If I had a bajillion dollars to develop a WW2 combat flight sim, I would...

[FlatSpinMan]

1. I would love to make the "perfect" world war 2 flight sim. We all would.

What would yours include?

 

2. "If I had just a couple of million bucks and two years to develop a World War 2 combat flight sim, I would..."

[DD_bongodriver]

 

 

"If I had just a couple of million bucks and two years to develop a World War 2 combat flight sim, I would..."

 

Buy the rights to Cliffs of Dover and set up Team Fusion as a developer to expand it.

 

If I had a bajillion dollars to develop a WW2 combat flight sim, I would...

 

 

Just buy a collection of real warbirds, fly the crap out of them, if I survive that the rest is going on booze and hookers.

[FlatSpinMan]

Well yeah, but what do you WANT to see done? Just the Battle of Britain?  What innovations do you have? What "musts" do you have? What theatres and aircraft do you want to see?

 

About the "coke and hookers", yesterday I had to go to my wife's company party. I wasn't particularly keen, but they had 5 really hot belly-dancers performing - Middle-Eastern, Japanese, and Russian. And I literally was required to be there watching. 

It was a good party.

[Trooper117]

Probably invest in a western software company to develop it, and make sure the damn thing DID NOT HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET TO PLAY THE WHOLE GAME!

[DD_bongodriver]

 

 

Well yeah, but what do you WANT to see done? Just the Battle of Britain? What innovations do you have? What "musts" do you have? What theatres and aircraft do you want to see?

 

Oh, just expand on the engine, eventually taking on a whole variety of theatres, my real WANT for cliffs of Dover is to get Oculus support...HEAVEN!!!

[FlatSpinMan]

But where? Where do you want to fly?! This is the question!

Oculus Rift - I am definitely getting ttat. trackIR I could live without, but the Rift, I MUST have this.

 

Anyway, I'll be back after four hours of rugby viewing (or not). Good luck, English rugby  team. All Blacks vs England at Twickenham these days - it's anyone's game. Man, I hope you guys lose.

[DD_bongodriver]

 

 

But where? Where do you want to fly?! This is the question!

 

Everywhere, it's all good, if there were planes shooting at each other then I want to see it, but if I'm forced to suggest a particular scenario then I'd like to see the Western Allied theatres more than the Eastern.

 

 

Man, I hope you guys lose.

 

Save your energy for the pre game face pully dance thingy.

[FlatSpinMan]

Ah, you read the Telegraph, I see. (Actually I do. Their rugby coverage is good).

 

But I get it. I kind of like the haka, but at the same time it is a bit (lot) over the top. You don't see the half of it though. Every team we have in NZ does it at the drop of a hat - not cool.

Also it seems a bit hypocritical given the history. But anyway, it makes for good theatre and annoys a fair chunk of the opposing supporters, so what the hey?

[DD_bongodriver]

We seem to like the Haka here in the UK, it's adorable ethnic stuff that we just lap up, I personally think we should give the 'Agincourt salute' before each game.

[Chuck_Owl]

I would have many plans with such an amount of money.

 

I would:

 

1) Create a company that builds Spitfires (and probably other old warbirds) from scratch. Of course, I would fly these beauties myself.

2) Create a developer to build the flight sims I always wanted.

 

Among these sims, there would be modules done to a DCS level of fidelity (with flight manuals, all aircraft controls and switches... the WHOLE thing) with proper tutorials that teach how to operate each aircraft. I'd like to do:

-A Vietnam War theater with the MiGs, Crusader, Skyraider, F4 Phantom II, Thunderchief, A-7 Corsair II, and many other aircraft. The map would include the WHOLE Vietnam theater and carrier ops would be a very important part of the game. All servers would be dedicated, and of course the community would have its own mission editor.

