Thoughts about P4

[Hellshade 110]

Actually I would like to see a change to the Easiest Claims forms - if it were possible. Is there any chance that if you have the claims forms set on easiest that it could autofill in the type of plane you shot down instead of the just saying "unknown aircraft"- confirmed. Instead, it would have a pre-made sentance with a few fill in the blanks that auto populate with the correct information such as :

 

On ______( Date) at ______ (time) I, _________ (Player pilot name) shot down a _________ (Enemy Aircraft Type).

 

If you shot down multiple planes it would literally just repeat that sentance putting in the correct variables for each plane. Or possibly even just have one sentance for each patrol that says "On ____ (date) while out on patrol I shot down the following aircraft:" and then list the planes below it.

 

Just an idea.

 

Hellshade

[Creaghorn 10]

Tell me more please.

Is this legacy code from CFS3?

If you bail do you survive 100% of the time - and then have to use the honor system to deterine your fate?

 

 

yes and yes .

you'll always survive. but you should only use it when flying for germany from march/april 1918 on. and then roll the dice. e.G. when havin 1-4, you live, 5-6, you die.

[Rickitycrate 10]

I would like to see the Observer aspects fleshed out a bit more. This would involve better pilot AI especially for landing. The stats for hitrate of the observers gun would be nice as well. So much of the observer sim is in there already but it would be swell to have an observer career and at some point be offered a pilots seat. Observing's an experience I find enjoyable. It would be particularly nice with the inclusion of heavey bombers. Seems this feature would really set P4 apart from any other.

 

I think for eye candy it would be so cool to have airfield crewmen. I see an occasional soldier or machine gun crew but no mechanics other than the guy taking a wizz in the corner.

Edited May 20, 2010 by Rickitycrate

[Rugbyfan1972 1]

This might be a long wish list. actually, I agree with all of you. Things Id luv to see in off. The long death rides when you do something dumb

Improvement in AI and what happens to them.

More Ops in quick combat and Fill in the missing aircraft already named in the

game.

A Campaign Manager where we can set up flights along the RB lines

Ring sights and or other goodies as we contiue to fly in the world of OFF.

( maybe be assigned a plane Jane or lesser performing aircraft till you make

Ace).

 

Carrick,

 

I agree, providing it doesnt' mean starting in 1918 flying an EIII, DH2 or early Nieuport, or the equivalent 2 seater variant. LOL

 

Thanks

Rugbyfan1972

[Barkhorn1x 14]

yes and yes

 

Danke.

[SirMike1983 3]

My usual-- would like to see a "personal plane" retention option for your pilot once you reach a certain rank/success level. For example, a French pilot career might hold on to a Nieuport after the rest of the pilots swap to Spads. Some aces were known for having favorites and keeping them as long as they could as personal machines.

[Toadvine 0]

My usual-- would like to see a "personal plane" retention option for your pilot once you reach a certain rank/success level. For example, a French pilot career might hold on to a Nieuport after the rest of the pilots swap to Spads. Some aces were known for having favorites and keeping them as long as they could as personal machines.

 

I dunno. I don't think any pilot would willingly hang on to an inferior plane. From what I have read they felt very challenged and morale suffered if pilots so much as thought they were going head to head against a foe in a superior plane. They all wanted the advantage of the best machine available and couldn't get their hands on them fast enough. They might be nostalgic about their old ride but all it would take is one encounter against a machine that could out gun, out climb, out dive, out run, or out turn yours and he would be ready to trade that puppy in, pronto.

[Duce Lewis 3]

I dunno. I don't think any pilot would willingly hang on to an inferior plane. From what I have read they felt very challenged and morale suffered if pilots so much as thought they were going head to head against a foe in a superior plane. They all wanted the advantage of the best machine available and couldn't get their hands on them fast enough. They might be nostalgic about their old ride but all it would take is one encounter against a machine that could out gun, out climb, out dive, out run, or out turn yours and he would be ready to trade that puppy in, pronto.

Deciding which plane is best differed very much between pilits

The US 1st Pursiut Group was very much split over switching from N.28's to Spad 13's

The 94th and 95th Fighter Squadrons very much wanted the Spads

The 27th and 147th were dissappointed and wanted to stay with their Nieup 28's

[rabu 9]

I would most like to see the map res increased somehow so that one can zoom in to more detail and see roads and land marks better.. maybe by having a smaller jpg map load for a smaller area that would still be within a couple of hours flying radius.. there's got to be some solution for this.

