Why I didn't join Aces High

[HoHun]

Hi everyone,

My 2 week free trial period of Aces High just ended, and I decided not to join the game.

Since a multiple choice form popped up to ask me why (good move!) and I had to choose "other", I thought it would be only fair if I got into some more detail here.

So why didn't I join Aces High?

1) In-flight radar.

The Aces High radar works almost exactly as the Air Warrior radar worked back when I flew Air Warrior.

I actually prefer it if no radar information is available at all because it makes air combat less predictable, more thrilling, fairer to the outnumbered side and, last but not least, more realistic.

I used to enjoy Air Warrior style radar, too, but it changes the nature of air combat to something more like a game of chess. Planning and artificial 2D situational awareness replace tactical intuition and 3D situational awareness. That's not my kind of game any more.

2) Fuel multiplier.

I expect to be able to stay in the air (and in contact with the enemy) for about 60 min so that I'm able to take off from an un-vulched field, penetrate into enemy territory, stay in combat for a while and then come back and land on an un-vulched (rear area) air field with a useful fuel reserve.

Not every WW2 plane would realistically yield this kind of endurance, of course, but many would.

I found the Aces High MA settings extremely limiting for this kind of flying despite the availability of drop tanks. Combat endurance fell far short of my expectations, and my worst enemy really turned out to be fuel shortage.

I like long, exhausting flights and fail to see what's gained by making them impossible. From the looks of the arena, it certainly can't be realism ;-/ Maybe the majority of the players enjoy short hops and instant action, but personally, I don't.

3) General channel.

Maybe I'm growing old,  but I thought the general channel had way to much traffic there, and too much boasting and whining.

Perhaps it would be possible to create a "nice" channel open for everyone reserved for mutual congratulations, friendly discussion of good fights and polite conversation in general? After all, I'm not in the game to make enemies, but to make friends :-)

I'd willingly leave air superiority on "testosterone" channel to the younger players.

4) On the other hand: What I liked well.

Actually, I liked most of what I saw! :-) Technically, the game is just great, the mission system is fantastic, I like the graphics very much, and the sound of the tower fly-bys at a busy airfield is simply amazing. I love it! What I'd expect from the gameplay side is well within the capabilities of the current program, and I certainly will try to stay in touch with the development so that I can give Aces High another try when I feel it offers gameplay more in line with my personal ideas.

Keep up the great work!

Henning (HoHun)

[dedalos]

So, you love the game but because the chat window is busy and you did not try the 51 with drop tanks so you could fly for 30 minutes before you see some action - or for ever without radar - you will not play the game?  Right . . .

[Horn]

Wow, after over a thousand posts and YEARS as a member of this board, you just now got to try it out? Amazing.

h

[Pooh21]

wth?

[HoHun]

Hi Horn,

>Wow, after over a thousand posts and YEARS as a member of this board, you just now got to try it out? Amazing.

LOL! Good point :-) My old computer just wasn't up to it.

The soul was willing, but the hardware sucked.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[JB73]

all fair comments HoHun... question for you though:

what is the alternative? how does it fill those roles? and why should everyone have to fly the way you want?

none of the above meant in any mean spirited way whatsoever.

just wanted to discuss this.

radar:
i know personally when my country loses radar fully i log off. for me it is no fun flying for 20 min chasing a dot in the sky to find out it's a friendly pony running from the dot chasing it (me). i also have numerous squadmates with lots of "wife" and "toddler" ack (search this BBS if you dont know those lol)

they only have short periods to fly. maybe 30 min straight if they are lucky. the game would be totalyl usless to them.

as for better friendly communication making up for the lac of radar,... IMHO that will never happen. somone doesnt "like" the virtual other person so gives them false info, just to be vindictive. heck i have seen that with dar now. the player base is to broad in language and maturity level to work together fully IMHO

notice the word "Work" in that phrase.. many many pay to play this game not to spend time drawing little maps and "working" on finding the enemy.

another problem with the radar is the icons (they go hand in hand IMHO). there is a faction of "realism" players out there that every now and then demand icons be turned off. then it gets into a huge argument about what the human eye can see, and depth perception. (again search the BBS for these giant arguments). basically what it boils down to is not everyone can afford a 21" plasma moniter and $300 video card. on anything less a plane without icons in the game is 3-4 pixels total at 2500 yards (2.5K in game). not much clarity or fun for most.



oops time to go home from work... i'll add more then.

until then these are just my observations. thats all they are. thoughts on 2 years of playing an avreage of 2 hours a day minium in this online game we are all so addicted to LOL.

[HoHun]

Hi Dedalos,

>So, you love the game but because the chat window is busy and you did not try the 51 with drop tanks so you could fly for 30 minutes before you see some action - or for ever without radar - you will not play the game?  Right . . .

I love everything but gameplay. Unfortunately, that's a killer criterium.

