But, I cannot understand the rationale behind the new front-end in Flanker 2. It is cumbersome, resource hungry, slow and doesn't add any new benefits to the window-based front-end of v1.5. And why do sims insist on a lengthy intro sequence with no options to turn it off (yes, I know I can remove the folder to beat it :-), and why must a sim reinvent an anachronistic cumbersome screen-based interface?

Here's a summery of my grudges:

- Slow start-up. Enforced intro sequences, as well as insisting on loading all in-sim resources before starting.

- The front-end doesn't multi-task well (it seems to run as a critical real-time task for some reason). I did some wav-editing on a training mission, and had to shut down and restart Flanker for every little task-switch to my wav-program.

- The screen-based interface is to a large extent just cumbersome. A lot of jumping between screens and waiting (for some reason). (Hint: Press Alt+F4 to quit Flanker without climbing back to the front screen.)

- Resolution bound to same settings as in-sim.

- The mouse is sloppy (mentioned a lot elsewhere).

- The encyclopedia can't be accessed from the editor.

- Program options not available from the editor or training screens.

- The main menu is simply redundant. All of Training, Mission and Campain menu items can (and should) be accessed in a consistent way through the Editor interface. Add that Training doesn't debrief after completion (hence better to load and play the mission from the editor!).

I appologise to Maxim Vorsobin, but in my opinion he (?) was given an impossible job, trying to compete with the Windows interface, an interface that has been perfected for over 10 years. In my eyes totally wasted resources.

Some may argue that the look of the interface justifies it. But I argue that equally good results could be achieved by building on Windows, ie. adding nice icons, custom-drawn elements and background bitmaps (check out ChessMaster from SSI), but still retain the much more user-friendly and customizable interface of Windows.

Why not integrate and cooperate with Windows? Life would be much more easy for those who want to dwelve into details and customize Flanker. And it would be easier, not only for 3rd-developers, but also for Flanker dev team to benefit from features in Windows, as well a dev tools.

Here's my feature list for the ideal front-end:

- Windows interface and design. Complies at large with Control Panel settings (colors, fonts, mouse, etc.) for added user-friendliness. Multi-tasks well.

- Built around the editor. All sim functions available from a standard and effective program menu.

- Uses a document-model. Scenario/mission files opens in the editor, and can be drag-and-dropped from Explorer. Integrates with OS functions (file assosiations, Explorer, etc.). Su27 1.5 works like that, and I have shortcuts to often used missions on my desktop --- a simple dobbelclick and it opens in seconds. Also, I can organize missions and open them from Explorer. Nice.

- Quick, no nonsense startup. No enforced lengthy introduction sequence (make it optional, or provide it as separate introduction sequences and presentations on the CD). In-sim resources shouldn't be preloaded. Ideally, a low-priority background loader is activated after start-up.

In short, I think v1.5 had a winner design, and am disappointed that the developers seem to have conformed with the less functional typical 'game look'. I wish they would have built on the 1.5 interface rather than taking these, in my view, steps backwards.

Sorry for my lengthy moaning... :-)

Although I agree with you in that it woud be nice to have a faster loading front end that looked just like Flanker 1.5's in the end it was a trade off for those that didnt want to be intimidated by the editor and wanted to be given easy to choose options etc.

As for the slow loading times for me personaly with 198MB of RAM I dont have slow loading times

Also, its hard to please people because right now when you go to get into a mission how long does it take to load up? 5, 10, 15 seconds max. THis is the trade off.

You either spend a little bit more time at the start of the sim loading everything or you spend a lot of time waiting to get into the mission like you do with Falcon4 and even Back to Bhagdad (for a real shocker!)

So, you see you cant please everyone because if we had to wait for everything to load when trying to get into the mission we would be saying "gee, why dont they load everything when you start the simulator up!"

Also, hopefully we will see a patch that will allow access to the encyclopedia from the mission editor soon as it shouldnt be that hard to fix.

Everything else you said is generally right on the mark although for the time being if I need to edit wav files or anything like that I make sure that I do as much as possible before having to start up the sim.

Also, so...will we be seeing some training trks from you sometime soon then?

Regards

RR

If you stayed in the editor for a little while, everything would be setup and ready when you started the mission. If you rushed straight to the mission, you would have to wait for things to be loaded at that point.

Sounds possible to me, but the F2 editor with its higly detailed zoom levels might require the complete 3D models. In that case, I would rather sacrifice detail here, or load it on a as-needed basis (at high zoom) --- in favour of a quick and functional front-end.

Regarding difficulty, these forums have run several 'age polls' and the average simmers is about 30 years old. I don't believe that the 1.5 front-end was 'too difficult', even for a school child (don't they learn to use PC software in primary schools these days :-).

And the easy selection, now provided by the main menu screen, could have been provided by a simple optional start-up dialog.

I think the real reason was eye-candy and an adaptation to the standard 'game recipe'.

I agree with everything. I love the old looks and feels of 1.5 much, much more. It has a simple and no nonsense Russian military feel to it. I like that.

Let me brag a bit. I agree that the mouse is dang sloooow but the problem solved. I now have a P3 500 with 256 ram and DSL!

Now I want to add few things of my own.

Seems to me that the only people impressed by the intro movies are people who don’t play sim or any games for that matter. I would rather have ED models a 1st person style of me climbing into the cockpit, doing a preflight checklist, turning all things necessary on/off, starting the engine then closing the canopy. And all that with sounds! . Is that too much to ask, huh? heheh

More realistic landing gear physics, PLEASE. They should be able to collapse which would make for a much more skill to land instead of boom and you’re alive or dead. And belly landing, too.

The images displayed in the MFD need to be like in 1.5. At least make them hires.

That’s all for now. Hey, I work at a restaurant in Marina Del Rey. Any Flanker pilot lives near by can come visit.

sawadee

IMHO it's better left as it is.
Other than that, I agree !