Modify puffy ack tracking

[The Fugitive]

hitech please explain the puffy ack mechanic and how it works, (and what its purpose is).

He most likely wont answer as he has said that he believes it just leads to more and more issues. Evidently none of us can accept a strait forward answer.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,379996.msg5066981.html#msg5066981

[FLS]

FLS do you have an agenda here?

Yes I do. Thanks for asking. My agenda is to help every player enjoy Aces High by answering questions about the game, flying , and air combat.

For example, many people are confused about how puffy ack targets you and what you can do to decrease your chances of being hit.

The faster you go and the harder you maneuver the less chance of getting hit.

However, there is always the chance of a first shot kill and that's the one you'll remember and talk about.

[Drane]

You think wrong.

HiTech

Does this also mean that there's no point discussing this wish further?

Because then I can save the time of sparring with FLS's smiley face drivel.

[Scca]

hitech please explain the puffy ack mechanic and how it works, (and what its purpose is).

Not HTC, but he's explained how it works before, and I "think" I remember, so if this is incorrect, don't roast me.

There is a box around the aircraft.  The puffy explodes randomly somewhere in that box.  The size of the box changes depending on aircraft (bombers or fighters).  It also changes (gets bigger) with speed and maneuvering.  Puffy will also focus on bombers if they are in range.  Puffy will also not choose an NME aircraft, if a friendly is within close proximity (1K ?) of the NME aircraft.  Puffy only targets over 3K...

As read from the book of Meathd...

[bustr]

Because I don't fly a fighter into CV ack as a rule, I always keep track of what does shoot me down when I fly around in it. Eight times out of 10 it's a player in a 5inch that gets me. The other times when AI gets me, a dead pilot or set on fire.

I agree bombers seem to lumber through the AI ack unaffected. I see shot down with player 5inch or shoot down with my 5inch position more bombers than I've observed the AI knock down. So is the AI ack in fact very tame and we have very player friendly 5inch gunnery?

You can test the AI ack by locating an enemy CV and fly straight and level over it a few times in fighters and bombers at about 10,000 ft. Keep track of your damage for those who say bombers soak up more damage. Aside from a pilot kill or engine on fire, bombers are impervious all the way to the IP point which is what kills the CV. Then tally up what killed you when you do get killed and the damage for each flight. 2.5k yds and closer we all know the ack will track you easier and player 5inch won't miss very often.

[Zimme83]

Bombers approach the CV in a straight line and the path is very predictable, twin 5 inchers have a high rate of fire and with proximity fuses they lack the ranging problem that the 88:s have. So with some experience it's not so hard to take down a bomber with them.

[caldera]

Bombers approach the CV in a straight line and the path is very predictable, twin 5 inchers have a high rate of fire and with proximity fuses they lack the ranging problem that the 88:s have. So with some experience it's not so hard to take down a bomber with them.

We are talking about auto-puffy here.   It seems ineffective against easy targets.  Sure most of the time in CV ack your fighter only gets a few hits, but giant, predictably flying targets should get creamed by the proximity shells. 

[guncrasher]

caldera is right.  however with bombers you have a bigger box since you have 3 bombers.  so the box is way bigger.  i hardly get hit in bombers I only fly at 6k even by the time the auto ack is shooting i have about 3 seconds to the drop.



semp

[Krusty]

Hitech has explained it before with the expanding box example. However, I dislike that model and think it is broken and not fair to the player. I would much rather have a basic AI computation with RNG margin for error and have it fire at you from line of sight.

No line of sight? Then it becomes erratic and stops tracking you and then stops entirely.

Also, because it would actually fire at you and track your intercept point, you could make a bank or dive and literally leave the spot where it would end up. Barring the RNG chance that the shot would miss and you'd jink into it, I think this would be far better.

[bustr]

This is a tough one. Which is more important, players with bombers and fighters accomplish something for their subscription fee or, the CV becomes an unassailable fortress that will kill base defenders and bombers with impunity?

These posts are about equally covered year round. The furballers are unhappy with how every task group one pings them out of their fun. The CV defenders are angry bombers always get through(almost always).

Another on of those timeofday\numberofplayers functions to scale AI ack wishes?

1. - scale side jumping time by number of players.
2. - scale size of arena by number of players.
3. - scale effectiveness of AI ack by number of players.

This can end up down some strange rabbit holes. Scale ammo effectiveness by numbers of players and some skill measurement of players. Scale available rides by numbers of players and some skill measurement to make sure the sharks are in storches while weenies are in 262. Or scale all AI ack disabled by player numbers.........

Make sweet tea for me and none for thee........ 

[Drane]

This is a tough one. Which is more important, players with bombers and fighters accomplish something for their subscription fee or, the CV becomes an unassailable fortress that will kill base defenders and bombers with impunity?...snip...Make sweet tea for me and none for thee........

This wish is not to increase ack strength.

It is merely to give a more realistic chance for players who want to avoid it.

[Vraciu]

Well then my manuevering aint working

+1

And +1 to the OP!

This puffy ack is completely out of control.

[Drane]

No matter how hard a player maneuvers while in range of our existing puffy ack, they're still in puffy ack. Because they're in that puffy ack, guess what?, their chances of being hit are far greater than what they really should be (pretty slim if no other targets are near and only the AI is firing like this wish proposes). (simplified to keep it short)

Watch film Zimme83 posted to see what "really should be" is.
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,380521.msg5068512.html#msg5068512

If there's another way to implement what this wish wants to accomplish I'm sure all concerned would welcome that too.

[guncrasher]

twice I was in range of cv ack yesterday.  I kept switching altitudes, speed and direction.  I never got hit.  I was in a pony.  I have been killed by cv ack many times because I kept a level flight trying to move out.


semp