AI patrols are flying in AvA right now.

[jimson]

You can tell which ones are AI. Take them down into a canyon and watch them run into the walls trying to ACM your kester. Otherwise they are tuff to get on their 6 for very long. Thought at one point some muppets were playing a joke on me until I checked the roster. I've only seen 3 players in 10 years who can fly an La5 like those AI did last night.

They are well behaved AI. They don't HO or take any front quarter shots. You need some of that for newbies, or they will not develop the good habits for surviving in the MA like distrusting anyone flying into them from the front. Kind of a Catch-22 for the future. If this turns into a newbie training tool, they will become rudely abused in the MA after flying on training wheels against the Oh so polite AI. It might not be a bad idea to have some canned ch1 nasty grams from the AI when they smoke a newbie to get him ready for PM's and ch200 in the MA.

Iv'e been ho'd by them plenty of times in a co alt head on merge. You mostly see that in the structured staged missions. These AI patrols don't usually result in head on merges.

It's not our purpose to be a farm club for the MA, but if newbies find anytime action against the AI to be less intimidating minus the taunts etc, perhaps they will stick around longer and learn more how to control a pixel aircraft before they go in there.

[bustr]

Two of my squaddies and I were on the Russian side tonight for about 40 minutes. Blue sky's make it enjoyable to fight no-Icon. The fights were excellent exercises in staying honest about our SA and what ACM we know by this point. Keeping your head on a swivel had real meaning. Got smoked by one AI for not rechecking my low 6 enough while thinking I was done with him.

We had a great time practicing group tactics and realizing the down sides of getting visually separated along with trying to pick up the sneaking AI in the bushes that go through. Eventually some predictability was evident. But, no-Icons gave the AI enough cover to be just a bit elusive to really saddle up on without working for it.

It's a great exercise arena in basic principles of air combat with just a touch of uncertainty. You definitely start wondering about range and guessing at it for snap shots or judging closing merges. Without an Icon, the time closing the gap from 1000 to 100 yards is fast because you are working on keeping a clear line of sight on your AI. Without an Icon the AI at 300 yards looks a lot smaller than in the MA. Half a 100Mil ring becomes a tiny space to be shooting at 300-400 down range.

If more newer players spent time in the AvA learning to intercept the AI part of every week. I think they would be learning better combat habits for the MA. As long as you keep the sky blue and 12 noon so they have a chance to see them. I finally had fun visually with no-Icons. And that polka dotted terrain can go. It reminds me of the walls in the old Doom game that made some players sick with vertigo when they walked down the halls.

[jimson]

If more newer players spent time in the AvA learning to intercept the AI part of every week. I think they would be learning better combat habits for the MA.

I think that's possible and there may a psychological draw for a new player to be able to pop in when the arena is relatively empty and practice without being under the scrutiny of a lot of people.

Some folks don't enjoy showcasing their suckage, I really didn't like to much when I was new, but around robots, who cares?

Of course I never really got much better LOL.

[SEraider]

Yeah, without his friends 

Reminds me of my after-school fights back in the day. 

[dedalos]

Reminds me of my after-school fights back in the day. 

yeah, but it is different if its because you just have no friends 

[bustr]

Something I noticed from chasing no-Icon AI around. Because I was watching only the AI and not a shared object picture of Icon-fighter. It increased my attention in the MA to the E state and telegraphing of next moves of players I was engaged with.

It was an interesting sparring practice for the MA. In the MA you can be lazy in watching your con because of the bright red avatar until the last moment when you pull the trigger. In the no-Icon sparring session everything was about focusing on the con itself. Without the range Avatar you might question your gunnery skill initially until you adjust your focus. At the start of the session some shots were more guesses from sight picture memory than really knowing how far away the con was. Even with my gun sights it took practice rapidly judging range on the fly while maneuvering. Shooting at 400 under those conditions was a low percentage looser.

Watching my two squad mates, they missed short on 6-shots while shooting late on lead shots. But, after a few passes with the AI they recalibrated from the trial and error. And it was obvious we were all getting closer before pulling the trigger. That's one of the benefits of the Icon in the MA. Consistent long range shots by knowing where to aim with our favorite gun sights at 400-1000. In the AvA I think my longest shot during my 40 minute session might have just been close to 400 with an oil hit. Because of how we were engaging the AI, we had a lot of crossing snap shots at times from less than 100ft.

Jimson,

Do you know if HTC has plans to put up an AI airforce in the WW1 arena? That could be a white knuckle blast with how perfect the current generation of AI fly.

[jimson]

As of now, I know of no plans for AI in the company run arenas. The way we are running continual AI is not really how the mission system was intended,. Should HTC add this I would expect they would improve upon how we are doing it.

[dedalos]

Since the no-icon thingie and how great it is keeps coming up here is what I think 

if I see you, you will most likely end up dead. If I don't because if the limitations of the 2D screen, you have a chance at a pick. This is what you like. In reality,  you want my icons off and not yours because as great as you claim no-icons to be, not a single one of you ever turns thrm off in the MA.

discuss 

[Bear76]

Since the no-icon thingie and how great it is keeps coming up here is what I think 

if I see you, you will most likely end up dead. If I don't because if the limitations of the 2D screen, you have a chance at a pick. This is what you like. In reality,  you want my icons off and not yours because as great as you claim no-icons to be, not a single one of you ever turns thrm off in the MA.

discuss 

What's an icon? Does Justin Bieber fly? 

[dedalos]

What's an icon? Does Justin Bieber fly? 

Man, why you got to ruin a good fight before it even starts? 

[jimson]

Pu-lease, no more icon fights. Tomorrow, when running joinable staged missions, I will be alternating the icon settings.

[dedalos]

Pu-lease, no more icon fights. Tomorrow, when running joinable staged missions, I will be alternating the icon settings.

keep mine on and turn theirs off. since they like it we will all be happy 

ok, thread back on track now 

[bustr]

Jimson changed the time of day to high noon with only a blue sky. The AI are now easy peezy to see without icons in the AvA. Because I can finally see them, as AI they are programmed well enough to make a good work out for skills we take for granted in the MA with the big red flags everywhere.

It just tunes up your eyes and the necessity to pay attention to smaller specific things, while making you honest with your shooting. Like seeing a trainer to polish your skills before a match.

If they turn on any light condition but high noon and blue sky's, its a sucky place to play in the AvA. Guess it's a limitation to what Hitech decided for the game graphics, for some reason.

[Puma44]

not a single one of you ever turns thrm off in the MA.

Not a single one of who?  And, how would you know that?

[Nefarious]

I keep meaning to get in there for the missions, but I can't tonight. Maybe later this week.