Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: stephen waldron on May 21, 2008, 05:59:22 AM
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How many times have you seen a request in text for assistance at a base, or in a sector.. and spent so much time "searching" for the location your responce was too late ? Even zoomed in all the way, the base numbers are not easy to read. Sometimes it can take several minutes to find a specific numbered sector half way across the map, and that's assuming you know what part of the map to start looking at. And so the CV doesn't get turned before it's burning, or the enemy ordinance hangers don't get bombed in time (same result). This happens too frequently in Aces High.
What good does it do to use only a sector location or base number if nobody has a "general" idea of what part of the map you're talking about ? None. Perhaps this is why there is so little co-operation evidenced between Aces High players and why so many requests for assistance go unanswered. I admit i am myself a bit "wary" of leaving my plane on auto pilot to go make lengthly map searches. It also takes alot of time to type directions for finding a sector, or particular base in the text.
The solution would seem to be simple. Divide the Arena Map into Four large numbered Quadrants. Is this a perfect solution ? No. Would everybody instantly start using the quadrant identifier ? I doubt it. But it would be better than the existing situation, which is inadequate and hinders game play.
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Sectors are enough.. Zoom in till you see the sector numbers, and pan to the right one(s).
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Well first off if they give a field number .move ## will put you there.
That puts you in the right part of the map INSTANTLY, if you are in the tower.
If your in flight, and the request is for a map sector your not in, how is having the map split into quadrants going to help?
Easier to just use sector #'s.
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The sectors are numbered in order (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4) across and down. I mean, how hard can that be to understand? Also, the fields are numbered in rough numeric order (i.e. 56, 57 and 58 are all right near one another as are 232, 233 and 234). Me thinks you need to learn to read the map (or pull over and ask for directions :) )
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The sectors are numbered in order (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4) across and down. I mean, how hard can that be to understand? Also, the fields are numbered in rough numeric order (i.e. 56, 57 and 58 are all right near one another as are 232, 233 and 234). Me thinks you need to learn to read the map (or pull over and ask for directions :) )
That's a little harsh.
First, fields are not "all right near one another" in sequence as you say. That is why it can be hard to spot the location. Also, people say things like "need troops (or supplies) @ 232!" but you can't move to an enemy field, or even find it sometimes because the field numbering is not always logical. People giving more information would help, but fields are not always where you expect them to be just by looking at adjoining fields.
The map makers assign field numbers.
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As BaldEagl said, the map is divided into sectors that are numbered sequentially across and down so they are easy to find. Players break it down even further with the addition of numeric keypad location in the sector. ie: 12,10,1 is sector 12 across, 10 down and the lower left corner of the sector. I don't think you can get more precise, or easier to find than that.
And as Rolex said field numbers are not always sequential. They can't be, it's impossible. Somewhere on the map there will always be fields that are out of order. You'll always have say field 110 next to field 99 or some other random number next to some other random number. But, map makers try to limit this as best as they can.
But, to some extent Baldeagl is correct with his statment. If you find say field 120, odds are good that field 121 is nearby. The biggest exception is at country borders. This is because map makers usually try to complete setting one country's bases at a time (at least I do). This causes a jump in field numbers across original borders. So you wind up with field numbers like this... Bishops 1 to 65...Knights 66 to 130...Rooks 131 to 195.
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I had some trouble reading the base numbers on the map and played with the color settings until I found some that were more easily read my my eyes. The default just didn't seem to work too well and blended them together too easily.
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And to tag along with what GhostH said,
If you are on the ground, you can bring up the roster and right click on the person making the assistance request and select 'go to'. That will take you to the field they launched from, which should put you in the ballpark of the action.
Then, if that doesnt work ( they had upped from a field that has since been captured or a CV that has since respawned ) you can ask the requestor for a more refined location.
After you've played for a couple years, you'll have a pretty good idea where the fields are on any of the maps.
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Maybe a .nearest command to move to the nearest friendly field? TBH though, I've rarely seen someone take the time to announce an event at a given base, but not be willing to take 2 seconds more and type the sector coordinates.. Or someone else do it for him when he's too busy.
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We don't need to clutter the map with sector quadrants. It's a no-brainer to check which quadrant of the sector is in question. More lines would just lower the overall visual quality of the map.
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If you find say field 120, odds are good that field 121 is nearby. The biggest exception is at country borders.
Since the borders are where the fights are, the exception might be rule... ;)
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