- A World War II Western theater that includes Britain, France and Germany. I would like to recreate the HUGE raids of B-17s, Liberators and Lancasters and be able to live the experience of a bombing raid with other friends. Aircraft would also be done to a DCS level and would be multi-crewable by your friends that could switch seats and help you fly the plane or aim your bombs or even man your guns. Of course, a decent selection of other planes would also be available, including Spitfires, Bf.109s, FW190s, Hurricanes, Typhoons/Tempests, Mosquitos, P-51s, P-47s, M.C. 202, Beaufighters, Halifaxes, Wellingtons, He-111s, Ju-88s, Bf.110s, P-38s... the whole deal. By doing so, we would immortalize these mighty planes so their legacy lives on and the knowledge doesn't get lost.

- A World War II Pacific Theater including China (with Flying Tigers missions) and the whole asia theater. There would be planes from the RAF, RAAF, the US Navy and Japan. 

- A proper Mirage III simulator, which is my favourite aircraft after the Spitfire.

- I would also fund (affordable) integrated commercial simulators a la DCS for modern aircraft and helicopters like the F-14, F-18 (that one is happening though ), the Mirage 2000, the Rafale, the Eurofighter, the F-15, the F-16 (that one already exists with BMS... but it won't run correctly on my machine and it's a pain to install!), Viggen, Draken, Su-27, the Apache, the Chinook and of course SR-71 Black Bird because why the hell not.

 

With infinite money, I would also like to create some sort of "flight sim cafe" in Montreal where people could pay a small sum to enter for a day (some kind of daily pass) and there would be virtual cockpits, desktops with joysticks, oculus rifts (or trackIRs), rudder pedals... and there would be rooms to fly with other people, rooms with teachers that teach you how to fly and operate ANY plane in ANY flight sim... And we'd just end up having fun all the time.

 

Aaaah... one can dream.

[FlatSpinMan]

Dammit. Should have limited it to a coupla mill'. Anyway, keep the dreams flowing, guys.

[DD_bongodriver]

 

 

With infinite money, I would also like to create some sort of "flight sim cafe" in Montreal where people could pay a small sum to enter for a day (some kind of daily pass) and there would be virtual cockpits, desktops with joysticks, oculus rifts (or trackIRs), rudder pedals... and there would be rooms to fly with other people, rooms with teachers that teach you how to fly and operate ANY plane in ANY flight sim... And we'd just end up having fun all the time. Aaaah... one can dream.

 

Seems we share a dream.

[FlatSpinMan]

Having fun? Pshaw! Weakness! Flight sims are about suffering, hate, vitriol, and suffering - aren't they?

But yes, seriously, that would be good. The sensation of flight is so fun, and these days the scenery is do good, that just flying around would appeal to so many non-simmers.

[unreasonable]

First off, make it easy to crowd source so the customers do the work.

 

For instance, base the terrain on Google Maps of the whole world, then allow people to send in suggested amendments to get it back to your desired timeframe(s). Not so hard - taking out modern built up areas and replacing them with fields would be easy, replacing old urban areas less so but still doable.

 

On maps, ban the colour lime green, except on limes.

 

Third, I would make it single player only. (This is my bajillion dollars we are talking about!) No more arguments about vulching, fairness etc. Anyone who wanted a particular interpretation of how some aeroplane behaved could have it.

 

Fourth, set the price at over $1,000 US.

[unreasonable]

Ah, you read the Telegraph, I see. (Actually I do. Their rugby coverage is good).

 

But I get it. I kind of like the haka, but at the same time it is a bit (lot) over the top. You don't see the half of it though. Every team we have in NZ does it at the drop of a hat - not cool.

 

Also it seems a bit hypocritical given the history. But anyway, it makes for good theatre and annoys a fair chunk of the opposing supporters, so what the hey?

My local rugby bar in Bangkok was owned by a kiwi and always had a good turnout. I rang the bell when England had a good day a couple of years ago, must have been the only Englishman in the place. The contrast between the black shirts and the grey faces was a sight to remember, as I doubt I will be seeing very often. Mostly pretty reasonable about it they were, only a couple chuntering on about food poisoning.

 

Sadly the owner has sold the bar on to a gay couple. Their plans for the bar are unknown, but I note that they have kept all the prominent photos of the haka...

[-NW-ChiefRedCloud]

Flat you would know for once what it's like to be in the hot seat trying to manage such an endeavor please your (or not) your customer base. Innocently, good thread thanks. 

 

Chief

[Chuck_Owl]

Oh, with a limited budget and time? In this case, I only have one thing in mind.

 

2. "If I had just a couple of million bucks and two years to develop a World War 2 combat flight sim, I would..."

 

Work on a B-17 flight sim for DCS. Fully clickable cockpit, real Norden bombsight, an interactive crew that allows other players to join in.

 

I'm especially thinking of a spiritual sequel to B-17 Flying Fortress The Mighty Eighth by Microprose. Heavy bombers have received no love at all these last few years.

Edited November 8, 2014 by 71st_AH_Chuck

[gavagai]

It would have a 24:7 campaign system similar to Falcon 4.

[79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer]

Third, I would make it single player only. (This is my bajillion dollars we are talking about!) No more arguments about vulching, fairness etc. Anyone who wanted a particular interpretation of how some aeroplane behaved could have it.

 

I'd put my emphasis on off-line too, a good AI would see a large chunk of my development money. For on-line I would prioritize coop-modes (including AI planes).

Edited November 8, 2014 by 79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer

[Feathered_IV]

I would build an RAF Bomber Command title. Not a flight sim, but more a crew simulator.  Singleplayer as Mr Fink says.  Very heavy emphasis on crew interraction.

 

Perhaps a Halifax or Lancaster.  With every interior detail modelled.  The entire game is set inside the fuselage (no externals for you m'lads).

The detail inside would be obsessive. You can walk or crawl from one end of the fuselage to the other.  Every dial and control line works.  Every lid opens on every box. 

 

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.  You start a mission in a

real-time briefing.  Better take notes too, as there is no going back later.  Then its the ride in the lorry to your aircraft.  Piss on the tailwheel if you like.  The other crew members do.

Enter the aircraft through the fuselage hatch and make your way to the cockpit...

 

Thats the end of Part one.  Part two is the Pilot's Tale.  Do your preflight's, start up and taxi out.  Wait for the signal and commence your takeoff run.  Did you do it right?

Each episode of the mission is generated based on your actions in the previous.  You'll need to learn every position in the aircraft to succeed.  If you make it into the air, you level out and

ask the navigator for a heading.  The game save your progress and that's the end of Part 2. 

 

Part 3 is the Navigators tale.  You get the idea now.  This section sees you plotting a course for the first leg of the trip.  The next portions of the mission have your position generated depending on how good you are.  Each time you get a go at being navigator you might wander increasingly off course.   

 

Other parts of the story will have you filling the role of bomb aimer, gunner etc.  You'll get to know each station of the aircraft and the role you need to play.  There would be a heavy emphasis on proceedure too.  Say you're the navigator and the mid upper gunner is hit by flak.  The pilot orders you to attend to him.  You must disconnect your intercom, locate the medical supplies, make your way down the fuselage and assist the gunner.  Forget to take a portable oxygen bottle or plug your mask into the wall socket?  Thats it for the chapter then and the next episode ses you as tail gunner going to the assistance of two crew members.  Better hope a nightfighter doesn't find you at that time...

 

That's the way I'd like my sim to go.  Claustrophobic, technical and very personal.  A real life 8 to 12 hour mission can be played out in 1 to 2 hours via a series of dynamically generated episodes that save at the completion of each and allow the player to continue them at leisure. 

[Emgy]

Falcon 4-style, dynamic pvp/coop/SP campaign with a moving land war that matters. Support your land forces or lose. Drop-in/drop-out pvp campaigns to last at least half a week.

 

Problem with Bos, Rof, Atag missions is many just ignore the land war because few care if you lose a 2-5-hour mission round.

