Objective-based MP

[III/JG11_Tiger]

But you're still essentially winning maps.  There is no persistence to the world.  Once that mission is over, you redo it.  The objectives never change. 

 

One of the reasons I like Aces High so much is because the battles last a month or so.  You gain ground, capture points, and the front moves.  It gives meaning to your flying, instead of it being COD in the air. 

Not with SEOW, it did require some involvement of squads to set up the weekly missions but front lines moved, you gained ground and captured points like you have described, great fun and if it is doable in BOS as Stenka has said then I don't think you will be too  disappointed.

[Bert_Foster]

Those that remember VEF ... now that was pretty special time in IL2 Classic.

[Praetor]

I wish I didn't miss the boat on Il2.  I was playing BMS back then on the MultiViper server.

[=69.GIAP=STENKA69GIAP]

The BoSWar software is based on the same principles as was SEOW (but technical architecture is completely different). It's a closed loop collaborative planning system. A bit like warhammer meets IL2. This means organised squads planning and flying together. A campaign will have around one or two missions a week as inbetween flying the planners must decide and implement the strategy and prepare briefings for the pilots. It's not 24x7 self service multi-player for individuals to hook up to when they feel like it. If someone else wants to do that they can go ahead and do it. The BoS mission file structure and syntax are well documented and the stats files are readable once you heave learnt a few tricks.

 

For the moment in BoSWar we can manage the ground war with groups of static and moving vehicles fighting according to what has been planned. The moving front line is a bit more complicated than IL2 as we have influence areas for each side and neutral territory to manage. So I have not written an alogrythm to automate its movement, this will not be simple as fragmented front lines with multiple pockets will hit mission performance. It has to be adjusted by hand in the mission editor (which takes around 5 minutes per mission build). For the first version planes are all manned by human pilots but you can add AI flights by hand in the mission editor. This can be automated but it's not high priority for the launch version.

[LeLv8_Otto]

The BoS mission file structure and syntax are well documented and the stats files are readable once you heave learnt a few tricks.

Where is this documentation available?

[=69.GIAP=STENKA69GIAP]

Download the ROF Mission editor manual from the ROF website and you will see that for each object the code that appears in a .Mission file or a .Group file is documented.

 

I have studied the difference between BoS and RoF .mission files they are 99% identical. Just a few differences. For example vehicles have 3 extra variables to manage radio comms and Airfields have an extra subset of variables to manage concrete runways. 

 

Stats analysis is a bit more tricky, you need to download one of the many stats parsers that are in the community or join one of the squadrons that uses them.

[Sparrer]

Those are very encouraging news, Stenka!


I've been playing online wars for many years, as played warbirds online and ww2 online....and one thing i learned:

If the objectives don't be the very very core of the whole gameplay....they don't get adherence. People just don't mind with it. Because people are lazy. (me included). The objective completion must influence everyone, for good or for bad.

Ex: In those great il2 servers : spit x 109, zeke x wildcat, etc. There were objectives, like ground targets.

But what were the consequences of an objective completion ? Just earn points and a map rotate. So people mind about them ? No, just few care about it (Mainly few organized squads). It turns in a regular dog server (a great one, in fact). With 90% of "doggers" and 10% of objective based pilots....the main war stucks with the 90%.
Who the hell will took a He-111 on those servers ? Just a few one, playing your own war in middle of the main one. He will fly, alone or with few, will destroy some ground targets, may gain some points or a map restarts....but nothing changes in the gameplay, in the whole war.


So thats why supply restrictions, moving front, attack restrictions, and so much more are important too. Because they bother and disrupts even the "average fast food pilot that enter in the server looking for nothing but a kill".

If he don't make a recon, he can't attack. If he don't escort your friend can't take off. If he intercept an enemy ground convoy the enemy can't refly. If he escorts friendly ground tanks he took a nearest airfield, if he intercepts enemy ground tanks he keep his airfield....and so on.(just examples of objectives and consequences)

Then, those objectives turns in the part of the fun. And if he don't like it, he changes the server!

And more....even the crappiest planes could be usefull. A Ju-52 in this envoirment makes sense. And AI becomes very very very very interesting.
 
I never played SEOW unfortunately, but from i read, think it took this way, so i very excited about it!

PS: I understand that it takes huge work, and take a long time.....but the main one: It need dev's support, providing maps, planes, objects, logs, many customizable setups, mission generator, etc.....and why not: Air Ressuply Pallets ??????  Paratroopers ???? Map grid ???? Smart mooving trucks????  ETC ETC ETC
It's NOT just a matter of comunity creativity and work

Best wishes Stenka, i believe on your work!

[LeLv8_Otto]

Thanks for the info Stenka

[Praetor]

Those are very encouraging news, Stenka!

