OPD Update - new link and new functionality

[calan]

The OPD is back up, with several changes. The link has changed to the following:

http://www.jcsautomation.com/AH_View_Planes.asp

There are several enhancements now, including:

1. Custom attribute weights. You can now assign any weighting value you want to each attribute. (We are still in experimentation mode on this. Please let me know what seems to work best). There is a new column called CMw, which is the weighted value.

2. If sorted by composite rating (weighted or unweighted), planes with the same rating value will be highlighted together. The row colors alternate from white to gray for each new group.

3. The fields have been reordered (mostly for internal reasons), and the tooltips updated.

4. Fixed some issues with the dialog boxes not displaying properly on some Mozilla browsers.

5. Fixed a minor issue with the advanced sort functionality.

Please take a look, and feel free to post any comments or suggestions. Hopefully, we'll have the data entry portion of the project finished soon.

Thanks to everyone who has taken time to rate the planes. Only a few more to go  

Calan

[Widewing]

I like the custom attribute weighs option. It allows you to skew the ranking based upon specific combat criteria.

I think that the basic OPD establishes a ranking based upon overall aircraft capability, which tends to show that high performance aircraft of greater versatility, rank at the top. IE: the F4U-4 and P-47N, both ultra-high performance, late-war fighters.

For weighting the data I applied the follow weight values:

Air To Air Ability:5
Air To Ground Ability:4    
Climb/Accel High Alt:4  
Climb/Accel Low Alt:5  
Cockpit Visibility:3  
Deceleration:2  
Diving Ability:4  
Energy Retention:4    
Fuel Range:3
High Speed Turn:4
Low Speed Turn:5
Roll Rate:4
Top Speed:5
Weapon Ballistics:4
Weapon Power:4
Survivability:2
 
The above weightings generated the following order.

1. F4U-4
2. P-47N
3. P-51D
4. Tempest Mk V
5. P-47D-40
6. F4U-1C
6. Fw 190D-9
7. Spitfire Mk XVI
8. F4U-1D  
9. P-51B  
10. P-38L  

This is a great tool and it's also a lot of fun to play with...

Outstanding stuff Calan!

My regards,

Widewing

[Pooface]

very nice calan

the data is a little odd for some planes i think, but overall, the listings wirk out great! nice to see so much effort put into something like this:aok

[calan]

thanks guys...

Pooface...  what data would you change?

We're still in the process of nailing down the ratings to be consistent and agreeable to everyone. I'm hoping that all of you AH veterans/experts can come to some kind of consensus and then I'll lock down the attribute ratings.

I'm a little concerned about the "Elite" values. Some attributes seem to have too many ("Top Speed") for example, while I'm not sure others have enough.

It's really important that the ratings, especially the elite ratings, are as close together as possible.

By this I mean.. for example...

I think everyone would agree that the P51 has about as good a cockpit view as you can get. The only other planes that should have "Elite" for this are planes with the same unobscured, bubble canopy (I think it was the Yaks that come to mind?).

The one exception I make is when a perked plane has "Elite" status in one or more attributes (i.e. me163), then I make the next closest non-perked plane(s) also elite. This allows people (especially us newbs who won't be flying 163's for a while ) the ability to filter out the perked planes and still have a good reference.

Calan

[FTJR]

Calan, I was just fiddling with it, and it shows that the Boston as fighter/attack, instead of of bomber/attack.. Just pointing it out.

Cheers

[calan]

Due to a few people deleting all "Elite" ratings from some attributes and changing others inappropriately, the individual attributes have been locked from editing. If you feel a value should be changed, or wish to become a moderator of the ratings, please email me here.

Please note that the weighting functionality will no longer work as intended until the ratings are fixed.

Calan

[calan]

After some experimentation with the OPD and some good feedback, I think it is time to make a few changes.

1. "A to A Ability" and "A to G Ability" are too subjective and aren't really useful as attributes, since the sorting and weighting tools can determine this. Delete them.

2. "Weapon Power" and "Weapon Ballistics" don't really need to be separated. Delete them, and add two new attributes: "A To A Weapon Effectiveness" and "A To G Weapon Effectiveness". These ratings will combine knock-down power, ballistics, ammo loadout, etc. for both A2A weapons and ordinance.

3. Add an attribute for "Ease of Landing", useful in weighting for survivability.

4. Split the "Top Speed" attribute into "Top Speed Low Alt" and "Top Speed High Alt".

5. Delete "Diving Ability", and replace with "Dive Acceleration" and "Resistance To Compression" attributes.

Should "High/Low Speed Turning" be converted to "High/Low Alt Turning"?

Comments?

I still need 1 or 2 "official" checkers/reviewers, especially once these changes are made. (These fields will need to be re-populated for all planes).

Thanks,

Calan

[calan]

Changes described above ^^^ are in place...

http://www.jcsautomation.com/AH_View_Planes.asp

[calan]

Still looking for someone knowledgable and unbiased with most (or all) of the planes to help with some blanks  

email me here if interested.

Calan

[calan]

Everything is pretty much there.

http://www.jcsautomation.com/AH_View_Planes.asp

There is a new "Presets" option on the weighting dialog. Play around with it and see what ya think.

Thanks for all the help!

Calan