If you think Aces High is perfect as it is, well, have fun! :-)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[HoHun]

Hi JB73,

First, let me say that I often flew with JBs back in the Air Warrior age - great guys, even I don't remember their numbers! :-)

>what is the alternative? how does it fill those roles?

I have no idea :-) In fact, that's what the Aces High crew is trying to figure out. They'd not have asked if they wouldn't care!

>and why should everyone have to fly the way you want?

Realistic endurance wouldn't mean that you'd face a shooting squad if you'd land after a couple a minutes ;-) Your decision, no problem for you!

But with shortened endurance, it's not my decision how long I'd like to fly, so obviously, it's an issue for me.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[Batz]

Fuel mod is a game killer, especially flying birds without DTS.

The main arena is a land grab shoot umm up and I certainly understand the issues you cited.

You can squelch channel 1 but unless you get folks to join an alt channel you will be alone.

I am not aware if you know this but AH runs 4 multi frame scenarios a year. Currently the Ruhr event is running. No in plane radar, in fact the LW is vectored by ground controllers who have access to dot radar, but radar update delay is at 2 min (dots update every 2 min). They communicate via vox.

I am currently helping design the next scenario based on activities in Kurland Oct 44 - May 45. There will be no radar there as well.

It’s hardly a reason to keep a subscription if you only interest is this type of game play; the main arena is it with no alternative.

I don't know if you looked at AH2. Game play won’t change much in the main arena but HT has plans to develop AH2: Tour of Duty, which will be mission based, with a role-playing element. It will be Allies verse Axis. Radar settings haven’t been discussed so I can't say there wont be any in flight dot radar but game play will shift to mission success rather then capture that flag.

[dedalos]

Originally posted by HoHun
Hi Dedalos,

>So, you love the game but because the chat window is busy and you did not try the 51 with drop tanks so you could fly for 30 minutes before you see some action - or for ever without radar - you will not play the game?  Right . . .

I love everything but gameplay. Unfortunately, that's a killer criterium.

If you think Aces High is perfect as it is, well, have fun! :-)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

First, nothing is perfect.  If you don't like the game play its a different story.  I was going off the the reasons you wrotte in your post (radar, fuel duration, and chat).  

I think the duration is there for a lot of planes.  Most of the times I will run out of ammo or get shut down before I have to wory about fuel (if I loaded 100%)  I don't understand why you would want to fly for 30 mins or more to find the enemy only to get shut down 50% of the times (I just picked that number, maybe dif in your case)

Radar, well same as above.  Why spend the time enjoing the view and not finding any fights?  Sounds like a waste to me.

Finally, the chat window.  Well, who cares wht is going on in there anyway?  I don't see how that would stop you from plaing the game.

In anycase, those are just my opinions.  Our idea of fun maybe different

[Ecliptik]

The current fuel burn multiplier is good for the maps used in the game now.  Fields are placed so close together that having twice the range would allow penetration too deep into enemy territory without the use of drop tanks, and four engined bombers would pretty much be able to fly across the full breadth of a map and back again.  Lowering the burn multiplier would require increased map sizes, more spaced out bases, and longer transit times.  

I shudder to think of the whining that would ensue on the boards from lazs and the gang.  

[Flit]

try .squlech 1 to get rid of channel 1
try CT or the scenarios for gameplay
take a b 17 w/ full tanks -you can fly  for 8 hours, kill fiters grabbin to kill ya and take out the radar all at once
 

[Kweassa]

I understand your personal preference and respect it thoroughly

 But please be sure to come back and try when AH2: ToD mode is online, like Batz said. A lot of people are eagerly waiting for it

 
ps) And don't go anywhere from these boards!! You're a valuable asset to HT forums

[HoHun]

Hi Batz,

>I don't know if you looked at AH2. Game play won’t change much in the main arena but HT has plans to develop AH2: Tour of Duty, which will be mission based, with a role-playing element.

Sounds quite promising!

>Fuel mod is a game killer, especially flying birds without DTS.

I discussed the fuel multiplier issue over on the Aces High 2 board:

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1127676#post1127676

Pyro doesn't seem to see the game killing aspect, though :-(

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

[HoHun]

Hi Dedalos,

>If you don't like the game play its a different story.  I was going off the the reasons you wrotte in your post (radar, fuel duration, and chat).  

Radar and fuel duration directly impact gameplay.

>I don't understand why you would want to fly for 30 mins or more to find the enemy only to get shut down 50% of the times (I just picked that number, maybe dif in your case)

My idea is 50% for the other guy, and 5% for me :-)

Of course, that's why I can't just climb straight away into the nearest furball.

>Radar, well same as above.  Why spend the time enjoing the view and not finding any fights?

I'm not worried about not finding a fight in a small arena crowded with 200 people :-)

You'd still have tower radar, anyway.

>Finally, the chat window.  Well, who cares wht is going on in there anyway?  I don't see how that would stop you from plaing the game.

It wouldn't stop me by itself. However, if you're new to a game and trying to get to know people, it sure is annoying.

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)