S3 Series

I kind of enjoy having something to read whilst I eat my popcorn, but whatever

TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR
You guys didn’t read the other posts that deal with this question.
I refer to:http://www.squadselectforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1888
and: http://www.squadselectforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1886

It’s a lot of reading and I will try to boil it down for you.
The FMs for this series were in good shape.
The “keyboard flying” requirement is not going to happen with any flight Sim/video game.
Use the keyboard and you're at a disadvantage.
Because you can’t fly your way or have to relearn some of the FMs does not mean the FMs are broken.
So please stop stating that.
So the FMs are not the issue.

As for the AI, I will repeat was has been said a lot.

If you us the CA log, as a bomber pilot, you get the advantages of 2 AI wingmen and the possibility of 2 extra lives.
More defensive firepower.
But, as the rules stated, and has ben stated MANY times, if you actually read what Jabo and others say you get this:
“It is best to keep your AI with you and not have them attack targets as they are prone to get lost and then are easy targets for enemy aircraft.
Proper formations need to be flown while using these AI drones. For take-off it is recommended to put your AI in trail as close as possible so they don’t wander.”
The idea that you can have your AI wingmen circle somewhere while you take your bomber into a target is not going to work.
The fact that the AI does not work the way some think it should does not mean that they are broken.
Use them according to the rules, or don’t log in via the CA.
Very clear to a lot of us.
A lot of time was wasted trying to figure out why the AI wingmen were not staying in formation when it turns out that they were not being used according to the rules.

FB BOMBER GROUPS.
Rules for FB bomber groups was never hashed out.
I remember when the 69th changes over to an FB in order to make it possible for it’s pilots that wanted to fly fighters to do so.
It’s hard to recruit pilots these days for the exclusive role of piloting bombers.
Bomber groups have to be more flexible these days as numbers dwindle.

The alternative would be to switch over to an entire AI bomber group.

Those who want us to completely ditch the AI, the CA and the FEBA don’t understand that unless we change and add in new components, Warbirds dies anyways.
So, at least we tried something to keep it going.

Very nice post.

I spent a bit of time recently revising AI wingmen formations to be more realistic including adding a combat box formation. Part of the changes involved wingmen stepped down in altitude from the lead instead of at exactly the same altitude. As an example, one would never fly close trail formation at the same altitude.

the code works by using angular difference so the further away you station your wingman tbe greater the altitude difference. This is perfect for realistic formation distances ( a mile or less)

Guess what? There were complaints within hours of release. It turns out many "bomber" pilots are sending the wingman far in front of them using negative numbers and the trail formation. This would cause him to descend and land on the surface as he tries to comply with your formation order. He would sit there until issued another order.

Of course, the new formations are removed.

The AI wingmen are not autonomous decision making units. They simply fly in formation off the player, whether they are 100 or 1,000,000 feet away.

Instead of just limiting formations to a mile maximum, progress is removed because any change is spun as "its broken" by the usual suspects.

As Madcat said, it isnt broken. The feature is being abused in ways it was never coded to handle and the people who can limit it so that the code cannot be abused are handcuffed by those who complain about every change.

So no combat box or realistic stacked trail formations because we must preserve the ability to send your wingman 5 miles in front of you to drop troops with no risk to the player.

It is slightly frustrating.

What Jabo said “It is best to keep your AI with you and not have them attack targets as they are prone to get lost and then are easy targets for enemy aircraft.
Proper formations need to be flown while using these AI drones. For take-off it is recommended to put your AI in trail as close as possible so they don’t wander.” isn't a rule but a recommendation.

I disagree with Madcat because I have talked to Spindz about it and believe him over Madcat. With the declining numbers of pilots, this was a great for us because it allowed us with only a couple of pilots to get the job done.

This subject will never be closed because you guys have no idea what we do in bombers.

So seeing how the YOU all have determined how the AI's are to be used, because it's your game, the Knights as a bomber group is done. We will now and forever be a fighter squadron.

So what did SPINDZ tell you that cntradicts what Madcat said? Honest question.

From another thread when I asked (I think for the 3rd time...) what did Spindiz say about the AI wingmen the answer was:
I don't have a post from Spindz, this was discussed over lunch one day.
So, until we get Spin to tell us what the AI Wingmen were supposed to be able to do, it remains in question.
But Jabo's rules were still pretty clear.
You should keep your AI in formation with you.
All the time spent on chasing AI issues we did over the last couple of series, was because they weren't trying to keep their AI in formation, but have them circle in a holding pattern somewhere away from the fight.