Personnaly , i think selfshadow feature is useless actually. you don't see it while you are flying. it's barely viewable.
AMHA, they should concentrate their effort on sound api (still bugged), editor lacking (like copy past per exemple) , and don't forget the most important feature .... ground rendering .
We haven't got any single info on that. actually , it might sitll be unplayable. at 10K object visible , with FC , my framerate crawl to 13fps (core2 4MB 3.3ghz). i remember some demo showcasing rendering demo reaching 25 to 30K objects visible , via instancing.
on checksix , someone report an us carrier firing on destroyer with cannon make few hundred of bullet simultaneously , making game .... unplayable. (ala X3 reunion). another thing about ground is tree.
Aren't they collideable ? if so , they need to . you can't call you product "simulator" if a tree can't stop your chopper.