Author Topic: Personalized aircraft (Read 1078 times)

Batz · « **Reply #15 on:** May 06, 2003, 02:36:46 AM »

You could just make the number/letter designation historical like il2. Then allow ramzeys example.

Then have the icons represent the markings as well

My squad 4./JG 53. thats 4 staffel 2nd Gruppen. So say I was number 7. 7 would be white so would the Gruppen mark -

Example

The icons would stay 2 colors like it it is now but The icon would read.

The Enemy icon would just be plane type or maybe a combination of plane type like we have now and then the designation say inside d1k.

friendly icons could be as follows:

WH (for white) 7 (plane number) + (country) - (gruppen) =

WH 7 + -

No range indicator, the color fades in to a darker color the closer you are. So at d6k its very light at d3k its darker but still transparent inside d1k its at it darkest color.

For AH2:ToD you could link the designations to the mission. So when you choose a mission slot you are given a designation.

Changing a few colors, or adding personalized designations or kill markings will never really be seen out side a few screenshots. But if we would want meaningfull personal designations I think it would be best to stick to something historical and not a bunch clown planes flying around. With the icon system I described folks could actually see your squad flying together.

Sixpence · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2003, 05:49:44 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Innominate
I'd be happy with per-player noseart.

Ditto

Midnight · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2003, 07:23:14 AM »

I like Ramzey's system, however with 1 change.

Two characters should be identical for all squad A/C and then a third character that is unique for each member

B4-T : Tango
B4-M : Midnight
B4-P : Pand
B4-B : Blacksheep
B4-S : Eagle
etc...

This way, if you see a plane marked B4-x you know it is the 412th FS

Quote

Originally posted by ramzey
how about sybstitute?

live current squadron logo and add letters and numbers marking system?

each pilot have his own number and letter in squadron

that require only 32 bitmaps for letter and 32 x 4 color bitmaps for numbers /or more colors if need/.

every plane have place for numbers or letters /or allmost all, i have no idea how should this look for IJN and USAF/

Numbers can work on same system like squadron logo, mby more dificult;)

for LW planes

for RAF planes

now when u type AAR u can use "i was flying yellow 1" or "my spit DW-D" or "i shot dwn 109 marked red one"

imho much more simply system then personal logo and thousands of bitmaps

haw about that?

ramzey

ps. of course letters for aircraft historical marked by letters, and numbers for aircraft marked historical by numbers

ramzey · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2003, 07:49:11 AM »

Midnight
i think same, mby english not too good;)
Thats can be first 2 letters from squad name writed in squad name cell.
Squadron name cell /for example/
"RF 308th (Polish) RAF "Citty of Cracow"
"RF" will be used as squad letters on aircrafts
"308th (Polish) RAF "Citty of Cracow" in arerena buffer too as now is.

I was thinking about raf style of markings XX-Y
XX-squadron letters
Y- personal letter for each pilot
US planes have similar markings

ramzey

OIO · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2003, 10:14:58 AM »

Actually, I like ALF's idea a lot more.

I mean , honestly folks, when in the middle of a fight have you had time to admire what letters are written on the fuselage of a plane? Only a friendly plane in formation can see that. Heck, last time I saw the NOSE ART of any plane was .5 seconds before my P-38 hit a Lanc's nose from the 1 O'c position.

OTH, being able to costumize the color stripes on a plane so each squad can have its own (individuals cant) would be much more useful. Especially if each stripe is individually changeable.

We could see N1k's with its 9 stripes (3 left wing, 3 right wing, 3 fuselage) all pink and know its the FDB's.

Or a P47 with the 3 stripes on the left wing be blue and the 3 stripes on the right wing being red with the fuselage stripes being white and we would know its either Frenchy or Straffo

F4i · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2003, 01:16:54 PM »

The idea of the colored wings is kind of lame only because, if a certain color scheme is locked by only 1 squad, there will be a dozen squads out there with ugly color schemes...basically whatever color schemes were available late in the game.

But, you're definitely right...no one ever sees letters & numbers on an opposing aircraft, either. I mean, I initially liked the idea, but when you think about it, it's obvious that the custom letters & numbers would only be useful for a few screenshots. There wouldn't be any real use during combat.

If we want to know the squadron we're fighting against, Hitech could always add the squad name to the aircraft identifier. IE:

GHOSTS
F4U
1.1K

I'm not sure that people would want bigger identifiers, though. Just my 2 cents...

F4i

vorticon · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2003, 02:56:09 PM »

since ah2 is going to have different player ranks why not just limit "personal" aircraft to people who acheive the highest rank...

