MISSIONS: Herding Cats

[DREDger]

I have been posting and leading a number of missions lately, with some moderately good results.  As I get better at them, there are a few things I wished could be added for options.  

1.  For some reason, saved missions cannot be re-loaded anymore.  Anytime I post a mission and save it, I can never re-load that same mission and modify it ie. using same planes and loads, but using a different base.  One has to start over from scratch to post a new mission.  If you try to re-load what has become long list of missions in my saved mission box, it simply comes up empty.

2.  Under the same category as saved missions, if this issue were fixed, I need the ability to delete saved missions as well.  I now have about 50 saved missions and no ability delete them or to use them.

3.  Missions no longer have the ability to take off from different bases at different times.  All planes have to launch from same base at same time.  This limits the missions on the plane types, for example bombers will be waaay behind if launched at same time and same base as fighters.  Also, using one base often precludes using GV's in conjunction with an attack.  (air launches frequently being a different base from GV spawns)

4.  I wish each mission wing (group of same planes) could have more room for written descriptions of what to do.  Then I could refer people to read their category and assignment.  Ie,  47's focus on fighter hangers, 110's on town, 38's on field ack, etc etc.

5.  Ability for mission leader to kick guys out of mission.  Sometimes during an NOE mission one guy will be climbing out, prolly on the crapper, while blowing the cover for the rest of us.

5.  Just for S&G, it would be cool to pick skins, but this is the very bottom of my list.

At the convention Pyro described to me leading missions was like herding cats, to which I agree.  You have a spectrum of experienced to noobs joining, each seeming to have their own questions, ability and level of attention.   I have found that questions tend to get out of hand, everyone asking what do I do, then after you tell them... what was I to do again?  

The only way I've found to address this is politely (or not) asking for radio silence so my directives are heard.  (better for you to hear me, than me hear you) and asking people to type their questions rather than voicing them.

Anyway a bit off subject for wishlist, but what do you fellas think?

[4deck]

What he said.


ps, u rook, or bish.

Cause my people on the knights are getting a little peeved. Obviously its working.

Vox ***** I see 1, no wait 3, ****

Vox ***** I see 7 INB, hang on, ****

Vox ***** GET UP NOW WALL OF %%#& CMING IN ****

Me Vox *** Getting up Now with finger out the window ***


Nice job

BGFloats

[DREDger]

Rooks

[Traveler]

The old mission planner was a better tool for putting together Complicated missions.  Missions that involved different start times, from different airfields, all with different flight plans to either the same or different targets.  The old mission planner tool allowed this, however, the whiners complained and complained that it was all just to much for them to deal with.   So now we got what we got.  The game is becoming more and more an arcade game and less a strategy game.  

Using the current tool.  According to HT you can set up more then one mission at a time. With different start times and routs depicted for flights, however, haven’t had much luck with it.  The old tool was better.  But I’ll quote HT here to a request to bring back the old planning tool

“It’s never coming back.”  -- HT

You can and should get rid of the old mission files, open your Mission folder and just delete everything, do it outside of the game.

[DREDger]

Thanks Traveller for the reply.  Bummer if what you say is true.  I cannot seem to get the same mission to launch from differing bases or different times nomater what I do.  If I change one flight elements takeoff time or base, it changes all planes in the mission to that particular time and base.

I suppose the only other option is to run two separate missions, one for say bombers, another for fighters.  Of course now running two missions at same time, if possible, might be cause it's own problems (ie, what mission text is being read, mission 1 or mission 2)

As far as deleting saved missions, I am not sure what you mean by 'doing it outside of game'?  On my work puter now, but when I get home I'll see about checking it out.  I presume you mean opening the windows folder for aces high, then maybe there is amission folder to get there that I can delete?

[RAIDER14]

you want to herd cats?

[thndregg]

The only "fix" for this now is to post multiple missions for each flight involved.

[BaldEagl]

DREDger, Open Windows Explorer.  Got to program files, HTC, AHII.  There's probably a missions folder.  Just delete the saved missions within it.  Don't delete the folder as it may be required to launch the game (not sure but better safe than sorry).

[tedrbr]

2. Yeah, be nice to delete a mission profile in game, but you learn to deal with it offline, so a minor thing.

3. Yep, be nice to have one mission with the old abilities.  You *can* have seperate missions posted to do the coordinating, but it is hard enough to get participation in one mission these days, I wonder how effective that would be.

4. Yep. Directions would be good.  Not that most problem pilots would actually read them.  Right up there with "where we upping from", or "what time is the mission"... information that *is* available to them.

5. Don't see this happening.  There is room for abuse here; dropping people you don't like or are annoying or incompetent.  

5(b).  Skins would be nice.  Not sure why that was not an option considering squads in the game.


Herding cats.  Yes.  

You will have the guy that lifts with you and climbs forever on same track because he is AFK.  

You will have the constant "where we going" questions.... some are spies, others don't want to be part of a long mission.

You end up with noobs that have no idea how to dive or level bomb, or a clue as to where the targets on a base are located, or how to pull up the target maps (which were still outdated last I checked).

You have the young, excitable kid that won't stay off the channel.

You have the guy that lifts seperate, with much heavier loadout than your mission as to fuel or ord, and can't keep up with you.  Or never adjusted his flaps when you did.   Or somehow has his RPM settings tied to his manifold throttle and can't keep the speed everyone else has.


Suggestion:  While you are giving out verbal orders, have a squadmate or such type instructions in the mission channel text buffer.  Repeatedly.  Things like manifold or RPM settings, target assignments, and directions for noobs (bomb sight calibration, manifold, RPM, flap settings, the usual needed instruction).  Split the work load a little (especially for buff missions).

Questions in the text buffer usually better than everyone on VOX.  At best, there should be only 2 people talking on VOX plus warning calls (bogies sighted and check 6's) for really big missions.

[DREDger]

B]You will have the constant "where we going" questions.... some are spies, others don't want to be part of a long mission.[/B]

You can say that again, jeez.  People will ask, where does mission take off from?  All they have to do is look at the mission post and it tells you.

In my mission title I always write 'attack 29' or 'capture 32'.  You would think this would help, but still the questions 'Where are we going to?'

As far as spies are concerned, not much you can do about that if they are dual account holders.  I've put on about 50 missions and so far none have been busted by what I think is spy forewarning.  Generally they get busted once we appear on dar after going NOE.  Or if an enemy is in the air and reports it, fair play.

All in all though, I've found putting on missions is the funnest part of playing AH recently for me.  For all the hangups, running a successful one is all that more satisfying.

I hope any of you rooks will join my missions and see how I've organized them.   I've joined quite a few and picked and chose what I found were positive ideas.

Thanks Tbear for the input.