...Good analogies guys. ...1/48th was always my fave size. The point 'bout moders (CFS Series) box players (IL-2) seems also generally true. Added to this are the concerns of aircraft that have been 'modded' to provide 'advantages' during multi-play...
Besides having a lot of time, money, as you fellas do, invested in my fav combat sim, CFS2, CFS2 seems to offer advantages not mentioned by you fellas, sitting on both sides of my fence:
CFS2 Vs CFS1 >> CFS1 offers me no possibility of 'eye candy'... Newer planes, designed for FS-2002/4 or CFS-2/3 can not be imported, period. To be honest, the flight model is missing too much as well.
CFS2 Vs CFS3 >> CFS3 aircraft scenery additions are 'hindered' by the fact the game's 'visual engine' is different than MS's other flight sims. Out of the box the 'view-points' are lousy, the game is much less 'stable' than CFS-2. FS2002/2004.
With the 'release' of MS FS-X, I feel we all are in a bind; the CFS1 fan has been in a bind since 2002, the CFS2 fan as of now (the aircraft for FS2004 were/are becomming too 'complex' for CFS2 conversion), the CFS3 fan may do best... Here's why... You guys have had to 'create' you own mods from day one. CFS2 modders now must be as 'creative' as CFS3 modders...
I hope your preminition of lots of CFS3 'stuff' being issued is true... But I feel the rebirth of that game, at its 'peak' now, not too much unlike like CFS2 of last year, is dieing. To support CFS3, comercially... to make these 'civil aircraft' function in the cfs-3 'world', which never seemed to happen on any scale close to CFS2 during it's hey-day, it requires a great deal of 'extra' expended effort by the 'creator', dedicated code thier costs, that may not be recovered by issuing 'payware'... I see more and more 'shooters' succumbing to the 'docile' flights remarkable eye candy offered using 'civil sims' as they have some rather remarkable new features included... 'SIMULATE' a COMBAT SIMULATOR (LOL); 'droppable' stores that dissapear, effecting no
simworld damage, or 'shootable guns missles' that never find thier
simworld mark.