War Thunder: a wake-up call for Prepar3d & FSX ?

[aggressorblue 1]

Ahh, I forgot this piece for my ideal new core engine thanks for the reminder! The ultra high resolution photoreal 3D terrain and object data can be streamed in buffered realtime and yes, I would happily pay a subscription fee for this provided it performed basically flawlessly. For example: I would easily pay $30/month for this service for unlimited use. Think of this as truly not as real as it Gets, but instead, As Real as it Is! This means there is no need to store & maintain terabytes of data in order to be able to access the entire globe--at least when it's developed that far. This too gives ultra-incentive the developer of the core engine to stay with it! I wonder what sort of network bandwidth something like this would require? I would imagine once the zone the plane was in was populated w/ terrain texture & object data in ultra high resolution it wouldn't take too much to keep it updated as the plane moves thru the environment.

 

If flight simming literally became a way to truly 'go sight seeing' (hey, I kinda do it now!), how many more users would jump on board once they experienced this sort of 'WOW' factor? I think it would be considerable! So, at $30/month, with a planet of 7B people, how many ongoing subscriptions at any one time? As I say, I'd easily pay this. Heck, it's the current price of your iPhone data fee! How about 300,000 subscribers? World of Warcraft boasts over 10Million, or did. At just 300,000, the MONTHLY gross comes in at a whopping $9,000,000. That's not a bad income. PLUS, you don't have to pay the internet fee, the subscriber does.

 

Yes, I think there is room for a whole new FS based on these ideas ;o)

 

Cheers n Happy New Year!

 

So your model excludes people without high-speed internet connections, and/or restrictive data download limits (x number of gigs a month)?

 

 

 

PS: if you think I'm pessimistic, try dealing with investors!

 

PSS: I'm all for a monthly fee if it's justified, but I personally wouldn't want my FSX performance to be tied into my internet connection speed.

[Noel 4,487]

So your model excludes people without high-speed internet connections, and/or restrictive data download limits (x number of gigs a month)?

 

Yes, it excludes people w/o high speed connections. I haven't done the feasibility study to see if this could work, but I am aware that the trajectory internet bandwidth is going will increase this bandwidth likely quite dramatically such that limits on data as it applies to flight simulation streaming will become a non-issue. This may be a feature for the NEXT core engine after the one I proposed above. Here is a comment to provide some inspiration re ultra-high bandwidth internet:

 

A revolutionary “future-proof” technology, first proposed by

Bangor Univ

., is the front-runner in satisfying future demand for dramatically increased internet speeds and capacity. The technology, which would use current optical internet cabling, has proven its ability to increase broadband transmission by up to two thousand times the current speed and capacity. To illustrate, that would mean downloading 20 feature length films in one second.

 

Even if we left off this last piece, of streaming data, I think the time is still here for a next gen core engine designed specifically to be the core to which 3rd party developers can develop for. There is no question when ultra-high bandwidth internet becomes a reality so too does ultra-real flight simulation.

[EngineRoom 205]

War Thunder is based on the older title "IL-2 Wings of Prey/IL-2 Birds of Prey". Take a look at some of the videos and screenshots, you can see the draw distance isn't terribly far and that helps to maintain a good framerate. It's actually a leftover from its roots in the even older IL-2 Sturmovik graphics engine.

 

It's an MMO and will follow very much the same business model as other MMO titles like World of Tanks and Mechwarrior Online - that is free to play, but if you want to earn experience points and credits faster to upgrade or unlock new aeroplanes you'll need to purchase a premium account - a concept sometimes described rather derisively as "pay to win".

 

I've got War Thunder installed but haven't really given it a good try yet. I'm somewhat put off hearing from others that using a mouse to control your aircraft allows easier aiming and kills than a joystick.

[foibles 0]

I'd posit the MS model of releasing a sim with sdk for third party expandability failed. MS doesnt see a dime after the initial sale of the title, so that aftermarket fails to support the initial publisher unless they are constantly releasing new versions....

 

...New versions however can fatigue your third party dev base, stifling innovation and platform investment. fsx has prospered because our community has had to make do.

 

That model should be able to work IF the original sim designer (Microsoft in this case) continues to develop newer features with, and this is key, a certain amount of backwards compatibility. That way, users keep wanting to upgrade to the latest sim software to take advantage of its faster and more advanced features, yet developers don't have to throw out all the work they have already done when adapting to the newer core engine, because that newer engine still supports the developers' older work. The oldest features would be phased out gradually as technology improved, giving third-party developers time to adapt. Such a model has worked very successfully for decades in countless other industries.

[John_Cillis 2,406]

War Thunder is based on the older title "IL-2 Wings of Prey/IL-2 Birds of Prey". Take a look at some of the videos and screenshots, you can see the draw distance isn't terribly far and that helps to maintain a good framerate. It's actually a leftover from its roots in the even older IL-2 Sturmovik graphics engine.

 

It's an MMO and will follow very much the same business model as other MMO titles like World of Tanks and Mechwarrior Online - that is free to play, but if you want to earn experience points and credits faster to upgrade or unlock new aeroplanes you'll need to purchase a premium account - a concept sometimes described rather derisively as "pay to win".

 

I've got War Thunder installed but haven't really given it a good try yet. I'm somewhat put off hearing from others that using a mouse to control your aircraft allows easier aiming and kills than a joystick.