[12oclockhigh 0]

I think the radar (TAC) screen doesn't have to be removed completely. It can already be switched off if one wants to fly with more immersion, or you can make it show something else than aircraft - it makes a useful waypoint guide when switched to show ships, for example, as they don't exist in OFF, so you see nothing but the waypoint lines. And also one of OFF's greatest strengths is that the sim can be tailored for every kind of player with the workshop options. For beginner pilots or those who don't want to be hardcore all the time, the TAC is definitely useful.

 

Otherwise I agree with your post. Would be really nice to see the wingmen react more realistically to the environment.

 

 

Yes, the TAC is definitely useful and for me totally necessary, but only because there is no nothing else to take its place. I don't think, for me anyway, that turning it off is an option. My criticism of it is that it just feels and looks so out of place in this sim. If someone much smarter than me could come up with a workable solution that would replace it or make it an option for guys like me that would be awesome. As for waypoints a good map with well defined road and railways and rivers that pilots could follow could serve the same purpose and be more immersive. You could fly the old fashioned way or even warp along these natural waypoint lines. That's basically the way they navigated back then anyway.

[Duce Lewis 3]

Here's a idea that would add some drama to the sim

 

Concerning pilots shot down behind enmy lines or injured in combat

 

Instead of an immediate resolution and time advance, simply report 1 of the following:

1) Your pilot has been wounded and rushed to the hospital

2) Your pilot has been shot down behind enemy lines, situation unknown

 

Next sync the time with the computers Date/Time and let the player wait a few days for imformation

ex. If the pilot is injured for 21 days, then in real time he couldn't fly for a week

Roughly 1/3 so it's not too brutal a wait

 

There could be a lot of variability in the outcomes

 

Injured:

Died in surgery

Released early

Injury too severe to continue operations ... posted back to training

Escaped from the hospital and rejoined his M8's early

Miraculous recovery

Recovering normally then stricken with a mastoid infection so outcome is delayed further

 

Behind enemy lines:

Escaped after a few days

Taken prisoner

Died in crash

Shot while escaping

 

Player would have to enlist and fly a different pilot while he waits for news

[shredward 12]

Pilots with drag sometimes did hang on to favourite machines, long after the rest of the unit had received newer types. Jacobs loved and flew his Halb DII for as long as he could, and in 1918, awarded a case of champagne to anyone who could bring him a salvage LeRhone so he could keep his beloved black DrI in the air. Albert Ball hated the SE5, and flew his Noop on his lone wolf patrols with 56. There were several big time French aces who continued to fly Noops after their Escadrille had received Spuds. Later, many of those same pilots continued to fly the VII, long after junior members were flying the XIII.

Note that in every instance I've cited, the preferred a/c by certain aces was the more manoeuvrable machine.

Cheers,

shredward

 

 

 

[carrick58 23]

Carrick,

 

I agree, providing it doesnt' mean starting in 1918 flying an EIII, DH2 or early Nieuport, or the equivalent 2 seater variant. LOL

 

Thanks

Rugbyfan1972

 

 

RUGBY FAN: I just ment that Since they was little Standardization in the Air Services, The New Guy would get the bottom rung aircraft. For Example, The Oldest, The most patched up, The slowest ( low oil pressure) The most ill used looking or The Hanger Queen.

 

Here's a idea that would add some drama to the sim

 

Concerning pilots shot down behind enmy lines or injured in combat

 

Instead of an immediate resolution and time advance, simply report 1 of the following:

1) Your pilot has been wounded and rushed to the hospital

2) Your pilot has been shot down behind enemy lines, situation unknown

 

Next sync the time with the computers Date/Time and let the player wait a few days for imformation

ex. If the pilot is injured for 21 days, then in real time he couldn't fly for a week

Roughly 1/3 so it's not too brutal a wait

 

There could be a lot of variability in the outcomes

 

Injured:

Died in surgery

Released early

Injury too severe to continue operations ... posted back to training

Escaped from the hospital and rejoined his M8's early

Miraculous recovery

Recovering normally then stricken with a mastoid infection so outcome is delayed further

 

Behind enemy lines:

Escaped after a few days

Taken prisoner

Died in crash

Shot while escaping

 

Player would have to enlist and fly a different pilot while he waits for news

 

Duce: I like it.

