Author Topic: An old idea with a new twist… (Read 1023 times)

eskimo2 · « **on:** November 12, 2002, 04:28:49 PM »

...that will never fly due to a current technical limit, but I thought I would throw it out there just for discussion:

An Icon free CT set-up. Just for one week, one specific set-up.
This is NOT meant to start a discussion as to how icons make the game more or less realistic. Clearly icons are needed to make up for the limitations of PC monitors compared to R/L vision. However, at the same time icons add realism, they also takith it away. Planes just didn’t have giant neon billboards floating over them at all times. Often it really was confusing who was friendly and who was enemy. 80% (or so) of all kills were surprise bounces.

The problem is, how can we use what we have to work with to give players enough visual information to make the set-up playable? My suggestion: Singles Vs. Twins.

Allied planes (All land based only):
P-38
A-20
B-26
B-17 (Limited)
C-47

Axis Planes:
A6M-5 (Land & CV)
D3A1 (Land & CV)
KI-61 (Land only)
N1K (Limited, land only)

GVs:
Allied: M-16, M-8, PT.
Axis: LTV-2, LTV-4 (Both from land or CV)

***************************************
If you are flying Allied, any single engine aircraft is fair game.
If you are Axis, all multi-engine aircraft are your prey.

Without icons, players on both sides would have a fair chance to ID friend and foe aircraft based on number of engines. The CT is the one place that this could be pulled off, since limited plane-sets and historical match-ups are the norm. The theme of this set-up would be a generic Dick Bong mid/late war US Army Vs. the Japanese Army and Navy.

Right now, the one thing that makes this idea impossible, is that icons can only be set to long (MA) or short (CT). This set-up would require an Off setting.

Anyway, let’s pretend that HTC is planning on including an Off icon area setting for 1.11. Would this set-up be worth a try?

eskimo

ergRTC · « **Reply #1 on:** November 12, 2002, 04:35:52 PM »

great idea! But I think we can do the both sides with single engines. We do have radar too, so that should help.

I think this could potentially attract a few from the ma as well. I would just like to see what gunnery is like with laser guided aiming turned off. I think a good setup would actually be something in africa german vs allied. Those planes are pretty easy to spot and identify (110, 109e and f, so forth). Perhaps option 2 from the list given a couple days ago.

I am all for this one. It would truely be something original and hell, if its terrible, we will turn em back on! Night is going to be hilarious.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 12, 2002, 04:47:51 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by ergRTC
great idea! But I think we can do the both sides with single engines. We do have radar too, so that should help.

I think this could potentially attract a few from the ma as well. I would just like to see what gunnery is like with laser guided aiming turned off. I think a good setup would actually be something in africa german vs allied. Those planes are pretty easy to spot and identify (110, 109e and f, so forth). Perhaps option 2 from the list given a couple days ago.

I am all for this one. It would truely be something original and hell, if its terrible, we will turn em back on! Night is going to be hilarious.

I don't know, I think a mix of 109s and spits, especially in some lighting situations and angles would make it way too confusing. I really think singles Vs. twins would be the way to go for ID purposes, and why not use them?

eskimo

cajun · « **Reply #3 on:** November 12, 2002, 04:54:26 PM »

I find it VERY easy to tell the differance between enemy and friendly planes, this would only encourage people to get about 250yards before firing (thats the max range I usuelly open fire) which is more realistic anyway

.

Miska · « **Reply #4 on:** November 12, 2002, 06:17:55 PM »

Obviously, I'm in. Why not try it for a week?

And to those who say spit vs 109 would be too confusing, well that's exactly the point! People might actually start flying in formation, and diving like hell for home if they lose their flight leader.

Karnak · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2002, 02:42:08 AM »

canjun,

What resolution do you play at? That has a major impact on how far away you can ID aircraft and what a given person's hardware is sets a heavy limitation on what resolutions they can get playable frame rates at.

I play at 1280x1024. I've tried 1600x1200, but my system bogs down in some circumstances at that resolution. My system is by no means bottom of the barrel right now (Althon XP 1800+, GeForce4 4600 and 512mb PC2100).

J_A_B · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2002, 03:03:42 AM »

Having no icons is pointless.

The level of detail currently available in computer simulations is poor enough that going with no ICONS in AH is the same thing as being legally blind.

More difficult? Sure. Realistic in any way, shape or form? Not on your life.

While I see nothing wrong with having a more difficult setting available, try not to confuse difficulty with realism.

J_A_B

Xjazz · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2002, 06:51:56 AM »

Nice idea!

Kanttori's h2h room with Finland vs Russia map, historical plane set, Friendly Icons Only & Trackers On was hyper blast.
Smoky POV hat, sore thumb and SA-generator in over rpm mode.

Suddenly flying & fighting strat feel much more tireing.
When you get "Check you six!" message, its not anymore so stright forward
"Aha yes! La5, 5 a clock, litlebit higher, ~1523yard away, IB, high closure rate... Hmmm.... I make Split-S... Now".

Its more like "What?! Where, where? Blind! Lost! What ever! Shoot it! Shoooot it!"

As mentioned allready high end PC&Monitor combo have edge.

I add that I have just medium - end PC

My system is:
XP1800
512M RAM
Geforce2 MX 32

detch01 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2002, 09:33:53 AM »

This is something I'd really like to try. It will really change the way the game is played in the CT - possibly making it much more challenging and fun IMHO.

Cheers,

ergRTC · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2002, 10:21:53 AM »

I think we should try it. Maybe just for an hour or 2 on a tuesday or thursday night. I really think this would be great. And no I dont want to fly in a h2h room. There is no reason why we all just cant deal with it for a little while to see how it goes.

Oldman731 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2002, 11:15:36 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by ergRTC
I think we should try it. Maybe just for an hour or 2 on a tuesday or thursday night. I really think this would be great. And no I dont want to fly in a h2h room. There is no reason why we all just cant deal with it for a little while to see how it goes.

Might be a good idea to make a one-night-stand out of it to see how it works. If that's technically not possible, I'll try anything for a week (well. there may be limits on that.) I'd go for the singles v. twins, though, because I think guys with low-end systems are being discriminated against otherwise.

- oldman

CurtissP-6EHawk · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2002, 11:43:10 AM »

Leave Icons on however, TURN OFF DISTANCE COUNTERS! Personaly I dont care if it tells me what kind of plane it is. A simple red dot or line over it is fine with me. My computer is nearly five years old and I caint play in hi res.

ergRTC · « **Reply #12 on:** November 13, 2002, 12:19:31 PM »

okay, i can buy that. So is it possible then to lose just the counter? It is right? (dont want to have to reread whole thread).

Slash27 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 13, 2002, 12:50:30 PM »

Great idea eskimo.

Miska · « **Reply #14 on:** November 13, 2002, 01:06:23 PM »

Just turning off ENEMY icons would be great.