The Last Change for P3....

[+Winder 32]

I have seen the poll and discussion on the player vs enemy numbers and there seems to be a bit of a better appreciation of the additional flight that accompanies you to your objective.

 

But some history....

 

In P2 the workshop settings for Player Fight desnsity were added in to help users on lower end PCs set up a player flight that has fewer craft to lessen CPU load esp on take-off where the other craft are close by - in P2 the enemy was mostly spawns.

 

Now in P3 this setting was a problem in that it still allowed the user of a low end PC to dial in a lower player flight density whilst facing true opposition based on a database of enemy weightings (flights and numbers in flights bases on historical research) what we call an order of battles database or OOB.

 

So prior to the SP1.32 players who selected a low flight density to help CPU power actually disadvantaged themeselves by always then having a low number of craft in the player flight and hence always outnumbered.

 

Similarly if you select high fligh density (IOW you have a good PC) you would always outnumber the enemy - again a problem especially in the early war years when flights had a smaller complement.

 

So now in 1.32 the players flight is alwasy set up according to the OOB and sometimes you will outnumber the enemy other times you wont and as repeatedly stated you must also take into account the extra flight in this balance as well.

This works well now as many years have gone by and users PCs are much better on average so no need to lessen teh number of craft in the players flight.

 

But I am prepared to make one last change to P3 for those that always want to win the war:

 

The poll is thus:

 

Do you want a setting that overides the OOB and always makes the campaign generate low AI numbers in their flights?

The players flight will thus always be according to the OOB (makes it immersive) but the enemy flight will be capped to a complement of say 3 max craft or less if this is selected in workshops.

 

Of course there are a couple of hundred other ways you can approach survival no matter the odds in workshops - from pilot never dies to gun ratings etc etc but well if you want this you can have it.

 

This will be the last feature change for P3 and I invite all to vote.

 

 

WM

[Olham 164]

I haven't clicked any choice yet, cause I wonder if there would be another possible way:

Could you give those people a workshop choice, that will always equal out the player's with

the enemy's flight?

So, when player comes with 8 craft (flight 1 + flight 2), the enemy might come with 7-9 craft.

Just an idea, that might please some. I can't imagine, anyone wanted it too easy.

[Hasse Wind 46]

I'd rather see you devote your energy and resources to P4 and of course the add-ons before that.

[Rickitycrate 10]

I love what I have. Only want more of your beautiful planes sir. I'm a greedy sort but not unappreciative.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

I'd rather see you devote your energy and resources to P4 and of course the add-ons before that.

 

I agree...I think it's reached it's peak with the superpatch personaly.... and would rather tend to look at the addon pack?

[Check Six 2]

I'm pretty happy with the sim as it is, and I'd like to add a huge thank you to the devs for their work so far in add-ons, patches, enhancements etc, as this is the last effort before a well-deserved hiatus.

 

OBD Crew...take some time off guys. Relax. Rest your mind and think of simple things in life.

 

Come back when you're good and ready, sit down, and "brainstorm" out the alterations/additions/modifications you've been planning/thinking about for phase 4. Good luck with all your endeavours, enjoy your break, and we'll be hearing from you soon.

[Vasco 3]

I'd rather have a option to set 'Regional Air Activity' to 'Historical' to save me having to adjust it manually.

 

Just my twopenneth worth.

 

Vasco

[OlPaint01 0]

IMHO, since OFF is depicting historical presidence, I favor OOB as the guiding principle.

 

OlPaint01

[Fortiesboy 3]

As you have invited everyone to vote, I will- Mind you, I am not an avid campaign guy.

Having said that, when i do fly campaign, I do not find it easy.

I don't think that giving an option to lower AI numbers will make it too easy either.

 

So, if this option is put in, I don't think it will hurt those who want the Status Quo,

 

And it might retain those who otherwise may get a sense of "I don't seem to get any progress with my success in this sim " The fact that they may think like that is not a reflection against the sim, it would just be a learning curve thing.

 

And the option may make the diff.

 

So, it being an option, I vote for it.

