"point of no return" line and fighter hopping impr

[nevered]

let me first say that I am playing the demo for now. When I get internet access in my new apartment (I'm on the library's network right now), I'll probly go for the full game, so If anything I suggest here has already been added, just say so.

First improvement: 'point of no return' line. when deploying fighters, there is a line that shows just how far away the fighter can fly before it runs out of fuel. This is fine, but by the time the fighter gets there, it runs out of fuel and dies.

I'd like to see another line: marking just how far the fighter can be deployed, and still have enough fuel to return to base. I find that late game, I tend to run out of fighters. (Which may be a symptom of my usual strategy, listed below)



Second improvement: well, right now my strategy for winning big pacific battles is to line up my air bases along the coast, and setting a fleet of four carriers at the limit of the bases' range in the pacific.

Once defcon 3 comes, I begin launching all the fighters from the carriers towards the battle, (I've usually located the enemy fleet by now, and bullets are beginning to fly) and I begin launching some of the fighters from the bases towards the carriers, which then refuel them and launch them as reinforcements towards the battle

Here's where the problem comes in: launching a fighter towards the carriers is possible, but when the fighter reaches that area, it turns and begins heading home, running out of fuel and crashing. In order for them to properly land, I have to manually tell each one to land on its proper carrier.

I'd like the "deploy fighter" command to recognize other bases, so that you can deploy a fighter and tell it to land somewhere else in the same command, without having to wait for it to launch and giving it the command manually.




Just out of curiosity, if I were to use that strategy in a real 6 way free-for-all, I'd probably get owned, right?

[xander]

Both of these suggestions have been made before. Many, many times. Especially the point of no return line. Why don't you play the game a bit more, learn how it works, &c. You will begin to see why those things are not necessary, and may even detract from the game. If, after you have played the game for a couple of weeks, and mastered play against other players, and you still think that these things are problems (and the fighter AI is, maybe, a real problem), then come back here, use the search link at the top of the page, find a similar topic, and post there, instead of creating yet another topic with the same old idea.

xander

[Montyphy]

Here's where the problem comes in: launching a fighter towards the carriers is possible, but when the fighter reaches that area, it turns and begins heading home, running out of fuel and crashing. In order for them to properly land, I have to manually tell each one to land on its proper carrier.

Fighters try to land at the closest possible place once they complete an order and don't have an enemy target within range. If they decide to fly back to your airbases instead of trying the carrier, despite it being closer, then it is because your carriers are full. In essence, when moving planes make sure there is space at the intended destination so that they may land. Also, remember that carriers start off full (i.e. 5 fighters and 2 bombers) whereas airfields not only start off with more units but have capacity for many more.

In regards to you losing fighters, you should notice that as long as a fighter has an enemy unit (fleet or plane) within its target range it will disregard any orders you give it to land and instead try to engage the enemy until it is destroyed. This is why it is not wise to send all your fighters at once when naval/sea scouting.

[Rogviler]

The polite answer is that it's pretty easy to tell how far a fighter can go and still make it back, just take the distance from the launch point to the blue line and cut it in half. It's a luxury that there's even a blue line to begin with.

But keep in mind that if they encounter anything at the farthest point, or if you have them target anything along the way, they're going to use fuel chasing it down anyway, so even estimating is largely useless. That's why you get so many fighters and why they eventually replenish.

I do agree that the fighter AI stinks. I can say for certain that if I was flying along and passed an enemy fighter shooting at me, I wouldn't just wave at them and keep going... "Run Forrest, run!"

But it's probably something having to do with balance in the game. They would be pretty powerful if they auto-targeted like bombers do.

-Rog

[snwcrsh]

hm, i dont know.. but maybe they could auto-target other fighters (nothing else). that would get rid of some nasty MM. (yes i hate that, especially when people are crying for speed)

[Rogviler]

hm, i dont know.. but maybe they could auto-target other fighters (nothing else). that would get rid of some nasty MM. (yes i hate that, especially when people are crying for speed)

That's not bad. I think it's easy enough to target bombers and ships manually, but other fighters are a real pain, especially when they're going in and out of radar. That would make a good beta test release, and then people could decide if it makes anything unbalanced.

-Rog

[Bad Intel]

I've found the carrier's vision range to be just about spot on as a point-of-no-return reference for fighters. This is assuming the carrier is stopped and the fighter engages nothing.

[daset]

<snip>

[xander]

Um... daset? I do not see, nor have I ever seen, any such option. There is no button named "GUI Editor" (though there is a "Style Editor"), and, in the Style Editor, there is no option for "Halfway Fuel Lines." Perhaps you could post some screenshots?

xander

[daset]

<snip>

[Sirthomasthegreat]

not working for me.

[Xocrates]

Screenies

www.kj2301.3sdf/1ds3/a.html ?

I'm unsure if this is amusing or just plain sad.

[Montyphy]

EVERYONE LOOK AT ME!!! I'm so clever! I can make fake claims supported by randomly generated links! Now admire the size of my WANG!

[daset]

<snip>

[NukeLord]

Now admire the size of my WANG!

This link works fine (though i'd go see someone about your wang problem Montyphy)