Going bullet by bullet in your list:
- Gamepad/joystick controls by their nature MUST use a separate camera system, that's why it won't work on the MKB controls. I'm hesitant to try and auto-detect this because it is genuinely an option, and just because you have a controller/joystick doesn't mean you necessarily want to use it. I can see there being a one-time popup when you start the game giving the option to choose.
- Noted issue
- The entire loadout menu is totally inoperable with a controller, and I don't think I have the real estate to dedicate a button to it. However, I do think that's a sensible option to appear on the escape/pause menu.
- Oh, that's a bad one. That's going to the top of the bug list.
- Very long running bug that's very hard to fix for obscure technical reasons. I'll fix it some day.
- It's explained in the readme and itch page. I realize it's not obvious, but at the same time it's kind of intentional because that's how it's supposed to work. It means the seeker can see something, and it will track if you fire, but it's intentionally ambiguous because the seeker is locked forwards. I'm not really sure how else to visualize it because its already visualizing what it's meant to. I have ideas on how to better expose these kinds of mechanics, but they're longer term plans.
In real life, should another pilot hear the lock-on warning before the missile fires? I've tailed an enemy fighter for a few seconds while being locked-on with a missile uncaged and he didn't seem to react.
It depends on a lot of things. The very short and very simplified answer is that they wouldn't know unless the enemy is using their radar. IR sensors are completely passive in real life. In the demo as it currently stands, the AI won't react to a missile shot unless they are already engaged in a dogfight. The AI is in a very early stage.
Rapid fire Q&A
- Campaign: No campaign in the sense there won't be a story with connected missions
- Scenarios: I have thoughts, but I don't feel comfortable commenting beyond that
- First person: HUD only first person view will happen, no cockpits
- G effects: Definitely
- Release date: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Thank you so much for the detailed comments and feedback! This is the kind of stuff that I find most useful and have added many of your points to my bugs and suggestions document.