[Bullethead 12]

Do you want a setting that overides the OOB and always makes the campaign generate low AI numbers in their flights?

The players flight will thus always be according to the OOB (makes it immersive) but the enemy flight will be capped to a complement of say 3 max craft or less if this is selected in workshops

 

Personally, no. And while I in theory support the right of other players to play the game however they want, I have to balance that against what I want. What I want is for OBD to sell me new products, so I get more stuff and they make money to stay in business and make me even more stuff in the future. Thus, I don't want to see development money sunk into a no-profit thing like another large mod for the existing product. Sure, fix the odd bug in 1.32, but don't waste any more time on it than that. Make me new stuff!

 

I don't think folks appreciate just how big a freebie the 1.32 superpatch was. A LOT of work obviously went into that, and OBD didn't make a cent on it, because it was just a patch for an existing product. At most, it might turn a few would-be RoF heads, but seriously, OBD can't expect much of a return on this large investment of time, talent, and labor. I look at the superpatch as an unexpected and undeserved present from OBD to the customers. So all of us should just say "Thanks".

 

Anyway, on the numbers thing, I think things are fine as they are. In fact, I use both high and low player flight densities. Sometimes I think the high setting gives me too many wingmen for the time and place, so I use the low setting. Sometimes the reverse. And this is whether or not 1st Flight is along with me or not. Once in a while, I get totally gangbanged, but guess what? C'est la guerre. War is Hell.

[Rickitycrate 10]

Personally, no. And while I in theory support the right of other players to play the game however they want, I have to balance that against what I want. What I want is for OBD to sell me new products, so I get more stuff and they make money to stay in business and make me even more stuff in the future. Thus, I don't want to see development money sunk into a no-profit thing like another large mod for the existing product. Sure, fix the odd bug in 1.32, but don't waste any more time on it than that. Make me new stuff!

 

I don't think folks appreciate just how big a freebie the 1.32 superpatch was. A LOT of work obviously went into that, and OBD didn't make a cent on it, because it was just a patch for an existing product. At most, it might turn a few would-be RoF heads, but seriously, OBD can't expect much of a return on this large investment of time, talent, and labor. I look at the superpatch as an unexpected and undeserved present from OBD to the customers. So all of us should just say "Thanks".

 

Anyway, on the numbers thing, I think things are fine as they are. In fact, I use both high and low player flight densities. Sometimes I think the high setting gives me too many wingmen for the time and place, so I use the low setting. Sometimes the reverse. And this is whether or not 1st Flight is along with me or not. Once in a while, I get totally gangbanged, but guess what? C'est la guerre. War is Hell.

Thank you sir for your elloquence. I agree with your points and as a matter of fact I explain to my wife that it seems that the super patch made OFF a new game for me. Someone here called the patch "OFF 3.5", I find that well said also.

[BirdDogICT 3]

I vote with Bullethead, RickityCrate, & Widowmaker. Couldn't agree more...

 

I applaud the developers for listening to end users, but this is sometimes too much of a good thing. I've worked in market research for the last 20 years, and have to say that the customer isn't always right. It's easy to be misled. When you ask customers to design the perfect fudge brownie, you end up with something with the consistency of a chocolate milkshake. Who really wants that?

 

I urge the developers to stay on the task of developing P4.

 

Cheers

[rabu 9]

I haven't clicked any choice yet, cause I wonder if there would be another possible way:

Could you give those people a workshop choice, that will always equal out the player's with

the enemy's flight?

So, when player comes with 8 craft (flight 1 + flight 2), the enemy might come with 7-9 craft.

Just an idea, that might please some. I can't imagine, anyone wanted it too easy.

 

I think it's fine the way it is too, but this is a good idea for those who want an even playing field, even if it is unrealistic, it would give them the option, which some would enjoy more.

[77Scout 3]

I'll echo the others...realistic flight sizes is the only criteria I am interested in. If some people want and 'easy button' that is fine by me, but I wouldn't use it myself.

[Vogel 0]

I'd rather see you spend the time reconsidering the recent patches increase in the amount of AA, it's accuracy, and the increase in the amount of artillery fire and the annoying new sound levels.

