AH and WB compared

[-lazs-]

Flown WB for a long time and AH for a month or so...

AH is a much slower game.  It is a mid/late war time and planeset.   All the planes turn about the same with only a few exceptions and  much slower than WB.  Ah seems to have a better acceleration/climb curve(s) for the planes and better all around FM... No warp rolls or stick stiring to speak of.   Fighting style is pretty much limited to B&Z due to slower turn.  Guns are very leathal and contribute to "timidity" of players and frustration of newbies.

WB is faster with more fighting.  Fast turn rates make for more varied fights but warps and poor inverted FM cause frustrating warp rolls and stick stirring.  Guns are about 60% as deadly and can change leathiality on a whim but they prolong the fight... they also give warpers and stick stirrers a chance to show their stuff.   Much more friendlie game to newbies and better  turn rate makes it less prone to sameness.

Features... AH has 3 sided war with no color icon advantage, much better than WB.   AH has film... No contest.   AH has Zoom key, very neat.  Ah has cool engine shut down.  AH gunnery is kinda more fun for me... more deadly for sure.   View system.... NO CONTEST.   AH has fuel modifier... kinda like it.  Ah has vehicles.... I guess.

WB has faster turn... more fun, more fights, more variety of fighting and less timidity.  WB has RPS or "generation" allows more types/era planes... no contest.   WB has right click 6 call, very cool...  WB has CV's.   WB has more planes and is not hung up on "being different".  

Anyway... Just my opinion.  I think certain types will be attracted to each.  I play both and do about the same but find myself bored more often in AH.  Others get frustrated more in WB.
lazs

[Westy]

 Version 1.03. Simply and unequivocally THE biggest reason that all other sims take back seat to AH. When was the last time FA, WB's or AW get such an update? With such an amazing set of features? And AH already had a better set of features than the others to begin with. And from what I've read and heard AH won't be delegated to 'maintenance' mode while they work on BlackJack Ace Gambling Casino and Bop the Bunny With the Mallet.
  So..... you'll be back some day?  FWIW, even AW3 has faster turns... more fun(well not sure about that), way more fights, more variety of fighting and much less timidity.       But the "flying" and the aircombat experienced here is MUCH better than there.

 Just saying....

     -Westy

(I notice a definate lack of "all planes turn same" here)


[This message has been edited by Westy (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Ripsnort]

I especially like the clipboard in AH where you don't have to ask anyone "Whats down at Field XX?"  simply look at the strat, highlite the field in question, Viola!

I like the current smaller community, as I did when CK came out up to about 1.11, when WB's population really exploded after 1.11.  This 'small community' won't last though at the rate HTC is going.

I love 3D cockpits, I play WB's in HTH mode, and personally I feel empty afterwards with restricted head movement, after all, head movement should be more liberal (Did Rip say liberal?!?) due to the flat 2D monitor we have  to play with and lacking peripherial  vision that the real jocks had.

In the experiences I've had with single engine  and twin engine A/C that I've had the opportunity to take  control of in the real life air, I think AH's flight model is closer  to what I would think the real A/C might be, just my opinion though.

I love no otto, both as a bomber, and a fighter  pilot.

I love the vehicles.

I love  the scenarios in both WB's and AH.

I loved  the historical arena in WB's.

I frankly, became bored with WB's.

I like several different features from AW, WB's and AH.

IMO, theres  no "better" sim..they are all different in one aspect or another.  Regarding the FM, don't matter to me, I adjust my ACM for it, one thing that never changes in all three is ACM.(In regards to 'non-engagements', a historical fighter pilot always used his head before just jumping right in..I heard people whine in WB's about everyone in a low alt fight and not enough in high alt fights, the reverse  is now a standard in alot of cases in AH.  I think as your data base of fighter pilots get more experienced, some tend to use alt as an advantage, since historically that's what  gave you the choice to lead your enemy, rather than your enemy lead you.)

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Ripsnort(-rip1-)
~GeschwaderKommodore~I./JG2~Richthofen~[/i]
CLICK>> JG2 INFORMATION
Panzer Group Afrika~15th Panzer Division~[/i]
   
I spare no class or cult or  creed,
My course is endless through the year.
I bow all heads and break all hearts,
All owe homage-I am Fear.
-------------General Patton

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 06-09-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 06-09-2000).]

[nonoht]

 

Originally posted by -lazs-:
Fast turn rates make for more varied fights

humm you flight in easy mode, no ?  

[StSanta]

 

Fast turn rates make for more varied fights

m, haven't got experience with WB, but did play EAW a lot. The FM there allows fast turns with little E bleed. Unfortunately the fighting was pretty much the same, turn turn turn and z&b tactics not very effective.

I find that fights are varied in AH but that's due to pilots, no FM. When I meet Citabria for instance, I can tell. Mostly because I suddenly find myself saying "F%&%, how did that 38 do *that*?".

Sure, some guys fly in a boring way and my repetoire of tricks isn't as large as more experienced sticks.

Maybe I will try WB offline to see what you're getting at.



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StSanta
II/JG2

[popeye]

Let's not forget $2.00/hr for WB, vs. flat rate for AH.  This may have more to do with the different fighting styles, than any differences in flight models or plane sets.  At a flat rate, players are more likely to climb to altitude and be selective about their fights.

