Hi there,

I'm working on a All vs All mode for multiplayer, so you can see who really is the best one

This post is to explain the kind of stuff I have to go through when I get a feature request like this and people wonder why it's taking a long time to be implemented. Usually when you develop stuff, things that seem to be pretty simple to others, are actually a pain in the butt to implement. This is what i'm going through right now:

1) In All vs All, which team do you play?
Since there is no team, I have to allow to be in any plane. This gives me two choices:
a) Allow the player to select his/her team and plane upon entering. But this requires a new screen, with new design, more $ to get it done and wait and see.
b) Allow the server to randomly assign the player one. It's easier but also takes time and tests on the server for this. I'm going this route while I wait for a new screen.

2) Friendly kills and points?
I have to change the server so that it detects when you are on All vs All mode and disable friendly kills. Otherwise you get banned.

3) Friends and Enemies?
The game gives you red or blue depending on which side you are on. In this case I have to add a whole new bunch of code to detect you are on All vs All so that all look like enemies: red dots, arrows, independent of what airplane they are using. Lot of work on the client side :/

4) Game ends... when?
There is nothing to bomb or capture. What's the objective? I'm thinking first to hit 20 kills wins. This requires changes on the client to send proper notifications and also on the server to detect the game is over.

5) You begin the game... where?
There are only 2 airports, meaning, if you respawn and 5 seconds later someone else respawn, he/she would nail you down non-stop. But you can't have airports all over and the location is important so what I did was use the carriers. You will randomly popup at either the airports or the carriers.

6) Detect the mode.
The server has to know you are All vs All and do not allow you to 'capture the carrier'. The client has to not only detect that everybody is an enemy but also remove the hangars bombing, disable the capture the carrier and reload on any airport/carrier in the game.

7) Time out.
Just in case the game goes on for 2 hours, I have to kill it at some point otherwise people will just be coming back to the same game type which they may not like.

Detect whether the change is out on android or apple.
Since updates don't show up at the same time (i always have to wait for Apple to approve theirs), I have to detect which device you are using on the server side and act upon it. Not all players will be able to play All vs All until it's out for all.

9) Test, test, test... without disrupting current players.
I've never released (and I don't know anybody who has) a major update without bugs. So I usually have to release them on stages and beta test with some players. Then listen to the input and change it accordingly before an official release.

10) Sleep. More. Often.

Nice

It's really hard to see who is better than who, because some pilots fly planes ,that are much faster than others. Or more bullets. Or better manovability. So will everyone fly planes that are equal in performance ? Unless you.have all pilots fly planes with the same advantages you will never know who is the best. The top rank list is more or less a list of longevity and not of skill.

GREAT Z!! CAN U STILL MAKE THR CLANS IDEA WITH IT??

Nice Z, we love u

Hey dogfighters!

I'm bumping this ancient thread as a great piece of df history and because in it, Zuperman gives a great description of what goes on behind-the-scenes when new features are implemented. I think it's amazing that the game works at all but the fact that Zup does so much of it by himself leaves me awe struck.

I want to say thanks for your efforts, Joaquin. This is my favorite on line game. I play it with family and friends and I really enjoy the forum community. I continue to introduce friends to it and I ask them to be patient with the "growing pains" that come with it. The action of the game is exhilarating and well worth the temporary difficulties. I have seen you implement true improvements and I look forward to seeing you roll out more. I hope that some day it "hits critical mass"and financially drives its self and you into a real success story.

Sincerely,

[M] McFate

I kinda support this addition....However,I still believe this doesnt quite determine whose "best or not"....I know many players who arent as good "plane to plane"....who are better at bombing, tanking, shooting from chute, etc. I personally believe one on one playing doesnt determine truly ones ability....

I think first to 20 kills therefore doesnt determine ability if one looks at all of the many other more important aspects of the game like bombing, shooting from chute, tanking, etc.

Zuperman, I REALLY like the BTB, BTC, kill the Zep missions.....We already have an "all vs all" game so I'm not sure what this change really does except adding an additional room of "dogfight"....since the current "dogfight room" is first to 15 kills wins....

The game is perfect as it is .....Your amazing Zuperman.

I see....your doing this for squad wars....

My suggestion for squad wars....is have the "win the game objective" as the determining of winning...

Ot better yet.....how about squad wars...where you announce which server and which two squads will be in the squad war....and based on the squad banner...pilots would enter that room for the squad war...the squad war would be for 1 week.....and whichever squadron obtains the most points for the week on that server wins...

Lol!

Hey Swop! Look at when this thread was originally created.

The last post before mine (by *420*) was 2 years, 2 months ago.

Thanks McFate....I guess....this was when Zuperman was developing the "Dogfight room"....nice history...

If you saw my latest remark....you might like my idea on how squad wars could be done with the easiest of code for zuperman compared with all of the other ideas on how to impliment squad wars.

At least you gotta good laugh at Swops expense..

Zuperman....I hope you are laughing at the Swop on this thread....at least it will make you feel better in this case...hahahahahahaha

doughens wrote: I kinda support this addition....However,I still believe this doesnt quite determine whose "best or not"....I know many players who arent as good "plane to plane"....who are better at bombing, tanking, shooting from chute, etc. I personally believe one on one playing doesnt determine truly ones ability....

I think first to 20 kills therefore doesnt determine ability if one looks at all of the many other more important aspects of the game like bombing, shooting from chute, tanking, etc.

Zuperman, I REALLY like the BTB, BTC, kill the Zep missions.....We already have an "all vs all" game so I'm not sure what this change really does except adding an additional room of "dogfight"....since the current "dogfight room" is first to 15 kills wins....

The game is perfect as it is .....Your amazing Zuperman.

Lolz. Swop and Mcfate, i was fooled too. I thought, hmmm sounds pretty similar to Dogfight mode!

No fair dragging up 2 year old posts!!

doughens wrote: At least you gotta good laugh at Swops expense..

Zuperman....I hope you are laughing at the Swop

I admit, I hade a good laugh

But I have to ask... whats wrong with my, and me?

lol Whose....at least you werent the only one who was fooled......jokes on US not just the Swop

Bell..

There is nothing wrong with you laughing at Swop on this specific subject though....

Lol, look at this stuff. Z, 420, wat up... Love to see some of them in the sky!

Hey the game deleted my squad, but it also won't let me leave my current squad(the deleted one) so I was hoping u could just remove the squad for good,plzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!( the squad is called,131st L.K.T.7)