Author Topic: Increase DAR bar and radar height  (Read 1614 times)

Offline Mister Fork

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Increase DAR bar and radar height
« on: October 11, 2017, 11:47:52 AM »
One of the biggest gameplay changes was made years ago was the lowering of the radar height. I don't remember the exact reason why HTC did it - but I think it was to stop a type of gameplay that they and a lot of the community felt was ruining the game.  It, in my opinion, ruined one element of our game - missions.  One of the joys of missions, was to sneak under radar and pop up and attack an airfield - JUST AS ENEMY FORCES DID IN WWII.  It was called 'sneak attack'.  Lowering the dar bar to a ridiculous low height meant that sneak attacks were useless - and it also ended the use of missions as a method to do a sneak attack resulted in seal clubbing by the defending airfields.

So - in an effort to stop the gaming of the radar, we lowered it to 60 feet (or something close) and you also appeared on the SECTOR radar as well. So, forget it. Might as well up and bash it out in the quake-style gameplay outside an enemy airfield. And forget using the mission builder. It's not worth it anymore.

My proposal, is to
- a) increase the radar tower height to 300 feet ASL/AGL,
- b) below 300 feet, don't appear on the sector radar bar.


It will encourage mission creation and allow forces to coordinate raids on enemy airfields with NOE raids. Just as they did in WWII.

That is all. :salute

« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 11:51:09 AM by Mister Fork »
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Offline Wiley

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Re: Increase DAR bar height
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2017, 11:50:38 AM »
-1.  Not a fan of returning to the Whack-A-Mole days of yore.

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Offline Chris79

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2017, 11:53:45 AM »
Flying NOE is not difficult, i used to fly NOE intruder missions to strats with TU2's overland. Heck, over water its easy to fly under dot dar. So -1


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Offline ImADot

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2017, 12:01:24 PM »
My recollection is the dot radar (only visible once inside an active radar circle) is 65 feet AGL. The sector counters (darbar) will show for aircraft above 250 feet AGL. The settings are easily seen in the arena settings.

I see no reason to change either one. It's easy to fly under 250' to not show on darbar. By the time you hit the radar ring at the base you're trying to sneak, it's pretty much too late to mount a strong defense.

If your argument is that you can't sneak across a few sectors because there are other bases in your way, then adjust your tactics. Don't be lazy and fly direct to your target...send out jabos to take down all the radar in the area...attack one of the closer bases and work your way into the territory...don't play a combat game if you don't want to engage in actual combat...etc.
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Offline Zoney

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2017, 12:35:03 PM »
-1

This does not promote fights, it avoids them.

I would like to see the numbers comparing NOE WW2 missions to those with alt and escorts.  I very much doubt it was a high percentage of NOE missions.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2017, 12:36:50 PM by Zoney »
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Offline haggerty

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2017, 05:21:43 AM »
+1, but not for 300ft.

Currently you show no darbar if you are under 250ft, which is fine in my book.  The killer is that you need to be under 60ft to be under radar, but even clipping trees your entire flight you are easily over 60ft.  Under dar should be raised to atleast 100ft.  That way you can stay under if you are really trying, but a mission would be spotted as not everyone would be able to maintain that in rolling terrain.
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Offline thndregg

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2017, 05:48:39 AM »
+1, but not for 300ft.

Currently you show no darbar if you are under 250ft, which is fine in my book.  The killer is that you need to be under 60ft to be under radar, but even clipping trees your entire flight you are easily over 60ft.  Under dar should be raised to atleast 100ft.  That way you can stay under if you are really trying, but a mission would be spotted as not everyone would be able to maintain that in rolling terrain.

I would even go for this. I understand both sides. Good point about the NOE/tree aspect.
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Offline atlau

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2017, 09:53:57 AM »
What about having terrain create radar blind spots? Currently the AH3 radar can see through mountains....

Offline DubiousKB

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2017, 09:59:20 AM »
What about having terrain create radar blind spots? Currently the AH3 radar can see through mountains....

Better yet, mobile radar via the m3!  :banana:   I knew he was testing something out, that's why HiTech kicked the troops out!  :devil
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Offline 100Coogn

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2017, 10:19:17 AM »
Better yet, mobile radar via the m3!  :banana:   I knew he was testing something out, that's why HiTech kicked the troops out!  :devil

Something like this, maybe?

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Offline Wiley

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2017, 10:33:13 AM »
What about having terrain create radar blind spots? Currently the AH3 radar can see through mountains....

I'd support realistic LOS for radar.  Possibly with slightly longer ranges, realistic range might be a bit much.

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Offline Mister Fork

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2017, 10:57:08 AM »
I'd support realistic LOS for radar.  Possibly with slightly longer ranges, realistic range might be a bit much.

Wiley.
+1

The challenge we have is that Aces High tower and sector radars don't take into account hill and mountain blindspots. It sees through everything. 100 feet would be an ideal to stop a majority of the the 'wack-a-mole' the players complain about.   I now have another wishlist item.
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Offline popeye

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2017, 10:59:53 AM »
What about having terrain create radar blind spots? Currently the AH3 radar can see through mountains....

...but can't see an aircraft carrier 2 miles away.   :O
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Offline 1ijac

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2017, 11:10:58 AM »
The way things are now, all someone has to do is to hit the radar at the target base and the enemy won't see the icons or dar bar if you are under 200 or whatever.  You are always going to blink the base.

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Offline atlau

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Re: Increase DAR bar and radar height
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2017, 12:18:05 PM »
...but can't see an aircraft carrier 2 miles away.   :O

Good point. However if cvs are detected at range it would make cv takes damn near impossible against a land based defense.