Why the disparity between aircraft and vehicle perks?

[oboe]

From the hangar, this morning, Saturday 8 Jul 17:

Aircraft Perks Me262 207 B-29 133 Me163 103 Ar.234 59 Tempest 41 Mosquito 23 F4U-1C 21 F4U-4 21 Vehicle Perks Tiger II 110 JagdPanther 33 Tiger It 22 Panther G 16 JagdPanzer IV/70 4 Sherman Firefly 4 T34/85 2 M18 1 M4A3(76)W 1 Not a complaint, just an observation and musing.  My question is basically why does it seem to work to have a higher percentage of vehicles perked than aircraft?  There are far more aircraft than vehicles in the game, yet more vehicles are perked.   But I don't see whining on the BB about this.  Why does the community seem to accept lightly perked vehicles?   What if the Spitfire XVI, the Yak-3 and La-7, the FW-190D, the P-47M and P-51D, Tu-2, Ki-67 and B-26 were lightly perked, like the bottom tier of perk vehicles?    Is it that GVers just don't whine like pilots do?   That GVers don't have "favorite" rides they insist on being free? Or, could it be the difference in the nature of combat - when you select a perked vehicle and spawn in, you are almost certainly committed to combat, but in a perked A/C you generally have the speed to run away from combat if you choose.   So perking more aircraft might result in more timid air combat, with perked a/c disengaging and running?   But I wonder, would that hold true if the cost was merely 1 or 2 perk points?   And would a slight perk cost be enough to alter the percentage of 190Ds, Yak-3s and Spit XVIs we see in the MA?    I think I recall the rationale for the perk system as being designed to put a limit on the aircraft that were capable of "breaking" the MA by being so numerous and out-competing & out-performing all other A/C.  I *think* it may have started with the F4u-1C, or maybe the Me262. So I wonder, does the M-18 Hellcat for example, have the ability to "break" combat in the GV environment?   Is it more of an influence in the GV war than, for example, an Fw190D is in the air war? I'm not proposing anything, just interested in a discussion.   What do you guys think?  Why does the community seem to tolerate lightly perked vehicles, but not lightly perked A/C?

[nugetx]

Perk everything apart from few early war planes 


So seeing a late war plane like the yak 3 or spit 16  is actualy a 'wow, he got this plane' moment in the game.

[The Fugitive]

I think the perk price is about balance. By some what limiting but not completely stopping the use of some of the equipment it gives players 1, something to work for, and 2 a bit of variety in what they run into. The Chog is the one that started it. When it first came out it was THE ride of choice. The hog in it self is a great plane, add it the best fire power in the game and its a monster! So everyone used it and that was all you pretty much saw, well those and Ak-AKs 38 

The GVs came later in the development of the game and I think maybe HTC added the same perk prices to hepl control the the balance a bit better. It may be a bit of a nightmare to rebuild the perks system of the older stuff (planes), or it just may not be that high on the list of things to do, but it has been a long time since the last adjustment to the perks on planes. Lusche? You can chime in here, was it a 190 that got changed?

Another thought, it IS Aces High after all and maybe they have less planes perked because they would like to see players in planes. 

[redcatcherb412]

So I wonder, does the M-18 Hellcat for example, have the ability to "break" combat in the GV environment?

The m18 with its open turret can be taken out by a jeep with a single m2 .50 cal. or a single pass by any aircraft with a few BB rounds on board.

But it's the fastest moving tank in the inventory and sports the 76mm M4 cannon. The M8 is a bit faster but not a tank, just a light armored car, can be taken out as easily as the M18 but sports a peashooter compared to the M18 and is unperked.

[Spikes]

The idea of light perks on the 5ENY aircraft is interesting. The light perks on GVs I think are kind of a little deterrent to not spam them like crazy, even though many have tons of GV perks.

The beauty of this game is that you can basically fly whatever you want whenever you want. Perking something as iconic as the P-51D might have an adverse affect even if it's minimum is 1 and maximum is 2, just because someone wants to get in and fly it right away. In the same sense, it is easy enough to get 1 or 2 perks to be able to fly a P-51D.