The main feature that is making AH more fun than WB for me is the community.  There seems to me to be less (cough) frustration among players in AH, therefore the mood online is more upbeat.  Why?  Not sure.  For me, it's three things:

I like giving my money to a small company of people who love the game, rather than to a corporation that just loves my money.

I found the stick stirring in WB to be THE most frustrating problem in an online sim since the DOS AirWarrior Spin Turn (TM).

New stuff.  WB has been stagnant for years.  AH brings something new every couple of months.

BTW...Flew a Spit V to the nearest furball and hooked up with Cars in his cannon Hog -- fun combo.  We got ten kills between us before I ran out of ammo and he ran out of fuel.  Did a lot of turning.

popeye



[This message has been edited by popeye (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Wanker]

Lazs, I would say that your view is a pretty accurate assessment. The T&B'er's would probably have more fun in Warbirds. But, in short order, HTC has shown that AH is going to surpass WB in almost every aspect(except HA and Scenarios).

For me, the view system alone makes such a huge difference in SA, that I can't see myself ever going back to WB unless they come up with a view system at least as advanced as AH.

[Ripsnort]

 

Originally posted by banana:
HTC has shown that AH is going to surpass WB in almost every aspect(except HA and Scenarios).

.

Which, I might add, is done by the community not by IEN.  This took 2-3 years to develope in WB's, whereas it will take about 2 years or less in AH to develope an equal if not surpassing, HA and Scenario game play.

[ra]

<<<All the planes turn about the same with only a few exceptions..>>>

There is quite a range of turning ability in AH even with the current limited planeset.  But the E bleed makes turning an expensive propostion.  A Spit 5 can turn on a dime if he's bounced by a 190, but if he turns too much he won't have enough E to handle the follow-up bounce.  To me this is both more realistic and more fun than WB.

ra

[wizzer]

lazs, I think your comparison is very close to my current view of the two sims. I know you like to hunt and kill, but that becomes old and boring after awhile.

I would suggest that you dig a little deeper into the strat of the game. Go bomb a field with your closet friend in a goon and try to sneak it. The nuisance can be very staisfying and you never know who or what your gonna run into out in the remote areas.   Makes the game a bit more challenging for me anyway.

wizzer

[This message has been edited by wizzer (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Dune]

I've played WB for two years (ouch!  ) and am in the third day of my free two weeks (ironic that's the length of the trial?  ).

WB still feels better to me, but I can't say that's because I'm more used to it.  I like AH's fuel system.  For a dedicated Pony driver who does buff escort, being able to "punch off" my drop tanks and dive in is a complete rush.  Very immersive.  

I absolutely hate the tracer smoke in AH.  It's not realistic.  Sorry, I've shot several thousand rounds through .50 cals and tracer doesn't smoke like that.  I'll argue it all day long.  I've watched several hours of guncam film.  The only tracer which regularly smokes like that is early British tracer.

But, the biggest thing which keeps me playing WB and is more important to me than the above mentioned "features" is the SL's and especially the S3's.  Yes, I realize that they are player-run events.  But, the SL organizers are compensated for their work.

However, S3's, SL's, and EMC's won't really shine in AH they way they do on WB until the planeset expands a little.  True, right now a rightous D-Day era ETO airbattle.  8th AF -51D's and -17G's, 9th AF -38L's (although it should be a -38J) and -26's, even use Spits to escort the -26's and the LW '44 rides.  And even a small Russian front scenario or PTO.  But, that's about all AH can do.  That leaves 3 to 4 years worth of airbattles AH can't do.

Of course I realize that these planes will come in time.  But, until then, WB will have a decided advantage to me.  While some people may be happy with just MA-furballing, anyone who has ever flown a S3 will tell you, its the absolute ultimate flight-sim experience.  There is just nothing better than spending a week putting a plan together, flying with your squadron, flying smart because you only have one life, and know your doing exactly what your RL heroes did.  It's the closes we can come to RL IMHO.

BTW, for those who don't know what a S3 is, here's the link:  http://personal.smartt.com/~barbell/S3main.html

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Lt Col Dune
X.O. 352nd Fighter Group
"The Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney"

"Credo quia absurdum est." (I believe it because it is unreasonable)
- The motto of the Republic of Baja Arizona

[Soup Nazi]

Dune, AH has 21 planes and  vehicles, in one  years time.  Number  will be 25 in two weeks.  How long do you thing it will take them to surpass 50?  My guess is 1  year.  It took WB's 3 years (4?) to get that many.  

BTW we do have SL's, take alook to see whats on the menu at the Jokers low page.  Not as  extensive, since we have approx. 1/4 of the player base (player run SL's) that WB's does.

Tracer option to toggle off comes end of this month.

[This message has been edited by Soup Nazi (edited 06-09-2000).]

[easymo]

 Laz. Most of your complaints disapper in the 8 player H2H. Kill shooter is off most times. The long flight to another base is gone,and the TnB rules.

 There is no score, or kill messaaage. So if your ego is involved its not much fun. But if you are an action junky   it solves the other problems.

[funked]

"Fighting style is pretty much limited to B&Z due to slower turn."

I think it's got more to do with the 5 mile icons and inflight radar, which are both crap IMHO.



[This message has been edited by funked (edited 06-09-2000).]

[Wardog]

I fly both with equal enthusasim, and have never compared one with the other,nor will i compare the two. They are different because there not the same.

And i like them both for that very reason...


Dog out...