The game play lately sucks!

[Tilt]

The role of radar is two fold in game and sometimes these conflict.

It has a defence function that enables defenders to gauge accurately the size and location of incoming forces and intercept before they strike at ground targets. Killing radar either via the HQ or locally blinds the defending forces and makes the attack more efficient.

It has "an access to fun" function. In as much as it enables players to "find each other" in order to enjoy combat. Killing radar either via the HQ or locally blinds players such that access to combat is less efficient.

Finding mechanisms that separate the above such that both are efficiently achieved without prejudicing each other should (IMO) be the objective.

Radar rings rarely over lap such that dot indication only extends some 15 miles from a given friendly base it can be destroyed by hitting a single target.
Darbar is map wide but it is not very accurate and is only indicated by sector.
Base flash is  map wide but it does not differentiate between ground and air threats.
There is no warning of a naval threat unless someone spawns to activate one of the above.

IMO we could re shuffle the balance somewhat just with settings.

Double if not treble the range of radar rings so we get massively overlapping dot radar.(earlier dot indication, easier to find combat, less attritable)
Treble if not quadruple the range of darbar but set it to "range" not map wide. (Still good range of warning without "deep sight" of enemy forces behind their lines)
Double HQ hardness. Remove darbar from the HQ attrition list (is this possible under arena settings?)

At terrain build level

We could add an uncapturable vehicle field (without spawns) immediately adjacent to the HQ. It would provide radar cover and access to repair, and its "supply buildings" would add and additional required attrition element if the HQ raid was to sustain any long term depletion of HQ services.

At a coad level.

Find a way that base flash differentiates between land/sea/air attack.
Find a way that bomber formations show up differently on dot radar.
and

Enhance the audio / radio warning system.....

an example is below.

In addition to "base under attack" we would have (once launched) a longer range warning of "enemy approaching" but enhance this to "enemy <type> approaching"  where by we know if we are being advised re aircraft, vehicle or ship. This is then enhanced further with a simple compass bearing from our present location. "enemy <type> to the <bearing>"  where by we are additionally advised  whether this enemy is currently to the North, East, South, West.

The range may be as far as 3 x icon range. The warning would switch off (or change to a sort of "enemy <type> nearby") once the enemy was within a visual range. This range may change by ride.

The warning could be both audible and written. The frequency could be set by the player from the clipboard. The "Type" could be filtered by the player at the clip board. (or indeed an appropriate radio channel has to be tuned to in order to receive them {10= aircraft, 20=vehicles, 30= ships, 40 = all})

The warning would be limited to the nearest enemy unless that enemy "Type" had been switched off at the "Type" filter.

In this way we are guided to combat even without radar.

we simply listen/ read the "Enemy <type> to the <bearing>" guidance until we find it.

Our FE has all the data it needs to do this.

[seano]

All this complaining..... Get organized people. 

[Lucifer]

Funny thing is that some of the idiots who keep bailin'n bombing HQ are also complaining about low numbers...

 

[Tumor]

Funny thing is that some of the idiots who keep bailin'n bombing HQ are also complaining about low numbers...

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuup

[rvflyer]

Funny thing is that some of the idiots who keep bailin'n bombing HQ are also complaining about low numbers...

 

And there is the problem, very few of these guys fly back home. It gets very frustrating to climb to altitude catch the raiders and then have them bail when they see you coming. Do not let these idiot HQ bombers fly to HQ bomb then bail to do it all over again.

[Rich46yo]

I dont think "any" of them fly home. Some on purpose, or maybe most. Some cause there is nobody to fight them due to the pop numbers. I didnt quit solely due to the poor game play but also due to my work schedule. If I have one night to fly in Aces High is gets pretty aggravating to have greifers bombing HQs.

And it didnt take me posting about it for them to find out what they are doing to the game. Between the chatter on 200 and the the players logging off there is no doubt they knew exactly what they were doing and what reaction they were getting. This thread is not "hot off the presses news".

Miserable. Simply miserable. That a few morons are allowed to impact the game like this is terrible. I mostly hung around for the community, which has always been great, but in the end I expect to be able to find good fights. And now its very difficult.

[Randy1]

No doubt these type people can't resist yanking a pacifier from a sleeping babies mouth just to wake them up and hear them cry.

[Lusche]

Now you are getting a bit silly. 

The HQ, just like factories, hangars and CV's are legitimate targets set up by HTC for players to attack and to destroy. As much as I think it sucks for gameplay under current circumstances, you are blaming the wrong people for playing a mechanism put there deliberately. And there's only one instance who could adjust this mechanism. Screaming at other players won't do nothing.

[seano]

you must defend your headquarters.  But I'm with the rest when it should take at least 3 sets of bombers to kill it. 3 sets of bombers coming in makes it worth the time to climb to kill them. 