[Rama]

If just a couple million dollars?

... then battle of France, terrain and planes, as accurate as possible, as a third-party add-on to an existing dev team (since a couple of million dollars isn't enough to develop a full sim).

 

Much More?

The rebuilt of warbirds that don't exist anymore, not even in museums, like Bloch152, in flying condition of course... and make a flight sim as a side product.

[gavagai]

Falcon 4-style, dynamic pvp/coop/SP campaign with a moving land war that matters. Support your land forces or lose. Drop-in/drop-out pvp campaigns to last at least half a week.

 

Problem with Bos, Rof, Atag missions is many just ignore the land war because few care if you lose a 2-5-hour mission round.

 

No, some just prefer air-to-air combat.  In Falcon 4 you can also help your side win the war by shooting down as many enemy as possible: attrition works.

[Bando]

Wow Feathered, I'd buy that sim without hesitation.

[=LD=Hethwill]

Would build a game that would only run in a server and people would connect and play with no need of anything but the visuals game client.

 

Only limitation would be your own internet access, sorry.

 

Regarding models ALL warbirds foundations, engineers and association would be contacted and be made part of the Research team. A multinational effort to translate living history into a digital media.

Every single rivet would be in and the most advanced aerodynamics possible in a mainframe would be used.

 

Game modes ? Only one.

WW2 day by day as player's leisure. FULL A.I. present. Players connect and occupy an A.I. pilot place anywhere at anytime in any theatre.

 

Game would be sold as a 1 time pay with full access to everything, BUT death is death, a timeout would be issued. A good player pilot might be given options to choose a new squadron to be transferred to or even occupy a position as a trainer, etc. Player actions drive the progress in game if you get my meaning.

 

So the "everything unlocked" means you must play as a war time pilot did. You go training, you get assigned a unit, you fly through...

 

Squad system as a DLC. Registered squads could buy their squad in game. Yes true that, no duplicates. So maybe I would throw a Blizzard trick and make it an auction huh

 

Community work would be rewarded with cash in a freelancer system.

 

Nuts, huh !? 

Edited November 8, 2014 by =LD=Hethwill_Khan

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

Just buy a collection of real warbirds, fly the crap out of them, if I survive that the rest is going on booze and hookers.

No shit there. If I had endless funds, I'd be starting my own flying collection. Probably Cold Warriors, though. I'd have to throw in a Corsair and Emil in the mix, because swagger.

 

But, for reals, Chuck, if you were to have that funding and make that Vietnam Sim, I would start a religion based around you.

Edited November 9, 2014 by MiG21bisFishbedL

[johncage]

you would probably give some western company 50 million to do it and watch them make a crappy war thunder knock off while their lawyers, which they bought with your money prevent you from exerting any manner of control.

 

the optimistic outcome:

buy eagle dynamics and a bunch of other russian devs, get them all working on the most expensive and most detailed sim ever made...with multicore support and the latest graphical technologies.

 

make sure the fighter collection doesn't go in and ruin things.

 

but chances are, if you have a billion dollars, you'd probably quit sims and do something far more exciting

[Chuck_Owl]

Why would The Fighter Collection ruin anything? They brought us the Mustang, for crying out loud!

Edited November 9, 2014 by 71st_AH_Chuck

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

you would probably give some western company 50 million to do it and watch them make a crappy war thunder knock off while their lawyers, which they bought with your money prevent you from exerting any manner of control.

You wish to demonstrate the failings of western developers by citing a game made by a company that isn't a western developer. I fail to see how that's any different from the case of BoS where the developer just outright refuses to listen. If you had that kind of money to this sort of thing, you'd have contractual obligations written down. I don't know where you get this idea that lawyers can magically give you a piece of paper that says "haha screw you this is how it is" but no amount of good lawyering is going get a company out of a decently made contract.

