Do we need to know what plane type we are fighting?

[Shift]

Do we need to know what plane type we are fighting?

I would much prefer for the plane i am fighting to remain a secret until i got into visual range.

We gain an advantage from knowing what plane we are about to fight by choosing which way to fight them or indeed wether to fight them at all.

I am sure a lot more fights between 2 pilots would be encouraged if it were the case of no plane type icons. Not knowing what your about to fight  would bring much more excitement to it, and suddenly the easy kill planes have a lot more freedom to roam in and out of fights in the MA.

Perk planes will also to be able to play a much larger role. you won't have 20 people in a long line behind you shooting at 2.0K, perk planes would be safe to get  alot more stuck in and involved in the MA game play.

I would like to know how important plane type icons are to you?

P.S sorry if this has been brought up recently.

[Seeker]

Seconded.

[muckmaw]

Alt-I or Control-I..I forget.

Shut off your icons and your all set.


Me....I'll be leaving mine on. I need all the help I can get.

[AtmkRstr]

I'd like to try it for awhile, just to see how different it would be.  

The "Just hit Alt-I" solution isn't a solution. He's refering to it being an arena setting that effects everybody.

[Furious]

Originally posted by Shift
I would much prefer for the plane i am fighting to remain a secret until i got into visual range.

What do you mean by "visual range"?  A dot is in visual range.

Do you mean icon settings similar to those in the CT?


Here's the thing.  Its a smallish monitor we look at.  On my 19" the cockpit is 1/2 scale if that.  Now the if the the AH world is in scale with that cockpit, it is at most 50% normal size.  How far out should one reasonably be able to identify a 2-d half scale object?

My bet would be that it would be a lot closer in than could done in the real world.



If you want to be surprised use ALT-I or try out the CT.


F.

[Seeker]

I don't advocate removing icons, nor fiddling with range values (that's one of the CT's major turnoffs); but removing the plane type.

It's redundant untill about 1K what type of plane it is; it's either gaining or losing on you. That's all that counts.

[Shift]

What do you mean by "visual range"? A dot is in visual range

Visual range meaning, range at which the plane can be identified and you know what it is or "could be".

I didn't put it clear enough.

It's not the Alt-I thing i'm on about...........that won't change the gameplay in the MA.

no plane icon will bring more freedom to the MA making people fly a wider range of planes and so on. you won't be getting ganged becasue of what plane you are flying(they won't know until the fight is under way)

[SunKing]

I think this would be a very intersting experiment in the MA. I hope they try it.

[Lazerus1]

I think having icons that indicate the country affiliation of the plane out to 6.0k, with plane type designation starting at around 2.5k out would be a nice addition to the game.
You would still have the ability to determine if a con is an enemy within the range limits that we have now, and the shorter identification range might improve gameplay as Shift suggests.

[Saurdaukar]

I like this idea... kinda.

The lack of icons would completely change the game in the air.  If you mean the removal of all of the icon, distance included, you wouldnt see anymore spraying and praying at D1.0 - which would be a good thing, but think of all the whining.

On the other hand, I might like to try the idea of flying without ID icons (for everyone - just shutting them off put you at a disadvantage to everyone else).  It would aleviate the perk plane gang bang tag problem and help with the immersion factor a bit.  

Im not sure however, if it would make the game more or less fun - maybe we could impliment it for a week or a few days and see what kind of reaction it gets?

[ccvi]

Remove them. All of them. And to be still able to decide wether it's friend or foe paint wingtips, nose and tail in country colors.

[jaystang87]

this is a great idea... i think all we should see at 3.0 or closer (instead of 6.0) is the alliance of the plane.

[lazs2]

we have a lot of planes but most of all.... they span a large time frame with huge differences in technolodgy...and any one of em can be with you or against you.. in the war... there were only a few possibilities.

What you are advocating would be a huge advantage if you ly the fastest and or worst turning planes in the game... you don't need to know what you are attacking you attack everything in exactly the same way... for instance... if you fly D9's (or about any LW) or p51's you would be stupid to fly it out of it's rateher narrow envelope in any case.    Just one more way to make the arena late war centric in my opinion and as such... a very bad idea.
lazs

[Mathman]

I am inclined to agree with lazs on this.

[brendo]

I have always wanted a Main Arena with only Friendly Icons and no enemy icons at all.

I dont need enemy icons to know who to shoot. Just icons to show the call signs of friendlies.

As far as disadvantage for older plane types compared to new plane types ('44, '45)... I disagree. The aircraft that has height nd suprise has the advantage, regardless of aircraft type. I have a 20-1 kill ratio in a Spit I vs ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE MA. In fact, I dont think Ive ever been killed when flying purposely in a MkI Spittie. (callsign brendooo btw)