A coming WW2 TV drama and how to capitalize on it

[Bumfluff]

As you may or may not know, the US production house HBO is making a series called Masters of the Air or The Mighty Eighth.

 

It’s about the US Eight Air Force and is being billed as the next Band of Brothers.

 

After Band of Brothers was released there was an explosion in games based on WW2 combat and a revival of interest in WW2 generally.  There was Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms, etc.

 

I think the makers of this game should be building a European theatre for il2 NOW in preparation for the release of this new series to capitalise on what will likely spark a new interest in WW2 air combat.

 

1C could build a northern Germany map, an AI B-17 (or better yet an operational one),  a P-47 and some late war FW-190s and 109s.

 

1C doesn’t need to be working with HBO or whatever, it just needs to be in the market when the series hits.

 

Over to you.

 

(To thank me for this great idea you can get rid of this terrible unlocks business).

[Bearcat]

Actually it was Saving private Ryan that jumpstarted that .. but yeah I hear ya.

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

As you may or may not know, the US production house HBO is making a series called Masters of the Air or The Mighty Eighth.

 

It’s about the US Eight Air Force and is being billed as the next Band of Brothers.

 

After Band of Brothers was released there was an explosion in games based on WW2 combat and a revival of interest in WW2 generally.  There was Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms, etc.

 

I think the makers of this game should be building a European theatre for il2 NOW in preparation for the release of this new series to capitalise on what will likely spark a new interest in WW2 air combat.

 

1C could build a northern Germany map, an AI B-17 (or better yet an operational one),  a P-47 and some late war FW-190s and 109s.

 

1C doesn’t need to be working with HBO or whatever, it just needs to be in the market when the series hits.

 

Over to you.

 

(To thank me for this great idea you can get rid of this terrible unlocks business).

As long as Mchael bay isn't directing it or Anthony Hemingway ! 

Edited November 2, 2014 by Blackwolf

[Y-29.Silky]

+~ !!!

I could not agree more!!

 

1942-1945 airwar in Western Europe was revolutionary, and intense.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Silky

[Bumfluff]

Jason lives in California. Spielberg is apparently a WW2 aircraft nut. Get 'em talking.

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

Raiders of the lost IL2's ?

[Finkeren]

Another sad excuse for BoS to move back to that boring (yes: Boring) WTO.

 

If the devs wanted to capitalize off the upcoming HBO flick, all they had to do were to run ads along the lines of:

 

"You've seen the pussyfied version of the air war in the skies over Europe. Now it's time for you to experience the REAL war, where it REALLY happened. Where REAL men (and women) fought to the bitter end, while the fate of the world hung in the balance in the most epic conflict in history! Here there is no 25 mission "tour of duty" (ha!), you fly 'till you die and it's a struggle for every living, breathing second!

Come see the realities of war, if you dare, and join the fight under the Red Banner in defense of the glorious Motherland and Comrade Stalin.

 

Not one step back!"

Edited November 2, 2014 by Finkeren

[Feathered_IV]

Not sure the Digital Nature engine is suited to the western front.  Imagine flying against those "massed" formations of three or four B-17's. 

[MarcoRossolini]

As you may or may not know, the US production house HBO is making a series called Masters of the Air or The Mighty Eighth.

 

 

Yay, another exercise in patriotic flagwaving... :/

 

The reason it was called a world war was that a great deal of countries fought in it.

[GP*]

Yay, another exercise in patriotic flagwaving... :/

 

The reason it was called a world war was that a great deal of countries fought in it.

 

And those other countries can feel free to make their own series.

 

Get over yourself. 

[LLv44_Mprhead]

Another sad excuse for BoS to move back to that boring (yes: Boring) WTO.

 

If the devs wanted to capitalize off the upcoming HBO flick, all they had to do were to run ads along the lines of:

 

"You've seen the pussyfied version of the air war in the skies over Europe. Now it's time for you to experience the REAL war, where it REALLY happened. Where REAL men (and women) fought to the bitter end, while the fate of the world hung in the balance in the most epic conflict in history! Here there is no 25 mission "tour of duty" (ha!), you fly 'till you die and it's a struggle for every living, breathing second!

Come see the realities of war, if you dare, and join the fight under the Red Banner in defense of the glorious Motherland and Comrade Stalin.

 

Not one step back!"

 

Give it a rest. I am starting to think that you don't know anything about air war in west. Or maybe you wanted to be funny, I don't know. And I really don't see how it's more boring than war in east, other than that it didn't involve glorious soviet union.

[Feathered_IV]

As an expert on the air war in the west, how long would you say a single b-17 mission would take to fly? Without the ability to save mid game and only 2x time compression, there can't be too many people who could afford to invest enough time in the game.

[Finkeren]

Give it a rest. I am starting to think that you don't know anything about air war in west. Or maybe you wanted to be funny, I don't know. And I really don't see how it's more boring than war in east, other than that it didn't involve glorious soviet union.

