Some Improvements

[The Word]

Fun game but could use some refinement.

• There should be an erase key for plane creation.
  
• This is important, because when saving a plane it should default to the name of the last plane opened, unless the erase key was used. Currently, the plane name defaults to a blank, and that requires having to look up the plane name if I want to overwrite it or create a name variation.
  
• Or, show the plane file list when saving even if it doesn't automatically populate the name of the new save.
  
• It would help to have the name of the current plane at the top of the screen.
  
• Clicking a destination should mark all the resource destinations, and do so with a special mark distinct from the receiving location. As things are I find I have to use the way point far to often during mission deliveries.
  
• A climb rate meter would be handy.
  
• The altimeter could use one more digit.
  
• When opening a game save file I think being able to double click the file name to open would make sense, in addition to hitting the load button.
  
• A button for Research should be in the Edit Plane screen.
  
• Wings and tail section need better organization since they're currently jumbled all together. The engines have the right organization since they're organized into reciprocating, to jet, to electric without being jumbled. High lift wings should be first, followed by low drag, then tail sections, and finished with the canards.
  
• When mirroring a rocket engine, only one rocket engine has rocket exhaust.
  
• Rocket exhaust keeps going after fuel runs out.
  
• The scramjet/fighter jet engine doesn't have a distinct name and could use an exhaust effect. And it doesn't seem to accept color.
  
• For gliders, the game really needs thermals.
  
• It would be cool if following birds lead to things.

Certain items are imbalanced.

• The Air Turbine is pretty much a perpetual motion machine when placed behind another object, eliminating its drag. Even when outside the air stream it spins and can power electric motors. Making more power than a solar panel is fine, but it has no real drawbacks, where as the solar panel is twice the cost for less power.
  
• The fuel tanks seem a little off, but I'm not sure.
  
• The cockpits also seem odd. Maybe it's just weird that they have such a large effect on cargo capacity. I had a load of trouble making a heavy lift until I tried the heaviest cockpit. I guess I'm just surprised how much worse the regular fuselage is versus the cockpit. But you can also use multiple cockpits, such as the glider cockpit, to get low drag and high capacity at better cost and only slight weight penalty versus the heaviest cockpit.

[Naiofx]

Was looking for this:

"A button for Research should be in the Edit Plane screen."

Very important imo as well