Unlike modern Air Combat, which relies entirely on radar and air-to-air missiles for beyond-visual-range battles, an Air Combat game that prioritizes exhilarating combat naturally has to take a significant step backward in this area, reverting to the era of dogfights.
Fighter jets engage in close-quarters dogfights, exchanging fire with machine guns and missiles, testing each other's superior skills.
It doesn't need to have the strict formation restrictions and array arrangements that are typical of air force operations.
Even in Ace Combat, the designers at Namco deliberately cut a large amount of physics simulation.
Aerodynamics, the effects of g-forces on pilots, weather, and other elements were deliberately downplayed or even completely removed.
All of this is not simply about reducing the construction period and saving costs, but rather a genuine consideration made for the sake of gameplay.
"No aerodynamics?! Physical simulations are being cut too?!"
Will cried out in surprise, not understanding why Lin Lixin would give such an instruction.
This should have been the most important part of the flight simulation.
"Yes, like I said, this isn't a product that emphasizes 'professionalism.'"
Lin Lixin nodded and gestured with his finger to form a quotation mark.
"Our initial goal was to let players experience the thrill of flight, rather than spending a lot of time learning tedious flying skills." This isn't the first time they've done something like this.
There are actually a lot of these deliberate treatments in "Quake" and " Rock N' Roll Racing ".
Carmack sat thoughtfully to the side, offering no objection.
Having worked alongside Lin Lixin for so long, he is well aware of Lin Lixin's attitude.
For Lin Lixin, no matter what project he undertakes, he always starts with the game aspect.
Any other element is merely an add-on.
Will, being a veteran, was well aware of this.
Even Will himself knew very well that the path Lin Lixin had suggested was the best one.
However, his design philosophy for games did make him somewhat frustrated by this abandonment of realism.
"Imagine it, Will."
Lin Lixin gestured with his hands,
"I'm just an ordinary person planning to relax at the arcade." "I noticed a batch of rather impressive new arcade machines; they have throttle levers, flight sticks, all sorts of fancy buttons and indicator lights, and even realistic instrument panels and altimeters."
"So I decided to give it a try. What do you think will happen next?"
He stared into Will's eyes.
There was no need for much explanation; Will understood Lin Lixin's meaning.
"You might be unable to take off successfully due to unfamiliarity with how the aircraft is operated, and you might even crash quickly after taking off."
"That's right."
Lin Lixin nodded.
"This alone is enough to deter players who are planning to relax and unwind. But... this is only one aspect; the real disaster will come after takeoff."
"Even if we don't need to adhere to formations and troop arrangements, and engage in One on One -one combat, the overall experience will definitely not be as enjoyable as everyone expects."
"When we intend to turn around and continue the dogfight, the high-angle maneuvering and the resulting strong G-forces will directly cause blood flow to the pilot's head, resulting in blackout."
"The screen suddenly goes black while you're flying, and you might even lose consciousness."
"This means that when we're maneuvering, we have to strictly follow the rules of reality and can't pull off too high an overload." Will listened in silence.
He was well aware of what Lin Lixin was saying.
Black-vision and red-vision: a problem pilots inevitably have to face.
"Even if we resolve all these issues, and I already possess proficient flying skills, capable of easily engaging in skillful dogfights within reasonable limits, it would still be meaningless."
Lin Lixin tapped the table. In fact, this was the biggest reason why modern Air Combat was unsuitable for video games.
"Just like the naval warfare simulation you mentioned before, if we were to make one, its focus would be on the giant warships and cannons of the 1930s and 40s."
"If we really design it according to modern Air Combat, then all we have to do is wait for the results from AWACS and radar, and then launch missiles for beyond-visual-range strikes."
"After launching two missiles, the payload was emptied, and the aircraft returned directly to base."
Is this fun?
Everyone knows the answer to this question.
Perhaps for a small group of enthusiasts who pursue the ultimate in realistic battlefield simulation, if such a work could actually be made, it would definitely be hailed as a masterpiece.
But for the vast majority of players, this won't be a game they'd want to give a try. If it were a console game, Lin Lixin could at least use the excuse of "pursuing art" to actually create one and show off his skills.
But this is an arcade game; if it were really done like that, the store managers everywhere would be cursing.
In Ace Combat, the number of bullets and missiles is often excessive, allowing for unrestrained and indiscriminate firing.
The most outrageous is undoubtedly the alien maneuverability, completely unaffected by G-forces; the aircraft is incredibly agile and can fly however it wants.
Although this seemingly precious "realism" was sacrificed, it brought the Ace Combat series a glorious 30 years in return.
This is a classic example of heroic narrative.
Even in later sequels where teammates were added, the protagonist, as an ace pilot, remains undoubtedly the top choice on the battlefield.
He almost single-handedly destroyed the enemy's entire position, and also took several squadrons with him.
Ace Combat is a game that even those who have never played this type of game before can quickly pick up and have a blast.
This is a typical "this is offense, this is defense" scenario, the only difference being that you don't have to face Genichiro Ashina anymore.
It's not realistic, but it perfectly captures an ordinary person's fantasy about Air Combat.
This is the biggest reason for its success. Looking at Will's clear yet somewhat unwilling, and undeniably disappointed expression, Lin Lixin laughed heartily.
"Don't be so disappointed. Since this project dragged you into it as a scapegoat, there must be a reason."
Just like steering wheel peripherals are used in racing games or driving simulation games, Air Combat games naturally have their own peripherals.
However, flight sticks are usually much more expensive than steering wheels.
Fortunately, Lin Lixin and his team were not fighting alone this time, so there was no need to start from scratch and try iteration again.
Tailaipu personally led several engineers to the headquarters of NovaArccade.
Along with the engineering team, there was also a flight control stick that looked quite professional.
"Mr. Lin, for some reason, I cannot provide you with a real joystick prototype, but this is a simplified model that our engineering team replicated 1:1 based on the actual device."
Speaking of this, the engineers following behind him all showed a slightly proud smile.
This control stick, derived from the F-16, is absolutely the most advanced design in the world right now.
Unlike traditional mechanical connections, the F-16's control stick is like a video game controller. It is not directly connected to the aircraft itself, but is controlled by an electronic computer.
After the pilot operates the control stick, the data is first transmitted to the computer, and only after being processed by the electronic control system will the signal be transmitted to the aircraft.
The biggest advantage of this is that flying a plane becomes much easier.
Pilots can now perform many maneuvers that were previously unthinkable.
In addition, the F-16 is designed for high G-forces; theoretically, it can withstand a full 9g of G-force, as long as the pilot can handle it.
Under such an overloaded environment, even if the pilot is not unconscious, he would not be able to raise his arm to control the aircraft.
Therefore, the F-16's control stick was redesigned and, for the first time, installed on the right side of the cockpit.
In this way, even if the pilot is pressed tightly into the seat by high G-forces, he can still operate the control stick.