Chronocidal

The problem is, this is a change in formula that no one asked for. It's a marketing gimmick to attract attention from the fans of blood/gore/splatter, who often would likely have absolutely nothing in common with flight sim fans. In short, they're trying to get more people to play it that wouldn't otherwise give it a second glance. In my own opinion.. the problem is just that in the past, AC has had a very specific approach to the way air combat works. They tend to exaggerate/alter certain aspects of the way real aircraft work in order to make the game more fun. In the past, this has generally been restricted to things like missile ranges/mechanics, G-limits (as in they don't really exist), and the amounts of ammo you can carry. They've essentially applied WWII-ish dogfight mechanics to the jet age, in that you typically stay within visual range of targets, even though you're using missiles. One thing AC has not messed with much though has been the way you actually fly the aircraft. While individual aircraft capabilities are obviously not realistic, the way you fly the aircraft generally is. AC6 pushed this a little with the "high-g" maneuever thing, but there actually is a semi-realbasis for that type of maneuver, and it actually does involve simultaneously increasing drag and thrust. Historically in AC, you fly manually, you control the aircraft by the same basic control mechanics as a real one, and if you want to avoid a missile, you're going to have to do it yourself. That is.. until now. I'm sorry. Pilots do not have a "dodge missile" button in the cockpit. Nor do they have a button on their throttle that says "do backflip." I don't care how cool anyone thinks it looks, it just doesn't happen. There's a reason you only ever see planes doing those maneuvers in airshows: they're done by stunt pilots in specially configured aircraft. They're not something the average pilot uses on a daily basis. I cannot put into words really how much I HATE automated maneuvers in a game that otherwise treats aircraft as lovingly as AC historically has. If this were a car game, the difference would be akin to putting a "DRIFT" button in Gran Turismo, and would elicit the same sort of hate from car afficionados. In a game with physics that are refined enough to actually let you do such an advanced technique manually, putting in an "easy" button is a slap in the face to people who actually learn to do it. Or, you could compare it to putting in a single button command that'll automatically execute any difficult combo in a fighting game. People who know how to do it the "right" way are going to be pissed off, because now it takes no skill to do. In a game that will obviously have a large amount of online competition, this system is going to tick off a lot of people (if it works in multiplayer at all.. frankly, I don't see how it can). When you dumb down the game mechanics to make it easier to do hard things, you ruin some of the inherent challenge of a game. People tend to hate that. A lot. Seeing an AC title for the 3DS is a nice thing though, and might be the thing that convinces me to get one. But the fact that I saw the F-22 basically executing Starfox style barrel rolls concerns me greatly that it's going to be the same sort of thing: adding a "dodge missile" button. I know some people like this sort of thing, and that's fine. But the Aces team is taking a huge risk here by betting they're going to attract more people than they piss off. The flight game niche is small enough already, and adding these features is going to split the fanbase something awful. Unless they somehow manage to drag a bunch of new fans into the game with all the new blood and guts crap, the little group of people who like Ace Combat style games is about to get a whole lot smaller.

I actually do wonder how many people will cancel their preorders after that demo. While AC fans are a small group, I wonder if the dev team would postpone the game to revise their thinking if enough people cancelled?

Personally.. I'm already counting on a new YF-19. The old one bugs me so much, I finally took a file and razor blade to it to try and get the nose to drop lower. I'm partially successful too, I just need to modify the gullet flap to fit, and then patch the gap on top. It currently still holds together the way it was made, but it's a bit loose.

Honestly? Ass-off mode in hawx annoys me much less than the closeup view in this game because it is optional. Hawx just sucked in every other way on top of that. At least AC has kept a decent grasp of aircraft physics.. hawx was pure stupid science fiction the way the aircraft flew. The problem with this demo is that it gives me the impression that they want to use the closeup mode as a way to run scripted mission events. The tutorial mode in the demo specifically mentioned that you'd have to rely on that mode to kill boss aircraft as well, and if they keep doing that, then yes, you will be forced to use it to trigger mission events, in which case, screw them. I do not buy AC games to fly on rails, and having it steer me toward the target while pulling impossible maneuvers was by far the stupidest thing I've ever seen the dev team do on these games. Plus.. the entire "high accuracy missile" bit.. just... NO. Also.. did anyone else think that the camera was MUCH too close to your aircraft in the external view? When I used the padlock button to get a fix on a target I couldn't even see around my own aircraft, because it was zoomed in so freaking close.

