Interesting read ... and it does raise some interesting questions!

The flightsim 'world' is a divided entity. The mention of AI is a pertinent one, and the crux of the division. Most 'newbies' are going to start off flying Offline. They are unlikely to dive in and subscribe to an online arena, or start flying online. They don't know the tricks, and will want to 'learn' the game first.

Lets look at Flight Sim AI.....

Going back to the sims I started flying..SDOE and EAW. The AI was able to give a reasonable fight, but was basically a 1-trick pony. They tried to get on your tail, and that was all they did. You couldn't pretend they were real.... you knew what they were going to do.

AI, though, is actually a VERY complex area. It takes a lot of resource, and will use up more CPU than fancy graphics.... Would you go for a sim that looked like EAW today...with good AI? Now try to sell it to a casual gamer...

Any sim builder looking to spec out a project can read this thread and learn what Us... the sim buyer.. wants from a sim. How we would tailor it to encourage learners. Whether padlock was a good idea ( personally.... it made me dizzy!) whether external views are good or bad ( I hate em..ruins the sense of being there ) or how the thing would hang together, we have to face reality. Making a modern sim costs big bucks, and there has to be a reasoanble chance of making some!

Lexx made a good point about 'learning' though... having a flightsim where you had to learn to fly would be a damn good idea.

You start off flying circuits in an Avro 504, being given lectures on the basics of flight control. Then doing 'exams' to demonstrate your ability to fly 'circuits'. Bump and go landing practice....then basic gunnery training. Depending on how you do, you may get posted as an observer/gunner to a 2 seater.... THAT would be a proper career Shouldn't be hard to do... just needs some thought. NEVER seen it actually done though