Normally in sims, it's a fairly obvious detail/speed balance, but in BoB it seems some options really kill frame rates for little benefit, while small downwards adjustments can really boost them. I've yet to settle on what I would call "optimum", but will post when I do (and have some idea which are particularly graphics card sensitive). Top tip at the moment is that the "fluffy" clouds are a big no-no.

The flight models are truly excellent, all the flyable planes seem spot on (although I would tend to agree with an earlier poster that the negative G cut-out seems a little extreme). In particular, you NEED force feedback to appreciate this. Rowan already had the only halfway decent attempt at FF in a sim with MiG Alley, but in BoB they have gone one step further in perfecting it. You can genuinely feel a stall coming on (no screen warning or buzzer necessary), and can judge sitting right on the edge of the envelope just from the feel of the stick. And the way the stick tightens with speed is terrific - your virtual control surfaces really are "harder" to move, and less responsive. It puts Microsoft`s rather pathetic FF attempt with CFS 2 into perspective.

This sim is really starting to grow on me, now frame rates are up (no problems now with LOTS of planes). I still think the terrain graphics are poor, and the sky little better, but there is just so much in BoB we havn't seen before - so many little touches, all of which add to realism and atmosphere.

If and when you try MA, try not to get dicouraged to early on. There is always a solution to the problem if your patient. MA has some stability problems but I`ll tell you I have it set uo now with only one CTD and I`m half way through the Spring Offensive! MA is a Diamond in the rough.