 

 

the optimistic outcome:

buy eagle dynamics and a bunch of other russian devs, get them all working on the most expensive and most detailed sim ever made...with multicore support and the latest graphical technologies.

 

make sure the fighter collection doesn't go in and ruin things.

You mean the guys that can barely address issues in DCS world that have been longstanding in stuff like Black Shark? And yeah, Fighter Collection did a good job with Mustang.

 

At anyrate, if you had that kind of cash, you could afford to start a new MicroProse or something and make a Falcon 5.0 or similar product.

Edited November 9, 2014 by MiG21bisFishbedL

[76SQN-FatherTed]

I would build an RAF Bomber Command title. Not a flight sim, but more a crew simulator.  Singleplayer as Mr Fink says.  Very heavy emphasis on crew interraction.

 

Perhaps a Halifax or Lancaster.  With every interior detail modelled.  The entire game is set inside the fuselage (no externals for you m'lads).

The detail inside would be obsessive. You can walk or crawl from one end of the fuselage to the other.  Every dial and control line works.  Every lid opens on every box. 

 

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.  You start a mission in a

real-time briefing.  Better take notes too, as there is no going back later.  Then its the ride in the lorry to your aircraft.  Piss on the tailwheel if you like.  The other crew members do.

Enter the aircraft through the fuselage hatch and make your way to the cockpit...

 

Thats the end of Part one.  Part two is the Pilot's Tale.  Do your preflight's, start up and taxi out.  Wait for the signal and commence your takeoff run.  Did you do it right?

Each episode of the mission is generated based on your actions in the previous.  You'll need to learn every position in the aircraft to succeed.  If you make it into the air, you level out and

ask the navigator for a heading.  The game save your progress and that's the end of Part 2. 

 

Part 3 is the Navigators tale.  You get the idea now.  This section sees you plotting a course for the first leg of the trip.  The next portions of the mission have your position generated depending on how good you are.  Each time you get a go at being navigator you might wander increasingly off course.   

 

Other parts of the story will have you filling the role of bomb aimer, gunner etc.  You'll get to know each station of the aircraft and the role you need to play.  There would be a heavy emphasis on proceedure too.  Say you're the navigator and the mid upper gunner is hit by flak.  The pilot orders you to attend to him.  You must disconnect your intercom, locate the medical supplies, make your way down the fuselage and assist the gunner.  Forget to take a portable oxygen bottle or plug your mask into the wall socket?  Thats it for the chapter then and the next episode ses you as tail gunner going to the assistance of two crew members.  Better hope a nightfighter doesn't find you at that time...

 

That's the way I'd like my sim to go.  Claustrophobic, technical and very personal.  A real life 8 to 12 hour mission can be played out in 1 to 2 hours via a series of dynamically generated episodes that save at the completion of each and allow the player to continue them at leisure. 

 

 

Impressive thoughts.  My only worry is that I've never heard any veteran of those missions let on that it was any kind of fun.  Occasionally an ex-fighter pilot will use words like "exhilaration" to describe his experiences, and so you can see how that would make a game, but I think your vision would be something 90% of people would only "play" once.  I think it's a great idea, but I think that if it captured the reality of the experience it would be too grim.

 

On topic...It's all about the MP for me, so I would have Il2 46's range of aircraft and theatres coupled with BoS graphics/FMs/DMs, unshakeable netcode and an intuitive FMB.

[LLv34_Flanker]

S!

 

 Shame that the programmer of original Falcon 4.0 dynamic campaign is not in the business. He said in one interview it was a very demanding task to accomplish as his CPU cycles were VERY limited. But he did it

[79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer]

Seriously, if I had unlimited funds for making a flight sim, I'd hire 777 to develop the basic model (and pay them handsomely to do it too), and then pay them to make a good map making tool, skinning tool, full mission builder and release it to the public. I'd retain 777 to keep adding planes.

 

I'm fairly certain that given enough money, that's what Jason & Co would like too.