 

I found the aircraft (when controlled from the joystick) just doesn't respond like an aircraft in FSX or Xplane. The aiming point just kind of wallows around as you give joystick input--it's very difficult to roll out straight and level and keep the aircraft there without banking in the opposite direction. After a few hours of this, I just gave up. I doubt there's anyone around who really knows the flight dynamics of the aircraft they start you off with in the game--anyway joystick control just doesn't seem quite right. I also didn't find a free flight mode, although you can "run away from the battlefield" in a dog fight if you wish. It was a fun sim to try, and the graphics are really spellbinding, but I am back to exploring a wider world using my FSX/Tileproxy combo.

 

John

[FlyingRustBucket 0]

Honestly, it's like crack. Personally I'm completely addicted to World of Tanks these days. I started out playing the game for free, which I could have been doing all time time, no problem, but I really wanted to earn credits faster, so I bought a premium tank, I needed more garage slots so I could play a wide variety of tanks and not having to sell a tank I like just to be able to get the next tank in the line, and on top of that I keep buying time limited premium accounts so I can earn extra XP. But it is of course completely optional, you can play the game throughout your entire virtual "career" without spending a single dollar.

 

actually i reached tier V tanks and it turned out that it was impossible to maintain my M18 hellcat and making an acceptable income even after an excelent performance on the field, add frequent users of premium ammo and you have me quit knowing that my next tank destroyer will require me to take a cunningham and grind for maitenance money. im sorry, but WoT is one of the worst examples of F2P(though im unaware if this has changed now since its been a long time i quited)

 

I'm finding my $25 a month limit quite good, lasting well.

 

Lasting well? I tell ya, better go buy a few tons of wood. They last longer than trying to warm yourself by throwing money directly into the fireplace. Its cheaper too.

[wims80 121]

Hellcat is pretty good for making creds, so I don't see how you could possibly lose money using it. Not unless you shoot gold (premium ammo). Personally I am able to make a small profit even with tier 8 tanks like the IS-3 without a premium account. With premium I'm making money with tier 9s.

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Not viable they need full blown civilian sim that does not charge subscription fees like porn sites. Accept FSX is the main show here on out and only Xplane is evolving.

[JasonHarris 96]

I dont mind a per month subscription if it gives you value. Remember that this amount is money you are not paying in one offs every couple of years for upgrades of the main title.

 

You get continuing upgrades/updates for your monthly fee and usually you get more as well like a managed online environment.

 

It has worked and does work for some titles today. I think flight simmers are a good group for it because we are not that large compared to a lot of MMO's that may have a basic free subscription. They still get their money because their numbers are far larger than us so only a smaller % needs to buy premium content to keep them going.

 

iRacing with a subscription model does well and has attracted the more serious simmers to it's service because it provides things that you dont get in other titles, mainly for the online aspect.

 

I think there is a difference between not wanting to pay monthly but actually doing it if the right product was here.

[Skysurfer7 34]

Try DCS World http://www.digitalco...product〈=en you get the SU-25T & online capability for free, no fees or credits!

[JasonHarris 96]

Try DCS World http://www.digitalco...product〈=en you get the SU-25T & online capability for free, no fees or credits!

 

Free? Just a ruse to get you in like a lot of them. Logging in to digitalcombatsimulator.com it tells me I have given then $263.93USD since january 2009, which BTW is about the same as buying a similar amount of content and the same years subscriptions on another service.

 

Howevery they get my money, subscription or one off I dont really mind if I think I am getting what I pay for.

 

FYI, dcs world with the su25 doesnt give you online play, you need to buy one of the other modules.

 

To their credit, ED have evolved this sim over the years, as I would expect anb online service to evolve the content as part of a subscription.

[FlyingRustBucket 0]

Free? Just a ruse to get you in like a lot of them. Logging in to digitalcombatsimulator.com it tells me I have given then $263.93USD since january 2009, which BTW is about the same as buying a similar amount of content and the same years subscriptions on another service.

 

Howevery they get my money, subscription or one off I dont really mind if I think I am getting what I pay for.

 

FYI, dcs world with the su25 doesnt give you online play, you need to buy one of the other modules.

 

To their credit, ED have evolved this sim over the years, as I would expect anb online service to evolve the content as part of a subscription.

 

i don't feel i am pushed to get in the purchase cycle. i was planning to get in DCS before i found out that DCS world gone free2play anyway. Even if it gives you just one aircraft there's a fair amount of depth and complexity to it as well as content. you can make your own missions or campaigns, download other people's campaigns videos and everything with the only restrictive factor beign that you can ony fly the SU-25T. taking into account that military simulators have always centred around one aircraft per game that's a very good deal for one player(especially an introvert player like me).

[Bartbear 10]

Not viable they need full blown civilian sim that does not charge subscription fees like porn sites. Accept FSX is the main show here on out and only Xplane is evolving.

 

Ok, but keep an eye on AeroflyFS to.

 

I know, still a looooong way to go, but it looks very promising !

 

http://www.ipacs.de/...elopment-Status

[FlyingRustBucket 0]

Ok, but keep an eye on AeroflyFS to.

 

I know, still a looooong way to go, but it looks very promising !

 

http://www.ipacs.de/...elopment-Status

 

I wholeheartedly agree. aerofly got me hooked since i heard of its release and took a peek on screenies and vids. if theres a game that can take FSXs place regarding friendly user inderface, challenges/missions then AeroFlyFS is the one. no F2P beats a good full purchase, or atleast thats what i have experienced so far.