You know what... for almost half off, I'll do it. Amazon has it for $80, which if I think of it as a Blu-ray pack of the prequels and bonus materials, that's not a bad deal. I wouldn't mind seeing the prequels spruced up a bit. Individual movies would be $20+, and I don't mind paying another $20 for the bonus features. I'll just re-pack my original DVD cuts of the OT in the nice shiny new box, sell off the OT BR discs, and be done with it.

Well, AC had a nice run. Ace Combat: 1992-2011 RIP Seriously... bloody freaking hell, I want to slap those developers for ever thinking this was a good idea. If the game is anything like the demo... yeah, I have no intention of paying anything for this game. Ace Combat: Gimmick Assault embodies pretty much everything I have come to hate about current gen games. It's really sad too... the game is really pretty, and I would have loved it if they hadn't decided to rely on the features they did. If they don't make that stupid close up view mandatory at at all, I can maybe see it working. But that view is the worst thing since the ass-off mode in hawx. The intro to the demo was terrible, I was trying to figure out why I couldn't steer.. and then I realized it was steering for me. I probably used 150 missiles on one enemy in the demo mission, and no amount of gunfire would ever bring it down unless I used that feature. I mean, I've heard of plot armor before... but gimmick armor? And oh yeah.. I let out a very loud WTF when I decided to see what the "counter maneuver" was, and the plane pulled an automated culbit. Automatic maneuvers in AC? HELL FREAKING NO. If I wanted that, I'd be playing Starfox 64. If this demo mission isn't at all like the regular game, and they never force you to use that crap to take down anything, yeah, I can probably deal with it. But my hopes are not very high now. Edit: On another playthrough, I realized that they pretty much require you to use that freaking camera gimmick on ANY higher level target.. yeah. Hope dwindling by the minute. Oh yeah..and camera splatter.. seriously, WTF??????

Ok whoa. I might just have to get a PS3 now.

To be very honest... I'm not sure I even care if the joints ARE floppy. I'll probably be buying all of these purely because I love the fighter mode of the VF-25 (along with the super/armor packs), and it finally looks good enough that I want to spend money on it. Most of the time when I transform my valks, I only do for a little while, pose them a bit, then put them back in fighter, and zoom them around. So the only joints I really need to be sturdy are the landing gear hinges. Plus, if I can get an armored Ozma from this mold, I will have no qualms about building my armored 1/72 kit as a permanent battroid. Until I see proof that I can get a decent 1/60 armored VF-25 toy that transforms and holds together, I'm going on the assumption that the 1/72 kit will have to suffice, and will try my best to build it so it transforms with a minimum of damaged paint and decals.

You know, I may have just had the best idea ever for how to improve this movie. So, most times I ever watch Top Gun, I skip over any scene not directly involving aircraft. I want a Viewer's Cut version. Only aircraft scenes. Plus dubbing over all lines with recorded lines from actual pilots, using actual terminology. Or better yet.. The Top Gun: Ultimate Jet Noise Edition. Every line spoken by every character is dubbed over by a variety of sounds of aircraft engines. Every time someone opens their mouth, the sounds of engines play. I'm really tempted to do this with the trailer now, and put it on youtube. At the very least... I want a short documentary on the origin of the phrase "Zone Five" and instructions on proper usage of the term. I've heard that particular one misued in the stupidest ways, more times than I care to count.

Eh, I should probably rephrase what I meant. It's not that I expect to be able to move the joints however I want, it's more I've come to expect more from Yamato's ankle joint designs, and it doesn't surprise me at all that people tend to overstress the ankles, thinking they'll be able to move like previous valks' could. You're right, that issue really isn't comparable to Bandai joints just going limp. My thoughts kind of ran together, because I started picking apart a few issues I have with the VF-19, then deleted it all when I realized this is the DX YF-29 thread. Whether the VF-19 ankles can move however I want or not, there's no excuse for Bandai's joints to go so floppy just from sitting still. Fortunately it's relatively easy to apply fixes to both issues, but fixing the VF-19 ankle joint to make it tighten up again doesn't change the fact that the range of motion still sucks when you're done. In that regard, it's actually worse than the loose Bandai joints, since while the fix for them is more work, you at least had a good range of motion to begin with.

