Author Topic: Game Stoppers (Read 553 times)

EvilDingo · « **on:** October 17, 2002, 12:35:27 AM »

Tonight absolutely sucked in AH. And I don't mean me sucking (cause I suck all the time), I mean the gameplay experience.

There are a few elements in the AH game design that baffle me (along with frustrate/annoy me) that I had to post my OPINION on them.

First of all. Rooks. The problem isn't really the fact that there are 3 countries. The problem is whoever is god on the Bishops and Knights feel that they nearly always need to reset the Rooks. So here we are on the dreadful Pizza map (more on that later) with no radar and a handful of fields for HOURS. DAYS.

If you're a Rook, you're in for one hell of a toejam gameplay experience. This is because flying with no radar for any length of time is NO FUN.

NO RADAR = NO FUN.

Why was this ever implemented? Sure, on the small maps when your dar is gone the war is going to be won soon after. Not on Pizza. The HQ is a hundred zillion miles away and surrounded by enemy fields, but us valiant Rooks are holding on to... 30+ FREAKING FIELDS! This translates into several hours without dar. Rooks wont give up. I wont give up. But I wont play when all I do is fly around chasing dots.

There needs to be a new way to cripple a country that doesn't involve a single set of structures. Why not a few large HQ concentrations whose radar covers a portion of the country? This way, the strat guys can knock out a radar station when they need to, and the REST OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY wont suffer for hours on end flying blind.

Next. Night. Now I don't know a single person who likes night, and my friends and I usually all log off when the sun sets. Night does look good. It has atmopshere! What it doesn't have is gameplay. You can only fight at night if you crank the brightness on your monitor WAY up.

I would like to have night. I don't want night blacker than coal, no matter how 'realistic' blacker than coal nights are. Dim the lights, maybe make the sky a rich dark blue, but keep it bright enough to fly and fight in. That keeps the atmophere and the gameplay. Lots of flight simulations have night time that is still very playable.

Beeker

Saurdaukar · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2002, 12:40:48 AM »

Ive played on rooks with a few buds... the problem isnt the Bishops... and it isnt the Kniggits, its the Rooks. Ive never seen such a lack of communication. Hardly ever any green text and if you want a six call, forget it. Rooks seem to be a collection of individual hunters than a collective base taking group like MAW... err the kniggits I mean.

As for night: I dont think It will be taken out, although Ill admit I log when the sun sets... what about finding a way to incorporate night fighters in AH?

Xjazz · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2002, 01:19:04 AM »

EvilDingo

Radar area idea is very good!

Saintaw · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2002, 03:06:50 AM »

I'll second what Sardaukar said, Rooks are not talkin' to each other, not on country channel that is. About a month ago, I decided to take a break & visit the other two countries.

Flew Rook at 1st, lots of very nice poeple there... but you have about 20 seconds delay between every text on channel 2. I realy had the feeling I was flying in a ghost town! (except of course for Mindanao's "A44")

PS: Isn't the Strat/HQ system different in the Pizza map ? I thought it was partitionned, so that if you took out an HQ, it would only take out that pizza portion's radar out... perhaps I'm mistaken.

mipoikel · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2002, 03:49:31 AM »

I remember that SAW. You were talking too much. I couldnt concentrate to gameplay because of so much green text.

Shut up and defend this airfield.

hehe...

Tumor · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2002, 04:06:15 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Saintaw
I'll second what Sardaukar said, Rooks are not talkin' to each other, not on country channel that is. About a month ago, I decided to take a break & visit the other two countries.

Flew Rook at 1st, lots of very nice poeple there... but you have about 20 seconds delay between every text on channel 2. I realy had the feeling I was flying in a ghost town! (except of course for Mindanao's "A44")

PS: Isn't the Strat/HQ system different in the Pizza map ? I thought it was partitionned, so that if you took out an HQ, it would only take out that pizza portion's radar out... perhaps I'm mistaken.

At least the Rooks are nice to each other. Over the last 2 tours my squad flew Knits and are now Bish. Knits are fairly cordial folks.. except when you bomb out the last hangar and ruin a vulchfest (rofl). The Bish?... thats a differen't story. If the Bish took 1/4 of the energy they expend squeaking at EACH OTHER and directed it towards the game... I'm sure the Knits/Rooks would NEVER see another reset lol.

Revvin · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2002, 04:57:13 AM »

My squad often go after the HQ, it's by no means an easy target to get to, we often pass by a number of airfields to get there and over many swarms of aircraft. If you're not going to bother to shoot down those bombers then don't be surprised when you lose your radar. The radar inflight is enough of a concession in AH with the way it works anyway.

GScholz · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2002, 05:01:03 AM »

I feel I must agree with EvilDingo. Last night suxed bigtime. Flying “blind” with no radar, knowing that the enemy does not, is kind of frustrating. We got Dar up again, albeit for a short time when we assaulted A39, the closest enemy base to our HQ. The assault failed however, and we were soon flying blind again.

