenly
- some bang noises and a physical jolt (depending if large shell or small caliber hit, there might be little jolt or noise other then like rocks falling on a tin roof)
- his aircraft continues flying (so no major damage, and pilot initially unsure of what the jolt or sound was, or what it did to his aircraft)
- he feels liguid sprayed on his face and clothing
- strong smell of fuel
- no fire

there, in 5 sec the pilot know exactly what happened, how serious and threatening it is to him, and because of training knows his basic options and risks, and procedures to either evade (escape from cockpit), or reduce physical risk (put goggles on if not allready, close jacket, hand on canopy opening etc...). so how do you convey the same information to the virtual pilot sitting in his living room behind a monitor in the same 5 sec ? blurring some vision and making the pilot cough just doesnt convey the same information, especially since the same type of reaction could be from smoke or even glycol leaking into the cockpit and affecting the pilot (oks, not exactly the same, but you catch my meaning)

for a leak in oxygen, or sudden or gradual oxygen loss in supply to the pilot, the time delay in real life could vary from 30 sec to many minutes (particularly in a gradually climbing aircraft which might take several minutes)

so the problem is, for events like low oxygen, fuel leak into cockpit etc.. we need a way to convey the same information a real pilot has in the same time delay , other then using some "non real" messages onscreen or "virtual visual clue's" in the game to SIMULATE this pilot information i dont think it is possible to have our virtual pilots behave in the same way a real pilot experiencing a real life event would.

for those that dont like the idea or dont understand the concept, give them an on/off option in the preferences and they can fly around in a sensory deprived virtual space to their hearts content.