Level Bombing in the Training Arena

[Zener]

In the TA, buildings do not get damaged, so it is hard to judge the performance of level bombing over the actual in-game targets such as factories.  I'm speaking specifically of exactly where to drop bombs for the greatest effect.  The bullseyes are great, you can certainly get an idea of hit vs. miss, but you can't really tell what's going on when you drop on buildings/hangars/etc.  Drop in a cluster of buildings and you really don't know if (in game) you'd drop 2 or 3 or 9. 

I suspect it's this way so that more than one person at a time can train without someone ahead of them dropping everything.  What might be a better option is to let the objects get destroyed with a down time of 30 secs or something very low like that.  This way the text buffer will tell the story like it does in the game yet the buildings could pop right back up for the next bomber in line.

Maybe this is a wish list item, wasn't sure, so I put it here under the training and help topic since it only effects the TA.

[Arlo]

Not a bad wish item. 

[FLS]

You can use the TA terrain in a custom arena with your preferred damage settings and still have the air spawns to save time.

[Puma44]

In the TA, buildings do not get damaged, so it is hard to judge the performance of level bombing over the actual in-game targets such as factories.  I'm speaking specifically of exactly where to drop bombs for the greatest effect.  The bullseyes are great, you can certainly get an idea of hit vs. miss, but you can't really tell what's going on when you drop on buildings/hangars/etc.  Drop in a cluster of buildings and you really don't know if (in game) you'd drop 2 or 3 or 9. 

I suspect it's this way so that more than one person at a time can train without someone ahead of them dropping everything.  What might be a better option is to let the objects get destroyed with a down time of 30 secs or something very low like that.  This way the text buffer will tell the story like it does in the game yet the buildings could pop right back up for the next bomber in line.

Maybe this is a wish list item, wasn't sure, so I put it here under the training and help topic since it only effects the TA.

Great idea!

[Zener]

You can use the TA terrain in a custom arena with your preferred damage settings and still have the air spawns to save time.

Probably so... if I had the first clue about how to do that.  Don't know anything about custom arenas nor damage settings.  I suspect the people who most need or use the level bombing area of the TA don't know either.  I took a new player in there to practice calibration and where to drop for most effect, and it's impossible to tell.  Seems to me a better solution would be to make the TA reflect the same damage as in-game rather than making a steeper learning curve for new folks.

I appreciate the info for how to make a work-around, however.  Thanks.

[FLS]

The problem with damage in the free training arena is that it will be abused.

After going online with AH3 select create arena. Choose ahta08 for the terrain.

Go to clipboard/options/arena setup/environment/arena settings.

On the weapons tab set lethality to 1.000 for guns and weapons.

On the general tab you can set the downtime multiplier.

You can see the settings in the online melee arena if you want to match them but you can't change those.

Arena configuration is part of the AH help files. http://www.hitechcreations.com/support/support-help

Have fun. 

[Zener]

The problem with damage in the free training arena is that it will be abused.

What???  Abused?  How?  By whom?  And the big question - WHY? 

I haven't seen more than 4 people IN the TA in over a month (at one time).  Every single time I'm in there there have been zero other people in the level bombing area except those who came in with me. 

Please tell me how a few-sec down time of a target factory building could be abused.  Are you saying someone is going to know exactly the buildings I'm going to drop on, then race me there to drop seconds before I do just to grief me from seeing what damage I caused?  That's insane.

I get where normal down times might by annoying in the TA, which is why I'm suggesting a down time so low that it gives a damage message then pops right back up.  Maybe if there was a way to leave the targets up and still send the damage message there couldn't possibly be abuse of the level bombing area.

Thanks for the other good info.  I'm still not convinced a new player trying to learn the basics is going to seek out that kind of info first to set up a custom arena when we already have one that says TA.  Just looking to make that more useful is all.

[1ijac]

You can do it on any map offline by just setting the building downtimes in arena setup.

one-eye

[FLS]

That's correct, the advantage to the TA terrain is the air starts.

[morfiend]

We tried to setup the damage in the TA long ago,I dont recall the exact issue but there were a couple so it was decided that it would be best to just leave it set as it is.

  When the TA was set to the "new" layout,with the mini scenario area,sea battles etc. we tried to set it up so damage would appear and downtimes were short but it wasnt working as it was supposed to. I dont recall as I said what exactly was the problem.


  Offline or a custom arena will allow you to do as you wish!


   

[Zener]

Thanks to all of you for the info.

I'd have to use a custom arena since the whole purpose is to take someone else in there with me for training.  I can certainly make do with that, I was just making a suggestion that I thought might benefit some others.

[FLS]

Suggestions are always welcome. It's possible we have more experience with unintended consequences.

[bustr]

For offline in the arena setup you can uncheck protect objects. That will allow you to bomb your own feilds. Don't change anything else and the hardness settings will be the game default. Then blow up your own feilds. In the custom arena area you can download my terrain "gunnery". It has many air spawns for bombers. If you only uncheck protect objects, there is a 15k spawn offshore so you can setup bomb runs against your own field.

[Zener]

Suggestions are always welcome. It's possible we have more experience with unintended consequences.

I've no doubt you do, which is why it seems odd that no one can really offer a specific instance of those unintended consequences as regards level bombing.  No examples of why any attempt didn't work.  If it was abuse, there ought to be some first hand examples, don't you think?  If it was attempted and didn't work for some reason (not abuse related), that's one thing.  But to just simply say a few seconds of object time in order to produce a damage message is ripe for abuse is not believable.  Sorry, it just isn't.  If you think about the mechanics of how such abuse would have to occur, I think you'd agree it's all but impossible for someone else to know another player's intended target and bomb it within a few seconds prior.  And all of that just to grief someone else trying to learn the game better?  Smh.

I'll just create an arena on my own as advised in order to train others who've asked me to and not concern myself with any suggestions.

[FLS]

I prefer not posting examples of abusive behavior. I hope you understand.