[nugetx]

the P-51D might have an adverse affect even if it's minimum is 1 and maximum is 2, just because someone wants to get in and fly it right away.

The question is how many people want to fly 'their' plane instantly? 10? 20?

and how many more new players could be potentialy playing with new game mechanics ?


The fun is in all of the planes, not only in one. Playing a cherry picked plane to 'own' other players is not the best and it runs off new players.

[Spikes]

I mean I don't think you'd attract new players by changing this one particular game mechanic.

I suppose in hindsight it is no different than a game like Warthunder where you have to grind through 7 other planes to get to fly a P51D.

[nugetx]

I mean I don't think you'd attract new players by changing this one particular game mechanic.

I suppose in hindsight it is no different than a game like Warthunder where you have to grind through 7 other planes to get to fly a P51D.

Changing this one game mechanic changes A LOT actualy, because then everyone is flying a early war plane as opposed to late war planes only and every plane is used.

Thus new players do not get bored so fast constantly fighting vs 1 plane and complaining that they are being owned by vets in  p51 or ta 152 or other yak 3 spit 16 ki84 etc

[Spikes]

I suppose it is possible, but the likelihood of vets not flying those planes because they have a perk price of 2 is low, when most have plenty of perks and you can easily break even in said plane.

I see what you're saying, but the low price is basically just to deter constant spamming (ie for breaking a cap). I like to use the T-34-85 but I'm not going to continuously up it to break a spawn camp.

[Zoney]

The question is how many people want to fly 'their' plane instantly? 10? 20?

So, what's the answer?

and how many more new players could be potentialy playing with new game mechanics ?

I don't know, how many?


The fun is in all of the planes, not only in one.

For whom?  Are you speaking for yourself or for all of us here?

Playing a cherry picked plane to 'own' other players is not the best and it runs off new players.

It does that for sure?  Why can't new players fly those same planes?
  Will there be a difference in the result when a newbie is in a P51 against a veteran in a P51, compared to a newbie in a P40 against  a veteran in a P40?

Changing this one game mechanic changes A LOT actualy, because then everyone is flying a early war plane as opposed to late war planes only and every plane is used.

So, again, you've decided that because this is what you want then everyone else surely must want it, and it's better for everyone and it's better gameplay, and you've based this on what?

Thus new players do not get bored so fast constantly fighting vs 1 plane and complaining that they are being owned by vets in  p51 or ta 152 or other yak 3 spit 16 ki84 etc

Is this your personal complaint, or is this what you observed during your 2 week trial where you figured everything out, made friends with all the new guys which you figured out whom they were, and then solicited their opinion?

You're guessing here nuggy which is just fine, but the tone you set during your guesses is "somehow informed and in touch" with how everything works and how much better your ideas would make the game, based on your vast experience.  You see what I'm getting at nuggy?  Do you recognize why their might be some reluctance on my part to hold your opinions as high value?

[nugetx]

You're guessing here nuggy which is just fine

I'm guessing and i'm not guessing. If HTC wanted everyone to fly one plane, he would create one plane,  but Aces High has over 50 planes - fact.

If the top dogs fly the 'one' plane, then naturaly the worse player HAS to take the 'one' plane to be able to compete vs them.

If Aces High has over 50 planes, but everyone is flying one plane to stay competetive vs other players, something is not correct.

[Zoney]

What is not correct is your statement that "everyone is flying one plane".

Here is last month's Plane stats:


Melee Tour 209 Statistics for all planes/vehicles/boats
Plane Name   Kills   Deaths   Kill/Death Ratio
A-20G   1236   1074   1.15
A6M2   50   104   0.48
A6M3   227   351   0.64
A6M5b   1435   1434   1.00
Ar 234   14   53   0.26
B-17G   1131   2669   0.42
B-24J   820   2131   0.38
B-25C   64   548   0.12
B-25H   351   879   0.40
B-26B   693   2526   0.27
B-29   47   50   0.92
B5N2   18   94   0.19
Bf 109E-4   87   106   0.81
Bf 109F-4   400   494   0.81
Bf 109G-14   900   737   1.22
Bf 109G-2   367   391   0.94
Bf 109G-6   535   588   0.91
Bf 109K-4   1279   1140   1.12
Bf 110C-4b   35   71   0.49
Bf 110G-2   1244   1445   0.86
Boston III   51   200   0.25
Brewster B-239   636   1000   0.64
C-47A   79   1003   0.08
C.202   172   107   1.59
C.205   429   431   0.99
D3A1   10   33   0.29
F4F-4   164   158   1.03
F4U-1   725   570   1.27
F4U-1A   2720   1622   1.68
F4U-1C   885   335   2.63
F4U-1D   1481   1886   0.78
F4U-4   824   282   2.91
F6F-5   2039   2530   0.81
Fi 156   91   1317   0.07
FM2   1059   925   1.14
Fw 190A-5   957   584   1.64
Fw 190A-8   1906   1905   1.00
Fw 190D-9   3898   2483   1.57
Fw 190F-8   289   588   0.49
G4M1 Betty   7   89   0.08
He 111H   20   395   0.05
Hurricane Mk I   45   40   1.10
Hurricane Mk IIC   423   541   0.78
Hurricane Mk IID   102   160   0.63
I-16   110   253   0.43
Il-2   526   724   0.73
Ju 87D-3   51   90   0.56
Ju 87G-2   101   219   0.46
Ju 88   97   864   0.11
Ki-43-II   297   327   0.91
Ki-61-I-Tei   287   237   1.21
Ki-67   102   256   0.40
Ki-84-Ia   3090   2405   1.28
La-5FN   609   549   1.11
La-7   2893   2347   1.23
Lancaster III   1285   5935   0.22
Me 163B   223   43   5.07
Me 262   759   107   7.03
Me 410   559   530   1.05
Mosquito Mk VI   1357   1246   1.09
Mosquito Mk XVI   12   111   0.11
N1K2   2610   2341   1.11
P-38G   247   247   1.00
P-38J   1343   879   1.53
P-38L   2472   2582   0.96
P-39D   26   43   0.59
P-39Q   90   209   0.43
P-40C   33   41   0.79
P-40E   19   38   0.49
P-40F   35   38   0.90
P-40N   177   238   0.74
P-47-D11   459   350   1.31
P-47-D25   429   444   0.96
P-47-D40   1220   1358   0.90
P-47M   2799   1742   1.61
P-47N   438   772   0.57
P-51B   758   654   1.16
P-51D   4396   3963   1.11
SBD-5   27   120   0.22
SdKfz 251   15   48   0.31
Sea Hurricane Mk I   119   137   0.86
SeaFire   915   1042   0.88
Spitfire Mk I   14   61   0.23
Spitfire Mk IX   1233   1319   0.93
Spitfire Mk V   180   291   0.62
Spitfire Mk VIII   1060   1089   0.97
Spitfire Mk XIV   709   751   0.94
Spitfire Mk XVI   4192   3712   1.13
Ta 152H   554   384   1.44
TBM-3   53   357   0.15
Tempest   926   150   6.13
TU-2S   490   1940   0.25
Typhoon IB   862   750   1.15
Yak-3   2908   2261   1.29
Yak-7B   36   83   0.43
Yak-9T   151   280   0.54
Yak-9U   190   207   0.91
Totals   106386   115748   0.92

Which "one" of these plane's is the "one" everyone is flying.  I'm confused it seems.

[Spikes]

I guess I don't understand what you are getting at...perking something doesn't mean nobody is going to fly it anymore, people still fly 262s and Tempests. It just puts a limit on the amount you see based on the price you give it.

If there's an issue with everyone flying the LA7, P51D, 190D, Yak3, etc. then we can attempt to limit it.

[nugetx]

Which "one" of these plane's is the "one" everyone is flying.  I'm confused it seems.

Look at the numbers of the 'top' planes like p51d yak3 or spit 16 ki84  in comparison to other planes


spit 16  - 4000

p40 e - 19

[nugetx]

It just puts a limit on the amount you see based on the price you give it.

If there's an issue with everyone flying the LA7, P51D, 190D, Yak3, etc. then we can attempt to limit it.

Exactly, the point is to see more different variants of planes, especialy from early war.


By having perks on planes, a players would naturaly progress from lowest plane to top plane,  thus we would see varation of all planes in the arena.