Author Topic: what I want for xmas in the CT....  (Read 1076 times)

Offline popeye

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« on: December 07, 2001, 12:23:00 PM »
...programmable dot dar refresh rate.  I think the one change that would make the most difference in the success of a CT would be to make the dot dar refresh rate a programmable variable (controlled by the CM).

Here's why:

I think we NEED inflight dot dar.  The complaint I hear most often about the current setup is "can't find a fight".  I would really prefer "tower-only" dot dar, but I don't think we can depend on players to act as ground controllers, especially in a relatively low attendance arena.

A dot dar refresh rate of 15 to 30 seconds, would minimize the "artificial SA" effect of dot dar, while still providing a "simulated ground controller".

Having inflight dot dar would allow shorter icon ranges but minimize the "friendly dot chase" penalty.

With low refresh rate DOT dar, BAR dar could be turned off completely.  This would allow missions to form up behind the lines undetected, and the alt limit that is already built into dot dar would allow NOE strikes.

Having some kind of inflight dot dar would minimize the "shock" for players migrating from the MA.

Having a "simulated ground controller" is more <cough> realistic than flying blind.

I suspect there is already a refresh rate control built into the code, and might be not to difficult to extend.  (Might be dead wrong about this one...)

(An extension of this idea would be to tie the dot dar refresh rate to damage to the HQ, so the effect would be progressive, rather than all-or-nothing.)

(Also, lower dot dar refresh rate MIGHT free up some bandwidth for something else.  Voice comm?)

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: popeye ]

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: popeye ]
KONG

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Offline hblair

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2001, 01:01:00 PM »
In-flight dot radar, even if slowed by 15-30 seconds is not much different than the MA. I think any type of dot radar inflight is defeating the purpose of the CT. A plane aint gonna go far in 30 seconds. A smaller map with in-flight bar radar is plenty IMHO.

Offline LePaul

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2001, 01:54:00 PM »
How about, as I'd mentioned earlier...have like a "fog of war" like you see in games like "Command & Conquer", "WarCraft II" and "Dune"...as you close in on a sector, the "fog" is lifted.  Meaning, you effectively have an imaginery 'radar circle' of 25 miles (or more?) and anything within that range will display as a dot.

I'd concede that part of radar if it meant drawing in more players.  Dump the radar bar though   :)  Make em hunt a bit!

Offline K West

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2001, 03:13:00 PM »
I think Popeyes suggestion is definately a sound idea and a good compromise given the technology and code AH has at this time. It's  more liberal than I'd have offered but it does offer one means to deal with the current real time AWACS information we get right now. If a bogy felt it was being stalked he/she knows they can try some evasives by   (...you know, I wish radar did not show a bogy in clouds or on the other side of a mountain range as well as when NOE...)  well, they can try some evasives anyway with the information delay.

 Westy

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: O'Westy ]

Offline Aiswulf

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2001, 04:01:00 PM »
Well if we have to use inflight dot-dar (which I am against) I think it should be restricted to friendly territory only.

Namely all bases would have a restricted radius that would give any dar info whether its bar-dar or dot-dar.

Tower could be setup to have an all seeing radar that updates once every 60 seconds or so.  This would at least show WHERE any fights might be taking place initially and show any possibly incoming attacks from the nme side.

This is just my idea so be gentle  :D

*Self-Repairing Ego activated!!*

Offline popeye

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2001, 04:38:00 PM »
Westy,  I admit the dot dar ain't a prefect simulation of WWII technology, but it's a LOT closer than the bar dar "somewhere in 625 square miles".   :)  With 30 second refreshes, dot dar would be accurate to within about 2.5 miles (for an aircraft moving at 300 mph), which is pretty close to the real thing (except we don't get the altitude info that they had in WWII).

The other thing is that DOT dar favors the defenders in friendly territory, (just as radar it did in WWII), where BAR dar works the same for everyone everywhere.
KONG

Where is Major Kong?!?

Offline CRASH

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2001, 10:24:00 AM »
My vote is no in flight dot dar.....bar dar fine.  Reduced icon range as well.  You all know why  :)

CRASH

Offline K West

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #7 on: December 11, 2001, 09:16:00 AM »
rgr that Popeye. You're idea is definately a viable plan. Until such time as HTC develops (if they even do) a more realistic system of WWII era id&detection we can only use tools that AH has modeled right now.  Dot dar and color bar indicators are all we have and with some trial and error a close approximation might be achievable with just those two.

 Westy

Offline YardBird

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #8 on: December 11, 2001, 09:54:00 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by LePaul:
Dump the radar bar though    :)  Make em hunt a bit!

I think the primary concern in a less-populated arena is finding the fight. Bar dar at least lets you know there are bogeys in a sector. Once you are there, now you actually have to practice a bit of SA and find them. To address the concern of large assault groups being given away by bar dar, perhaps just an indicator of presence, without size reference to relative numbers could be used. Fly into a sector and discover there are 50 enemy planes there!

Offline marcof

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what I want for xmas in the CT....
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2001, 01:52:00 PM »
Lets wait and see what the CT arena team come up with, then if its not.......eh up to scratch, which iam sure it will be looking at the quality of the people involved, then we can suggest things to them.
Oh forgot to add IMHO in case i put someones nose outa joint!!

Marcof.

(winding up MA arena players since 1999!)