Night fighting is (to me) exciting, however I would like it to be pitch black with little or no visual reference points, and to have dedicated radar equipped night-fighters in the game (with realistic radar mind you, not like we’ve got now).

On the radar issue, I would gladly see the whole radar-setup gone. Takes away much of the fun IMO. The “grid-counters” (dunno what they’re actually called) more accurately represent the accuracy of WWII radar networks and communications, leaving some element of “hunting” in the game.

Btw. Revvin. Our HQ was located BEHIND enemy lines yesterday!

As you probably have guessed, I’m a “simmer”, not a “gamer”. I do not expect anything of this will be implemented seeing that it would take away some of the fun for the “gamers”, however I can hope … can’t I? So … I guess I’m just voicing my opinion.

Pepe · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2002, 05:40:23 AM »

Happy Rook camper here.

With regards to what EvilDingo says.....well....

In my most humble opinion, and judging by subjective experience from my "reentre", It's not fair blaming on lack of communication when the most important factor to blame is numbers.

I won't discuss if Rookland has more or less social skills as the rest of you. I have no oppinion on this subject, as I had flown only Rook from the very beginning, and can't judge what I don't know, but the fact is that we have been outnumbered for the whole 3 hours I've been online by a good 30% by *both* Bish & Knit countries. Nothing to worry about tho, mo' ta'guts. With regards to the "Social Skills" issue, I think Rookland fits my own's nicely

I have to sincerely thank Bishland and Knitland for they are making us a bunch of leathernecks, used to tough jobs against superior odds, often blind. If you give us enough time (and, if all Rooks are as dumb as me, it will be a lengthy issue), we will certainly be the most competent individuals in AHland.....or, if you want Teamwork, the best lone-pilot teams...

Cheers,

Pepino

Pepe · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2002, 05:44:43 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz

Btw. Revvin. Our HQ was located BEHIND enemy lines yesterday!

SHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!....Damn spy!...You know how hard combined effort it took to place it like that????.....

Duh, our cloaked device uncovered.

Cheers,

Pepe

GScholz · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2002, 06:38:34 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Pepe

SHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!....Damn spy!...You know how hard combined effort it took to place it like that????.....

Duh, our cloaked device uncovered.

Cheers,

Pepe

Doh! Sorry Pepe, won’t happen again.

Btw, our cloak didn’t seem to be working properly last night. At least the enemy were unimpressed.

CavemanJ · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2002, 07:47:51 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Saurdaukar
Ive played on rooks with a few buds... the problem isnt the Bishops... and it isnt the Kniggits, its the Rooks. Ive never seen such a lack of communication. Hardly ever any green text and if you want a six call, forget it. Rooks seem to be a collection of individual hunters than a collective base taking group like MAW... err the kniggits I mean.

As for night: I dont think It will be taken out, although Ill admit I log when the sun sets... what about finding a way to incorporate night fighters in AH?

This is the end result of the perpetual gangbang that has been going on since 1.02-1.03 or so. 95% of the folks who actually care for the strat side have long since left the Rooks for the bish or nits. And while the Rooks generally have the best pilots, they are only concerned with furballing 95% of the time.

The pizza map just brings into focus the problems of the gameplay in this situation. While, as said, on all other maps once the enemy is in position to constantly vulch the HQ as soon as it pops up, pizza map is different. Get a country isolated on the outter rim of one of the wedges and the fun factor takes a serious nose dive. And with the numbers the bish and nits usually have over the rooks it's impossible for the rooks break out. If we manage to get a raid past the front lines 20+ defenders take off to intercept our raid of 12 aircraft as soon as our target starts flashing. It's an exercise in frustration.
Maybe if the HQ's and main fields near them were centered behind the wedge's instead of at the end of the peace sign rivers it would be a little better. For the gameplay anyway, since getting backed into the center of a wedge wouldn't mean no radar for 12+ hours.

Turbot · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2002, 08:47:03 AM »

I have no idea what was going on with the rooks, never saw one, but down at bottom of map Knights and bishops were haveing a huge war all night.

When map starts everyone has their HQ surrounded by friendly fields. I guess it is up to each person to decide what is most important/fun to defend, and who they want to fly with.

If it is not fun, don't do it. This is a silly online game. There is nobody forcing anyone to fly where it is not fun, if you want to stay in a bad situation - nobody made that decision for you, that was your choice.

Sandman · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2002, 08:58:02 AM »

I've been flying Rook for over a year. I got fed up and switched to Bish.

What a surprise! Mission after mission after large scale 20+ aircraft mission.

IMHO, the Rooks don't get resets because they don't do strat. They furball.

Certainly, there are exceptions, the Original Flying Tigers and Flying Pigs come to mind. They are quite often playing the strat game, but on the whole there's just not as much strat activity in Rookland as there is in Bishland.

I can't speak for the Knits...

Turbot · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2002, 09:22:34 AM »

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