My translation of TK's response, based on having had similar dealings with him over the last three years:

"I hear you guys, and thanks for asking in a polite manner. Don't badger me about this again, and there's a good chance that you'll see this some day, despite my having reservations about it"

Guys, for keeping it civil.

It is a firmer maybe than I've seen on the subject yet.
He does feel it crosses a line, which I don't, but that's OK.

He wasn't totally negating it out of hand...

TK has granted us, as per our request the following over the years:

Stealth capabilty
Multiple weapons capabilty on ground objects
Targeting system nerworking between ground objects
Additional parameters in aircraft data.ini files
Additional parameters in ai data

And a ton of others that don't come readily to mind at present.

So, lets let him mull this one over, and show him that we're willing to work around it for the time being. Meanwhile, I've got a bunch of ideas to try...

I'm quite pleased by TKs response and glad that he intendes to keep this sim in the niche that he has carved out for it.

Should be required reading for everyone. Help for those having trouble grasping the concept.

I dont think the concept of a sim lite is as hard of a concept for most of us to grasp as you may think. It truely helps those of us however who dont live on his TW forum or work and communicate with TK on a daily basis to know where he draws the line in his idea of a sim lite. So HIS comments were much appreciated.

I think the concept most of us in this thread are trying to get across is that the addition of an on/off switch would be a nice thing, though albiet not a vital. It merely would be a nice addition...thats all.

My aim here was simply to show that TK is approachable and will listen to your questions and consider your ideas if you ask him properly.

If you badger him, make unreasonable demands, or criticize him in anything but a constructive manner, he will not respond, and you cannot blame him...

Well, IL-2, which I don't think many people would consider a lite sim, has a one key engine start/stop sequence. It would be good to see this in First Eagles.

Doing a squadron startup and scramble at dawn would be very cool.

I don't know TK and have no experience of past Third Wire sims so cannot comment on these but it seems to me I'm a customer quietly asking the shopkeeper in a respectable manner if it would be possible to improve an item I bought and thus make me happier and more likely to return to the shop. If enough people ask for the same thing, any shopkeeper worth his salt would eventually twig that maybe this might be worth consideration.

I bought the game - it wasn't freeware, so I don't see why I shouldn't expect a bit of customer service as a result, and him saying he sees no need for this feature to be incorporated isn't the point - he's not the paying customer, I am. I've frequented these forums for a long time now, have always asked politely, made no fuss, and been most grateful for anyone willing to help me enjoy my flying (and long may that continue), but for some strange reason this very minor request or suggestion to have an engine on/off switch has made a few souls very jumpy as if they're afraid the ThirdWire team might come after them flailing their arms and brandishing sharp knives.

If TK and Co, aren't interested in modifying the sim (and I have no programming knowledge whatsoever or understanding as to how difficult this might be), then maybe some of you guys who do comprehend such matters can come up with a workaround for which some of us would be most grateful.
A few have commented upon the simple pleasure of being able to start the engine and switch off after the mission finishes and in all other combat sims I've flown this has been available. The simple excitement as the engine starts up and smoke billows back is equally matched by the deafening silence after the clamour and noise of aerial battle is done. I don't wish to control engine mixture, adjust my seat or twiddle with assorted knobs - or anything else that means having to rummage around the cockpit with a mouse pointer trying to find the necessary switches or levers - just a simple on/off button on my keyboard would do me, as is the case with every other sim I've enjoyed. Surely that's not such a lot to ask . . . ?

Wouldn't you technically need a ground crew to "realistically" start up the engine? you know, somone to manually spin the prop for you?

I think they even needed ground crew to taxi because of the complete lack of differential brakes.

Yes Tim, I believe you're correct.

AMEN

And pcpilot, don't worry about the brothers Grimm. You'll find they tend to post one after another. I think it must be like some sort of security blanket

It's a long time ago but don't I recall a sim where you didn't actually see any groundcrew but instead heard someone asking if you had 'switches on' or something when you started up? Was that Red Baron or maybe another early WW1 sim or maybe a WW2 one? My memory obviously isn't what it was . . .

I find it hard to believe that the concept of an On/Off switch has gone on for two pages.

When some folks spam it has that tendency.

I think it simply shows there is a lot of support for the idea despite a few naysayers.

Well when people have an interest in something you'd be surprised what could/might happen. It's a shame that the people that are not interested in this concept still have to add their 2 cents to show they're still here.

Yeah, I was looking into images for the SE5 and came across this little gem...


I think a starter button would be easier to implement, lol. Still, a pretty cool pic eh? Bet it beat getting whacked by a prop blade...