Hello, After many sessions in free flight and squadron battle, I tried to step back and look at the current flight model objectively... but the more I play, the clearer it becomes: we are dragging the system down. And this isn't a new problem. The combat has been degrading for a while now, but patch after patch, the situation is clearly getting worse. The current flight model is not only frustrating, but fundamentally inconsistent with what a dogfight is supposed to be. Today, fights boil down to an extremely shallow loop: - near-permanent full boost - absurd speeds that eliminate any finesse in piloting - constant aim trading - and exploiting the model's limitations rather than actual mastery We're not really flying anymore, we're optimizing a broken system. The most alarming part is the near-total disappearance of the knife fight. And even when you try to have one... it basically requires "consenting" players, who voluntarily agree to slow down and not exploit the system. And even under those conditions, the flight model still ruins the experience: - lack of fine control - inconsistent feel - difficulty maintaining a clean engagement In other words: even when trying to play "as intended," the system doesn't hold up. Why bother trying to outplay an opponent when the game rewards: - raw speed - constant pressure - and face-to-face DPS We're no longer talking about dogfighting, but about an exchange of fire worthy of a FPS dressed up as a dogfight. Positional play in a dogfight is far more interesting, and far more demanding in terms of mastery, than simple targeting or tracking mechanics. That's precisely the kind of depth that is disappearing today, replaced by a far more simplistic head-on confrontation logic. Add full boost orbits to that, and we've hit rock bottom: I genuinely don't see where the skill is in that. No real piloting ability is required for that kind of engagement. And yet, that's exactly what you see everywhere. And behind all of this, there's a much more serious problem :point_right: the skill ceiling is collapsing When a system reduces the impact of actual piloting in favor of simplified, exploitable mechanics, it loses all depth. Winning becomes less satisfying, losing becomes frustrating, and above all... everything starts to feel the same. What is also beginning to raise questions is my own experience, as well as that of several other players I've spoken with. As things keep moving in this direction, it almost feels like everything is designed to discourage this part of the community, as if reducing depth was a way to avoid differing opinions or demanding feedback. And that is concerning. On a personal level, we've reached a critical point : I genuinely have no desire to launch a free flight or a squadron battle anymore. Even when I win duels, the feeling is awful, nothing feels clean, controlled, or earned. Just "dirty." Winning no longer brings any satisfaction, just the impression of having abused a broken system. And if even victory feels disgusting, then there is a deep problem. And beyond gameplay, there is also a real communication problem. CIG, it might be time to communicate clearly. Unless I'm mistaken, the NFM was presented at CitizenCon 2024... and today, we still haven't seen it, and above all, we have virtually no concrete information about it. We know there are NDA-restricted tests underway with a small group, I had the opportunity to participate myself over a weekend, but from the players' perspective, it mostly gives the impression of total uncertainty about the direction. Is there a fear of repeating what happened with Master Modes? A gap between the vision presented and the actual feel once in-game? Because at some point, you're going to have to own the direction you've chosen. And that is your responsibility. Whatever you do, not everyone will be happy, and that's fine. You can't satisfy every type of player. If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. It would be better to commit to a clear vision, even if it disappoints part of the playerbase, rather than trying to satisfy everyone while truly satisfying no one. And above all, aim for a flight model that is easy to pick up, but hard to master. But today, the real problem is that we don't know what direction is actually being committed to. We don't know where dogfighting is heading, other than toward something increasingly casual and decreasingly skill-based. A minimum of clarity would prevent a lot of frustration. :point_right: CIG, what is the direction of the NFM ? :point_right: Are you actually testing the current flight model in duels or squadron play ? Because as things stand, it's hard to believe these scenarios, which are at the very heart of dogfighting, are being properly accounted for. Because right now, it's either a very poorly calibrated transitional phase, or an intentional direction, and if so, we are moving completely away from what made the gameplay rich. What I expect: - a return to piloting that rewards genuine mastery - engagements where speed is a tool, not a crutch - an end to the "full boost / aim trade" meta - and above all: the return of real dogfights, not DPS races Conclusion As things currently stand, this is neither interesting, nor rewarding, nor sustainable. :point_right: Vidéo What we want on our end (and yes, it’s a bit fast, but it works when both parties are on board)