Where are the Flight Sim Kickstarters?

[republic]

I'm glad that space games have finally been resurrected.  Once I see a Starflight spiritual remake...it will be icing on the cake.

However, there is a disturbing lack of flight sims on Kickstarter.  I really want to see a fun flight sim again.  Thirdwire is great, but I guess they are going all in on mobile.  Until I retire I'll never have time to learn a DCS game...and I can't bring myself to play the DCS games in 'arcade mode'.

I just want something like Aces Over Europe/Pacific or even IL2.  A flight sim that feels right, no need for button mashing. 

My dream?  A WWII naval air warfare game with something like the old SVGAHarrier where you plan the missions and your success/failure shape your theater of war.  You start off maybe on an escort carrier protecting convoys from U-Boats.  Great intro/tutorial time with little danger.  Then you get promoted to the pacific with more and more impact eventually covering island invasions.  Relaxed flight model akin to Thirdwire, but add in a dash of strategic planning and having to be frugal with your squadron's fuel/weaponry.

Expansion packs/DLC could be what if's with you on Midway class ships vs late war IJN carriers.  Or expansions into Korea.  I know of only one Korea era flight sim.

Anyhow...no more dreaming...I need more coffee.

[LongBlade]

The boys from GARPA are the ones with the final answer, but I suspect we haven't seen any because no one has tried to kick start the idea yet.

[Staggerwing]

  I know of only one Korea era flight sim.

Anyhow...no more dreaming...I need more coffee.

There were at least two that I know of, Mig Alley and Sabre Ace. There could be others.

[republic]

There were at least two that I know of, Mig Alley and Sabre Ace. There could be others.

I'd never heard of Sabre Ace.  I wish I'd seen that one back in the day.  :\

[Gusington]

Both Mig Alley and Sabre Ace were from MicroProse right?

[Staggerwing]

Both Mig Alley and Sabre Ace were from MicroProse right?

Mig Alley was developed by Rowan Software ('Battle of Britain') and distributed by Empire Interactive. Sabre Ace was developed by Eagle Interactive ('Luftwaffe Commander') and distributed by Virgin Interactive. Lots of 'Interactives' but no Microprose (unless they got added to some flightsim bundle down the road).

[Toonces]

A quick browse of the SimHQ forums should answer your question nicely. 

Man alive but the flight sim crowd is ruthless.  I think part of the problem is that the level of complexity and graphics has come such a far way that the bar has been raised very high for any new flight sim.

Honestly, I don't even know what the masses want anymore.  I would think that there are a few ideas out there just waiting to be grabbed by an entrepenuer, like a study-sim level Vietnam sim, a new Korea sim, a new Apache sim, the list goes on, but maybe that's just what I want to see...

[Huw the Poo]

Surely the study sims are the way to go; DCS seem to be doing alright with them.  Any modern (or even not-so-modern) jet is going to have its adherents...they'll all sell to some degree.  I'd be all over an F/A-18 or F-15 sim by DCS, for example.

[republic]

I don't know, I sometimes wonder if the complexity we've now got is why the flight sim has gone away.  Its amazing for those who can devote the time, but surely there are people are there who just want to fly around.

Of course, having said that...that is probably where World of Warplanes comes in.

[Nefaro]

I don't know, I sometimes wonder if the complexity we've now got is why the flight sim has gone away.  Its amazing for those who can devote the time, but surely there are people are there who just want to fly around.

Of course, having said that...that is probably where World of Warplanes comes in.

Yep, it is.  I'm sure World of Warplanes will do just fine for the more casual oriented players.  Although War Thunder is where the fun will be.  Beats it by a mile.  ;)

[eyebiter]

Chris Roberts just completed a successful space sim fund raising on kickstarter.  Think a space sim would have more mass market appeal among the younger crowd. 

With the Disney purchase of Star Wars this would be a good time to shop a remake of X-Wing vs Tie Fighter.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Nothing after 1945 for me.

I'd like to see a better version of B-17 II- The Mighty 8th.  Call it Bomber Command and put a strategic overlay on it that lets you plan and conduct the bombing war as the allies or axis.  Add in an RPG/crew management element for your bomber crew, and build a detailed sim around a few selected bombers.  Maybe B-17s and B-24s for the days and Lancasters and Halifaxes during the night. 

[Gusington]

^Same with me but I'm not even that interested in WWII. After 1918 I start to lose interest.

[Father Ted]

I'd like to see a better version of B-17 II- The Mighty 8th.  Call it Bomber Command and put a strategic overlay on it that lets you plan and conduct the bombing war as the allies or axis.  Add in an RPG/crew management element for your bomber crew, and build a detailed sim around a few selected bombers.  Maybe B-17s and B-24s for the days and Lancasters and Halifaxes during the night.

Going OT here, but...

What about a tactical wargame in which you're the commander of a squadron(s) and you have to carry out the planning for each mission, rather than actually fly?  As you suggested you could have crew-management issues, extending this to replacements, training, and so on.  You'd be given a target, intel about defences, weather, your own resources, etc., then have to pick the crews and load-outs, and plan a route.

Once they're off, you have no further control...You just have to pace about the ops room, trying not to look at the clock (obviously not real time!)

You do a tour of 30 missions and get a score based on targets hit vs crew lost.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Nope.  For me, the flight sim aspects (flying, navigating, and bombing) would have to be the core elements of the game or I'd likely not be interested.  Besides, I think the type of game you're suggesting already exists in Bombing the Reich.