The MOD mentality....

[Asheshouse]

Originally Posted by JtD

That's not true, the number of players in hyperlobby was far larger before mods than it is now.

I would accept that is true but it does not alter the fact that numbers on servers had started to significantly reduce before mods came along.

Originally Posted by JtD

Nowadays you usually have around 150 players in Hyperlobby, enough to populate about 5 servers, but it's hard to find two reasonably populated servers that actually run the version of the game you want to play. And the there's a good chance that neither of the two servers running your version also have a set-up to your likings. And that, imho, sucks.

The servers with greater numbers of users are normally running UP3 mods. Servers with no mods allowed are in less demand, based on numbers seen in Hyperlobby. If you use UP3 its not hard to find a server which is reasonably populated. --- and I'm not trying to promote UP3. I actually use the HSFX mod Pack mainly offline and use un-modded online, but online activity is limited by poor internet speeds.

Originally Posted by EJGr.Ost_Caspar

The community is not united anymore!

That is a fundamental problem, but the overall size of the community today is because of continuing developments in both official and unofficial addons. If mods did not exist then yes the community would be united, but the overall size of the community would shrink considerably.

[JtD]

Originally Posted by Asheshouse

I would accept that is true but it does not alter the fact that numbers on servers had started to significantly reduce before mods came along.

Sure, that's true as well.

The servers with greater numbers of users are normally running UP3 mods.

None of the servers I'm primarily interested in is running UP3. Which is a good thing, as UP3 isn't my cup of tea. But even if it was and my taste in servers was different - weekdays there were hardly more than two or three of them showing reasonably busy, same as with stock or HSFX.

[mkubani]

One thing holds true in my opinion. As soon as you open (any) software where end users are able to create and modify its content, they are creating diversity which will effect their multiplayer interaction. Compatibility was never an issue with the closed IL-2 as far as I remember.

Second, you may or may not agree with me, but for me the biggest drawback is that the IL-2 community forums topics seem to have shifted away from virtual flying discussions. There are many posts regarding modding IL-2, but so much less talks regarding actual virtual combat flying. It feels a bit to me like those car tuning communities, where you spend more time in the garage than actually driving the car.

Just my 2 cents. Peace.

[Asheshouse]

Originally Posted by mkubani

It feels a bit to me like those car tuning communities, where you spend more time in the garage than actually driving the car.

How true

[Beowolff]

yes, ^^^ i agree with that also. usually much more time spent tinkering/fixing than actual playing (for me personally, anyway.) ---which i sadly bemoan...yet because i have tasked myself to help others mod and be actively engaged in modding and helping 'teach' others to mod, i have little choice but to carry on in that direction (at least for now---though physical hardships such as health problems may soon slow or 'change' that.)

but... remember, we modders on our modding forums may 'sound' as if all we discuss is modding, but that's like the 'tip' of an iceberg as to what's going on around us. for every vocal guy that talks of modding/modding/modding... there's twenty more 'silent' members that never say a word about it. and there's likely fifty more non-members browsing our sites picking up an occasional mod to fly here and there that we don't hear from either.

so yes, it might 'seem' as if everybody's yapping about modding this or that, but in RL there's definitely more mod users than mod talkers.