I was trying to be tongue in cheek, but it actually does annoy me, that there are a lot of people hell bent on dragging this sim off course by immediately focusing on a new theatre, where they'll get to fly as 'muricans.

 

It's called IL-2 for a reason. Deal with it.

[Feathered_IV]

And those other countries can feel free to make their own series.

 

Get over yourself.

Perhaps the USA would like to create a flight sim for a change. Other countries can't keep coming to the USAAF's rescue.

[Finkeren]

Perhaps the USA would like to create a flight sim for a change. Other countries can't keep coming to the USAAF's rescue.

Oh SNAP!!!

 

[Bearcat]

Ok guys.,. I think you all need to step back and chillax a bit.

[Bumfluff]

Another sad excuse for BoS to move back to that boring (yes: Boring) WTO.

If the devs wanted to capitalize off the upcoming HBO flick, all they had to do were to run ads along the lines of:

"You've seen the pussyfied version of the air war in the skies over Europe. Now it's time for you to experience the REAL war, where it REALLY happened. Where REAL men (and women) fought to the bitter end, while the fate of the world hung in the balance in the most epic conflict in history! Here there is no 25 mission "tour of duty" (ha!), you fly 'till you die and it's a struggle for every living, breathing second!

Come see the realities of war, if you dare, and join the fight under the Red Banner in defense of the glorious Motherland and Comrade Stalin.

Not one step back!"

Nah. Eastern theatre sucks. Crap planes.

[Feathered_IV]

Ok guys.,. I think you all need to step back and chillax a bit.

Cheers BC. I'm better now. Though I still do not believe that the daylight bomber offensive can be effectively portrayed without a massive change to the way flight sims are designed and implemented.

[1./KG4_Blackwolf]

I smell a lock coming..I won't comment on the "Murican" thing.

[Finkeren]

Ok guys.,. I think you all need to step back and chillax a bit.

Rgr BC.

[HeavyCavalrySgt]

I would buy into a game like an improved "B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th".

 

It would also be nice to include some stuff I haven't seen much of in WW2 sims, like the Liberator, the Lancaster and the Wellington...  Maybe mix in a little night fighter ops - it could be a good time.

[Finkeren]

I would buy into a game like an improved "B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th".

 

It would also be nice to include some stuff I haven't seen much of in WW2 sims, like the Liberator, the Lancaster and the Wellington... Maybe mix in a little night fighter ops - it could be a good time.

I think we all would. But can we agree, that BoS is the wrong sim to build this from?

[Feathered_IV]

I know what you mean.  I would like to build an RAF Bomber Command title.  Not a flight sim, but more a crew simulator. 

The kind where you can walk or crawl from one end of the fuselage to the other, talk to the crew and do your assigned duty.

Very heavy emphasis on crew interraction. No 8-12 hour flights.  Each mission is told in a series of dynamically generated

"episodes" that save your progress at the conclusion of each and can be continued at leisure.

[HagarTheHorrible]

I have fond memories of what B-17, The Mighty Eighth could have been.

[GP*]

Perhaps the USA would like to create a flight sim for a change. Other countries can't keep coming to the USAAF's rescue.

 

For a change?

 

Try:

 

Pacific Air War

European Air War

Red Baron Series

CFS 1

CFS 2

(I won't mention CFS 3)

And I'm sure I'm missing others

 

And let's not forget the entire MS Flight Sim Series, which, despite not featuring weapons, was still a cutting edge flight simulator when first released. Oh yeah, X Plane too. 

 

All those games might be old, but they made flight sims what they are, and were groundbreaking for their time. IL2 and its descendants just improved upon what already existed. Oh, and let's not forget that 777 had to save ROF.

 

Back to my main point:

 

HBO develops series for American television. They want to create a series which is *most* likely to hold the attention of the widest range of Americans. Thus, in creating a series about the air war during WWII, it makes sense for them to center it around an American unit.

 

This isn't an attempt to rewrite history. It's not an attempt to discredit any other nations who participated in WWII, or any other nations period. It's simply the intersection of business and entertainment.

 

As I said, get over it. 

Edited November 2, 2014 by Prefontaine

[Wulf]

I don't know how anyone could conclude that day or night strategic bombing, in the ETO, was in any respect "pussyfied", given that tens of thousands of airmen were killed doing it, but I do wonder whether it would really work as a mass appeal sim.  Given the complexity required to do the concept justice, I suspect it's just too risky.   Something ETO and 'tactical' on the other hand, involving fighter-bombers and medium bombers; now that could be good.

[GP*]

I don't know how anyone could conclude that day or night strategic bombing, in the ETO, was in any respect "pussyfied", given that tens of thousands of airmen were killed doing it, but I do wonder whether it would really work as a mass appeal sim. Given the complexity required to do the concept justice, I suspect it's just too risky. Something ETO and 'tactical' on the other hand, involving fighter-bombers and medium bombers; now that could be good.

Yes, the wording chosen to describe the ETO that you mention is incredibly insulting to many who both fought and lost their lives there, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, assuming its author was either severely misinformed, immature, or so biased that his/her perception of historical events has been completely distorted.

