How easy is it?

[Klam]

How easy do you guys find this game?
I refer to the air/sim combat only.
 
If a few of the aids available to a player were restricted, would it improve game play or ruin it? 
Given the learning curve can be long and takes many hours of patience, would it be too much?
Do you think guys who have played for many years would log off in droves or be willing to still play?

Personally, I like the game because it is challenging but would have no problem still playing if these were removed;


Auto take off
Dot radar
Auto trim
Gunsight zoom (not inc' bombardier)
Icons @ 6k
Neg' G Red out having no lasting effect


Would less repetition of terrain features make for more interest?

Random positions for resources on fields (swapping the barracks, radar tower, fuel, ord etc..)
Different town layouts?

I really enjoy the game.  I thought of the effect these might have when I read some posts of players with kill sorties in the 10's.
I have no problem with that (Well done mate <S>)

How easy is this game?

<S> 

[MachFly]

I guess that depends on what your doing. If your fighting a 1v10 than it's really hard, when your fighting 10v1 than it's really easy.

If this was an offline game than there would be an answer to your question, but since were playing again real people it can be very hard. Either way though, it's a lot easier than real life.

[uptown]

Auto takeoff and trim can be turned on and off by the player. Been playing awhile know without those on. The icon I like because I can't see where the planes are without them. The have limited or no icons in AvA. The Zoom I like because like I said my eyes aren't what they used to be (welder by trade yrs. ago).

Less repetition in terrains? You bet...been discussed a few times here on the boards. Doubt anything will happen.

As far as how easy the game is all depends on what you like to do. Some things are a piece of cake i.e. jabo runs, bombing missions etc.

Other things i find extremely hard at times i.e. dogfighting spitfires, brewsters, hurricanes while in a 51, 47 or 38.

Yeah some things in the game are pretty cheezy but other things are difficult too. Just depends on what you want to get out of the game and how much time and effort you're will to put into it.
I can tell you that this is the only game, besides pool that has kept my interest for as long as it has.

[Melvin]

The game is simple, it's my opponents that give me a hard time.

 

[Butcher]

Hitting static targets = easy
flying buffs = easy
Dogfighting = hard
tanking = medium

[thndregg]

As stated earlier, it does depend on what you do here. I find it challenging enough. I'm not great in a fighter, so there's a definite challenge in that aspect for me. I love heavy bombers, and I think the challenge for people that want to experience that aspect of the game is patience as well as teamwork.

As far as targets go, it is rather predictable in and of itself. The unknown factor is if, when, and where the opposition comes in. So, overall, the game environment strikes a balance between knowing where targets are, and not knowing what you'll be up against as you're trying to get at it. There are many possible outcomes.

I can appreciate some margin for error in the characteristics of every aircraft modeled into the game. I can only imagine the painstaking time and effort it takes, from the art to the physics, to the scenery, to the extensive historical research, for the game designers to get it as close to accurate with regard to playability, as possible. That's why I cringe just a bit when some ignorant nut gets on the BBS and asks the HTC crew to "hurry up" and update this-that-&the other... Yes, I might want the same thing, but I don't have a clue about computer code.

So, I do appreciate what we have. If ever I need a reminder of that, I do have Aces High 1 on my PC, and I'm sure I can find plenty of screenies of Air Warrior, and other "cardboard" flight sims.

[The Fugitive]

How easy do you guys find this game?
I refer to the air/sim combat only.
 
If a few of the aids available to a player were restricted, would it improve game play or ruin it?  
Given the learning curve can be long and takes many hours of patience, would it be too much?
Do you think guys who have played for many years would log off in droves or be willing to still play?

Personally, I like the game because it is challenging but would have no problem still playing if these were removed;


Auto take off Some days its on, other times its off. Been doing it so long that it is easy. With out it a newbi may have trouble and if he/she has to much trouble just getting in the air, how long do you think they will stay and continue to pay HTC a subscription?

Dot radar The game is about combat. if you can't find anyone to fight why pay HTC for a subscription?

Auto trim It is a game, working to keep a plane in the air and flying level isn't FUN, why pay HTC for a subscription?