[Hasse Wind 46]

This has been mentioned before, but I hope the promotion system will be changed (as the awards will be) for P4. Now it's far too easy to get promoted rapidly. My pilots, if they live, usually reach the highest rank available for their nation and service within a few weeks of game time, and that's definitely too fast.

[DukeIronHand 8]

I would most like to see the map res increased somehow so that one can zoom in to more detail and see roads and land marks better.. maybe by having a smaller jpg map load for a smaller area that would still be within a couple of hours flying radius.. there's got to be some solution for this.

 

I gotta agree big-time on this one!!

 

With the rest of the sim so polished and well done the map is like some hideous slap to the cortex when called up.

[Hellshade 110]

I gotta agree big-time on this one!!

 

With the rest of the sim so polished and well done the map is like some hideous slap to the cortex when called up.

 

You know, I would agree with you on the map resolution needing to be upgraded except for one tiny detail. It helps serve to remind me just how far OBD Software has advanced this engine from what they had to start with. It really is nothing short of a man made miracle when you compare the map vs the rest of the game that they have changed. Even still, if they could find a way to increase the resolution it would be awesome.

 

Hellshade

[carrick58 23]

You know, I would agree with you on the map resolution needing to be upgraded except for one tiny detail. It helps serve to remind me just how far OBD Software has advanced this engine from what they had to start with. It really is nothing short of a man made miracle when you compare the map vs the rest of the game that they have changed. Even still, if they could find a way to increase the resolution it would be awesome.

 

Hellshade

 

 

I kinda agree with this one. I almost never know where My victims crash However, the same map helps get me back.

[nbryant 8]

I haven't seen it noted anywhere yet but I would like to see a more realistic approach to aircraft availability from the stand point of assets being lost or damaged. Seems the game accounts for losing pilots but no matter how many aircaft are lost during a mission there always seems to be replacements available.

 

I recently began a campaign with the Esc Laf.... we launched 2 flights, one of 5 aircraft the second with 6. During the mission we lost 6 aircraft and I crash landed upon return due to damaged gear. Two hours later we were launching 2 more flights with almost as many aircraft.

 

 

[Morris 2]

For me it would be great if the following is possible in P4

 

1. Different aircraft to chose from before a sortie (DR1 or Alb DVa and Fokker DVII) during the same time span.

2. Flying with different Aces in your flight.

3. Upgrading of the airfields. Some airfields bigger and different looking. More aircraft visible next to the airfield and the dogs need to bark louder.

 

m

[Gous 0]

From my point of view, the first and foremost immersion killer is the "bloodthirsty animal" behavior of the AI. I am not talking about aggressiveness, but persistence of the interception. The reason why every dogfight eventually becomes a bloodbath, is because the AI won't settle until it sees it's enemy hit the ground. If a dogfight occurs at 10.000 feet above the lines, and one or two aircraft decide to run for it, diving towards their side, it is almost sure that someone will pursuit them. And the fun part is that the guys chasing them will not break the chase even if it is 10 miles behind enemy lines with flak all around. In WWI, if someone decided to dive towards their side of the lines, it would be almost sure that he would not have a madman on its tail, ignoring every danger just to get the kill. What I want to see is a more "human" AI. MUCH more defensive and careful. Not pansy AI though. If we turn round and round and he gets on my six, I want him to chop my tail to pieces. (and in P3 this happens just fine) I want tacticians, not enraged barbarians who will chase you up to Berlin or Paris. And of course, aircraft which have been damaged, must fly towards their side more often. But since each aircraft is piloted by a different person, it would be a cool feature if each pilot/aircraft had a different "stance" which would be determined let's say by a die roll at the beginning of each combat. One pilot may be just aggressive but careful, another would be a pure chicken, another would be an absolute madman etc. etc. If this stuff could be implemented, then the casualties from both sides would be significantly lowered and maybe you wouldn't get 3 kills per flight as a player.

 

Another nice feature would be this: When the AI is on the lead, and you are under attack by flak, it would be a great idea to split the formation and proceed to evasive flak manoueveres. I am talking about the AI pilots of course.

 

Random engine failures.

 

Ability to fly alongside Aces in the same sortie.

 

Ability to fly on a lone wolf patrol once in a while, whenever you decide, if you are an Ace. (just like Bishop did)

 

And of course, one very important feature would be to connect the mission with the campaign, when it comes to squadron casualties. When I see a wingman of mine crashing, it would be amazing if the OFF engine determines the outcome of the crash, and kills, injures, captures the pilot in the campaign as well. But this would be good only if the AI would be more defensive, therefore no more bloodbaths (or one bloodbath per 2 weeks or whatever...)

