Wish I saw this thread when it came out! Thanks to the folks who checked out VIRaptor and the VIM...and for the comments here, all feedback is appreciated. If some of you are still interested, some quick replies...The 10 years of development is for the model of how information is processed in the brain (I'm a neuroscientist currently at UCSD)...VI Raptor was just a first test of the new DX8 vertex shaders. As far as the realism goes, it is more the behavior that I focus on - how the birds decide what to do and how they interact with each other, rather than the flight model. The large file size was mainly in response to feedback on my site that people would prefer a longer download for the nicer textures. I might release a much smaller "Lite" version, with very compressed textures, but make them user-editable so people who like to work with bitmaps and skins can install their own bird skin and landscape.

Anyway thanks again for the comments, and to Jim and Morgan for the board,

Michael Colicos
Quantum Flux