Reality and Views

[PaleHorse]

So far I am very impressed with this beta.  I have been a long time flyer of Fighter Ace and I am sure that is sneared upon here.  This is justified in many cases.  However, one feature of FA that greatly increases the realism and playability is the the "padlock".  This feature allows you to lock your view to an individual plane, friend or foe, and follow them around the sky, much like a real pilot is able to swivel his head to keep an enemy in view.  Its implementation in FA is, of course not very realistic, in that you may padlock to any player in the arena regardles of distance.  My idea is this; provide a "padlock" system in which you must first visually aquire and designate the target(perhaps through the use of the mouse)for "padlock", and as long as that plane is visible your view is locked to it.  If the target goes out of range or to the belly side of your AC or your view is switched for SA purposes, the lock is brocken and the target must be reaquired and designated.  Twitching around with the hat and view keys, while more difficult, is not very realistic.

[phaetn]

Twiddling around with switches to mimic head position is not realistic, granted.

But having a view that just hones in on a target and doesn't take any skill to keep it acquired isn't so realistic either.

One of the first things you will have to learn to succeed at combat in AH is keeping track of bogeys.  That means always knowing the space around you and being able to visualize where the target is at.

Granted the view system isn't like real life, looking at a 2d monitor and no G effects on our bodies aren't like real life, either,  but Situational Awareness was (and is) a huge part of air combat.

A view system that forces you to acquire and keep track of targets really helps boost that SA or else you will lose every fight.  (It also helps to learn ACM).

Give it some time, you will get to learn it and then love it!  

Cheers,

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phaetnAT
Aces High Alpha Tester

[Ivedog]

I've flown WarBirds for quite a while - and of course there's no padlock.  But I've also flown other WWI and WWII offline sims that have allowed padlock.  

When using padlock, I must admit that I am able to fly in a more "seat of the pants" style, often finding it easier to accomplish maneuvers such as the low yo-yo or scissors,  But there are also drawbacks with this feature (locking on to a target even when it's out of visual range or line-of-sight).  

I think that the best example of a "hard-core" padlock would probably be Su27 Flanker:  Your virtual head only moves within realistic limits, and if you lose line-of-sight for more than a couple seconds, you lose the lock.  If this could be implemented in AH, it might actually be a good thing... We might see better, more natural flying, without sacrificing the hard core nature of the sim (we'll just forget about the exterior views at this point).

Ivedog

(edited for spelling)

[This message has been edited by Ivedog (edited 10-01-1999).]

[TT]

I have enough problems with target fixation, without the view makeing me do it. I like to glance behind me as I close with the con. Just to make sure some of his pals arnt lineing ME up.

[phaetn]

Personally my biggest problem with padlock (outside of realism issues) is that I find it entirely disorienting.

Even with chevrons marked on a canopy or other indicators I just lost track of where the plane is headed, Energy, SA and the whole rest of it.  Half the time I end up flying into the dirt.  I also tend to just "pull for the bandit" by getting him on the lift vector and not thinking about manouevers in my mind's eye.

Fixed views (or snap pans) give me a much better sense of direction and motion and then I find it (relatively) easy to keep track of the bogey even when I am carving up the sky and blowing all my E.  

Cheers,

[funked]

Hey if he wants padlock, give him padlock.  I won't use it and I don't think it's any kind of unfair advantage.

[Gazoo]

Give him the padlock!  I love guys that fixate on a target!  When was the last time you were in a truely 1 on 1 fight where this would have made a difference?  How often are you setting up on one guy and constantly checking where his friend is, trying to decide if you can attack?  I know it is not an option I would use.  In a multi-bogey environment, there is just WAY too much to keep track of to lock onto one target.  I do like the idea of having to aquire the target with the mouse though instead of a magic "Select closest target" key.

And I do agree that a loc should be broken if:

enemy goes to a blocked position. Belly or between an obstical.

you black out or red out.

switch views at all.

But again, I know I would not use it so I would prefer to see programming time used for other features.



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"Just Plane Nuts"
Gazoo
 http://plaza.v-wave.com/SolarStorm/index.htm

[Kats]

I agree with funked and phaetn exactly. I hate PL views, but don't care at all if other people like em, let em have em