Monday, April 23, 2012

F-105 Dragon Re-Released

F-105 Dragon.  Defense Class
Real name:  F-14X Tomcat 

The F-105 Dragon, a favorite amongst many defense class aficionados, has been re-released.  New release has the same specs as previous releases.  This special edition plane has some flaming hot dragon artwork. One of the best looking planes in the fleet in my opinion. You will definitely leave an impression with your adversary with this baby.  A defense class plane to the core - this baby is heavy on the armor and even has some armor regeneration which is rare these days.   Perfect for campaign and survival matches.  Don't see too many of these in versus matches (as with most defense class planes) - but there are some daredevil defense versus fighters out there to be sure!  If you get a Dragon for versus matches, just beware that you will be slow and pretty easy to hit, but on the upside, you have lots of armor and armor regen to help compensate.  Hats of to Z2Live for showing some creative flare on this plane - great artwork.

See PLANE COMPARISON TABLES for detailed assessment of all the planes performance ratings.


Real life pict of a Tomcat - Great balls of Fire








Thursday, April 19, 2012

Plane Performance Parameter Definitions


Below is an attempt to explain and define each of the plane parameters. Special thanks to 涼宮ハルヒ and Suzumiya Haruhi for input into this table.

Missile damage
Increases the amount of damage caused by your missiles

Cannon Damage
Increases the amount of damage caused by your cannons

Missile lock speed
Increases the speed that your missiles lock onto your opponent
This effect can be cancelled out by the stealth parameter of your opponent
 e.g. "lock speed +10%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "stealth +10%"

Missile reload speed
How fast you can fire a pair of missiles after previous pair have been fired

Missile tracking
Increases your own missile tracking
Effect can be cancelled out by the property "evasion"
e.g. "missile tracking +5%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "evasion +5%"

Overheat threshold
Increases your amount of cannon fire before they lockup due to overheating

Cannon cool down
Quicker cannon cool down

Critical Strike Rating
Critical Strike! 2x Damage
- Only 1 missile gets critical strike if this message shows up after 2 missiles hit your opponent consecutively within a very short period of time
- 1.5 times original damage will be dealt from your opponent if the missile gets a critical strike. NOT 2 times.
- This property is COMPLETELY RANDOM, and CANNOT be induced from ANY gaming activities such as hitting your opponent when armor is low, consecutively hitting your opponent, hitting the bottom of your opponent's plane etc.

Armor
Increases the amount of armor that you have to protect from missiles and cannon fire

Armor regeneration
Increases the regeneration of your armor (present in defense class and a smaller amount in agility class planes)

Damage reduction vs. missiles
Damage Resistance (Abbr. DMG Resist)
- reduces your opponent's damage dealt on you, both cannon and missile
- effect can be cancelled out by the property "damage"
- e.g. "DMG resist +6%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "damage +6%"

Damage Reduction vs. Cannon
Damage Resistance (Abbr. DMG Resist)
- reduces your opponent's damage dealt on you, both cannon and missile
- effect can be cancelled out by the property "damage"
- e.g. "DMG resist +6%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "damage +6%"

Damage Reduction while Maneuvering
You will receive less damage if you are struck while you are rolling or doing a maneuver

Energy
Increases the amount of of energy that you have available to use for maneuvers

Energy regeneration
Increases how fast you regain energy after you have used it

Agility
Increases your plane's angular speed ability to make sharper turns

Acceleration
Increases your plane's acceleration - speeds up quicker

Top speed
Increases your plane's base LINEAR speed, top LINEAR speed, and maneuver speed.
- e.g. "speed +5%" means everything related your plane's flying speed is increased for 5%

Maneuver Speed
 increases your plane's base LINEAR speed, top LINEAR speed, and maneuver speed.
- e.g. "speed +5%" means everything related your plane's flying speed is increased for 5%

Stealth rating
Reduces your opponent's lock speed, i.e.: increases their lock time
effect can be cancelled out by the property "lock speed"
e.g. "stealth +10%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "lock speed +10%"

Evasion
Reduces your opponent's missile tracking
effect can be cancelled out by the property "missile tracking"
e.g. "evasion +5%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "missile tracking +5%"

Damage increase while energy is >85%
If you have more than 85% energy, then you inflict more damage

