Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: Apeking on December 24, 2006, 06:47:15 PM
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I've had a look through the forums for this topic, but obviously it's hard to wade through hundreds of threads with "calibrate" in them.
A while back I was having a go in the training arena, and the bombsight calibration procedure had changed. Instead of simply pressing U and Y, I had to point the bombsight at a spot on the ground for a few seconds in order for the calibration to fix. This is a bit more involved than the current procedure, and also a bit more involving.
I can only assume that bombsight calibration has evolved over the years that Aces High has been online, and that an older system was being tested out when I was in the TA. The current system seems perfunctory - you press one key, press a second key, wait, and then let go - although I imagine that there are fewer people asking for help on the help channel because of it (instead, they all want to know how to fire rockets).
Is there a reason calibration was changed? I prefer the older system, as it introduces an element of skill to what is otherwise a mechanical act.
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it wasnt changed.. since calibration was implemented u always had to put the crosshairs on the intended target for a certain amount of time..
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not anymore tw9. simply pressing U to enter the calibration mode and then holding Y for a few seconds now does the trick :(
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It changed a couple years ago to what the main arenas have now. I know. I whined.
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hmm wierd i never even noticed.. lol been holding the button down this whole time.. well its not like i use bombers alot though :)
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"simply pressing U to enter the calibration mode and then holding Y for a few seconds now does the trick"
Exactly. I feel embarrassed whenever I calibrate the bombsight because (a) I'm in a bomber, which is embarrassing enough, and (b) a monkey could do it, and I am not a monkey. I am better than a monkey. My suggestion is either that HTC brings back the old system, or that they do away with calibration altogether, retain the bombsight, but make the bombs less accurate.
Alternatively, HTC could leave things as they are. Or replace the bombsight with a photograph of a mince pie. Wouldn't it be great if, when you hit the button to release ordinance, the game starts playing a MIDI version of Trouble Funk's "Drop the Bomb"? This game would benefit greatly from some mid-80s go-go music. I expect these changes to be implemented by the end of play today.
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... and I am not a monkey. I am better than a monkey.
Says a guy calling himself "Apeking" :)
Not sure why they changed it, I like the hold the crosshairs on a fixed point myself. I think its a simple arena table change to turn off 'easy mode'.
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Originally posted by Murdr
Says a guy calling himself "Apeking" :)
buuurrrnn!!!
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I still use the old system, it gives me time to check the target area, I see if there are any GVs or other interesting things. :)
If target is CV it is good to see what moves it is going to do. 90% of my CV runs are succesfull. (without suicide divebombing)
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Originally posted by Apeking
Wouldn't it be great if, when you hit the button to release ordinance, the game starts playing a MIDI version of Trouble Funk's "Drop the Bomb"? This game would benefit greatly from some mid-80s go-go music. I expect these changes to be implemented by the end of play today.
That's why you have a "sounds" folder in your AHII directory.
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"That's why you have a "sounds" folder in your AHII directory."
I was thinking more along the lines of my aircraft broadcasting a MIDI version of Trouble Funk's "Drop the Bomb" throughout the arena, so that everyone can hear it. It would have the exact same effect as the divebomb siren in the Ju87; it would spread terror, and unease in my enemies, and it would also spread the funk.
Now that James Brown is dead the world needs someone to spread the funk. George Clinton isn't going to do it. You're too young. Might as well be me.
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Was I the last guy to find out that you didn't need to be in the bombardier's position to calibrate the sight?
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Originally posted by hubsonfire
Was I the last guy to find out that you didn't need to be in the bombardier's position to calibrate the sight?
wait whaaaaaaaaat?
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F6 is a view change, not a position change. U and Y are technically cockpit commands.
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Okay, view change, even though it's technically a different position, just not within the confines of the game.
Golfer, when you said just hit U and Y, I thought you were referring to calibrating from the pilot's seat. You mean you don't even have to hold the crosshairs on target from the F6 view?
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Wow, this is incredibly disappointing. What's the point of even having calibration if you can do it from the cockpit and just hit the U and Y keys?
Are you sure this is the case? I follow the calibration procedure that's in the Web Page Help about bombing, and get varying results as to the drop speed and altitude. I always thought that was due to how well I calibrated.
If true, the Help page should be updated. I hope it's not.
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I guess I oversimplified for even the simplest (hub)
I'll pat myself on the back :)
In F6 mode (in bombsight) simply hitting U to be in calibration mode and then holding Y for a few seconds calibrates you. You do not have to hold the crosshairs on anything anymore.
All fixed!
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You can at least enter calibration mode from the cockpit. I assume you can calibrate too; haven't tried.
