Author Topic: Make Radar Optional in Aces High  (Read 821 times)

Offline FBGrit

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« on: February 01, 2006, 07:55:29 PM »
I have one suggestion I believe will improve play.  It concerns the "radar"
feature where same-country players see a dot on the map for each friendly
aircraft.  This is a very useful display device and enhances play
considerably.  However, many of my friends and I believe this feature is
used to undermine player attempts to avoid enemy radar and make a covert attack.  We believe some players create a second Aces High account on alternate team and run it on a second machine as they play on their primary. Thus they can see almost everything the other team is doing.

I am not advocating completley removing the radar, just making it controllable.  If the radar feature can be turned on and off players will have the option of showing their position to the entire country.  Most will leave it on and just turn it off for sneak attacks.  Having mandatory radar is currently limiting the value of involved planned attacks which are a large part of AH gaming.  

The radar feature is not available on the scenarios and it has not affected their popularity.

My suggestion is make the friendly radar dot an option that can be turned
on or off (just like tracers).  Even better, make the dot customizable so
that it can be displayed only to those in a mission or only to squad
members.  I believe a feature like this will eliminate a strong enticement
to "spy".

Offline Rino

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2006, 08:37:13 PM »
I find friendly dot dar very useful when someone yells for help on range.
Seeing the highlighted dot let's me know exactly where to head.
80th FS Headhunters
PHAN
Proud veteran of the Cola Wars

Offline FBGrit

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Optional Radar
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2006, 10:05:38 PM »
The friendly dot indicator when transmitting is very useful.  I recommend we keep that feature but have the following selectable display options.  
1. entire country
2. mission only
3. squad only
4. none.  
For those who select no visibility, it will be harder to find them when/if they call for help.  That is the down side.  Being able to avoid spies is the upside.

Offline Saxman

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2006, 10:49:36 PM »
I wish radar had more useful features, like being able to get an estimated altitude of a con.  IIRC the radar used in WWII COULD get an estimated, if imprecise, altitude anyway, so it's not like it'd be inaccurate.

As it is right now, if a bunch of guys pop up on the map near a base, the defenders have a heck of a time knowing if its alt-monkey cherry-pickers or buffs in the stratosphere, or if it's mid or low or whatever other alt.
Ron White says you can't fix stupid. I beg to differ. Stupid will usually sort itself out, it's just a matter of making sure you're not close enough to become collateral damage.

Offline Martyn

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2006, 12:47:04 PM »
Question: Were there any vehicle transportable field radar units?
If so, you could have alternate/backup radars off field.
Here we are, living on top of a molten ball of rock, spinning around at a 1,000mph, orbiting a nuclear fireball and whizzing through space at half-a-million miles per hour. Most of us believe in super-beings which for some reason need to be praised for setting this up. This, apparently, is normal.

Offline Mr No Name

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2006, 10:38:17 PM »
what about having SOME bases without radar... certainly many bases did not have dar or even dar coverage
Vote R.E. Lee '24

Offline Mugzeee

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2006, 12:39:45 PM »
I't will certainly reduce the ability for a spy to reveal the location or existance of a NEO mission.

Offline Schutt

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2006, 01:20:31 PM »
why not have friendly dots only show if their above radar range?

Offline mussie

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Make Radar Optional in Aces High
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2006, 01:59:24 PM »
I agre with this idea.

When you think about it the dar in WWII was mostly land based and communicated to the pilots via radio.

If HQ had an NOE mission going in then they would not be broad casting there location to everyone so I think that the idea FB put foward makes sense.....

Quote
The friendly dot indicator when transmitting is very useful. I recommend we keep that feature but have the following selectable display options.

1. entire country
2. mission only
3. squad only
4. none.
For those who select no visibility, it will be harder to find them when/if they call for help. That is the down side. Being able to avoid spies is the upside.


Wonder If it would be a big change for HT and Co. to make this happen.

I also think that Dar should not be at small fields, but this may not be so easy to change (awful lotta maps to modify....