Energy Regen while ARMOR is <35%
If you have less than 35% armor, then you regenerate energy quicker

Missile Resistance
- reduces your opponent's missile damage
- effect does not cover cannon damage
- effect can be cancelled out by the property "damage"
- e.g. "Missile Resist +5%" can be cancelled out if your opponent has "damage +5%" and hits you with a missile.
- this property has been REMOVED

Lock Range
Increases ability to lock missiles on your target from a longer distance away

Monday, April 16, 2012

Odyssey released

FA-92 Odyssey - Released Version

Earlier Leaked version of FA-92 Odyssey for comparison

We finally have the last of the "leaked" planes released.  The FA-92 Odyssey has officially been released!  Based on the AV-8B Harrier, it is nice to see a new design show up after the many repainted versions of the Hawken and other redos.  The Odyssey has decent stealth at +8%, with only the Juggernaut and Arbiter edging it out both at +10%.   Here is a surprise - a defense class plane with increased damage!  This will be the first defense class plane in the fleet with an upper for damage at +5%.  This will make the Odyssey better for damage than any agility class planes and in the ballpark of weapons class plane damage.  As for Missile Resistance - WAZUP with the "#stats.damageReduction" - somebody didn't double check their coding - pretty lame Z2!  Anyway, this is Missile Resistance, which is a unique characteristic only for defense class planes.  At +10%, the Odyssey now easily becomes BEST IN FLEET for missile resistance.  Of note, Z2 must have thought that the Odyssey needed a little boost, as you see in the figures, the leaked version only had +5% missile resistance.  Armor is also very good at +12% which is second in fleet only to the Juggernaut.  Overall a pretty impressive defense class plane.  At 180 coins, its not too badly priced, but you know me, I'm a bit of a cheapskate so I will stick with my Arbiter, but the missile resistance is pretty interesting for the Odyssey.. 

FA-92 Odyssey


A real-life AV-8B Harrier


Thursday, April 5, 2012

Poll Results - The People Have Spoken

Poll - Should Bisnovats be Banned?

The results are in from the week long poll.  61% of voters would like Bisnos banned or all coin missiles banned.  The rest like their Bisnos, with an amazing 14% wanting even MORE lethal missiles. 

This goes to show you that there still are alot of pilots out there hiding behind their Bisnos.  Just remember, real men (and women) use stock weapons and RAAMS!

Monday, April 2, 2012

The Mighty Spectre Returns


After a long hiatus, Z2 has brought back the P-79 Spectre, one of the best agility class planes that they've ever produced.  At +6% Damage, the Spectre is second in class only to the Reaper (Reaper is +7%).   Similar with Agility - the Spectre is second in class only to the Reaper  (Reaper is +15%).    Agility class planes are always a bit low on energy, but the Spectre compensates with +12% which is second only to the Zephyr and is quite a bit higher than most other agility class planes.  Speed is at +12% for the Spectre which is again second in class to the Reaper. 

So - should you buy the Spectre?  At 228 coins, it is expensive.   The closest equivalent plane that is comparable is, as mentioned, the Reaper.  The Spectre has significant more energy than the Reaper which will help when you are doing all those rolls and accelerations although Reaper has an edge in damage, agility and the +5% armor which is invaluable for the thin-skinned agility class.  Before the Reaper was released, the Spectre ruled the agility class, but now I have to If I had to choose between the two, I would have to go with the Reaper.  Make no mistakes though, the Spectre is no slouch and if you think that extra bit of energy will help your fighting style, then the Spectre might be for you.

See PLANE COMPARISON TABLES for detailed assessment of all the planes performance ratings including the Spectre!

P-79 Spectre

Reaper shown here for comparison



Sunday, April 1, 2012

Horse Play

What the....???

Beautiful Aerodynamics
If you tuned in this morning, you will see an interesting offering by Z2.  In honor of April fools day - we have a flying horse for the Wartusk.  Also, whenever ANY plane fires missiles, you will here a horse neighing.

Nice to see Z2 trying to have a bit of fun.  All is supposed to be back to normal by tomorrow so enjoy while it lasts - I especially like the sparkly excrement spewing from the horses rear end in the artwork.  Is this a new type of weapon?