Actually it was even before the beta group. There was an e-mail discussion list (it might still exist on EGroups, although there hasn't been a message on it since about halfway between beta start and SEIV release. If it's still there, then the archives are, you can see all the grand ideas and their usually much simplified Versions in the game
) for features SEIII fans wanted in SEIV. Basically, everyone was talking of how great tactical combat would be if things like gun facing, targetting arcs, inertia/gravity effects, true coordinates, etc. were added into tactical combat. Then they learned that tactical combat wouldn't be too different from SEIII, and shortly after that Aaron wanted to take it out completely. I think that one fact made up for all of the smashed hopes
Tactical Combat in multiplayer games really wouldn't work when you think about it, because it's really a separate game within the game (one reason why I didn't want tactical *ground* combat... game, within a game, within a game
). It would be fine for a one on one game, but if you have a large free-for-all game, think of all the combats that would take place, and how long it would take these grand battles to play out, one, by one. If put in at all, there would have to be a switch.