you're not wrong - the difference is slight but it's there. Brings up a point about MSFS that is baffling. Why is scaling all over the place with the 3D models in this sim?
The Milviz F4u, The GotFriends GeeBee, and dozens of freeware offerings have had scaling problems - some having to be redone.
I don't remember this happening in FSX and can't help but wonder if there's a reference tool missing from the SDK that would prevent this from happening.
I hadn't noticed, but now you come to mention it, yes the pilot figures are slightly too small. I talked to one developer many years ago (he's no longer active), and he said it is a notoriously difficult thing to get right. I don't know why that should be, but small/large pilot figures are something I've seen a number of times over the years, so he must have been right about it. That aside, Ant's Tiger Moth is bordering on perfection - really one of the most enjoyable aircraft in MSFS at the moment. I'm really looking forward to his CAC Winjeel too.
I guess it must be a bit like there are devs who care about pilot figures and there are devs that can't be bothered about them that much. Creating a digital aeroplane model is one thing, creating a digital human being model is quite another. You know, apples and oranges, dead structures and living organisms. I, for one, always loved the challenge, give them something 'out of the scope', something special. The pilot figure of the Maam-Sim B-25 would show a thumbs up before closing the cockpit window, the TBM/F pilot's sleeves would start flapping about in the propwash once the engine started and the canopy was still open ( saw that in the video's with Maam boss Russ Strine at the controls ;-). The co-pilot of our R4D/DC-3/C-47 would bring his right hand to his mouth every now and them, talking into a handheld microphone. IIRC it was at the UK flightsim forum that someone said that the Dakota co-pilot shouldn't drink that much coffee.... Hehe...
Animating an FS pilot figure can be a tricky business, particularly when you want him/her to follow the stick/rudder/throttle movements. Not sure because i have to still take the first step into modeling for MSFS but i believe it's still very tricky if not even more ... Creating a pilot figure in the frist place certainly is not that easy neither. Over the years though ready made digital human figures became available also to use for FS aircraft models. You would still need to adapt the lims, do the anims and scale them. And still the important paradigm of how much does a developer care about a pilot figure is very much at hand. How much time and effort is he willing to spend on it.
With MSFS there's a new player in town too: the default pilot figure. One would think that's THE answer to all pilot figure problems ! I really have no clue though... Is it animated ? ( i don't think so...?) Is it scalable ? ( i saw a few preview screenies of AH's forthcoming, very much anticipated DC-3/C-47 with the MSFS default pilot figure in the pilot seat with his eyes way above the windshield glass...
i'm sure they'll scale him down as needed..
Sofar we can see some very good looking pilot figures in MSFS, be it vintage or modern, and some not so good looking. The few of the latter kind i personally have a problem with are those that look like they swallowed a broom stick. Then there's still the remarkable fact that out of the fair amount of pilot figures that have their heads animated only a few show the typical split second head movement as per the real thing, most of 'em move their heads like grandma is reading the morning paper. Just a matter of incorrect use of time progression in between frames.
A pilot figure that looks nice, wears suitable clothing pertaining to the type of aircraft and era, and is scaled correctly can certainly lively up a digital aircraft model and makes it more appealing particularly when it's an open cockpit aeroplane. Although preferable doesn't even have to be animated just seated in a believable and natural stance. I'd say that Ant's exceptional beautiful Tiger Moth model certainly deserves pilot models that look as gorgeous as their Tiggie itself. It should be an inseparable glorious duo/trio. (one thing that should also be avoided (IMHO of course) a pilot and passenger/student that look like identical twins, looks very unrealistic).
Let's say that, when it comes to pilot figures in MSFS, despite the quite good looking default figures, sadly it still is a bit of a 'depressed region'.
In ending, another good view of how relatively small Tiggies are compared to the pilots that fly them. Sit back and relax with this 75 minutes of Tiger Moth galore extravaganza :
gato(004) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr
gato(005) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr
