Posted: 29 Apr 2007, 00:34
I fail to see how this solution is more realistic madrat..
In real life (most realistic place there is) fighters/interceptors are not kept grounded at a base until enemy units are detected, this would be folly. Instead rotating patrols of aircraft are looped out around the base or defensive area, and are ususally coordinating with an AWACS or other radar center. Said center then usually vectors said figthers/interceptors torwards any enemy targets penetrating its detection range. Now why does this not work specifically exactly well in Spring.. 1 Reason, of which NOTA has done a superior job of addressing than any other mod ( I like NOTA alot btw) 1. Range, in spring even a big map pales in comparison with the size of aerial battles in real life, modern radar can go out to 200+ miles, and detect incoming enemy fighters, most modern missiles have ranges out to 10+ miles some up to 80. In spring I think on a Large map were looking at 10 miles square max, if even, usually with ranges about 1/10th of real life counterparts. In order to make interception work like this you would need to reduce the scale significantly and the speed of units in order to make the battlespace seem larger and accomidate actualy range feels. NOTA does this, now its not perfect, but its the closest there is at the moment. For most mods there is no real reason to intercept targets, why well bluntly it cant be done, and if it were set up to be possible by increasing radar range, and fighter weapons range, it would quickly make those units very OP within the constrains of the mod. Essentially the only way to deal with this is to go the route that NOTA has taken, scale down stuff, increase ranges, and RADAR, and then differentiate aircraft based on function using not only weapons and counters but also flight altitude.
The Only game I can think of that had something that functioned in a manner to alleviate fighter patroling, was the strike VTOL tower from warzone 2100. IF any such concept is to be copied this is the one to do so, This tower functioned by essentially binding aircraft to the tower, making them no longer under direct control, however the tower had a range, any enemy aircraft entering that detection range would have aircraft vectored to combat them, this was done from the bound aircraft. In spring I dont know how this would be set up, but Ideally it would be a building that could be assigned aircraft, who could then be left on patrol, and if any enemy units penetrated its airspace, it would vector any and all aircraft to intercept, and then return them to their patrol route.. However given the hotkey setups we have now, unless this also plotted out the patrol route as well, it would only alleviate the need to do several clicks..
In real life (most realistic place there is) fighters/interceptors are not kept grounded at a base until enemy units are detected, this would be folly. Instead rotating patrols of aircraft are looped out around the base or defensive area, and are ususally coordinating with an AWACS or other radar center. Said center then usually vectors said figthers/interceptors torwards any enemy targets penetrating its detection range. Now why does this not work specifically exactly well in Spring.. 1 Reason, of which NOTA has done a superior job of addressing than any other mod ( I like NOTA alot btw) 1. Range, in spring even a big map pales in comparison with the size of aerial battles in real life, modern radar can go out to 200+ miles, and detect incoming enemy fighters, most modern missiles have ranges out to 10+ miles some up to 80. In spring I think on a Large map were looking at 10 miles square max, if even, usually with ranges about 1/10th of real life counterparts. In order to make interception work like this you would need to reduce the scale significantly and the speed of units in order to make the battlespace seem larger and accomidate actualy range feels. NOTA does this, now its not perfect, but its the closest there is at the moment. For most mods there is no real reason to intercept targets, why well bluntly it cant be done, and if it were set up to be possible by increasing radar range, and fighter weapons range, it would quickly make those units very OP within the constrains of the mod. Essentially the only way to deal with this is to go the route that NOTA has taken, scale down stuff, increase ranges, and RADAR, and then differentiate aircraft based on function using not only weapons and counters but also flight altitude.
The Only game I can think of that had something that functioned in a manner to alleviate fighter patroling, was the strike VTOL tower from warzone 2100. IF any such concept is to be copied this is the one to do so, This tower functioned by essentially binding aircraft to the tower, making them no longer under direct control, however the tower had a range, any enemy aircraft entering that detection range would have aircraft vectored to combat them, this was done from the bound aircraft. In spring I dont know how this would be set up, but Ideally it would be a building that could be assigned aircraft, who could then be left on patrol, and if any enemy units penetrated its airspace, it would vector any and all aircraft to intercept, and then return them to their patrol route.. However given the hotkey setups we have now, unless this also plotted out the patrol route as well, it would only alleviate the need to do several clicks..
