Map Thoughts

[faminz]

Theres obviously been a LOT of posts about the new map. I just want to mention my thoughts about this.

1. I am a bit ambiguous about my feelings towards it.
I agree that we needed a bigger map. The old ones tended to reset very quickly and furballs definitely interfered with attempts to re-create realistic bomber runs. Mindanao was definitely my favourite tho. So the new map is a +ve attempt (in conjunction with the new bomber changes) to swing AH away from low level furballs to a more immersive realistic experience. But...
2. It does seem very artificial. The three segment design is obviously aimed at equalising starting points for three countries but this detracts from the realistic/immersive experience for me. The fact that it is entirely (I think) a desert type terrain also seems overkill and just too much for such a large area. Ive seen posts where it is suggested that this could vary more and that seems a very good idea. The canyons also seem artificial. How often did WW2 air battles take place in the Grand Canyon? Again a neat idea that in reality detracts from immersion.

As I write this I find my thoughts sorting themselves out... the key words are obviously immersion and realistic. This is what I want in Aces High. The planes are certainly as realsitic as possible but the arena isnt.
Its an attempt to equalise the playing field for 3 countries but that isnt what I want.

I think back to air warrior and the maps there. (An analogy only to relate my thoughts). There the best map was the Big Pacific. This was definitly NOT an equal playing field for 3 countries!! That big Hawaii island skewed the whole thing. and it was great! There was also chains of islands and mainlands. It wasnt a recreation of real terrain but it gave that randomness that helped immersion and ownership of land.
AHA... ownership!!! yes! a definite requirement. To defend terrain you have to feel its yours by right. Three totally equal segments dont contribute to that.
and again, back to air warrior, there was an attempt towards the end to create a huge new map. Very fairly developed and very equal. remember it? There were big mountains in the centre and three rivers effectively splitting up the arena. I think it was done with input from the Kraits squadron.
A very analagous situation to the AKs, the big new arena and a fair allocation of land.
It failed!!!  People just didnt use it when they could still use the Big Pacific.

So.....

Realism
Immersion
Ownership
Randomness

are my requirements....

and please please... name the fields!!!!

finally, if the Combat Arena maps could be rotated in I suggest that would satisfy me in the interim until a big map that met the above requirements could be developed.

sorry if that was a bit long and rambly again... Ive just tried to analyse the requirements for myself. praps a similar exercise should be done for all the registered members before the next map.

Meanwhile Ill enjoy what weve got, especially re the bombing , now that HAS achieved a good level of realism!!!

over and out. (for now)

[goaly]

Hi, I'm still here even though I cannot find anything that I like about the new map.... But it is change, and sometimes change is good.. This could be tweeked into something great.... Or it could serve as a horrible reminder of what not to do.


Lets look a little deeper. I know the AKs put a lot of time and effort into this map.. Heck it took over two years to build the TITANIC.

Alot of people thought this was a good idea and convinced HT to give it a try.... How many Ford employees do you think it took to convince old Henry that the Edsel was the design he should push foward?

Sometimes a design can be near perfect, but it's not what the public wants.... Remember Betamax?

Now for the nice words.... Anyone can see that the AKs have some real talent. There are so many levels this map that I cannot even begin to comprehend them. Taken as a whole, they have pulled this map together and have given it a "flow" with realitivly few bugs... Welll done. .... But also taken as a whole. I just don't enjoy the map. I prefer a wooded terrain with far less drastic changes in elivation.  Somewhere in all of the changes, this map lost it's "Fun" (if only to me.)

But I have hope. I believe that anyone who could put this map together is bound to do better with the next one. I know that there is a hugh learning curve involved whenever I have had time to reflect and study before I build another example of an item. I can only assume that if all of the bad feedback does not chase them away, the AKs will improve on the solid experience that they have gained. Then, perhaps from there they can teach more squads and players some of the tricks that they learned. We could all benifit from that.

You are never going to please everyone. I'm sure that some players who really like this 1st map..... But then again you don't have to search too far into the dark corners of the internet to find out what kind of things some other people really like......................... ...  ( (( (((( ((((( SHUDDER ))))) )))) ))) )) )

[cajun]

Agreed fariz!, thats why I started making maps for the H2H, most were just furball arenas, no geographic maps at all,no weather, strategic cities etc etc.  (I still havnt found any good tiles I can use yet though).

I love strategic, and especially, Geographic maps, when will someone build a map of the whole world or Euro-Asia?

[SP3AR]

I loved that BigPac map in AirWarrior... it truly was by far the most popular map.

Not to scale by any means, but fun to fight over. Especially the way the Bz started out owning it, The Az would attack the place and destroy a base, and the Cz would try to get goons in to steal it before the Az could take it!!!

Anyone else remember those days?? rofl

The only real change this map needs is move the segments out to the sides and fill the middle in with islands