Perks and why?

[Shane]

Originally posted by Stickman
Rather than a "Perk" system, I would've thought that only allowing a certain number of each type of uber-ride in the arena at a time, based on arena population would be the better route. That would allow everyone a chance to fly them, and when someone gets killed in one, simply bar them from flying it the next sortie. Just makes more sense to me than forcing someone to acrue points to fly the ride of their choice.

heaven forbid someone actually has to *get kills* to earn enough points for a special ride!!

ohh the humanity!!

your suggestion is impractical on numerous levels.

[vorticon]

Sure some of them are hard to fly, but so is the Hurricane MkIIc or the Spit MkI

those are the two easiest non perk planes to fly...there perked because they ARE easy to fly...

[MotorOil]

those are the two easiest non perk planes to fly...there perked because they ARE easy to fly...

What with the engine stalls, slow speed, slow climb rate, low ammo load small weapons and the low ranking.  Sure the planes are easy to fly, but show me the hords of people who fly them all the time and are successfull at it (in the main).  Only those who have learned to fly them are good with them and can stay alive in the main.

All I'm suggesting is that there is a learning curve for the perk rides, especially the 262.  The plane is easy to fly, but being successful in one is the real deal.  It takes some getting use to, but it's fun once you do get use to the ride.

[Gryffin]

Originally posted by Fridaddy
This isnt real life, its a game....... a simulation. HTC has an obligation  to make it as real as it gets.

This is not strictly correct. The main arena is definately NOT a WWII simulation, it is a strategy game that just happens to use simulated WWII equipment. There is a big difference in the gameplay as a result.

[Gryffin]

Originally posted by Oedipus
"My point was (and still is) AH is a combat simulation of WW2."

 No it's not. You're not correct at all regarding perks or about what AH is. AH is an online aircombat game using simulated WWII aircraft.

 After special events the upcoming AcesHigh II "TOD" would be the closest to simulating a WWII environment.

Oed

Ooops didn't read the whole thread before I posted above. I agree with this 100%

[Innominate]

Originally posted by lazs2
If perks are a reward for spending time in early war or less capable planes then it is not a good idea.  

I hate having to agree with you here.  Learning and flying the planes to earn perks in is a hell of a lot more fun than using them.

Then again, the gangbangmobiles we call perk planes aren't really a whole lot of fun to fly. (Except for the 163 and 262)

Originally posted by
hogenbor

Innominate, how much do/did you fly? And how much pre-AH experience do you've got?

I started August 2002 and don't play that much. Following the same strategy as you though (FM2, P51-B, La-5, F4u1 etc.) I racked up over 1100 perk points, never used a single one of them.

I've been flying since about april 2002, before that I've had plenty of flight sim experience, but nothing similar to AH.  The first plane I really learned(after a week or so buzzing around in a niki) was the F4U-1.  And by that, and the sheer amount of time I spent online, I was able to afford a 262 before even my 2 weeks were up.



Remove the damn gangbang tags.  Make the prop perk planes a reward, not a punishment.

[Stickman]

"heaven forbid someone actually has to *get kills* to earn enough points for a special ride!!

ohh the humanity!!

your suggestion is impractical on numerous levels."


If people weren't paying a subscription I'd agree with you, but since people are paying their $15 a month to fly the sim, I don't see any reason to force them to earn points to fly certain aircraft in it. Should be first-come, first-served, and if you wreck it you don't get another for at least 1 sortie.

Aside from your sarcasm, I partially agree, or at least I'm of mixed emotions about it. On one hand I like to see people get their money's worth out of a sim, on the other hand I like to see people practice realistic flying. I don't actually know how the perk points are awarded, but I assume they are accrued by surviving sorties in your aircraft, and the less survivable your ship is the more points you get. This isn't necessarily a bad deal, and like I said, anything that promotes realitic flying habits rather than the "Take-off, TnB, Kill/Die, rinse/repeat" rut that most sims get into is OK by me. But does it, honestly? I think what it may be doing also is encouraging people to fly around alone at 30k looking for anyone below them they can bounce, without making any attempt to participate in the "game" the rest of the players are in. This has been the case for some players in Warbirds for years, and there's not even a perk system, just a scoreboard that seems to be very important to some players. It could be having the same effect in AH, though it'd be hard to tell without some prolonged studies.

[Fridaddy]

One point that keeps comming up is:

How are perk points awarded?