Well, on the subject of the VF-19... I'd argue that it's not unreasonable to expect the ankles to move a decent amount. I have a hard time faulting anyone for pushing the ankles farther than they were meant to go, just because people expect new products to meet or exceed the standards set by previous products. People expected those ankles to move more, and they don't. It's like if someone designed a four door car where the front doors barely open a foot or so, and the passenger doors open straight out. Even if it's designed that way, it doesn't mean it's at all useful, or even a good design. My greatest fear with regards to any Macross product right now is this current obsession with ball joints, or other non-detented pivots. They're useful in some ways, but when they fail, they can fail miserably. Yamato has a pretty good track record with hip and shoulder ball joints (usually all plastic I might add), but Bandai seems obsessed with die-cast, and just can't seem to figure out how to design a ball joint that doesn't become completely limp over time.

He approved it because money. Glad they've gone back to correct that, and here's hoping they make more money this time, and it reinforces the thought that attention to quality is worth the effort.

The legs almost look a little too high, I see what you mean, but it's probably just from being on the gear. Besides, I'll take the legs being too high over being too low any day.

just got my upgrade kits... holy crap. I see what you mean about the vacuum loading, I think my darts are almost too big for the barrel. Honestly though, the spring they provided is almost scary. I actually wound up putting the original spring back in, and just using the new metal breach. I might put it back later, but the thing was so loud I thought it would shatter. Combined with the modded darts I've been trying out, it was the most accurate I've seen a recon fire. Also, the darts were nearly denting my furniture. Anywho, in terms of darts, I've taken to tweaking a few of the massive amounts of clip system darts I've got (the raider came with 100 ). Biggest reason they tend to be inaccurate is the balance point being too far aft (or just being too light in general), so I've gone through a few methods trying to improve the weight distribution. I know a lot of people make their own darts out of foam stock, but I like not having to mod my guns to use custom ammo. Besides, not using those 200-something clip darts I've accumulated feels like a waste. First thing I tried was just wrapping about 2" of electrical tape around the dart head, about 1/4" back from the very tip. I wrapped it tightly enough to squeeze the tip, and it kept the diameter of the dart fairly consistent. Results were good, the darts definitely flew straight, and were pretty consistently accurate over the width of my apartment, which isn't much, but it was a noticeable improvement. The downside is that over time the tape's glue began to slip, and the tension started to let up, which had two effects. First, the tape section got bigger, making the darts stick a little in the barrels. Second.. the area where the tape slipped left a strip of glue residue that made the darts stick to the barrel even more. Second attempt is probably the most effective, but also the most tedious. I just shoved modeling clay into the dart tips through the little hole in the side. Forget how I did it, but it took a while to get a single dart modified this way. I think I just shoved small bits of clay in with a toothpick until the tip was full. End result was nice, a good balanced dart tip that you could actually shape a little into a bullet point (of course, impacts would just result in a wide flat tip again). Hurt a bit when I got hit by this one too, just from the weight. In fact, it may have been a little too heavy, due to the weight of the clay. Probably the most practical thing I tried was the last one. I went and got a fine-tipped glue gun, and started filling the tips with hot glue. I tried using the holes on the side at first, but realized I was just melting and warping the tips that way, so in the end I just stuck the tip of the glue gun right in the center of the tip and melted a new hole. This kept the glue a little more centered, and also let the air escape from the side hole. Think I've made about a clip's worth of these, and they tend to work really well. Only problem I think here is just keeping the glue distribution consistent. Get it off center, and the darts will be just as inaccurate as before, just with a little more impact. Using those glue-tipped ones with the heavy spring was making some fairly loud impacts on my front door. It's metal, I didn't want to dent my walls.

Sheesh, that was fast. Honestly, the extra parts aren't as interesting to me as getting a couple of spare A/J heads. I already have two of the kits, but I've got an over-sized group of VF-1Ss

Actually, it's not too hard to get a vacuum seal on a recon that way, two of my nearly stock ones do that too, after removing the restrictors. I hope they get more kits in stock soon, I would love to replace the parts from the first recon I modded, which became rather leaky. Edit: Actually looks like they have a few recon stage 2 kits in stock again, just ordered both for the recon, and the stage 1 AT kit. I can't wait to see what they do with the longstrike and longshot.

