fix for "Ackstar" base holding

[SC-GreyBeard]

This afternoon, Myself and 4 others took off in 5 b17's. Keeping a relatively close order we proceeded to level two fields, downing at least 10-12 intercepting aircraft. The tight formation was the b17's saving grace. as it should be. (wasn't a big proponent of the 1 gunner system at first but it's extremely playable, much to my surprise. Kudo's HT well thought out  )
However the use of lining up b17's on a runway to hold a base suks big time.

Using a variation of the 10 hangar thing would be much preferable than the current
"everyone starts on end of runway" thing in use. make the planes launch from a hangar/revetment, taxi to a runway, and take off. of course this would mean friendly collisions would have to be "on" (to make it a bit more realistic modeling the "panic" factor for a base under attack    ) and if a hangar is down no plane launches from it.
   Once all hangars/revetments down, no planes would be launchable from that field, end of "ackstar 17's on runways"
   Hot reloads could be handled same way.. to reload "hot", a pilot would have to come to
complete stop in front of a hangar. Power off for say 10 seconds, (for playabilities sake)
get a message to the effect he's reloaded and off he goes. Perhaps even limit "hot reloads" into two revetment areas....

While he's reloading of course no plane would be launchable from that hangar/revetment.

Just an idea...


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GreyBeard
Flight Commander, Aces High
Skeleton Crew


[This message has been edited by SC-GreyBeard (edited 11-01-1999).]

[Jekyll]

Personally, I think the idea of starting from revetments instead of on the end of the runway is a great idea.  Turning on friendly collisions would also be great for the game.  At present, the only reason I see for friendly collisions not to be modelled is because everyone starts on the runway.

Yep... let's launch from hangers or revetments... make ground handling a real issue.... maybe even have a 'traffic control' spot available at each field which a player could man to direct incoming/outgoing flights.

Sounds good to me  

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C.O. Phoenix Squadron
www.users.bigpond.com/afinlayson/index.htm
'feel the heat .......'

[ArcTangent]

One question about the 'friendly ground collisions' ON proposal..

If you have a streak going, what happens to it when some over-anxious pilot taxi's right thru you?

Arc T

[SC-GreyBeard]

what happens to your streak when ya get hit in a unfriendly collision??
Fortunes of war,, alas.. sad but true

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GreyBeard
Flight Commander, Aces High
Skeleton Crew

[Downtown]

I would expect you would model the ruts from the Hangars/Revetments to the runway(s.)

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"I could feel the 20MM Cannon impacting behind me so I made myself small behind the pilot armor" Charlie Bond AVG
lkbrown1@tir.com
 http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1
Very Opinionated Person.

[SC-GreyBeard]

no more so than current roadways are modeled DT..  

But I guess for you "old guys" there's always the ole cross country takeoffs..  

LOL,, was a joke!! ok??
Don't get yer knickers in a knot...    

Although in retrospect, it shouldn't be that difficult to have ground based collisions not effect either plane. (see Flying Circus for example)
(Planes on field will not cause damage to other planes on field. (if same side) but if 1 plane in air, and other on ground, damage occurs normally. Would make for some really interesting cross traffic take offs and landings.....

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GreyBeard
Flight Commander, Aces High
Skeleton Crew


[This message has been edited by SC-GreyBeard (edited 11-01-1999).]

[Lephturn]

I think that's pretty much all un-necessary.

All we need are:

Bomb damage affects planes.
All targets destroyed closes field, no planes launch.

No other changes will be needed IMHO.

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Lephturn
The Flying Pigs

[scout]

>I think that's pretty much all un-necessary.

Its not about unneccesary to me, I like these ideas in themselves: start in revetment, friendly collisions, 10sec hot reload, etc ...

I want add one thing, model landscape as landscape, not as infinite smooth parking lots (never figure why Im the only one to whine about this in WB)
Rwy's should be (almost) only place to safely start and takeoff.
Could also imagine beaches for example.


>Bomb damage affects planes.
>All targets destroyed closes field, no >planes launch.

cc on that regardless


>No other changes will be needed IMHO.

[Brazos]

No friendly collisions -ever-!

Sure way to cause hard feelings amoung country men. dOOds will collide with you for fun. We can taxi from hangers and revetments without the hassle of collisions.

[SC-GreyBeard]

Another way to go would be to use a % of field damaged, no launches..

IE  if field damaged 65%, no planes launch, or conversely if runways damaged x% AND buildings damaged x% no launch...

I agree,, bomb damage should affect planes.
period....

yes even in the air,, more than 1 bomber was lost due to having wings ripped off by falling bombs from their buddies.

And planes in formation collide. especially if one is falling out of control due to damage taken.

I'm beginning to get a real kick out of some of these people though.. On the one hand they scream for realism in flight modeling, (and probably the largest majority wouldn't know true FM if it smacked 'em in da face, I wouldn't thats for sure..) yet they then scream  "..NO,, thats too realistic
would make me lose a kill streak, or "whatta ya mean I gotta keep my plane on the runway to land or take damage going cross country.."

Granted there has to be a tradeoff between realism and playability. IMNSHO, the HT guys have outdone themselves.

Keep it up guys  we're with ya!! <S>




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GreyBeard
Flight Commander, Aces High
Skeleton Crew

[Gazoo]

Two problems with Friendly Collisions.

1. As stated the over anxious rookie taking out the vet that has 200 kill string on the line. Has plus and minus.

2. Until the net can provide a low latency, warp free environment, I don't want to see friendly collisions.  I can fly formation with the squad (401 RCAF Rams) without too much problem.  I would scream bloody murder if I tucked in tight for 40 min to target, and then a warp "bumped" me into the flight leader.  

Enemy collisions are OK because you don't get that close to the enemy most of the time.  However even 15 min of tight formation, is 1000 times longer than I have ever been that close to the enemy.  

Also what do you do about the buffs that are a single man acting like pilot, bombadier, and gunner.  If the pilot is in formation and jumps to another position, and his flight path is 1 degree off of the leader, the two planes will touch.  So the solution is fly a very loose formation right at the time when tightness meant something!

With the current state of the net, friendly collisions are questionable.

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"Just Plane Nuts"
Gazoo
 http://plaza.v-wave.com/SolarStorm/index.htm

[Ghosth]

For starters a "pressure switch" on the guns that would not let them be fired on the ground would help!

Ackstarring is the dweebest of all dweeb acts. If appealing to a persons sense of fair play or honor isn't enough, then something else has to change.

[-towd_]

rgr pressure switch and damage effect from bombs coupled with the ability to close a base will fix this prob.(and the ground vehicals might add another factor) and i believe ackstaring is about as effective as in reall life. in other words low and slow you might get lucky but probly get dead.

[hitech]

We will disable the guns when on the ground.
Im still up in the air about being able to close a field.

HiTech

[miko2d]

 There is one reason that is sufficient to justify disabling friendly collisions and enabling killshooter:
 A disgruntled player who dislikes you for any reason like:
 - you strafed his chute
 - you stole his kill
 - you ended his streak
 - you did not do something that seemed logical to him
 - you are attacking his favorite country
 - etc
 That guy will just switch to your country and start colliding with you. Or park across the runway and prevent everybody else from taking off.
 And you would not be able to shoot him from under your nose because of the killshooter. That happens in all the on-line games. There is the whole category of players that does just that - annoy another players. (Frankly, some of those games are too boring to play otherwise  )
 We do not want to attract such scum to AH.