I understand the system recently changed. Perhaps AH could jump in here and explain, or at least point us in the right direction.

[Montezuma]

Originally posted by Stickman
I think what it may be doing also is encouraging people to fly around alone at 30k looking for anyone below them they can bounce, without making any attempt to participate in the "game" the rest of the players are in.

It really doesn't.  Nearly all veteran players have way more perks than they need anyway.   If someone is desperate for perks they should fly the lower rated planes and not the high speed, big gun planes favored by those who value scores.

If you are flying a perk plane you do need to be cautious because you are risking your points by flying them  - and everyone will try to kill you.

This has been the case for some players in Warbirds for years, and there's not even a perk system, just a scoreboard that seems to be very important to some players. It could be having the same effect in AH, though it'd be hard to tell without some prolonged studies.

The true score monkeys of AH are competeing for cash!  They get rated in all categories, of which fighter K/D is a small part.  Kills/Time is just as important, and it is difficult to get a good K/T if you only fight with a perfect advantage.

[Innominate]

Originally posted by Stickman
I don't actually know how the perk points are awarded, but I assume they are accrued by surviving sorties in your aircraft, and the less survivable your ship is the more points you get.
...
I think what it may be doing also is encouraging people to fly around alone at 30k looking for anyone below them they can bounce, without making any attempt to participate in the "game" the rest of the players are in.

You assume wrong, remember what happens then you ASSume.

Heres how perks are scored:

When you get a kill, you get points added to a total.  The number of points is equal to your planes ENY divided by the ENY of the plane you killed.
e.g. a 40 eny plane killing a 10 eny plane will get 4 perks, a 10 eny plane killing a 40 eny plane will get .25 perks.
(This is the reason so many newbies have trouble earning perks, you can't earn squat flying a niki, la7, p51d, or spit9)

If you land the sortie, you get a 25% bonus.
If you die, there is no penealty.

The only two things which affect earning perks are what you fly, and how many kills you get.

[Lazerus1]

Originally posted by Montezuma
Nearly all veteran players have way more perks than they need anyway.   If someone is desperate for perks they should e-mail me, I'll send all of mine to them.
 

I'll take you up on that offer. I've been here for over 2 years, but I still suck. I'm sitting on about 350 perkies right now, I would really enjoy having 10,000 or so.

Just post your e-mail addy, I'll get in touch.

[Hornet]

I would love to be able to use mine to cancel out someone elses too...

this is a great idea..guy logs on "hey wtf happened to my perks?" sure to increase the h8 in the MA

[lazs2]

indominate... I disagree... I think the perk planes should have pink icons and no killshooter..  anyone should be able to kill em from any chess piece.   The 163 is the only exception..  they should be free.  

hornet.. I want the person I removed the perks from to get the message that I did... something like... "lazs has removed 1000 perk points from you"
lazs

[rv6]

Originally posted by Dead Man Flying
hehe I've got over 15,000 perks on last check.  Maybe I'll fly an entire tour of nothing but 262s.  On second thought, maybe not since that's boring as hell.

-- Todd/Leviathn

ME TOO Todd! Agree 110% .. HAahahaa!  So as a lark, I upped in a 262 once.  What a drag.. (figuratively & literally).

It has like a 3 second squirt load of ammo, turns like a school bus, but goes fast.

The only fun was to zoom over an nme base full of red bees, and watch 'em all go berserk trying to nail yer big-bucks perky ride! HAhahahaa.. at ANY cost!

So, I zoom'd bak n' forthe about 5 times, went into a straight up vertical zoom (over base) and came straight down, full 262 powr!  Augered that 262 ded-center into the nme runway, at like 650kts!  just for the fun of it..

perks? you can have ALL mine. Flyn' the "trash" planes is MUCH more fun.

RV6 ~

[akak]

Originally posted by Stickman
Rather than a "Perk" system, I would've thought that only allowing a certain number of each type of uber-ride in the arena at a time, based on arena population would be the better route. That would allow everyone a chance to fly them, and when someone gets killed in one, simply bar them from flying it the next sortie. Just makes more sense to me than forcing someone to acrue points to fly the ride of their choice.

At least with perk points, anyone that has enough perks to get a perked plane can fly it.  With your plan, it's a first come, first serve type of thing and will leave people toejam out of luck if they log on and find out that the quota of 'uber' planes (perked planes) already used up.

Ack-ack