[unreasonable]

Seriously, if I had unlimited funds for making a flight sim, I'd hire 777 to develop the basic model (and pay them handsomely to do it too), and then pay them to make a good map making tool, skinning tool, full mission builder and release it to the public. I'd retain 777 to keep adding planes.

 

I'm fairly certain that given enough money, that's what Jason & Co would like too.

Excellent idea: but they would have to rebuild a new engine that could handle larger formations, ground objects, skins, markings etc. In which case I would chip in my bajillion as well.

[Feathered_IV]

Impressive thoughts. My only worry is that I've never heard any veteran of those missions let on that it was any kind of fun. Occasionally an ex-fighter pilot will use words like "exhilaration" to describe his experiences, and so you can see how that would make a game, but I think your vision would be something 90% of people would only "play" once. I think it's a great idea, but I think that if it captured the reality of the experience it would be too grim.

 

On topic...It's all about the MP for me, so I would have Il2 46's range of aircraft and theatres coupled with BoS graphics/FMs/DMs, unshakeable netcode and an intuitive FMB.

I wasn't thinking aiming for "fun" as such. The idea would be that there are procedures to follow and your actions - how many you accomplish and when, have a precise bearing in how the next episode plays out. Tiny mistakes can have massive repercussions later on.

 

There was an ancient console game I remember playing a quarter century ago. A a Star Trek title that had you playing bridge commander and managing ship systems, communications, gunnery etc. The way through each mission was to successfully fulfill each task in the right order. Scan before approaching, power down weapons before hailing, and for gods sake don't dock in red alert mode. That sort of stuff. It was primitive but really challenging.

 

The other bit of the bajillion dollars would go to making the crew come to life. Dynamically generated crew speech and interaction with a Siri-like ability to read and respond to the players own voice or text inputs. Well, a guy can dream eh?

[79_vRAF_Friendly_flyer]

Excellent idea: but they would have to rebuild a new engine that could handle larger formations, ground objects, skins, markings etc. In which case I would chip in my bajillion as well.

 

Wouldn't the current engine be able to do that if we threw the aforementioned bajillion at Jason & Co to develop it? 

[unreasonable]

Wouldn't the current engine be able to do that if we threw the aforementioned bajillion at Jason & Co to develop it?

Well that is a bit like asking about how many planks of a ship you can replace before it stops being the same ship. But given that none of these weaknesses has been addressed in BoS compared to RoF one has to assume that the answer would be no.

[76SQN-FatherTed]

I wasn't thinking aiming for "fun" as such. The idea would be that there are procedures to follow and your actions - how many you accomplish and when, have a precise bearing in how the next episode plays out. Tiny mistakes can have massive repercussions later on.

 

There was an ancient console game I remember playing a quarter century ago. A a Star Trek title that had you playing bridge commander and managing ship systems, communications, gunnery etc. The way through each mission was to successfully fulfill each task in the right order. Scan before approaching, power down weapons before hailing, and for gods sake don't dock in red alert mode. That sort of stuff. It was primitive but really challenging.

 

The other bit of the bajillion dollars would go to making the crew come to life. Dynamically generated crew speech and interaction with a Siri-like ability to read and respond to the players own voice or text inputs. Well, a guy can dream eh?

  Okay - I take my comments back.  If you had a bajillion dollars to make a game it could just be for you - no mass (or even tiny niche) appeal necessary.

 

In my case I would order a bunch of cockpit chairs on hydraulics to go with OR sets.

[Pringliano]

If I were rich, I would try to merge the ED DCS World, BOS and ROF and Team Fusion Teams, together with Peter James, Austin Meyer and a few of the ACES Studios members, and of course Hardy Heinlin too, in a BIG flight simulation Project, covering World Scenery with details like never before, and automatically adapting to date and time, so that we could start the game today, or sometime around 1918, 1943... and find matching scenery and living World.

