Friday update and discussions 2011-03-04

[Zorin]

Question related to video one. With all the talk about animated crews, why is the Ju87 gunner clutching air and not his gun?

[GnigruH]

Very nice.

A grain of salt:
Like I thought, pilot animations will be the weak spot of this game. I haven't yet seen humans animated convincingly. The guy is falling like a brick, totally artificial feel. The crew sits and moves stiffly, like it was made of wood.

[IbnSolmyr]

Originally Posted by GnigruH

A grain of salt:
Like I thought, pilot animations will be the weak spot of this game. I haven't yet seen humans animated convincingly. The guy is falling like a brick, totally artificial feel.

He's falling totally normally IMHO, with the recommended body position, he waits for the stabilization.

What would you like he does ? Some smileys and thumbs up to the camera ??!

[airmalik]

Originally Posted by IbnSolmyr

He's falling totally normally IMHO, with the recommended body position, he waits for the stabilization.

What would you like he does ? Some smileys and thumbs up to the camera ??!

The problem with having such detailed models of the crew is that you start expecting even more details. In this case, you'd expect small movements of the limbs while in freefall as the pilot ties to stay in the stabilised position and a lot of very fast flapping of clothing. Not saying it should be added just that lack of these details is jarring when you've got otherwise highly detailed models.

Also based on personal experience, I'd say the pilot should be in a stablised belly down position after the first couple of tumbles. In the video he keeps tumbling until pulling the ripcord.

Extremely impressed by both videos and the wallpapers. Can't wait!

[TUSA/TX-Gunslinger]

Oh my God! Those videos were stunning!

I cannot believe after all these years that it's almost here. Everything has already been mentioned with one exception.

The thing that impressed me most was the transition of distant aircraft to close aboard in the fighting videos. I watched them many times - you can see many LOD's at work here. This is so much not Il2!

And I find the terrain to be top notch for a REAL flight sim. Excellent visual rendering of the atmosphere below the clouds, you can almost smell the thick air in the high summer mornining humidity.

S!

Gunny

[Kye]

Originally Posted by GnigruH

Very nice.

A grain of salt:
Like I thought, pilot animations will be the weak spot of this game. I haven't yet seen humans animated convincingly. The guy is falling like a brick, totally artificial feel. The crew sits and moves stiffly, like it was made of wood.

So have you actually ever fallen out of a plane? He is in the correct body position to fall stable. Granted he tumbles for a little longer than I would expect, but it is miles better than the sequences in IL-2.

I know this, because I am skydiver.


Nice update Oleg and staff.

[Trumper]

Originally Posted by Kye

I know this, because I am skydiver.


Nice update Oleg and staff.

Better at jumping through hedges though LOL
On a more serious note Kye,how would the fall differentiate when it is an emergency bailout from a damaged plane to a more controlled one.
Have you seen this ,any thoughts anyone

[Ploughman]

Originally Posted by Trumper

Better at jumping through hedges though LOL
On a more serious note Kye,how would the fall differentiate when it is an emergency bailout from a damaged plane to a more controlled one.
Have you seen this ,any thoughts anyone

There's lots of testimony and footage of tumbling aircrew. For one thing, a sports parachutist is leaving an aircraft that is travelling slowly, less than 100knots, through a door or from rails on the outside of the aircraft and is immediately going to adopt the 'D' postion to stabilise him or herself. It is possible to be stable immediately upon leaving the aircraft and this is very desirable for static line jumps to ensure a clean opening of the canopy for the novice. But if you're trying to get out of a cockpit in a aircraft that may be moving much more quickly and is probably out of control things are much more difficult, moving into the airstream is going to be problematic, and that crewman or pilot is very aware of the bits of aircraft to the rear of him that he may smash into as he falls so he is instintively going to adopt a fetal position to protect himself. Any asymetry to his profile, is going to induce spin and tumble.

I would say OM is trying to create the appearance of a tumbling crewman to give a sense of historical accuracy, but the model is configured for a stable descent.

[GnigruH]

Originally Posted by Kye

So have you actually ever fallen out of a plane? He is in the correct body position to fall stable. Granted he tumbles for a little longer than I would expect, but it is miles better than the sequences in IL-2.

I know this, because I am skydiver.

I know better cos' I am the pope.

Seriously: I don't mind his tumbling. His legs, arms and head don't move. He's a solid entity. He's a brick.

And I'm not only talking about the bailout situation, but about a convincing human animations in general. I haven't seen any.

[Trooper117]

WWII pilots were taught to stay 'tight' when exiting the aircraft, so as not to hit any part of it on the way out.
They were never taught to adopt a 'stable' skydiving position either. Once out of the cockpit they would remain in a tight position until clear of the aircraft and in a clear airspace, and then simply 'look and locate' the handle and pull.
This was explained to me by an RAF PJI when I did my jumps course.