 

Just my two cents as a past P2 player, RB player, P3 reviewer etc. etc.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Gous

[groumf 0]

Here's some features that would be great in P4 (and the following phases!) :

 

1. More visible damages from the cockpit : bullet impacts in wings, canvas and windshield...

 

2. More "random bullet effect" : in OFF (like in mostly flight sims) you have to inflict heavy damages or to destroy a plane to shot him while in Red baron, sometimes you could kill a pilot with one bullet or make an ennemy plane burning with a few bullets.

 

3. New aircrafts, : Heavy bombers like Handley Page, DH4 or the terrific Gotha GV, the fearsom german Rumpler, pfalz DXII, Albatros C type, french bombers such as Breguet 14 or Salmson 2A.2, Sopwith Snipe (a great fighter in the late 1918, for competing with Fokker "razor"!)...

I agree with hellshade who says that some more early aircrafts would be awesome : allied : Caudron, Farman F40, Morane Saulnier N, and even Voisin (first WW1 dogfight winner, on october 1914), German or austrian Aviatik and LVGCII... These old planes could be added in an "early years" expansion or something like that (of course, for players that doesn't mind flying these slow and not agile aircrafts !).

 

4. New flyiable vehicules : Zeppelin, airship and, why not... balloon ! (just for the pleasureof observing ennemy troops with binoculars or bail out as ennemy aircrafts approach )

 

5. Machine guns : mouvements of Firing pins or Lewis drums while firing, munition meter (fokker DRI, DVII), reloading.

 

6. Ambulance when you crash on/near your airfield

7. Starting engine : Props turned by the mechanics

8. Pilot gesture : increase/decrase gas, mixture, firing, reloading...

9. Miscellaneous : possibility to open or close the kind of "window"over pilot's head on the upper wing for Albatros DIII and DV, improved gunsight for Nieuport 11, nieuport 24, Fokker E III and RE8 (observer's lewis machine gun), details like rain or snow on windshield.

 

Here is a long list of (unrealistic ?) ideas ! Maybe some of them are applicable, but I guess that it would take more than one new phase !

Anyway, OFF is a fantastic sim yet and I really enjoy flying these wood and canvas airplanes !

[Duce Lewis 3]

A few more ideas:

 

1. Enable wingmen to follow the player in a climb steeper than 10^o

 

2. Set the airfield turf to match the local area

This is especially apparent at the front where airbases stand out as green postage stamps amidst the mud

Replacing the pristiine trees here with some broken stumps would be nice too

 

3. Have Ack Ack guns stop firing at planes in aerial combat

I think this was common practice at the time

And I have been blown outta the sky many times by friendly fire ...but never seen the adversary in front of me get hit

This doesn't apply to MG's just the Archie fire

[Barkhorn1x 14]

And I have been blown outta the sky many times by friendly fire ...but never seen the adversary in front of me get hit

 

That's because they were aiming at that guy. If they were aiming at you then you would not get hit.

[chrispdm1 1]

How about damage from the observer guns on your own machine, ala IL2... I'm sick of getting shot down by observers shooting through their planes surfaces ie... front wings, etc. I suppose the ai would continue to do so with damage though, wouldn't they? they would hav eto be coded to stop shooting when damge is inflicted on their own plane? just a thought

[+Polovski 460]

We have said this before but worth another mention. Regarding the number of kills- there is a huge amount of variables at play from date of combat, craft types, enemy craft, skill of those squads you meet in that region at that time etc, personal game settings, personal aids, radar, trackir or not. the fact that you all mostly have 100's or many 1000's of hours of virtual flying 100's of deaths probably (very unlike some pilots in WW1 of course) etc. However also in all this one thing is not present in any sim, the absolute real fear of dying. One real life at stake, one chance.

 

This alone would make real fliers much much more cautious, break off at the slightest danger. So to make the kill "numbers" absolutely real even if we had absolutely human-perfect AI, YOU the player will still take more risks than real life. Even if you play cautiously, I'll bet you occasionally neglect to look behind or take more bullet hits from a 2 seater than you should as you try for that kill, or maybe cannot be bothered to dodge weave etc in flak or when behind the 2 seater. I mentioned before as a joke if we made the sim format your C: drive if you died once it might give you a small taste of fear and help the kill numbers