I'm sure HTC is familiar with Falcon4 and its user interface regarding campaign play.
the player is presented with a main display of available flights that are coordinated and always contain a team of multiple friendly aircraft. there is also an emergency scramble type dohickey thing if i remember right.
my suggestion:
put the player created missions in the spotlight front and center similar to falcon4s ATO so the first thing anyone sees when logging on to a country is the available coordinated teamwork flights.
make every effort to streamline the GUI so that players will flow easily into these teamwork oriented missions.
retitle the current individual player uncoordinated effort launch buttons with a title such as "scramble" or some such nomenclature that attempts to suggest that this function should be used when a field is under attack and immediate action must be taken without a planned action.
or find some other gimic that gives the player planned team missions the limelight and thus priority when the average AH regular is looking for a fun flight.
in summary:
1.make the player planned missions prominent in the user interface.
2.attempt to assuage the general player bases emphasis on spawning individually instead of as part of a mission.
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my reason for this suggestion:
the mission planner kicks bellybutton and teamwork is a lot of fun.
the emphasis on individuals launching alone wandering into battle is fun and should no doubt be a fine option for those in the mood to lonewolfe. but so many new players have no knowledge of the mission planner or how to join a mission. its simply somewhat hidden in the map room under the little viewer key while the individual lonewolf launch key is right in the new players face.
so from day 1 every one who plays Aces High learns to use the individual launch button instead of being indoctrinated into the ritual habit of joining coordinated missions.
Aces High needs a shift of emphasis in the user interface that will attempt to beguile the general AH population and new players preference from launching all alone to "go kill those guys over there" to logging on and being presented directly with the available missions and being inspired to "cover the buffs" or "we all dive in together and flatten the base"
I've seen both and quite frankly the latter has me in awe of the potential Aces High has in this aspect of team play.
[This message has been edited by Citabria (edited 01-26-2001).]
