Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

[DrJambo]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

The trouble I see with simply improving the AA sites is that the jets can actually take them out more easily than vice versa. I don't see how this will be any different post-patch. A couple of sprays from the cannon and it's game over for the man in the AA site.

Furthermore, using the jet versus jet argument doesn't hold, since the winner of the first dogfight can often just keep strafing the opposition's jet respawn point preventing the enemy from launching any form of air retaliation. Wake Island and Gulf of Oman spring to mind as particularly bad maps for this.

[Princess_Frosty]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

Some nice ideas but a few technical flaws.

Missiles would blow up more accurately on planes that helicopters for the majorety of the time, the reason being that for the most part people shoot at planes moving away from them (even if a plane is moving towards you its not for very long)

Since the missile is aproaching an object that is moving in the same direction at a great speed its speed RELATIVE to the plane is going to be slower than its speed relative to a helicopter which on average is moving fairly slowly.

The detonation would be closer to the helicopter doing more damage which would probably render them useless.

Theres 2 main problems in my eyes, AA useablity and aircraft strength. The aircraft strength is easy to fix, simply lower their armour. Helicopters and planes should NOT need 3+ tank shells to die, it should be 1 tank shell = dead heli.

AA useability, the lock code needs to improve, i think a blast radius and proximity radius will cause more problems than it will solve, for instance a head on plane to an AA site will aproach the missile SO fast that it would probably detonate close enough to take it out in one hit.

I think a physical connection with the plane should be needed, the turning strength of the missiles needs to be about 95% of the plane, so they can follow it for along time before they lose track, adn that some clever evasive moves by the pilot is required (such as barrel rolls, loop the loops etc)

[TokenBrit]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

The problem isn't with the missile themselves, it is shoddy netcode.
Fire up single player Dalian Plant, head south and grab the attack chopper as the USMC. The chinese will grab the other flag and get the AA vehicle. This damn thing will pwn the **** out of you in double time.

The missiles getting a proximity fuse MIGHT help, but really its impossible to say without testing. This would certainly need to the missiles needing a much greater blast radius, and I'm not sure that wont lead to negative consequences in some other way.

I think the best way to remedy some of the problems would be to FORCE a missile to only track the target that it is locked onto at missle launch, bar any flares in the area. If a jet could still out maneouvre a missle it would still be able to shake it, but it would require PRECISE timing, not the current BS of a jet just turning and the missile acquiring some other target.

As far as your suggestion about reducing aeroplane armour goes, I have no idea how that will work out. Given that it is nigh on impossible to hit a jet currently, it's very difficult to gauge just how much damage the current missiles do. I have such little experience of this it would be ignorant of me to comment further so I won't.

It still amazes me that when I played Tribes 2 back in the day, missiles worked. This was a game designed to play on 56k modems, I personally often played with a ping of 3/400 and still the missiles worked just fine to hit air vehicles moving at 250km/h. In this modern world of high speed connections however it seems that its impossible to replicate the netcode of yesteryear and I find that very disappointing.

[Robske007a]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

Would the proximity fuse not result in more teamkills, due to the fact most attack choppers are duelling in close combat, for example?

Ok, you could say, well don't fire AA when attack choppers are at each others throat :)

thats what the vulcans (guns) are for. when aiming on the pilot's seat you can shoot them out

[$hArp$h0t]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

The proximity fuse is an interesting concept but I think rather then having a larger blast radius, the IGLAs can act like claymores...the missile can detonate 50 feet behind the jet it's pursuing and send a directional blast to the jet like claymores do. It doesn't have to shoot an actual explosion, the IGLAs can shoot metal shrapnel from the missile itself at the jet. This is better then simply a larger blast radius because the indirect fire can cause FF. I also feel that jets should have a complex damage system like troops...for example you get a headshot on a troop, he's dead, you shoot his leg he's only wounded. I know that the jet has a damage system like shooting the front does more damage then shooting the tail fin but in reality...damaging a tail fin would result in the jet crashing or becoming a highly unstable platform.

[Boojie]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

I also really dont see the airpower dominance... I mean they do but its not at the point that on ever server you play you are constantly getting smoked by the jets...

Quote of the Day award.

We must all be making it up for no reason. A conspircacy?

[WarGimp]

Re: Serious Suggestion on how to Fix Plane Issues

Hehe... who dug up this thread?

Interesting to re-read my thoughts on the topic in the light of the forthcoming patch notes.

I still think this suggestion is the best way to go. However, Dice's solution may work well enough. Choppers are going to have to get used to flying seriously low. Nape of the Earth flying is gonna be the only way to avoid getting dead.

I just really, REALLY hope there's a reliable way to swat planes. It shouldn't be impossible to fly, but you should have a hard time of it if the AA is up and running.

The problem isn't with the missile themselves, it is shoddy netcode.
[Snip]
It still amazes me that when I played Tribes 2 back in the day, missiles worked. This was a game designed to play on 56k modems, I personally often played with a ping of 3/400 and still the missiles worked just fine to hit air vehicles moving at 250km/h. In this modern world of high speed connections however it seems that its impossible to replicate the netcode of yesteryear and I find that very disappointing.

You have to remember a few things here...

The T2 netcode was genious. Extremely well written. The game itself also wasn't nearly as resource intensive. Dynamix was great at cutting corners graphicly and getting away with it.

Also, Shrikes didn't move nearly as quickly as BF2 planes do... and it was damned hard to peg them off.

BTW, the T2 missiles had prox fuses

The delay on 'em was enough to let the missile slam into you most of the time... but I saw quite a few instances where it would go through the target and blow on the other side or early... especially when used against guys using their jetpacks.