Originally posted by Tilt
A version of this already exists in the arena settings.........
[/b]
I thought the current system was at an entire arena level, I don't want that. I don't want people sitting in the tower unless they die a massive amount (which is generally only possible if being vulched or doing something else stupid which is difficult in my model). Even if you die every 2 minutes, with no transit time, you only have a max of 15 fields you are limited at. Those would have to be unique fields also, so count in some time to do a ".move" and at least 1-2 min of transit.. likely it would be nearly impossible to have more than 5 total fields that were off limits even at the worst time, assuming you die at a rate of once every 6 minutes. A single sortie longer than that and multiple fields would "re-open" to you spawning. I think you'd have to die a lot in order for it to be an issue and that usually happens when all you have left are fields that are all basically being vulched. When that happens a reset might be the kindest thing that can happen. Remember, even if you ran out of fields to spawn from, there is always furball island... unlimited spawning there.
Originally posted by Tilt
It will not balance game play however..............
[/b]
Correct, but it might make superior numbers more managable/beatable. I've always found that I didn't mind the aspect of facing superior numbers, it was when I knew beating it initially wasn't going to ultimately change the outcome. Eventually I'd have to leave (fuel/ammo/damage), or get beat, so sortie rates combined with superior numbers would almost always be the victor in the end. This would be more like the dueling arena, the sides are set and the person with the last guy(s) flying is the victor, regardless of what the odds were before. Having a couple of really skilled guys along is going to certainly help, some squads in AH are going to be able to beat 3:1 odds, or worse, because they can employ their skill better. Right now even at 5:1 ratios they eventually lose as fresh opponents come back over and over until they vulch/pork you back to your runway. I think a lot of large aircraft number but poorly staffed/planned capture attempts would fail miserably with my idea.
Originally posted by Tilt
It could be used to limit repeated suicide attempts at
[/b]
Yes, but it is an "equal opportunity penalty" for any death. Certainly it hits the suiciders the worst if they persist on using those tactics. If they adopt something with better survival chances they are less likely to die and more likely to have multiple sorties from one location. It means a few suiciders are less likely to have an impact, not that they can't try and succeed, but it make take more of them and ultimately may result in failures to suicide things "enough".
Originally posted by DokGonzo
30 mins is way too long. Make it 10 minutes ... which is about how long it'd take to fly home from the "average" inter-base furball, or about how long it'd take to sortie from the next nearest field and get back to the same fight.
[/b]
I was a bit ruthless in my choice of 30 min, maybe it could be changed, but here was my reasoning. Basically, if you fail I think you should "move on", or at least be enticed to do so. If you are really intent on seeing something through (even post-death), then the penalty is the flight from another field, likely an addition of +5 min or so of transit, but effectively if you died again you'd be looking at LONG flight times to continue anything (you'd really have to move then). Also, if you make it 30min, then the time it takes for something to "repair" like troops, would be shorter than your return times, ie, if you suicide porked something by the time you got back it would be fixed. Making it only 10 minutes, you could basically launch constant sorties from two fields (assuming you can survive 10 min consistently, which a majority would be climb/transit times) where mine makes it almost impossible to sustain any sort of attack for more than 1-2 sorties from any reasonably distanced field.
I think making people move on also populates the map a bit better. It releases people from "constant defense" who choose to oppose capture attempts. It also makes failed attacks more suceptable to counter-attack (there is a whole 30 min window of opportunity to counter-attack in before the same guys can defend). Attacks that failed would come back to a fully-functional field on their second attempt (30 min later). Defenses that failed would give the attackers up to 30 min to get the capture complete. Most attacks/defenses/furballs would turn into brief and bloody battles where the victors could really capitalize (basically 30 mins worth) on the result.
Good comments though, creative discussion.
