I just want to say, CIG, we love you. This game is so amazing. I've been following for years, I truly believe in you all and the project and spend thousands on it. The concept is incredible and the tech you've been able to invent is mind blowing. I can't stress how impressive and how amazing it is that your company exists completely crowed funded with no corporate overlord. The only stake holders you really need to keep happy are us and we are for the most part but there is one fundamental issue that I think many don't fully understand is going to be destructive element for the game overall. That being said, it seems like there's a lot of egos getting in the way of getting to the truth. The team who determines the flight model and designs the HUDs for the ships seem to be missing a key element. Someone who truly knows flight combat in an aircraft. A lot of the new ideas to flight combat seem cool or fun on paper but they've destroyed a large element of skill and fun for flight and flight combat. If there is someone on that team that understands this they are clearly not being listened too; much like the rest of us stakeholders who have invested into this project and have given their input after thousands of hours of flying their ships. Players who have mastered the previous flight model and understand how 6 degrees of freedom worked previously are feeling disinterested in the project now. Instead of 6 degrees of freedom we're reduced basically to 3. We're flying planes in space instead of space ships and it just doesn't feel good anymore. We can't maneuver in anyway to avoid damage when under someone's gun and before there were options. Why have we gone backwards? Why is the HUD designed in a way to make it difficult to find key information that a pilot would need in a fight? Why has game play taken a back seat to art? Why has skill taken a backseat to player numbers? In games from the past that were open world PVP based MMOs, when the skill ceiling is too low (or was unexpectedly lowered drastically like we have now) all that happens is the largest group controls the game and if you don't get along with them or if you want to do your own thing you're food for them. It creates a tight nit community that doesn't often allow for outsiders to establish them selves, obtain resources, or play the game out side of safe zones. I fear this game will follow suit if this style of combat continues. Being in one ship then encountering another that you know is your counter will mean you will likely run away and never engage. Having a smaller group than the other will have the same effect. The smaller group will run. The only combat that will likely happen is a noob who doesn't understand they're at a disadvantage dying in a fight they should have ran from. Please reconsider the direction you're taking this game. Spend more time flying your ships and learning about actual planes/jets and the strategies around them that are currently established. I know development doesn't leave a lot of room for play testing but you need to listen to the groups of pilots have real world experience and those that are play testing it the most. Counter Strike is still alive after more than 20 years for a reason. It never dumbed down the skill to try to get more players. Over time it just acquired more and more because people realized there's a long term skill goal here. When you watch a skilled player it's awe-inspiring and makes you want to play more, learn more and try harder so that maybe one day you can be that good or better. Much like any other sport that has their greats. Would hockey be as interesting if there was never a Wayne Gretzky? or Football if never a Beckham? Star Citizen will never have a list of greats. Instead it'll be replaced with Big Orgs. You don't even need items to encourage people to play when the raw elements of the game are fun and full of depth. The items become icing on the cake. That was the direction the game was going in and more and more people were spending more time flying and learning. Now basic levels of skill are enough and there's nothing gripping us to the game other than gathering items. Why take a whole dimension of the game away? We all want this game to be a success. Please don't allow this game to make the mistake of many others from the past. No one thinks you all are incompetent. You're artisans of your craft but this is one element where you need to listen to the people who love your work the most and have spent the longest practicing it and thinking about it. There are going to be people who disagree but take into consideration the caliber of their arguments and not what necessarily feels good to you at your current ability to play the game. Think about your enjoyment down the line. Once you understand what many already have you'll most likely be bored too.