Separate historical filter for weapons in ME Mission Options

[Gecky]

Hi. After a long discussion with members of a multiplayer group, this is what agreed upon as a feature that will enable creation of a balanced scenario without affecting accessibility. For example if we want to create a pre-1991 "cold war" scenario, we wish to be able to filter out post-1991 weapons (no JDAMs, AMRAAMs, JSOWs, AIM-9X, R77, late Mavericks variants), while still allowing use of F18C lot 20 and F16CM. We think that such an option being separate from the current aircraft/equipment historical filter is important because we want to still maximize access for users with only one or a few aircraft, and in the example given, both aircraft (FA18C, F16CM) happen to be extremely popular aircraft so banning them will really affect a server's population. It might need to be implemented as a mission option instead rather than a per unit filter as with the current historical filter because the restriction needs to carry over to the in-mission reload options.

 

Also, in the same example given, both aircraft were in service anyway before 1991 albeit in earlier versions, and we think that the weapons restriction will suffice to simulate that. We think a pre-1991 cold war scenario w/ F18s that carry only Fox-1s, GBUs & Mavericks is still more realistic than the current ones which completely ban them. I know many servers implement ways to achieve the same, such as banning certain weapons in the server rules, imposing weapon quantity limits etc., but an ME option will make it a lot easier for scenario makers and will promote uniformity. And again on being a separate option to the aircraft filter - If a scenario maker needs to completely eliminate an aircraft from the usable options (e.g. JF-17, or a future Eurofighter from a cold war scenario) it's easier to just not put them there to begin with, rather than try to separately implement a weapons filter from a single filter that filters both aircraft and weapons.

 

PS

We know it is difficult if not impossible to model newer redfor aircraft and systems (such as Su-30SM, Glonass guided bombs) because of restrictions, that's why we think a feature like this can really make more balanced interesting scenarios/events and actually save gameplay from falling into the typical >70% flying hornets and spamming each other w/ amraams and JSOWS

Edited July 29, 2020 by Gecky