Consider if you had to play AH with...

[MjTalon]

No icons or a limited HUD ( Meaning you'd only get a very limited amount of help for locating bandits in the air ). Besides radar, you had to visually spot your bandits as well as your wingmen. Just picture for a sec how different air combat would become.

Launching a sortie with your squadron with no Icons to distinguish them from a enemy would add to the level of immersion. Currently my squadron does practice with icons off for SA and Formation Training but if AH was to have no icons, or very limited icons, i think it would stop alot of complaints about La's and things. Reason being you wouldn't actually know what you're flying against unless you have good silhouette identification or a good graphics card.

Now before people start saying "well yea, but how would you know who's countrymen? " Simple, check radar. If you know there's no friendlies in the area then you can pretty much assume those dots in the distance are bandits, but why spoil it with that? Keep em off and communicate over range, that's what the radio was used for, wasn't it?

What sparked me thinking about this was this video on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITRLk9b9AcY&NR=1

As you noticed, when he downed the first 109 and they engaged, all of the enemy 109s were scattering to check there tails and if you have 2 lone P38s in a swarm of 50 friendlies with no icons', you can best believe the 38s are going to do some damage before the enemy get's a Eye visual on there silhouettes. 

50 German pilots scanning the skies alertly for Two lone enemy fighters and he's surrounded by Friendlies. Welp that would sure make my heart start pumping.  Just something for you fellas to read about to past the time.

 

[badhorse]

I think this would be just too difficult as long as everyone is flying the same mix of airplanes.  What good is identifying a 109 if you are in a P-38, if the 109 is being flow by one of your countrymen.  The only way this would work is if they assigned specific types of airplanes to specific countries.  Since flying all types of airplanes is a major part of AHII, I doubt this idea would fly.  (pardon the pun)

Just my opinion.

 

[MjTalon]

Ah, i'm not suggesting anything badhorse, and the only way it would work as as you stated below. Specific countries would have to be assigned different A/C and we all know how that would go.

Just tossing up a "Think about it" Topic.

[uptown]

It almost sounds like FSO 

[MajIssue]

It almost sounds like FSO 

I was thinking the same thing... A good idea for special events as well. IMO the Icons are the most unrealistic aspect of AH, but for a noobling (like we all were at one time) it would make the learning curve so steep that few would subscribe, HTC would go broke, and we would have to go to brand "X" combat flight sim and fondly remember the good ol' days when we had Aces High... Talen brings up another good point as well... with all countries flying all types of aircraft and killshooter on, it would be absolute KAOS!

With killshooter off there would also be KAOS! come to think of it!

[MjTalon]

I was thinking the same thing... A good idea for special events as well. IMO the Icons are the most unrealistic aspect of AH, but for a noobling (like we all were at one time) it would make the learning curve so steep that few would subscribe, HTC would go broke, and we would have to go to brand "X" combat flight sim and fondly remember the good ol' days when we had Aces High... Talen brings up another good point as well... with all countries flying all types of aircraft and killshooter on, it would be absolute KAOS!

With killshooter off there would also be KAOS! come to think of it!

Lol major i'd give anything to see the look on AH players face if icons were to suddenly vanish. Shooting planes for the hell of it lol! 

[Shane]

yeah i always love flying blind.  what's not to like?

besides nothing stops anyone from simply toggling icons off. try it in AvA with a buncha like-minded people and get back to us.

[BnZ]

Dude, I've tried the no icons thing in another sim. Even with a good padlock it kind of sucks.

Fact is, in R/L pilots with good eyes can identify an airplane's type and closure rate at least a mile away. You can't do that at half-mile or closer in AHII, especially if you are trying to scan with a hat-switch and buttons and not using TrackIR+Insanely zoomed in view on a huge monitor.

There is a reason why most every sim has icons.

[Chalenge]

I tried it with no icons when I first started (coming from F4AF) and I tried to only attack aggressors. The only problem is... agressors are not so aggressive and conga lines will confuse you when they shoot over your shoulder and then they laugh at you when you break off.

BnZ: Mouse_look (shift-M)

[BnZ]

Right hand stick and buttons, left hand throttle and some more buttons...I hate to ask what you expect me to use to move the mouse with when I want to look around.

[frank3]

I did the no-icons in the H2H (when it was still alive) and was a great succes.
The teams would fly allied vs. axis aircraft, so you could distinct who's friend or foe, and was pretty difficult! In particular if flying P-51's vs FW-190's, their shape looks pretty alike in the air!

And the best thing is you could actually get away from someone with a good manoeuvre, he'd lose sight of you instantanely.
It was great fun to have 8 players up against eachother, and historical plane-set and no-icons made it particularly exciting.

[uberslet]

I think this would be just too difficult as long as everyone is flying the same mix of airplanes.  What good is identifying a 109 if you are in a P-38, if the 109 is being flow by one of your countrymen.  The only way this would work is if they assigned specific types of airplanes to specific countries.  Since flying all types of airplanes is a major part of AHII, I doubt this idea would fly.  (pardon the pun)

Just my opinion.

 

basically your dsaying going to the AvA? thats the only place youll ever dive on a 109 in a p38 and not have to wrry about a countrymen, or visa verse.

[Old Sport]

I did the no-icons in the H2H (when it was still alive) and was a great succes.
The teams would fly allied vs. axis aircraft, so you could distinct who's friend or foe, and was pretty difficult! In particular if flying P-51's vs FW-190's, their shape looks pretty alike in the air!

And the best thing is you could actually get away from someone with a good manoeuvre, he'd lose sight of you instantanely.
It was great fun to have 8 players up against each other, and historical plane-set and no-icons made it particularly exciting.

<S> Frank! How you doin?

Yep, Frank's Coop Missions are one thing I really miss from H2H. Icons off, 4v4, 15,000 feet, sometimes your heart could really get pounding. Great stuff.

But, regarding the MA world, as other above have said, it's way too complicated in the MAs to fly without icons.

OldSport - Cement

[**CLONE155**]

This would be a great idea only if they enlarge the radar so you can see every con on the map. then it would be cool to have no icons. Because if you are in a p51, and a p38 is shooting at another p40, which one is the enemy? and for even more exitement, lets say you JUST broke your mic...

[pervert]

I've played no icons in il2 before but it depends on flying in formation keeping track of your guys and good comunication otherwise you have to get really close only to realise your on your buddys tail and the guy you thought was your teammate is a con now on your 6. Would only work in aces high if friendly icons where left on, also makes it harder to judge or commit to certain situtations in a fight because you cant judge speed range or what direction the enemy is going.