[Finkeren]

....or maybe just deliberately tongue-in-cheek?

 

I mean: Look at the wording of that "advertisement" I suggested. Did you really think that was to be taken litterally?

Edited November 2, 2014 by Finkeren

[Feathered_IV]

For a change?

 

Yes. It's been a decade or more.

 

As I said, get over it.

I don't need to get over anything. I'm not the one going begging for a TV show tie-in.

[GP*]

Yes. It's been a decade or more.

 

 

I don't need to get over anything. I'm not the one going begging for a TV show tie-in.

1) And sadly it'll probably be much longer.

 

2) Begging is a strong word; I'd suggest taking a second to read the original post again. I'd actually prefer that this series stay on the Eastern Front as long as possible. What I was alluding to in my comment that you quoted is that many members are spring-loaded to cry fowl the second anything American is mentioned.

[Finkeren]

What I was alluding to in my comment that you quoted is that many members are spring-loaded to cry fowl the second anything American is mentioned.

I beg to differ. I'd love to fly a P-39 over Kerch or a P-40 over Karelia or maybe an A-20 bombing German positions outside Kharkov.

[GP*]

....or maybe just deliberately tongue-in-cheek?

 

I mean: Look at the wording of that "advertisement" I suggested. Did you really think that was to be taken litterally?

Something can be a joke and still be poor form. I'm about as anti-PC as it gets, and despite that I knew your post was a joke, it still caught me off guard to say the least.

[Finkeren]

Something can be a joke and still be poor form. I'm about as anti-PC as it gets, and despite that I knew your post was a joke, it still caught me off guard to say the least.

I guess people have different sensibilities.

 

However, a lot of people on this forum (not you) strike me as being particularly condescending and rude when ridiculing Soviet aviators and their supposed "crap planes", and I never see them getting called out on that.

[IRRE_Belmont]

Call of Duty and Brother in arms were made way before the Brother in Arms TV serie.

 

It has nothing to do with it, and i have no idea why you think this show will influence the developpers..

I'm sorry to say that will not happen most likely.

Also, i'm tired of the Europe front, we've seen it dozen of times,

I want IL2 Battle of Afrika for god sake

[GP*]

I beg to differ. I'd love to fly a P-39 over Kerch or a P-40 over Karelia or maybe an A-20 bombing German positions outside Kharkov.

I'm glad to hear that, although these aircraft were "MURICAN," you can see past that, given that they are historically relevant lend-lease aircraft.

 

(Removed by author to ensure things stay civil).

 

I guess people have different sensibilities.

 

However, a lot of people on this forum (not you) strike me as being particularly condescending and rude when ridiculing Soviet aviators and their supposed "crap planes", and I never see them getting called out on that.

This is a very fair point, it's a sad fact really.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Prefontaine

[Feathered_IV]

I just took a second read of the original post as you suggested and had to chuckle a bit.  The "AI B-17 (or better yet an operational one), a P-47 and some late war FW-190s and 109s." is currently in the making by another Russian developer.  They are even a 262 in the works. 

 

For the record too, I very much look forward to the day I can get a P-38 and a big chunk of the South-West Pacific to fly it over!

[GP*]

I smell a lock coming..I won't comment on the "Murican" thing.

I must have missed this image the first time around. That is absolutely hilarious.

[GP*]

I just took a second read of the original post as you suggested and had to chuckle a bit. The "AI B-17 (or better yet an operational one), a P-47 and some late war FW-190s and 109s." is currently in the making by another Russian developer. They are even a 262 in the works.

 

For the record too, I very much look forward to the day I can get a P-38 and a big chunk of the South-West Pacific to fly it over!

Ok ok, you got me there .

 

So, if HBO makes the mini-series, and DCS WWII amasses even greater interest due to it, can we consider this a multi-national effort?

 

Even the OP wins in that scenario...his intent would be met.

[Finkeren]

It makes more sense for DCS to pick up this one too. They already have a map and some fighters in the works that would be at least somewhat useful for at flyable B-17, and a full fledged study sim would propably be better at portraying a big heavy bomber like the B-17 than the slightly simplified BoS.

[Wulf]

I guess people have different sensibilities.

 

However, a lot of people on this forum (not you) strike me as being particularly condescending and rude when ridiculing Soviet aviators and their supposed "crap planes", and I never see them getting called out on that.

 

 

I don't wish to labour the point but I haven't seen many, if any, comments "ridiculing Soviet aviators" on the forum.   However, the reality is often forgotten that the Soviets were at least as active in the Spanish Civil War as were the Germans.   The VVS had the same opportunities as the Luftwaffe to absorb the lessons from that war.  Instead the Soviets decided to treat their own Spanish Civil War veterans as 'suspect' and no longer politically reliable; simply because they had been exposed to outside influences. As a consequence, the VVS was, at the very least, tactically inferior to the Luftwaffe in the early years of the war in the East.