[+Winder 32]

I'd rather see you spend the time reconsidering the recent patches increase in the amount of AA, it's accuracy, and the increase in the amount of artillery fire and the annoying new sound levels.

 

Prior to the patch the AA was totally inaccurate and ineffective so I am sure you preferred that.

 

1) Adjust the AA effectiveness and groundfire in workshops thats what its for.

 

2) Adjust sound levels of effects in workshops that's what the settings are for.

 

When you have exhausted all those options start a poll.

Do not start a poll unless you have at least tried the options.

 

Then I might consider if the numbers support it.

 

So far in this poll I cannot see an OOB override being implemented.

And until you have experimented with settings to see if you can get what you want wrt FLAK and sound levels and I see no poll in favour, then I am afraid your request will go the same way.

 

Folk complained that the inaccurate flak (reduced and made inaccurate since OFF release due to the same complaints) no longer showed where enemy craft are.

 

Now that its more accurate in 1.32 you will see the flak close to enemy craft and it will reveal their location - exactly as we have seen and users have posted they like this now!

The downside as Pol and I pointed out at the time is that it will start to hit the player and so it does....

 

Turn it down.

 

 

HTH

 

 

WM

[+Winder 32]

I'd rather have a option to set 'Regional Air Activity' to 'Historical' to save me having to adjust it manually.

 

Just my twopenneth worth.

 

Vasco

 

 

We cannot do this as at the moment as we (and you) do not have enough CPU/GPU power.

So users must select what suits their PCs.

Balance is always maintained with the scaling.

 

HTH

 

WM

[Gous 0]

From Murphy's Law:

 

"Buyers of computer software don't really know what they want from the software they are purchasing, but they sure know what they DON'T want in the software they are purchasing."

 

I voted "No". You guys take some time off, and brace yourselves for P4/add-on packs. Good Luck and take care. You have never ceased to amaze us all these years and I am sure you won't let us down in the future.

Edited August 13, 2009 by Gous

[Red-Dog 3]

The sims in the best condition it's ever been,like most of the others here i've been flying since day one and even though sometimes you can get a bit miffed if your having a bad day we just keep coming back for more and more because we all know there as not been a sim with so much support from the dev's before.So i'll vote No it's fine just as it is.....

[Luftace 0]

I as well agree that the sim is just fine as it is. I would just simply like to say once again, Thankyou.

[themightysrc 5]

I voted against the change, simply because I don't see the need for it.

 

We're all pretending to be WWI pilots - I rather suspect they didn't get much choice about ambient conditions in the air, including enemy density.

 

My position is that if you're outnumbered - learn how to run away. It'll make you a much better combat pilot in the long run.

[SirMike1983 3]

I prefer the more historical, busier activity-- I voted no. I'd rather move on to the new planes and add-ons at this point.

[godzilla1985 0]

No vote for me also, and thanks for the superpatch guy's

[Hellshade 110]

No need, please.

 

1. If the campaign is too hard, use workshop settings to reduce AI gun skill, etc to make it easier or else fly Missions or QC to get your skills up.

2. If you are out numbered, running away is a tactical option that the real pilots and Aces employed to fight another day (except maybe Voss)

3. The latest patch (OFF 3.5 as I call it) is fabulous. It's like a whole new game. There's plenty for me to do to keep me happy with a ton of options. Thank you for all of them.

4. You have a plane pak to finish, P4 to build and (last time you looked) families and jobs to attend to. You have enough on your plate.

 

1.32C is outstanding as is. Please know that IMHO and in the opinion of many others, you folks have crafted the finest, most historically accurate and option laden WWI flight sim ever developed. You may certainly move forward on other projects knowing that nothing is perfect, but nothing else comes close either.

 

Hellshade

[saltysplash 0]

If it aint broke, then dont fix it.

 

OFF for me is a simulation. If my pilot last only 8 hrs flying time then thats the way it is.

 

He may die due to inferior equipment, lack of training or mearly from a moments lack of concentration because ive been enjoying the view rather than keeping my eyes peeled.

 

Thats war

 

and OFF is as close as it gets.