MA - Air Spawns For Perks

[Chilli]

Before we get crazy with it (not referring to CrazyIvn in any way), air spawns don't need to be 10k and above.  Also, I can't take credit for the idea but would like to point out the possibilities.

They can be

• something to spend perks on besides Me262s
• attached to any base (preferably one that is close to HQ and unable to be captured).
• placed on any current map
• a source of action any time of day and include all 3 countries even if their fronts don't connect
• managed with low alt starts to keep from abuse for non intended base capture advantages
• made unavailable to bombers which will include C47 troop carriers
• hopefully made unavailable as option in mission planner

What have I missed?

[FLS]

Camping the spawn point. Is it still vulching if there's no runway? 

I think the DA setup is a good indicator of HTC's position on air spawns.

[FLOOB]

Not No, but hell no.

[pembquist]

I would say not for perks but maybe for low populations to foster concentration of aircraft and thus combat. Could vomit you out at different altitudes positions to preclude bnzamping. MAYBE.

[Chilli]

Camping the spawn point. Is it still vulching if there's no runway? 

I think the DA setup is a good indicator of HTC's position on air spawns.

I don't recall what initial airspeed is from air spawn, but still a lot more room to maneuver than on a runway, including down.

Version II came out and Dueling Arena, New Training Arena, Early War, Mid War and Combat Theater was re-named Axis versus Allies.  Many tried to escape the repetitive nature of the LWMA and see for yourself rarely more than 10 in any of those arenas that must have taken man hours to develop.   Less man hours involved with dramatic game play pay offs, this might be a win ~ win.

I never count HTC short.  Almost never....  They changed direction from a promising concept, Combat Tour, but remained committed to develop and deliver to the community aspects of the concept.  To date almost all of these aspects have been in some way added to the game. 

Maybe the possibility of flights colliding with a surprise arrival of another flight is the only reason this does not already exist in the MA.  Maybe in time a suitable mechanism will reduce or remove such concerns.  Until then, it is merely a wish and one that I do believe would greatly improve the air to air action.

I would say not for perks but maybe for low populations to foster concentration of aircraft and thus combat. Could vomit you out at different altitudes positions to preclude bnzamping. MAYBE.

Spending perks in this way, could very well validate the need for the gazillion perks gathered doing other tasks ... rather than burning them all on Me262s.  Random spawns and no radar coverage besides dar bar would also slim down the possibilities of consistent vulches by any one player.

Not No, but hell no.

If the developer saw fit, then HELL YES!  Besides, Marty Fellman needs to lighten up. 

[kvuo75]

I don't recall what initial airspeed is from air spawn,

every airspawn I've used in a special event plops you out there at 0.

[TheCrazyOrange]

Is combat tour just our monthly scores?

[FLS]

every airspawn I've used in a special event plops you out there at 0.

It's faster then that in the TA. I thought it was adjusted for SE also.

[Chilli]

Is combat tour just our monthly scores?

   Actually it had different names, Tour of Duty was the original IIRC.  Another game has that same title so, a lot simpler to call it Combat Tour (at least until your post  ). 

Things that have been brought into game play out of this:

Original Concept

As we started working on the mission theater, we realized we were making a completely new game from that which is Aces High today.

This lead us to starting work on AcesHigh II. Which will be 2 games in one.

1st.
AcesHigh Classic, which will be the Main arena as we know today, only with updated Graphic Eng ^1- <now we have  had many graphics updates and about to get another>, and other sim items, but the game play will be similar to what it is today.

2nd. The Mission theater ^2- <now we have Custom arena along with Special Events and Axis versus Allies>. We need a better name for this. AcesHigh "Fill In the blank"

This game will will be primarly geared toward role playing.
The outline of the game play items are as follows.
1. You will enter the game as a cadet and have to pass some training sorties to get your wings.
2. Once you get your wings you will be a 2nd LT with 500 career points ^3- <now we have achievements>.
3. If you die you will loose aprox 100 career points.
4. If one your mission is a success you will recieve 10 carreer points.
5. If your points go to 0 you are demoted back to a cadet and have to go back threw training.
6. If you get 1000 Points you will be promoted to 1st LT.

Once your a 1st you will the loose 150 for a death and recieve 10 carreer points for mission successes. If you reach 0 your back to 2nd or 1000 your promoted. Along with a promtion comes better ground crews. So your guns might jam less, eng run better, but your expected perform a lot better.  There's also medals and other stuff ^4- <now we have signatures in BBS profile; "other stuff" included kill markings on your plane - we don't have yet but how cool was that idea>.

The point values in the example above are just for demonstration purposes just to give you an idea of how it will work.

Battles will last for a given period of time before moving onto the next phase of the war. 