Gunsight zoom (not inc' bombardier) With computers not being able to display the same quality in video as real life many need some help in seeing the "planes" and which way they are turning and such. Why would you take it away from fighters but not gunners? Again if it's too hard to see a target and shoot it why pay HTC a subscription?

Icons @ 6k Again if it's too hard to find/see a target and shoot it why pay HTC a subscription?

Neg' G Red out having no lasting effect I'm hoping this is a typo. If it has "no lasting effect" that would be making things easier and alot massive neg G moves and be even more unrealistic. If you make neg G forces have a more lasting effect it would make things much more difficult and why would people pay HTC for a subscription to have such a hard time to maneuver.

You see what I did there? All of these things are made for game play. If the game is too hard people will quit, if it is too easy people will get bored and quit. HTC is a business and it's main goal is to make money.


Would less repetition of terrain features make for more interest? Sure it would be great! On the other hand, there MUST be concessions made. The game as it is is a 272 mb download. With a good cable connection it's not that long a download, but with dial up ...which many people still use.. it takes forever. You start adding more and more terrain tiles to get that more random look your after will increase the file size of the down load very quickly.

Random positions for resources on fields (swapping the barracks, radar tower, fuel, ord etc..)
Different town layouts? Same as the terrain features above. They try to keep the download file size as small as possible while still giving the game a good look.

I really enjoy the game.  I thought of the effect these might have when I read some posts of players with kill sorties in the 10's.
I have no problem with that (Well done mate <S>)

How easy is this game? I ask you the same thing, how easy is the game for you? I still think this game is a great challenge. While I have had a number of 10 kill runs I almost NEVER get to land them   As I get comfortable with one aspect of the game I try something else and find that even after all these years I still suck at it. If the game was easier I would have gotten bored and left long ago, harder and I may have given up and left as well.

<S>  

[Klam]

Fugitive,

Neg' G red out having no lasting effect was not a typo.

Ingame a player can sustain well over 20 secs of complete red out.  My understanding is that this simulates bleeding eyeballs.

The zoom feature is very useful but would a WW2 fighter have it in it's gunsight?

The game is great.  Just a few gamey oddities.


 

[titanic3]

Fugitive,

Neg' G red out having no lasting effect was not a typo.

Ingame a player can sustain well over 20 secs of complete red out.  My understanding is that this simulates bleeding eyeballs.

The zoom feature is very useful but would a WW2 fighter have it in it's gunsight?

The game is great.  Just a few gamey oddities.


 

You're not zooming using the sights, you're moving closer to the sights. Imagine pressing your face to the sights, impractical in RL, but it is possible.

IMO, the only thing that seems "easy" are bombers and how easy it is to drop with 99% accuracy. Maybe we could have the actual bombsights of RL bombers added and the actual techniques for them be used.

[thndregg]

IMO, the only thing that seems "easy" are bombers and how easy it is to drop with 99% accuracy. Maybe we could have the actual bombsights of RL bombers added and the actual techniques for them be used.

In and of itself, perhaps. Now, factor in opposition while dialing in that bombsight.

[The Fugitive]

Fugitive,

Neg' G red out having no lasting effect was not a typo.

Ingame a player can sustain well over 20 secs of complete red out.  My understanding is that this simulates bleeding eyeballs.

The zoom feature is very useful but would a WW2 fighter have it in it's gunsight?

The game is great.  Just a few gamey oddities.


 

The red out has no lasting effects now. You ease off and it's gone. They could add more as with the black out with the episodes lasting longer, also added effect of burst blood vessels, loosing half of your screen as you have an eye covered in blood and so on. All of which would make the game much harder.

The zoom was explained, on top of that what you see on the screen 400 yards out is NOTHING like what you would see in real life 400 yards out. The ablity to move forward and "add" to what you see compensates. Again, another compensation for game play.

You didn't answer my question, How easy is the game to you?

[homersipes]

It took me close to 3 months to actually be able to land kills, was always stalling and screwing something up.  Once I got to where I could manuever without stalling and retaining E I could actually do something.  I learned in a spit9, and now trying to learn the C-hog is proving to be difficult.  Like stated before, if its too easy whats the fun?  If its too hard whats the fun?  I enjoy the game as a whole HTC and admin for making this game happen