 

 

I've been playing online wars for many years, as played warbirds online and ww2 online....and one thing i learned:

 

If the objectives don't be the very very core of the whole gameplay....they don't get adherence. People just don't mind with it. Because people are lazy. (me included). The objective completion must influence everyone, for good or for bad.

 

Ex: In those great il2 servers : spit x 109, zeke x wildcat, etc. There were objectives, like ground targets.

 

But what were the consequences of an objective completion ? Just earn points and a map rotate. So people mind about them ? No, just few care about it (Mainly few organized squads). It turns in a regular dog server (a great one, in fact). With 90% of "doggers" and 10% of objective based pilots....the main war stucks with the 90%.

Who the hell will took a He-111 on those servers ? Just a few one, playing your own war in middle of the main one. He will fly, alone or with few, will destroy some ground targets, may gain some points or a map restarts....but nothing changes in the gameplay, in the whole war.

 

 

So thats why supply restrictions, moving front, attack restrictions, and so much more are important too. Because they bother and disrupts even the "average fast food pilot that enter in the server looking for nothing but a kill".

 

If he don't make a recon, he can't attack. If he don't escort your friend can't take off. If he intercept an enemy ground convoy the enemy can't refly. If he escorts friendly ground tanks he took a nearest airfield, if he intercepts enemy ground tanks he keep his airfield....and so on.(just examples of objectives and consequences)

 

Then, those objectives turns in the part of the fun. And if he don't like it, he changes the server!

 

And more....even the crappiest planes could be usefull. A Ju-52 in this envoirment makes sense. And AI becomes very very very very interesting.

 

I never played SEOW unfortunately, but from i read, think it took this way, so i very excited about it!

 

PS: I understand that it takes huge work, and take a long time.....but the main one: It need dev's support, providing maps, planes, objects, logs, many customizable setups, mission generator, etc.....and why not: Air Ressuply Pallets ??????  Paratroopers ???? Map grid ???? Smart mooving trucks????  ETC ETC ETC

It's NOT just a matter of comunity creativity and work

 

Best wishes Stenka, i believe on your work!

 

Yeah, I agree. We really need a purpose to MP outside of dog fighting.  There needs to be attrition, capture points, progressive MLRs, and value in hitting ground targets.  

[PostumusAgrippa]

I remember playing Air Warrior back in like 1997,  and that even had objective based multiplayer.  You could crew up a B-17 with some buddies, go bomb out an enemy airfield, and follow up with a C-47 to drop paratroopers who would take over the airfield for your use.  If they could pull it off 15 years ago, the devs should be able to cobble something together.  In my experience, dynamic content that is driven by player interaction beats out scripted missions and objectives every time.  Just put in some strategic bombing targets and a system for airfield capture, on a persistent map, and you have instant fun.

[Dakpilot]

Maybe I should have started a new thread but it is directly related so may as well add it here,

 

This is for ROF but am sure can be done for BoS, could be the answer for a lot of people

 

"If there are players out there that are not interested in Fur-ball or Duel servers, but would like to fly objective oriented missions online, please keep reading.

The alternative to Dogfight mode is Cooperative mission mode. Unfortunately, in Rise of Flight it is impossible to start a co-op mission from a server on your own. Another issue is that you can't join once the mission has started.
The "Active Front" mission concept has been designed as a co-operative mission, but using Dogfight multiplayer mode so you can join at any time. Even if the server is showing no players in the server, you will find an active world with up to 16 AI planes doing their missions: bombing, patrolling, attacking balloons and engaging each other.
 

• AI flights will take off at regular intervals to achieve an objective, which will be communicated by subtitles after take-off. The player can join these AI flights and help achieve the objective.
• Each sortie will last up to 30 minutes.
• When selecting an airfield and aircraft from a flight (choose: bomber, escort or patrol) you will be notified how long it takes before the next flight will take off. Since there are multiple flights per side, you should never need to wait longer than 7min 30s.
• The number of AI aircraft will be reduced when more human players join and vice-versa to keep the server running smooth.
• Only planes needed for the next mission will be available on the airfield. Besides these, there will be a small number of reserve aircraft for individual sorties.
• Maximum players per side is 20, thus a total of 40 on the server.

There is currently one mission running, with an early 1917 plane set. When all the bugs have been ironed out and maybe more objectives have added we will also create a version with a 1918 plane set.

Check it out and have fun! "

 

 

Full thread here;  http://riseofflight.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=347&t=41828

 

 

I really think this kind of Co-op mission server is a great idea and has a lot of potential in  a BoS/Stalingrad environment, just posting to show what can be done and what may/can be available in the future, nothing to stop those with RoF trying it out either

 

Cheers Dakpilot
 

[pilotpierre]

Sounds like a bloody good idea Dak.

[Gambit21]

I like it - almost makes me want to go boot up RoF.