Easy request for 1.07

[hogfarmr]

Rename id's for f4u to f4ud and f4uc. also p51b and p51d. maybe 109g and 109f, 190a, 190f and 190d.
Each plane is very different and takes different flying styles to kill.

-in real life on a good day you can spot a ww2 size plane at 15 miles, probably be able to id it at 7 or so. there is no way to do this in a game, graphics will never be that good. so you must name planes.

-we already have a 202 and 205. Also la5 and la7. no reason not to carry this over to others.

Keep up the good work HTC!
-AKHog

[streakeagle]

While you can see the difference between some of those types at a pretty good distance (depending on the viewing angle), I would like to see someone tell an F4U-1C from and F4U-1D outside of the range made possible by the existing graphics (I don't believe an separate icon would be right). Even a P-51B and P-51D would be hard to judge from most angles and distances. Not to mention the difficulty involved with 109 and 190 variants (notwithstanding the "Dora", whose long nose is usuaully very prominent unless head on). I for one am happy with the icons as they are. Get close enough to see the target's variant, then you will know which tactic to use.  

[This message has been edited by streakeagle (edited 05-08-2001).]

[J_A_B]

Well, the Mustangs wouldn't be hard at all to tell apart unless you were underneath or directly in front of the planes.  

I have to agree with this guy's point--we should have some continuity with our ICONS.  There is little visual difference between a Tempest or Typhoon, or between a 202 and a 205, yet they have different ICONS.  Yet, strangely, despite the massive visual difference between the P-51's they get the same ICON.

The FW's are even stranger.  The 190A's and D have the same ICON, although the D is quite a bit different looking.  Yet, for some reason, the 152 gets its own ICON.  This makes no sense.  A 152 is easy to mistake for a D-9, however a D-9 is a lot different from the "A"-series.  If ICONS were really based on how hard it is to identify a plane, the D-9 and 152 would have the same ICON, and all the "A"'s would have a different ICON.

My own guess is the ICONS were originally intended to be based on identification, but HTC basically forgot about this as more important things gobbled up their attention.

J_A_B

[Zigrat]

id like to see it go the other way actually


on lachovin for the different la types, and macchi for the different 202-205 types etcera.

[hogfarmr]

Zig, i too would love to see this happen. but.... it would give a big advantage to people who can run high resolutions, and some many people would complain that it wouldnt last. Also many dweebs would complain just to be complaining, thats why most sims are not like this.

I'd love to have minimun icons, but it just isnt going to happen. so the next best thing is what we have now, maybe just a little more normalized with the above said changes. This IS more realistic in the sence that a good ww2 pilot could id a plane at 7 miles, since there is no way to id a plane in ah at 7 miles without icons then make the icons the id.

Maybe make planes that look the same like the 202 205 the same id. but planes like the 51 b and 51d are so different, as are the 190a and 190d that you need to have a different icon to be realistic in id ranges.

-AKHog

[Nifty]

Not to pick too much of a bone, but IDing a fighter at 7 miles?  That's basically 37,000 ft, which is about cruising alt for today's jetliners.  I look up and see a tiny speck with contrails behind it.  If the contrails weren't there, I'd be hard pressed to even find the jetliner, let alone ID it.  A P51 is about 32 ft long with 37 ft wingspan.  A 727 is about 132 ft long with 108 ft wingspan, and the 747 is 232ft long w/ 211ft wingspan!  If someone can tell the difference between a D pony and B pony or C Hog and D Hog at 7 miles, then I need some damned new glasses if I can't ID a jetliner cruising over me!  

[bigUC]

I'd actually like to see icons give less away - just "lwf" for luftwaffe until u get close enough to id the type (1-2K perhaps) - and it doesn't have to be mandatory - I would prolly fly with "supericons" off anyway
--
BigUC

[Wlfgng]

On a side note.. currently it's pretty easy to tell a p51D from a p51B due to the shiny, 'here I am', color of the D model.

They kind of 'twinkle'.. dead giveaway even before I see their icon.

Amend that:... is it my monitor and resolution making this possible.. or is everyone seeing this ?

[This message has been edited by Wlfgng (edited 05-08-2001).]

[Hooligan]

Actually I think the slight ambiguity is nice.  

Hooligan

[Graywolf]

There's a trde off for running high resolutions.

A 'dot' for me is 1/4 of the size for someone running in 800x600. I can see them against the sky, but against the ground? Not a hope.



------------------
Graywolfe <tim@flibble.org>

[Karnak]

I'm with Zigrat on this one.

Niffty,
We get icons at 6,000 yards in AH.

6,000*3=18,000ft
18,000/5280=3.4 miles

3.4 miles !=7 miles.

Still, identifying fighters wouldn't really happen at 6000 yards.

How about:

Icon (enemy/friendly) at 6000 yards.
Type ID for four engines at 5000 yards.
Type ID for two engines at 3500 yards.
Type ID for one engine at 2500 yards.

------------------
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Mosquito FB.MkVI Series 2 to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[Karaya One]

IMO,

There is too much information already passed before you engage. But keep in mind, im a realism fanatic.

Would I would like to see is icons showing whether contact is friendly or foe at a distance. This allows us to determine if we should spend the time/effort approaching the bogey.

Then when you get within a certain "visual" range, id like to see the plane type displayed. Plane variant is not necessary because HT has done such a good job with the graphics that ID pretty simple within visual range.

We can go back to the icon/no icon debate but its my feeling that most participants want some type of icon.

I like an element of surprise and the ability to jump an opponent no matter how small the opprotunity.

So, it would be a little surprise to find out what plane type you are enganging within combat range. Might give you an opprotunity to turn the tables on a superior plane or vice versa.




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Karaya One
Flying Pigs Squadron

[Jigster]

Rumor has it, its that way because the enemy icons are set to 3 alphanumeric characters. Want consistency? There you go  

[Vruth]

I do recall seeing something about this almost one year ago.

Someone was asking Pyro about the icons and it WAS limited to a three character ID.

There you go.
-------------
Vruth

 

[AKDejaVu]

thought it was "lanc" in for that plane... and "Flak" for FlakPanzer... and "PNZR" for the tank... "Typh" for the typhoon... "Temp" for the tempest... "Spit" for the spitfire.

Don't really remember the Spit being anything other than that.

So.. seems Vruth is close to accurate with "Someone was asking Pyro about the icons and it WAS limited to a three character ID."

AKDejaVu