Nilsen · « **Reply #22 on:** May 10, 2003, 02:56:26 PM »

i second ramzey's idea.

To make it visible to others why not also have those numbers and letters a bit bigger on the wings? maybe not historical but visible

ramzey · « **Reply #23 on:** May 10, 2003, 05:56:04 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nilsen10
i second ramzey's idea.

To make it visible to others why not also have those numbers and letters a bit bigger on the wings? maybe not historical but visible

historical only on french planes, as i remember;)

but trully what for u need visible markings?
mostly /newbies/ players shooting from long range, no matter for them to who do they shoot;) con is con

Markings and personal marked skins are only for screenshots and better feelings of squadies. They looks good on pictures and give ppls fun when can review or make good pic to album. Thats looks nice when somone fly in close formation, and for that works great.

During fight is no matter how is marked con, special on MA
So, personal markings are only for players flying on plane marked like that. For enemy is no matter.

And more, historical i doubt was many reports of piolots about what number have shot down by him plane. Strips, roundels, tail or nose color yes, but number i supose not.

ramzey

OIO · « **Reply #24 on:** May 10, 2003, 06:34:28 PM »

Not really F4i

Theres 9 strips in the above example pics.

There can be up to 24 or more colors per strip.

You do the math and see how many different combinations are possible

Its hard for 1 squad to run out of options...now that they would not get the colors they want, thats another story! But then again, you already have that kind of problem with squad names.There can only be one 13th TAS or one Flying Tigers.

And once people learn to recognize the colors of a certain squad (aka, P-47s with a french tricolor striping), they would definetely get the feeling of "oh****" or "oohyah easy kill"

Batz · « **Reply #25 on:** May 10, 2003, 08:27:29 PM »

You can just incoporate the the markings into the icon. No rainbow coalitions planes.

AH2:ToD isnt going to be without icons and if ht decides to redo this aspect then adjusting the icon so that it shows your "personal" markings will be the same as actually reading them on the plane.

Even with rainbow bright planes you really wont see that much when shooting them down. With an icon reflecting your markings you would say "Damn, a 109 marked as white 1, second group tore me a new one".

This also encourages more immersion and encourages folks to learn about the different airforce structures. Cartoon colors seem just silly so leave that out.

SELECTOR · « **Reply #26 on:** May 11, 2003, 08:16:17 AM »

i would like to see allies vrs axis with no icon... rotate the plane set so each country gets a go..rusian and italian could be third country as they forght on both sides

hazed- · « **Reply #27 on:** May 11, 2003, 09:42:09 AM »

I like ramseys idea too but also ad a few of the symbols they used like the group CO has a double chevron or triangle etc, there are an abundance of symbols to use as well as numbers and letters.
I think they should be kept as historical as possible. No player can choose anything other than the combination of a letter or symbol and the numbers of his squad etc.

As for colourations of aircraft again i really like the idea but we should maybe limit this to a choice of areas on the planes.

You can choose either a red nose cowling or a rudder,or maybe a tail band around fuselage but you cant change anything else.

this way we could have a chance of recognising who we are fighting. A large group of p51s with yellow noses would be as recognisable as f4uc's and f4ud's are now.

I often recognise a f4ud during a fight so i dont think it would be a waste of time.

ALSO and this is most important. ANY of these changes should be limited to SQUADS only of a certain size.If you only have 3 or 4 in your squad you are not able to have personalised skins.
This way it would be unlikely that the arena is flooded with different schemes.Only the bigger squads would have the different coloured noses or rudders.

Sancho · « **Reply #28 on:** May 19, 2003, 01:02:48 AM »

you got my vote for custom markings. red nose, blue rudder, UN squadron code for 63rd Fighter Squadron, olive drab paint or bare aluminum, and yes/no check box for invasion stripes.

You can see things like colored noses and tails and invasion stripes for quite a distance in AH. Squadron code letters may only be visible close in, but it adds a lot for me to look out and see the correct code letters on my squaddies' planes.

All of this information would have to be built into the game models, but could be transmitted quickly within just a few bytes whenever a plane comes into your FE's view (or even when it takes off).

Individual plane skins as seen here are nice, but they tend to bog down a 10 player FB mission. I would hate to see several hundred player AH arena with individual player skins bitmaps.

Jebo44 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 19, 2003, 04:14:36 PM »

How about a big flashing neon sign above everyones plane. It is individualized, you can color corrdinate, and will give you something to read by when the sky is black and the moon is new.

I vote for individual noseart. Hell half my squad has noseart from a year ago and the other half aint got squat. Why not just let each pilot choose and everyone is happy.