Missions with be automatically generated by the host ^5- <now we have Staged Missions>, and have a substantial AI component ^6- <delivered AI planes>  AND  ^7-  <AH Mission Editor> of either bombers or ground vehicles.
Offensive missions will be primarily to protect bombers or vehicles, defensive to kill bombers, or vehicles. 

You will have 2 avatars, one for axis one for allied. You will only be able to play 1 avatar per battle. There ranks will be independent.

So we would like some suggestions on the name. This is just a short outline of the the things we have in mind for the mission based play.

So does anyone have a cool name for it?  We view this as a combination of flight/combat sim and military role playing.  We'll be putting out some news about all this shortly, but we're stuck on a name.

HiTech

[lunatic1]

have we really become so lazy that we need to spawn a plane to a base instead of flying there??????????

[Chilli]

Lunatic you have missed the entire point.  Laziness is not the issue, timing and location are.  Let me clarify it for you.

1.  Finding fights during off peak hours has become abysmally rare, depending on map (fixed)

2.  Too often battle fronts form for 2 countries and leaves 3rd country dry (fixed)

3.  Flight time to a battle differs from map to map (fixed)

4.  If done properly could produce way more air to air action in a game that boasts 24 hour online action.

5.  This is comparable to the old "furball lake" that used to exist in the Main Arena. 

6.  We have "tank town" spawns that are popular why not fighter spawns for that same purpose (I concede there are currently game play difficulties but the bang for the buck would be worth ironing out the downsides)

7.  Dueling Arena's furball lake is second in population only to LWMA.   The problem is, there are no true "duels" at the lake and with no perks, rankings, or real numbers, it simply falls short of what it was in the Main Arena when it existed there.

[Tinkles]

Lunatic you have missed the entire point.  Laziness is not the issue, timing and location are.  Let me clarify it for you.

1.  Finding fights during off peak hours has become abysmally rare, depending on map (fixed)

2.  Too often battle fronts form for 2 countries and leaves 3rd country dry (fixed)

3.  Flight time to a battle differs from map to map (fixed)

4.  If done properly could produce way more air to air action in a game that boasts 24 hour online action.

5.  This is comparable to the old "furball lake" that used to exist in the Main Arena. 

6.  We have "tank town" spawns that are popular why not fighter spawns for that same purpose (I concede there are currently game play difficulties but the bang for the buck would be worth ironing out the downsides)

7.  Dueling Arena's furball lake is second in population only to LWMA.   The problem is, there are no true "duels" at the lake and with no perks, rankings, or real numbers, it simply falls short of what it was in the Main Arena when it existed there.

Perhaps it teleports you to the middle of the map, or a section of the map. Once teleported, you have to stay in a certain area (say 4x4 sector grid) otherwise you lose your ammo/fuel,which helps prevents abuse (teleporting at 5k+ next to enemy base to capture it = abuse).   

Just a thought.  I think it has a possibility of being added, but I don't know if it would work though. I think many would view it as a another avenue for players to 'avoid the fight'. Akin to some player's perspective of tank-town, another way for players to get 'distracted' from the 'war effort'.    I think it has potential though at off-peak hours though.

[FLOOB]

The main arena, indeed aerial warfare, is all about getting air superiority over the other team. The introduction of teleporting airplanes would crap all over what the MA is about.

[pembquist]

Sure, but we are talking about when there are 25 people on a big map.

[Chilli]

The main arena, indeed aerial warfare, is all about getting air superiority over the other team. The introduction of teleporting airplanes would crap all over what the MA is about.

Floob, I respect your perception of what Late War Main Arena is.  The simple fact is that it is many different things to different people.   

I certainly was most happy in the main arena when there were a decent number of players both green and red guys.  I am probably least happy looking at a map that has no dar bar or flashing field that indicates any type of air combat.

Probably the next worst experience comes about when HQ is down for 120 minutes, enemy fighters are picking C47s attempting to resupply the HQ, and when you do find a red guy to engage, he flies off and lands his kills some 8 to 10 minutes later.

So what do you suggest folks do, Log off?  I propose that what the Late War Main Arena is all about is action.  It could be tank action, it could be bomber action, it could be fighter action, there are also those that are rather good at sea action.

I believe you are assuming that an air spawn must be at high altitude, and in the thick of contested areas of the map.  With an open mind, after reading what is being proposed here, it should be apparent that it neither suggests unfair altitude advantage or ez mode field attacks. 

Spawning in a secluded area of the map with "reasonable" altitude and speed at entry, and only dar bar to show strength of enemy combatants in that area, and no radar coverage, would go a long way to return the type of action that was hugely popular in furball lake that existed in the main arena years ago.