(01-21-2015, 03:56 PM)Eric.B Wrote: [ -> ]The problem with this is the amount of aircraft designed (not very many), the amount that are sold (not very many again), and the length aircrafts go between new designs (decades.) I have thought about it. But I don't think it'd turn into a good game if done realistically.
To give you example, you design a 737, outside of engine selection it remains the same for 60 years. You design a 747, outside of engine selection it remains the same for 40 years... You design a figher jet, like f16, it remains practically the same for 35 years...
Now, Eric, you know that I will certainly be purchasing this and anything else you make (especially seeing that airplanes are my other main passion, next to cars) - and that I will tell everyone I know to do the same - but I do think you should maybe reconsider this.
Sure, there's not that many different aircraft "models" now, primarily due to the fact that there's not much competition anymore, but that wasn't always the case. The early jetliner age had so many other, now defunct, players on the manufacturing stage, all with their own models. Sure, you have a point regarding lifespans of certain models - but if an upgrade process would be realistically implemented, this could still be quite fun as most of these have undergone significant changes as time went on, particularly with regard to avionics. This is especially true for military aircraft, but applies to civilian ones as well - I'm sure that could be done in a fun way.
That being said, most variety would probably be presented by the early years where everything was possible (quite similar to the historical development of cars, for example) as well as the inclusion of more obscure aircraft markets, such as business jets, aerobatic aircraft, trainers and so on - I really think there'd be enough for this!
Also - and, again, I'm not doubting what you're going to do with this - the way you describe your plans for Aero Mogul sound too much like what's already been done a thousand times. As I have said, this is my one other main passion next to cars...so I've seen it all over the years. There's even some iPad stuff that does this pretty well (for mobile standards, anyway), including more or less detailed route management. Most of the market seems to be geared towards browser games ATM - so maybe there is a niche for this after all, seeing that this will most likely be SP first? There's also Airline Project, which is open-source and therefore still in a somwhat sorry state - but it's free and getting more and more detailed every time I check up on it. I'm sure that you can surpass that simulation and other competitors on the market by a mile - there's no doubt about that - but it's just...I don't know...not unique enough? At least compared to GC, that is...
Anyway, I don't think you're very far into this, so maybe you'll come around and reconsider stuff - but I'm excited to see what you're going to do with this in the future!