Martin Spott wrote:
I heavily object because this lets FlightGear definitely cross the line between serious simulation and war games,
I think what we have to come to grips with is that just about any tool ... software or hardware can be used to benefit humanity (or our enviroment or whatever else might be higher on your priority list) or harm it ... and if not directly, it certainly can be used indirectly. Go watch "The God's Must Be Crazy" and see what kind of craziness ensues from a simple coke bottle. (Curt gives the movie 5 out of 5 thumbs up.)
As we move forward, there is going to be pressure to be able to drop items or fire items from a moving airplane ... forest fire water bombers will want to drop "retardant/water", we may want to simulate a rocket launch from 35,000' to deploy a civilian communication satellite, maybe we want to drop the X-15 from a B-52, maybe we want to drop a dozen realistic parachuters and the practice landing without flying into any of them, maybe someone would want to air drop humanitarian items to needy people. And it makes sense to add these to a simulation so you don't accidently drop a ton of rice on the people you are trying to feed, or drop it on their one remaining goat.
But by adding these features, we open the door to all the logical extensions that might move us towards more direct shoot 'em up style games. I honestly don't think it's possible to prevent that, and I'm not sure it's worth shooting ourselves in the foot (so to speak) just trying to lock out the FPS gamer crowd.
Curt. -- Curtis Olson http://www.flightgear.org/~curt HumanFIRST Program http://www.humanfirst.umn.edu/ FlightGear Project http://www.flightgear.org Unique text: 2f585eeea02e2c79d7b1d8c4963bae2d _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@flightgear.org http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-devel 2f585eeea02e2c79d7b1d8c4963bae2d
