.........and then we go back to all the discussion about what brings people initially to the "table" in the first place (be it a wargaming table, or a monitor)................that's probably caused by whatever attracts our eye the most!
I never feel weird talking about WWI aviation history or gaming it (or any military history for that matter), I sit back and chuckle when I see people get fired up about professional sports in fact!
WWI happened, nations futures turned with the events, millions died to decide who had the will to fight and "overcome", this was real, and not of pretentious importance like competitions that change or effect nothing with their passing, and are self-important only because we believe that the competition has significance.
Anytime I offer to discuss military history or geo-politics with my co-workers, and the topic turns to WWI, and avaition, and inevitably to my interest in WWI flight simulation, all I need to do is show them a screenshot of one of the skinned aircraft I've done (or something from another sim or game), and the image speaks volumes by itself!
People respond to the visual arts, to imagery, and the more real it looks the easier the connection with RL and what can be perceived by the human mind.
Talk of the horror of the trenches to the uninterested...............then show them the fly-covered and swollen bodies of the fallen, they suddenly realize what is trivial in their lives, and perhaps are grateful to be concerned with such petty diversions that they have manufactured their passions for.
Certainly we all enjoy diversions, as our gaming experiences certainly are, but they portend to simulate real events, and for this reason I hold these experiences significant (when I do choose to take them seriously that is).
Dantes, I know you understand the visual arts and imagery very well, as you are an artist in your own right, I'm just surprised you say you find explaining your interest in WWI flight simulation problematic, maybe if we could all bet on the outcome of a cyber-dogfight, and huge ammounts of money rode on the outcome, more people could "get it"......but then again, is that really where it's at anyway?
Ok, sorry to get a bit off topic here, but the point being there's a lot more "silly" things to feel silly about than studying or competing over things that simulate actual historical conflicts...............that's all.