EDIT: The MAs are just about the only place the easy mode bomb sight is used, so it's good to know how to use the old one as well.
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I don't think the intention was to have calibration done from the cockpit, but it works that way. I was alerted to this workaround to the already simplified calibration routine by another player, and tested it. Sure enough, perfect accuracy at a keypress, by way of a macro. Once my speed stabilized, I can hit a button, and voila! Lazer guided dumb bombs.
As Stang would say, "man that'th tho gay"
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Originally posted by Golfer
I guess I oversimplified for even the simplest (hub)
I'll pat myself on the back :)
In F6 mode (in bombsight) simply hitting U to be in calibration mode and then holding Y for a few seconds calibrates you. You do not have to hold the crosshairs on anything anymore.
All fixed!
You were right in your first reply. I tried it in the MA and you can calibrate from the cockpit by just hitting they U and Y keys.
All this time I took a little pride in what I was doing: now I feel like a fool. All that wasted time calibrating...
I'm done with bombers in the MA. There are so little rewards anyway. The Help page really needs to be updated so that no one else wastes their time.
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wait wait wait WAIT. Time out. Hold the phone.
You mean you CAN calibrate without hitting F6 and going to the bombsight?
Das Uberghey.
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It's like a revelation except everybody's disappointed... :rofl
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Originally posted by Cuba
Wow, this is incredibly disappointing. What's the point of even having calibration if you can do it from the cockpit and just hit the U and Y keys?
In order to any monkey can do it, of course. Pointing crosshair at target (any point at land actually), as well as find your target in clipboard map and click on it (to set altitude) was too hard for monkeys [old style roll eyes]
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There was a time in AH when it took a bit of skill to calibrate the bomb sight. However, that was done away with at somepoint. There was an easy mode in the early days, then a more skilled mode, now it's back to an easyiest mode. depends on how loud the whine gets.
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I never knew this. I've been doing it the old way all the time. Why wasn't it in the read me? Do you still have to click on the target to set drop alt?
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No, you dont.
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Originally posted by Traveler
There was a time in AH when it took a bit of skill to calibrate the bomb sight. However, that was done away with at somepoint. There was an easy mode in the early days, then a more skilled mode, now it's back to an easyiest mode. depends on how loud the whine gets.
I would say it is now between early days easy mode (just aim and drop)and skilled mode (which was actually too difficult for most of the people)
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Originally posted by mipoikel
I would say it is now between early days easy mode (just aim and drop)and skilled mode (which was actually too difficult for most of the people)
And don't forget that bombers fill a very important niche in the life cycle of an AH player.
Most newer guys reach a point that they know they love the game, but they're reallzing that they pretty much stink at fighters. Learning ACM is a long slow battle!
But bombers let them fly, feel some accompishment (even if its only porking a strat), while they pass through the most discouraging part of AH learning.
So the easy mode buffs aren't FOR us. We can use the harder, more realistic settings outside the primary arenas. But the new guys found the calibration to be a bit much in the midst of the steepest part of the AH learning curve.
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Originally posted by BaldEagl
Why wasn't it in the read me?
It was, a very long time ago. Around the time that AH1 was done away with, I think.
Originally posted by Simaril
So the easy mode buffs aren't FOR us. We can use the harder, more realistic settings outside the primary arenas. But the new guys found the calibration to be a bit much in the midst of the steepest part of the AH learning curve.
I find it funny that the old bombsight is enabled in the TA, then. (EDIT: They changed it. The new one's there now.)
You can tell when you're in the old bombsight by looking at what's listed. If "Target alt" (NOT Drop alt) is listed, you're in the old sight.
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I did some more checking in the off-line arena. There are two settings in Flight Mode Flags that affect this.
The first one is Precision Bomb Sight. When that is checked, there is no calibration needed at all. You hit whatever the crosshairs are on. You can go into calibration mode, but while in it, you can't move the crosshairs.
The second is Auto Calibrate Bomb Sight. When that is checked, you have to go into calibration, but there is no need to hold the crosshairs on a point.
This is the way the MA's are set up right now.
I tried some bomb runs with Auto Calibrate set, and without it. I got consistently more accurate speed and altitude readings with it off. The Auto Calibrate readings where fairly consistent, but they can be off a few mph or feet. I suppose you can always re-calibrate until you get an accurate reading, since auto-calibration is so quick and easy to do.
I don't think the difficulty factor of having to the hold the crosshairs on a point is so great that the masses can't master it. (Perhaps you could even train a monkey to do it.) But for me anyway, it does add a little bit of realism that makes flying bombers more satisfying.
So in summary, I'm going to whine, whine, whine until it's turned off in the MAs!
:furious
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Just so I could get my new avatar and signature as protest.