Damage models first: We have DM's for all the ground objects. Right now, they are destroyed models only. We have not made intermediate level damaged models but might for a couple of ships so that strafing has a visible effect even if strafing a ship cannot destroy it. As far as the aircraft, that has been enabled in SF2 and we have destroyed models for all the aircraft to be used in that version.

Now for AI: No.

The expanded answer is this: The first few times you tangle with a fighter, the event is impressive but run-of-the-mill video games of any type, you can figure out the cheats rapidly. In all fairness, only a few fighter pilots are particularly good at aerial combat against an alerted opponent and you can figure out the "cheats" rapidly in that also. But that cannot be said about Japanese pilots at the beginning of WWII. They were well-trained and experienced. So we did something else to compensate. We dialed up their protection somewhat. The Min/Max points were made more realistic. The armor levels were raised on some and lowered on others...more protection of some zones and less in others. Guns were adjusted to achieve their storied capabilities. We don't want anyone becoming an ace in one flight. And we don't want the player to sit there absorbing fire without having to pay for it. Nobody waits for a second round to hit their airplane before they move.

That said, if you play the mission as briefed, you will have a good simulation of a quick, sharp clash with another plane. If you are willing to grind around in a left turn forever, you will be bored to death. I certainly am.

We have some video footage of dogfights we will compile. It shows that you can have a good simulation but much depends upon how we wrote the mission and not only the game's AI capabilities.

And thanks for the compliment on our detail. It was a major goal.

With the upcoming release of Rising Sun, I was going over some of what we need to do for Phase Two.

We have to map and paint all of Hinch's carriers. They are going to be BIG bitmaps...as big as we can get away with. They will be in open water so we do not have to contend with Pearl Harbor clutter eating up the memory...just the horizon.









(Here are a couple of shots over Rangoon taken while testing the butterfly flaps on the Hayabusa.)





Here is one from Midway. It caused me to notice that the deck of the Kaga is brand new after years at war and years at sea. (By the way, the torpedo missed. Plus, you won't likely get through the Zeros or AAA anyway to find out.)



So it was time to "age" some of the decks. These are for Eight and Hinch to peruse and comment. What do you think?





What is the cliche about release dates? That now applies.

Banzai.

I have got to admit, I am awaiting release with bated breath. . .

The attention to detail appears to be magnificent. . .

And I am looking forward to attempting to port my "Longest Retreat" Burma campaign over to a brand-spanking new Rising Sun install

Thanks for all the hard work and excellent progress reports, this is looking like a must-buy. . .

Tally Ho!

Baltika

Good. By the time we get all four phases out (summer), you will have every toy you need to play out every battle in insane detail from that historical campaign. You can slug it out at Kohima and Imphal and back again. (See? We did read the history books.)

We will have all the ground pieces even if nobody ever sees them.

Tanks.



Guns





bikes



Soldiers in several poses and all uniforms.



even women...and laundry.



This is us pandering to an unnamed economy that has an intentionally weakened currency to encourage sales in another intentionally weakened currency.

I'd say your basic teak colour looks pretty good.

Of course, we here at Hinchinbrooke Industries only use the finest Bombay teak.

Objects of beauty - you seem to have got them just right - tanks, planes and women, I mean

And on the subject of currency wars - in historical terms, it is curious how the wheel turns and the world changes - much of the subject of your Rising Sun release is due to US support of (Nationalist) China against Japanese (of the thirties and forties) aggression - and British involvement in Burma as a requirement to defend against Japanese aggression against India (as it then was, part of the British Empire) and, not least, a request from the US to keep the Burma road supply route to Chiang Kai-shek open . . .

All of this against the background of WW2, of course.

But take a look at how those particular Allies/Enemies of those days are aligned now. . .

OT: My particular favourite - the way the RAF and Luftwaffe have essentially operated the same equipment, pointed in the same direction, ever since the end of WW2. . .

...and we need the Bombay Gin to test the teak.