AvA icon setting "poll" - in AvA forum

[mechanic]

Years ago I made a wishlist item about icons that automaticaly turn off under 800 yards. I advised to map the icons toggle button to my stick and do it manualy. I never did bother because it was too much complications to scroll through the different icons settings rather than just clean 'on/off' function. I still think it would be a lovely option to have, could call it 'Dynamic Icon Mode' or something. The planes look so good up close on a decent computer, the icon just takes away from that at close ranges, imo.

[Dantoo]

Putting aside the shallow and ignorant mockery -

To the guys that are generally querying what features that allow you to identify at distance:

Identifying features vary on different aircraft.  Once you learn the "set" it's not hard to identify types at quite long distances.  Old hands find aircraft faster and identify them much further out than novices.  You only reach for the binoculars when you have two similar types in the same area and you need to pick who is first etc..  You simply couldn't work if you had to id them all that way. 

Speed makes absolutely no difference to the id task.  Having said that, it is unusual for approaching aircraft to be >200 kts with the exception of fast military.  An aircraft coming in very fast may be easier to identify simply because it's usually a rare thing unless at a military or joint-user field.

So what do you look for?  Not the makers name or rego obviously.  Number of engines, high or low wing, size, wing tips (tanks, fairings, rounded or square), fuselage shape, undercarriage can be useful (fixed or otherwise).  Some aircraft have other charachteristics that make them easy to id at very long distances.  A B52 coming in low can be spotted many miles out - not by size but by the smoke trail.  There are far less aircaft types in AH than in real life (pity) and amonst the types present there are some quite strong if features.

A while ago I had the pleasure of visiting the UK and attending flying legends at Duxfords.  They conclude that show with a flypast known as a "Balbo".  The nature of such a flypast requires the aircraft to form and approach the field in a very wide circuit.  Neither I nor the people around me had any difficulty sorting one type from another by naked eye at considerable distances.  Now here is the thing - watch the same flypast on youtube, on your computer, and you are faced with the same problems you have in AH.  The flat 2D world and tiny screen vs half a sky robs you of the clues you need until they get so close you could sneeze on them.  Here, have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj07ITv_tTw&feature=related

If you go outside and start watching planes fly over you may be well surprised at how easy they are to identify.   It's far easier than on Youtube.

Historically there was much mis-identification of aircraft especially early in WW2.  Poor training, poor knowledge of the opposing plane types (especially Japanese) and fear and stress all had a role in mis-identification.  Hurricanes being shot down by Spitfires over Dunkirk - how can you explain that?  They were close enough to shoot them so they had to be close enough to id them? You'd think!  I wasn't there but I'd be surprised if the explanation was "they were really hard to see at 1200 feet so we shot them anyway, just to be sure........

rgds

[Old Sport]

Years ago I made a wishlist item about icons that automaticaly turn off under 800 yards.

 

I've probably read it too, and many ideas of others as well, so I make no claim for an original idea. 

My only thought was to suggest a relatively simple-to-implement system parameter as a first step for further development, if that should ever be done.

The AvA staff has no control over the coding.

Very true. My suggestion was for HTC since they too read all these forums. 

Single color icons would add a lot to scenarios too, not just AvA.

If the new H2H system gets rolling, then it would offer a middle ground option between blazing red and green and no icons for those arenas as well.

All of the above are at least ten year old ideas, so I'm not going to hold my breath in anticipation of the code or coad.

Alas, the wheels of progress turn slowly... 

[Dawger]

 

I've probably read it too, and many ideas of others as well, so I make no claim for an original idea. 

My only thought was to suggest a relatively simple-to-implement system parameter as a first step for further development, if that should ever be done.

Very true. My suggestion was for HTC since they too read all these forums. 

Single color icons would add a lot to scenarios too, not just AvA.

If the new H2H system gets rolling, then it would offer a middle ground option between blazing red and green and no icons for those arenas as well.

Alas, the wheels of progress turn slowly... 

Actually, with regards to icons, they don't turn at all. I've never seen icon code change appreciably in either Warbirds or AH in 14 years. There is no incentive to do so. The money is in the Main Arena and they will always (rightfully) be blazing neon.

[coombz]

Years ago I made a wishlist item about icons that automaticaly turn off under 800 yards.

I like this idea very much!

[Old Sport]

The money is in the Main Arena and they will always (rightfully) be blazing neon.

Agreed.

Nevertheless, in these days of economic woe, small changes could attract those with more sophisticated tastes and perhaps bolster the player base.

Another simple suggestion.

Use one of the following four identifiers for "plane type" at 6K when the icon first displays:

inline

radial

twin

multi

This general level of identification more closely corresponds to the identification process, though again, not perfect by any means.

There's already code in place to change the "plane type" information from an initial display of, say, SPIT, to SPIT 8, so this would probably be a simple implementation and not hit game performance hard.

Best.

[Nr_RaVeN]

Just learn the planes silhouette it comes naturally after you do it for a couple of weeks..

[noTch]

Wow, I thought I weighed in on this

Count me as a "Don't like icons".  Have been in there a couple of times and I miss the challenge of finding and loosing those tiny little planes. It is perfect for TracIR.  The neon sign above your prey(usually me) is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,not the AvA to me.  It has been a blast to not be seen and not see the enemy.  It felt like your earned the kill & on the flip side of the coin, deserved to be shot down. It promoted more comms between sometimes complete strangers.

No Icons also seemed to keep the odds even. Even in a 2 vs 1, it felt more like teamwork when you were the the two & I always enjoyed the irony of slipping away to re-engage the 2.

So in closing I don't like the icons on  

[captain1ma]

if everyone that has posted in this thread, flew in the AVA on a daily or every other day bases, this thread would have never been needed.

[ImADot]

It has been a blast to not be seen and not see the enemy.

Although the opinion is that this happened a lot in real life, this is a game and most actually have a blast fighting the enemy instead of not seeing the enemy. 

It felt like your earned the kill & on the flip side of the coin, deserved to be shot down.

IMO many guys don't "earn" their kill when all they do is fly at treetop level to hide, then zoom up and rake their "foe" in the belly. They still seem to do this with icons on, probably more so now, to hide their icon rather than just have their dot blend into the ground clutter.

Like I've said before, I've been on both sides of the icon/no icon debate and am currently on the "short icon" side. It would be great if the icon could fade in and out based on distance and icon range setting.

[Puma44]

if everyone that has posted in this thread, flew in the AVA on a daily or every other day bases, this thread would have never been needed.

Good point, Jaeger.