Icons

[Debrody]

Now the aircraft icons are all or nothing, at 6001 feet nothing, at 5999 feet there is a big arse light red icon over them.
My wish is to add a variable what links the icon size or contrast and its distance.
For example, there would be no icon further than 6K, then a very small dot would appear what is growing and getting more contrast (stroneger red colour) as youre getting closer to the con, reaching its full size at about 1.5K.

I guess it would be pretty simple also would add a lot to the realism and the impression.

Thoughts?

[prowl3r]

+1

[MAINER]

+1

[PanosGR]

agree but not see happening. The distance-contrast icon analogy is true story in other sims.

I have a wish also for a non-icon day once a week. let’s supposedly called it TINID (TItanic No Icon Day).  

[FLS]

I have a wish also for a non-icon day once a week. let’s supposedly called it TINID (TItanic No Icon Day).  

No icons with 3 sides all flying the same aircraft? There may be a small problem with that.

[PanosGR]

i mean, naturally  no Enemy icon day, that is keep the friendly icons on

[Krusty]

Add to realism?

Hardly. It's a way of asking for icons to be shorter. Why not instead ask for it to fad IN so that at 6.0 it's fully visible?

You see, by the way you pose the question you're skewing the type of answers you get back.

1.5K is merely 1 mile. Just less, even. 1.6 kilometers per mile. That's not even reaction time in most cases. It's wholly unrealistic and borderlines asking for "no icons" -- which has been shot down so many times and flat-out denied the right to exist by Hitech himself that folks look for loopholes or ways around it to try and get some other kind of icon reduction.

Maybe you don't want to believe it, but the icon serves a purpose. You cannot see and ID aircraft in this game (or any game) without it. In reality you can see them quite clearly, and in great detail. It's a wonder how nice the human eyeball is.

Sad that so many in this game don't realize this fact, and ignore the folks that back up this fact with details and science. As has been done so many times in the past.

[Debrody]

Add to realism?

Hardly. It's a way of asking for icons to be shorter. Why not instead ask for it to fad IN so that at 6.0 it's fully visible?

You see, by the way you pose the question you're skewing the type of answers you get back.

1.5K is merely 1 mile. Just less, even. 1.6 kilometers per mile. That's not even reaction time in most cases. It's wholly unrealistic and borderlines asking for "no icons" -- which has been shot down so many times and flat-out denied the right to exist by Hitech himself that folks look for loopholes or ways around it to try and get some other kind of icon reduction.

Maybe you don't want to believe it, but the icon serves a purpose. You cannot see and ID aircraft in this game (or any game) without it. In reality you can see them quite clearly, and in great detail. It's a wonder how nice the human eyeball is.

Sad that so many in this game don't realize this fact, and ignore the folks that back up this fact with details and science. As has been done so many times in the past.

Sorry Krusty i just cant get your point.
Idk whats wrong in wishing an icon what can actually "fade in" instead of just popping out from the nowhere.
My wish wouldnt change the gameplay as much, thinking about a linear analogy: 6.1K -->nothing 1.5K-->full icon, that means at 4k (2.5 miles) you still have a well-visible enough icon to ID that 4 pixels dot on your screen.

[SmokinLoon]

I think the icon range at 6000 yards should say something generic like "4ENG", or "2ENG", or "1ENG".

Then at about 4000 yards have it switch to the model of the plane and leave it at that for good.  I don't think 2 aircraft flying 350+ while doing a head on pass are going to be able to fully identify the exact variant of the enemy plane.  Keep it as generic as possible.  Spit, 109, P51, P38, 190, NiK2, A6M, Mossi, etc.

There isnt enough "fog of war" in AH, imo.   


 

[Raphael]

make it grey colour too until it gets to like 3k, and then it becomes red or green.

or just a custom colour of your choice that would represent "non specific" icon, you would know if it is friendly or enemy for further then 3k by simply pushing the radio button, more player interaction man!!, don't comunicate? well get closer then.

[Chilli]

I think the icon range at 6000 yards should say something generic like "4ENG", or "2ENG", or "1ENG".

Then at about 4000 yards have it switch to the model of the plane and leave it at that for good.  I don't think 2 aircraft flying 350+ while doing a head on pass are going to be able to fully identify the exact variant of the enemy plane.  Keep it as generic as possible.  Spit, 109, P51, P38, 190, NiK2, A6M, Mossi, etc.

There isnt enough "fog of war" in AH, imo.   


 

  I like the way he thinks.  Now, I am gonna add some more fog to the discussion.  My reasoning comes purely from my personal difficulty in visual acuity, but my view is not where most would think.

Krusty, I agree that we have a pretty solidly defined icon range in the main arena for the reasons that you have stated.  However, I am not certain that Debrody's or the above opinion are purposefully aimed at tearing down the set structure.  Keep in mind that as an individual with rapidly deteriorating eye sight, I agree that icons are a very necessary equalizer for differences in monitor, graphics capabilities, video settings, or eye sight.   In effect, no one can tell you what you see or should see, if they are not sitting behind your equipment and looking through your eyeballs. 

Where I will probably stray from the conventional argument by someone generally in need of more icon help, is that at some point in close it becomes more of a hindrance.   At close distances, icons and even some gunsights become a distraction rather than an aide.  One possible solution for close proximity icons would be like Smokin' suggested above, less information.  At this point, I am fairly certain whether or not it is a one engine plane and sometimes can even tell which variant, all that I really need to know is if it is a friend or foe.  (The distance counter might be something left on as an option in the training arena only). 

One way to further such a discussion and bring in more data would be to give such options in the custom arena setups.  My wish

[blood_scout67]

+1

[MachFly]

Sorry Krusty i just cant get your point.
Idk whats wrong in wishing an icon what can actually "fade in" instead of just popping out from the nowhere.
My wish wouldnt change the gameplay as much, thinking about a linear analogy: 6.1K -->nothing 1.5K-->full icon, that means at 4k (2.5 miles) you still have a well-visible enough icon to ID that 4 pixels dot on your screen.

6K is just under 3nm. In real world I can spot an airplane the size of a cessna 10nm out and I can identify the type by the time he is 5 or 4nm out. The aircraft we fly here are a lot bigger and therefor a lot easier to spot. It's a lot harder doing that on a computer screen so we need icons. If anything the icon range should be increased. 

[Raptor05121]

...snip...well-visible enough icon to ID that 4 pixels dot on your screen.

I have 2,073,600 pixels and I'm legally blind in one eye. I don't think that's going to help me.

I like the idea though. You need to reword how this is going to work.

[Butcher]

Fog of war would certainly be an interesting addition, it would make for better game play - for example if you see a "109" in the distance, you shouldn't be able to tell even with icons, what it is until its under a certain range.

Certain Aircraft like the C.202 and C.205 should get something like "C.20x" which would mean you have to identify it, either way if you are in a "P-51x" it won't matter, however certain aircrafts with a line of different models, would certainly throw a curve ball in a sense you can't simply scream "zomg Spit16!" when in fact it could be a lonely Spit1.

I know the "arcade" mode of aces high comes into question, however not enough planes have the same designation like the P-47D-11/25/40 to simply put
P-47D, P-47M until close.

In this case using P-47x until close enough to see what it is "P-47D-40" for example makes more sense.

In the case of the F4u it makes perfect sense and will throw a wedge in tactics, if you read "F4u-x" and you take it as an F4u-1 when its actually an f4u-4, then it requires better judgement on the ACM side.

It certainly will not break the game, except the fog of war will now be a little harder in a sense you can't simply treat every aircraft the same.