[JVboob]

I think it should be hardened. but at the same time AvA always has good fights when theres people there. If all these people compaining about HQ went there then the AvA would have tons of fun factor appeal. or the DA or the MWA even. I log about 2.5-3 hours aday typically in the AM with numbers in the 30s-50s and have no problem finding fights. Just cant get your way all the time so make due and start a fight.

[earl1937]

I think it should be hardened. but at the same time AvA always has good fights when theres people there. If all these people compaining about HQ went there then the AvA would have tons of fun factor appeal. or the DA or the MWA even. I log about 2.5-3 hours aday typically in the AM with numbers in the 30s-50s and have no problem finding fights. Just cant get your way all the time so make due and start a fight.

I am a little confused about this bomb and bail thing! I realize someone is trying to shut down DAR for our side, but does the bail count against the bailing bomber pilot?
I never have any trouble finding a fight!!! It always seems to follow me around like a little puppy! Last night was good example, as some Rook friends and I upped some B-17's as we do when I am in the game, 95% of the time.
At one time, down to two sets of aircraft, Poppseed and I had 6, count them, 6 bad guys on us, with only one fighter escort, GSX somebody, and we got to our targets 2 sectors deep in "Indian" country, fough our way to the target and while we didn't hit all the hangars, we did kill 3 of the 4 fighter hangars we were assigned.
Upon departure from target area, they finally killed all of Poppy's aircraft, because he was trying to help defend me, as my wing man. I finally got one aircraft home after several other Rooks intervened.
DWI and Snailman were two of the opponents involved in the attacks on us, so the opposition was first quality and we still managed to fight them off to some degree.
I recant this mission just to point out, there are plenty of fights in the MLW arena, but you first have to do something to draw attention to your chosen "play ground"!
Get you 2 to 4 sets of any of the bombers, head somewhere and soon you will be engaged!
I to, get frustrated by the DAR killing HQ attacks, but I think Hi Tech is well aware of what is going on and I am sure he is planning something to correct the situation!!!   

[Lusche]

I am a little confused about this bomb and bail thing! I realize someone is trying to shut down DAR for our side, but does the bail count against the bailing bomber pilot?

It counts against their score big time and reduces their perks earned (which are miniscule for a killed HQ anyway). But like many (probably even most) players, they don't care about score anyway.

[JVboob]

I care about score to a certain extent. under 500 and im happy.

ET is right. I mean yesterday when Poppiseed ET and my self were in 29s we had pursuers but GSX beat them back and we had enough speed to get away. Had we been in slower buffs it may have been an engagement.

Another mission i had 4 others meet me on the rwy with some type of ords 10 minutes later we come to a field and within 2 minutes theres 4 uppers and BOOM the furball began. which turned in to an all out rook bish brawl lasting 2 hours and we lost A 70. but emptiness turned to war just like that. starting a fight is easier than finding one. My answer to your riddle is start one it doesnt take much espically if you go for the bish they like to defend.

[428CJ]

Seems like HQ down time being limited to 10 or 15 min. would be an easy fix for HTC . . . if he wanted to do it.

[Gman]

I think of it this way:

There seems to be two groups in the argument, those who want to fly fighters and find fights, and those who fly bombers/attackers and are hitting the HQ, preventing the fighter guys from finding fights, or at least making it much more difficult.

The thing of it is, there isn't an equal mechanism for the fighter types to hit something, and make finding targets/fun for the bomber guys more difficult.  All things being equal, if there was a target building that could be strafed or rocketed by fighters, which removed the HQ from the map, and made the Headquarters unit mobile, as it would be in war - would we not be hearing similar complaints from bombers, saying "we can't find anything to bomb, because the targets aren't on radar anymore, and they are mobile".

Point being, there IS no such equal option for fighter types to take vs the bombers.  One of the primary functions to stimulate air combat (what the game used to be about), air contact radar, can be essentially shut off by in game actions (bombers), while there is no option for players to shut off the ground targets on that same radar map, and similarly affect the targeting/fun for the bomber pilots.  Air target tracking intel can be affected, but not the intel regarding the ground targets.

That is really the bottom line IMO, it seems like a double standard to those who have voiced complaint about finding a2a fights, that "their" way of playing can be affected by in game play, while the way those doing that affecting play (bombers) similarly cannot. 


I do think this will all be addressed in the new version, at least I'm hoping.  I haven't complained about the no radar thing, but that's mainly as I don't put much time in, I can understand how those flying 3 or 4 hours a day could get sick of the dar being down, and not really having a way to stop it (no, orbiting waiting for bombers over the HQ isn't what most fighter types would consider "fighting" ).