My Campaign Critiques/Input

[ducs]

So these are just some of the little things I've noticed so far or would like to see changed. Just my opinion, doesn't mean I'm to be  claiming to be absolutely right or wrong.

 

• ^{Wings/elements share same skin as you, including same number (This kind of hurts immersion unless you use only default winter camos) causing you to have no idea which AI is part of your wing if sh*t hits the fan and other friendlies also happen to be around.}
• ^{Wings/elements are horrible at providing cover; even if being commanded. This reason as I'm sure would be hard to fix programming wise is why there should an option to allow the player to be something other than wing lead.}
• ^{Friendly AI is kind of retarded when it comes to dealing with bombers or planes with defensive turrets, often choosing to fly slow and level right behind and letting the rear gunner practice writing his name in bullets on their plane. I wish they would use more realistic approaches/speeds/tactics.}
• ^{Enemy AI seems to be almost completely unaffected by the sun or blind spots leading most fights to just be all out brawls instead of the game of hunter/prey that aerial warfare most often was.}
• ^{Friendly AI has the ability to see a bajillion kms out sometimes a good 3 minutes before any thing even tries to max range render.}
• ^{Really small formations majority of the time. So far largest group I've seen was 4 Yak's and 7 PE-2's. Often other times intercept missions with have 1 fighter or just 1 bomber.}
• ^{Loadout screen does not save your loadout after missions.}
• ^{Missions don't really have any real point to them that differentiates them from QMB. which brings me my wish that the campaign followed a particular sqaudron at a time depending one what you are flying (i.e. for Germany: Ground attackers= Stukas of  StG 77 , Bombers=KG 53, fighter/interceptor= JG54) and force you to take off out of the fields used by that squardron under conditions that they would be facing in each chapter (i.e. limited ammo/fuel)}

^{I'll add more as I see or think of stuff.}

 

Feel free to provide feedback or present your own input. 

 

-ducs

[Bullets]

I don't like how if you are engaging an enemy your team mates do not hesitate to join in the furball and even shoot over your shoulder and steal the kill...  Surely they should just be providing cover if they see you engaging an aircraft and you are winning (on the enemies 6) 

[LLv24_Zami]

Good points in OP.

 

Skin matter disturbs me also. Otherwise details are awesome in this game but this area could use some work. All planes always use winter skins and no markings which is boring and not very realistic. And if you choose unlocked special skin for yourself then whole flight uses it.

 

It would be nice if the default winter/summer skins had for example six versions with numbers 1-6, biggest flight I have seen is 6. These could be used to skin AI planes with different variations. Some flights with winter skin, some with summer skin or possibly mix of these skins inside the flight. All planes in flight with different numbers. Just need to add numbers on existing skins and mix the skins in campaign. Dont know how hard that is but would make missions much more alive.

 

[BigDally]

 

 

ducs' timestamp='1412844905' post='175666'] Wings/elements are horrible at providing cover; even if being commanded. This reason as I'm sure would be hard to fix programming wise is why there should an option to allow the player to be something other than wing lead.

 

Yeah I noticed that too.  It seems like ALL the enemy planes are after me, while my wingman isn't really helping.  Maybe some sort of change where not all enemy AI planes are focused on just you (the player) along with the wingman being more aggressive?

[Tyberan]

I've noticed that AI top cover dont do anything until they are attacked.

 

I flew in a flight of 4 stukas with 2x F4 as top cover. Yak1 swoops in but attacks the F4 that is circling above and behind me for some reason. I go to attack the Yak, fail and see it jump and kill an F4. The other F4 then suddenly decides its time to attack.

 

I thought the whole Idea of an escort was that they kept fighters off the bombers. 

 

 

I've also noticed that when you take off and you dont do it Perfectly and one of your wingman gets ahead of you they try to stay in formation during climb out and ultimately fly into trees. This is happened to my wingman twice in the last 2 missions i've flown. 

 

 

 

Anyway, I also think there is a bug with the XP. Fly a mission today took me one hour as I like to take off and land. I get 110xp, but doesnt seem to add onto my stuka XP.  I'd rather everything was unlocked so I dont have to worry about this BS xp and just enjoy the game more. I'm still enjoying it but with getting upset about xp (mainly about unlocking skins) its taking the fun out of it.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Tyberan

[oneeyeddog]

After 10 hours of flight time and 24 successful missions I've unlocked all the available skins and weapon mods for both the IL2 and the Yak1. The first 2 chapters are finished and I'm about to start chapter 3. the air bridge.  I've flown in expert mode and I've always taken off from the airfield although I will opt to end the mission early as opposed to going back to my home airfield and landing as i'd rather not risk the chance of losing all my accrued points with a botched landing. At this rate it could take anywhere from 40 to 50 hours to unlock all the skins and mods for all the AC. 

[Y-29.Silky]

I've been intercepting Pe-2's all day and I've only shot down 2, at least the ones I got credit for. But anyways, I'm intercepting 3 Pe-2's, my wingmen are busy with the fighters, I break one Pe-2 into pieces, the other two I damaged, they crash landed and I only got credit for the one that broke apart in the sky.

 

And yeah, your wingmen spot enemy from miles away and call everything about their position, except their altitude... Which is another thing, I don't know what the operational height of the Pe-2 was in real life, but I find it odd intercepting Pe-2's at 6,000m.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Silky

[Y-29.Silky]

Just completed the first intercept mission in Uranus with my 190.. The enemy bombers (x2), blew straight through this tiny combat area that wasn't even half of Stalingrad alone, and before a minute or two, the mission was over because they were out of the AO, not even my wingmen could catch up to them, and I was called home; I didn't even get to see what kind of planes they were it ended so quick. It was quite pointless of a mission. Hope they fix that.

[ducs]

Another thing to add...

 

-Enemy AI ignores everything and almost always goes for you and you alone.

[unreasonable]

I've been intercepting Pe-2's all day and I've only shot down 2, at least the ones I got credit for. But anyways, I'm intercepting 3 Pe-2's, my wingmen are busy with the fighters, I break one Pe-2 into pieces, the other two I damaged, they crash landed and I only got credit for the one that broke apart in the sky.

 

And yeah, your wingmen spot enemy from miles away and call everything about their position, except their altitude... Which is another thing, I don't know what the operational height of the Pe-2 was in real life, but I find it odd intercepting Pe-2's at 6,000m.

What I have just noticed is that it is not just the wingmen who spot enemy a/c, it is you, the "player". Not only that, but "you" give your flight the engage enemy command. Look in the chat box next time you do an intercept. If you do not want the flight to engage just yet you The real you) have to get the "follow me" command out really quickly.

 

I am beginning to wonder who is supposed to be leading this flight, me (unreasonable) or some piece of code called "the player".

 

At them moment it is less like leading a military formation and more like managing a pre-school playgroup.

[RydnDirty]

These are the reasons I have no interest in flying single player... Short of inventing human like AI this can not be fixed. Multiplayer and human opponents are the way to go.

Once you played multiplayer you cannot go back to silly boring AI