 

The sim would come, by default, with at least 25 highly detailed civil and military aircraft, representative of the various types, and have advanced weather models allowing for even proper replication of soaring, but also more exhotic stuff like orbital flight, and an expansion for inter-planetary flight and spaceships too.

 

Additional modules would bring all sorts of land and water vehicles.

 

Well... we can dream :-)

Edited November 12, 2014 by jcomm

[SOLIDKREATE]

If I had something like $500 Million like the Destiny franchise I'd make the most detail Pacific Air War sim ever built.  It would cover the entirety of the PTO from 1941 - 1945 with all allies and axis countries.

[PeterZvan]

With such a budget I would do the next thing:

- gather a core team to create the core of the sim - the sim engine.

Their goal would be to create the most most detailed physics engine that can still be run with a desktop computer. As a basis computer I would go really to the top of the computers that would be avalible in that point in time.

This would ensure me the most accurate physics calculations that are doable.

Their goal would be to combine it with the latest graphics, however with the emphasis on the physics if there would be any tradeoff between graphics / physics....

The next guideline would be to make it SP / MP capable. With as many objects / plane as possible as the target.

The next one would be to make ground objects playable / AI for the objects relativly smart on the level of strategy games / sims.

Up until now nothing out of the normal.

Up to this point they would have to do everything modulary so that the growth / expansison can very simply be done from the base.

At this point I would let them do a testing run to get all the details sorted and see that all the enteties are working well.

Than they would have to create seperate modes - SP and MP.

These would be split to several levels - from QMB and MP dogfight servers to Campaigns (MP / SP).

QMB and MP dogfight is just fine as it is implemented currently in all sims. However the campaign (MP / SP) I would do completly different.

It should be as a base a strategy game. So one can play a strategy game against AI or agains human players.

This means that you have two levels

- one is to comand units and move them around based on the situaiton (out of this all the necesary mission for planes / ground units come out)

- second one is to take part in operations directly - squad leader, just a part of a squad taking comands...

Here there would be a multitude of options and selections to choose from - AI could be the strategist, create missions and you can only fly them agains AI or against humans.

You can be the comander and only play strategy agains AI - not fly at all. Or do this agains another human who is also not flying.

Or it can be a ful blown campaign with each side doing the strategy side and the operations side.

Key here would be smart AI ground units with the complete structure behind them. Obviously all the underlying objects, mechanics... would need to be created.

So the gameplay for the strategist would look a bit like looking at the map, getting informations from the units about the enemy locations / movements... and redistributing own units / giving them missions and resuplying them - all in real time during the course of the battle - this could also be split to sub-roles if necesary so that one would handle the overal strategy and a few players could run the strategy of supplies / units / airflied comandors...

And the sim / game would have to be able to run this with one base generator.

Of course the complete load on the server / user PC would be huge so I would ask the team to run the AI from seperate computers which would be conected to the main server just like other players. And I would run those computers than with my budget so that there would be pleanty of avalible AI brainpower to run all this strategy / units...

Than for MP campaigns it could be done based on 24/7 or with certain time slots (for instance 3 hours per day).... and I would constantly run some base campaigns hosted by the developers and of course also let the users run their campaigns.

 

Once the basic scenario would work I would expand it - so start with somehting like the France campaign base set and than just expand.

As I would have a bajillion dollars I would hire plenty of 3d modelers and programers to get as much content created as possible in a short time to span the complete WWII theater of operations.

And than I would split the option to a theater strategy option (lets say Battle of France - with Allies defending and Axis attacking - goal would be to occupy complete France in a time frame).

And the big one would be a complete world war scenario - one could lead Allied or Axis forces, would also get the units at the right times and would need to manage all the supply, factories...

Well - you see where this is going.

 

For me it is suprising that it didnt go more that way especially as the Microprose 1942 allready had this as well as Rowans Overlord - at least to a certain level.

And IMO - the sim/game should have this bulit in into the basic design - as modular as possible.

And all must run with a huge ammount of units - let all the non esential things run on computers which are not tied to players or the server.