A couple features leap to mind for online play that would allow for more immersive play.
One, the ability to spawn IN FLIGHT. Using something we are all familiar with, coop play in Il-2. DF maps have all player aircraft, no moving AI in il-2. Coops have AI units. What would be really useful would be the ability for a hybrid (using Il-2 terminology) DF-coop map/server. You could join at any time like a DF map, but the planes would be assigned in the mission to take off only during specific windows. Say the He111s head to britain. The window might be time=0 to time=10 minutes (15, 20, whatever). The players that are in the server when the map starts hop in their bombers, taxi, TO, and form up like a DF map, UNLIKE a DF map, the remaining bombers in the squadron not occupied by players are AI (like a coop). 20 minutes into the map, a new player signs on, unlike a coop. There are zero planes at the base he can fly, but he CAN take over one of the AI He111s inflight. the same would be true for all planes. So you could have an online "DF" map where 3 squadrons of bombers and as many squadrons of fighters attack a target with 2 defending squadrons of fighters—all takling off at the beginning of the map like an il-2 coop—and a 3d squadron on scramble with a later start time. Any players joining mid mission hop into an AI plane in progress, and if a player is shot down, he can elect to respawn into a remaining AI (stats would be tracked as a unique pilot).
Second, an idea that targetware has. The "disengagement circle." You have a point where players on online maps can despawn, and are considered RTB, but only if their remaining fuel, oil, etc (taking leak rates into account, too) allows them too. Very useful for large maps. Such a system also has a setting so that such a despawn is only allowed if no enemy units are within some server set range, so if you are beating a retreat to the mainland with a spit on your six, no warping away.
tater
|