Icon Philosophy - Approach

[SEraider]

Why not just go in the AvA then? 

Because the A v A, you are certain to know exactly what you are up against and you have some preparation to engage the enemy if time permits.

In the MA though, you may not know what you are up against until you are close enough, thus changing your approach to combat.  But as another suggested in this thread, instead of no enemy icon (yes on friendly), have limited enemy icon as in country, ftr, bmb. Thats it.

I figure it could change things.

[TnDep]

The AvA has friendly icons at 2.1k and in I believe is what they said, So if your inside of 2k and no icon you know it's an enemy.  I really enjoy the no icons and having to check your high 6 in fights and losing sight of the enemy for a split second.  I landed 6 kills in 109e4 against hurri1's and spit1's the other night and I'm telling ya it's so much fun.  Just being engaged 1v1 it's so much different when your performing your maneuvers you basically know where there at and what moves you need to perform next but it's just when your looking up towards the sun and see just the gray outline how realistic it is. 

I think 1 night a month or 1 night a week and friendly icons turned on at 2+k distance wouldnt be a bad thing.  I think alot of people would enjoy it, just my opinion maybe not I don't know.  Either way not a bad idea to change it up alittle. 

[Krusty]

This is in response to requests for a totally-no-icons MA:

I see I'm getting no responce to my very direct question from the naysayers... ... conveniently avoiding the question speaks volumes........

Id recommend getting some experience under your belt before you squawk.... Pepole tend to mock what they don't understand.

Try it you'll like it 
RaVe

How about a direct response from me.

It's not going to happen.

Is that direct enough?

HiTech

Now, going off of this comment and HiTech's previous posting about how human eyes can see way more than computer monitors, and how HiTech explains that icons fill a gap that technology can't replicate, I'm going to say this answer also applies to "friendly only" icons requests for the MA.

[Wax]

I can hear it now.. Them dam 262`s you cant  see them coming they should be disabled No icons in the MA is really not a good idea at all..

[Digr1]

with no icons you will need a series of spotters on the ground to let friendlies know from where the enemy is coming. You cant make it a free fire zone if you dont know there are no friendlies in the area. You want more realism, you need more resources. If not be lots of wated time in chasing a group of friendlies because you think they were enemy dots. Spotters is they way that worked before radar

[SEraider]

with no icons you will need a series of spotters on the ground to let friendlies know from where the enemy is coming. You cant make it a free fire zone if you dont know there are no friendlies in the area. You want more realism, you need more resources. If not be lots of wated time in chasing a group of friendlies because you think they were enemy dots. Spotters is they way that worked before radar

There is no change in the dar.  There is no change in dots other than if it's a friendly, you would know.  On a global scale, there is not much difference anyways.

[Bino]

I have taken this idea from Jimson on A v A rocks but want to apply it to the MA.

What would happen is HiTech had one night a month (or at least try) no enemy icons, period.  The reason why is from 6k out you can tell what is coming to you or in the vecinity. This gives you time to adjust, angles, speed, altitude, ect as the other plane does (could) before engagment.  At 18,000 feet out you already know what you are going up against. 

I think the dynamics of a fight/furball would change if no icons were on and everybody would find out up close what they are dealing with.  I think this could be more realistic and make everybody approach a fight differently. 

If I am in a P51 up close versus a spit or A6M, and if I decide to run, the opponent because of close proximity has a chance to shoot me down and make me "fly" my way out of trouble versus, just run. 

Yes I know, I can turn icons off, but that is not what I am trying to do here.  It's for everybody. 

Not for me, thanks!  I tried the iconless "Hairshirt Arena" back in WarBirds: pointlessly chasing dots all over the sky.  I did not enjoy it, and have no wish to return.

[Mister Fork]

I think most of you MA pilots can't nutt up to the AvA icon settings... imagine, the nerve of having to ID a unknown bogey...

 

[Bizman]

I have a great computer and a big monitor, let me know when this will be.

I have a decent computer with a 24" monitor, too, with HiRes graphs and sliders upped from default. Can you tell from these original size screenshots, what planes they are, and are they attacking or running? As you can see, they are from 1,5k. In scenarios having the icon range at 3k I have often tried to rub dots off my monitor thinking they were dust, until they've changed direction or altitude. Not to mention chasing flower/fruit flies hovering over a bunch of dots furballing...

                 

The left one is the P38, right the 190, screenshots taken offline.

[Dawger]

I have a decent computer with a 24" monitor, too, with HiRes graphs and sliders upped from default. Can you tell from these original size screenshots, what planes they are, and are they attacking or running? As you can see, they are from 1,5k. In scenarios having the icon range at 3k I have often tried to rub dots off my monitor thinking they were dust, until they've changed direction or altitude. Not to mention chasing flower/fruit flies hovering over a bunch of dots furballing...

                 (Image removed from quote.)

The left one is the P38, right the 190, screenshots taken offline.

I suppose you think 1500 yards is close. Walk 1500 yards from your house and let me know if you can still see it.

[Delirium]

Anytime anyone doesn't want icons, hit 'alt I' until they all go away.

Problem solved.

[dedalos]

Anytime anyone doesn't want icons, hit 'alt I' until they all go away.

Problem solved.

No Del, you are missing the point.  They don't want to fly with no icons.  They want you to fly with no icons    They don't want "realism" for themselves.  They want realism for you 

[captain1ma]

no enemy icons(2.1k friendly icons) seems to work in the AVA. that's fine. its a good place for it. However it wouldn't, or won't work in the MA's because there are too many people learning the game and the no icons would increase the learning curve.

there are also too many people dependant on the icons to be able to switch to no icons. its just not for them. those that like NO enemy icons fly the AVA, those that don't, the MA are a target rich environment. pretty simple.

[dedalos]

no enemy icons(2.1k friendly icons) seems to work in the AVA. that's fine. its a good place for it. However it wouldn't, or won't work in the MA's because there are too many people learning the game and the no icons would increase the learning curve.

there are also too many people dependant on the icons to be able to switch to no icons. its just not for them. those that like NO enemy icons fly the AVA, those that don't, the MA are a target rich environment. pretty simple.

 

[Dace]

I hear guys say this from time to time and while it sounds like a hoot and all. This is a computer game. The icons are there to facilitate a general lack of depth perception and clarity, not to mention the absence of a true third dimension. At 6K in real life an airplane might be distinguishable to one with above average eyesight and aircraft recognition skills. But as our esteemed friend Krusty mentioned, at 6K in this video game, even with a really good computer and monitor, an airplane is just a dot.