I take it by "out of place" you mean,"where do those thrusters even go in fighter mode?" There's a reason none of the various VF-1 toys have them, I don't think they actually have any place to go. I did see someone work the side cover panels into a very different mechanism for how the shoulders work in a custom hasegawa kit, but it was really complicated, and there still was no place for a bank of thrusters to be mounted.

Given how often we actually saw the VF-25 carrying underwing stores, I can't really fault them for that too heavily. Any time they needed firepower they were carrying super or armor packs anyway, which don't really allow for underwing stores. Pretty much the only time you saw anything mounted on the wings was with the speaker pods Michael carried, and I still have no idea how he carried those with the packs on (the set he left in orbit that Alto escaped with). I guess if the wings were swept fully straight out, there might be room, but no one at Bandai can seem to get it through their heads that those wings are supposed to ever pivot straight out. Now, if they ever get around to it, they won't have any excuse for the VF-171. That thing was loaded for bear, with the same missiles they used on the VF-0 no less.

"Space... the final frontier. Our mission.. To sell T-shirts, toy phasers, plastic communicators, and anything else we can think of. To seek out new life in old plots and complications. To boldly go where everyone's been before!" STAAAARRRRrrrr DRECK.. ooooOOOHHHHhhhhhooooo......

I love how it looks like you've left room for Diamond and Emerald Force in your Mac7 section. Awesomely beautiful collection there. One more vote for a shelf by shelf tour though, I'm curious what's behind the glare.

Ok, here's full comparisons of several Valks' feet, and their range of forward to back motion. These are all taken with the ankles fully extended, feet closed, and rotated to the maximum position up and down. VF-1 This one kind of sets a high standard. The range of motion is really nice both up and down. Looks like about 150 degrees or so. VF-11 Good range, though this one is biased a little toward pointing the toe, useful for good gerwalk poses. About 90 degrees of rotation. YF-19 Again about 90 degrees total, balanced up and down. Fire Valk I wish I was kidding. This one just does not compare in any way, shape or form. Can't be more than a 15-20 degree rotation total, if that. Note, I did this very carefully, and this was as far as the feet moved before I started feeling like I was straining the joint. On the other hand, to compare, you have this: I just can't understand this at all. It's why I think the foot mechanism needs to be rotated 90 degrees inside the leg. You have a full 90 degrees of rotation this direction. The legs don't even spread far enough to make use of that range. I guess they just felt that Basara never made that many action poses, which considering how often you actually saw the Fire Valk walking, may be true. Moreso, he was usually flipping all over space, so he didn't really need the feet to bend. Doesn't mean I think there's any excuse for such a lousy range of motion though. As beautiful as this valk is in every other way, the foot just is completely incapable of achieving the range of motion of any other Yamato valk.

I can soon, need to dig them out of storage to get to them. Edit: Pics are posted in the next post down.

This might be one case where "problem free" is a subjective term, due to people's expectations. My ankles aren't loose, but I had to tighten them after attempting to pose the feet. Compared to every other ankle joint Yamato has put on valk in the past ten years or so, the range of forward to back rotation of the ankle is extremely limited. People expecting to be able to point the toe up or down are going to be disappointed, and may see this as a problem. The problem isn't that the feet are bad, but that the design is so different from everything they've produced in the past. People are used to ankles that move up and down a lot, with just enough side-to-side rotation to allow a spread-legged stance. These new ball-jointed ones are entirely the opposite, offering tons of side to side flexibility, but almost no range of motion front to back. The bottom line is, the restricted range of motion that people are seeing isn't a mistake, it was designed that way on purpose. Whether people see that as a problem is going to depend on how important flexible feet are to them. Frankly though, I do have to say.. it's a ball joint. It's round. Why isn't the range of motion around it symmetrical? Unless all the sideways motion coming from the joint farther up inside the ankle. In any case though, I do personally think the ankle needs a redesign. That side-to-side joint up inside the leg could potentially be rotated 90 degrees so it gives the feet some up/down rotation. I mean, they're supposed to be thrust vectoring nozzles after all, and the VF-19 is the first Yamato valk I think I've ever seen where it wasn't possible to vector the feet up or down in fighter mode. That's partly due to the ankle cuff restricting them, but pulling the feet out should at least let you move them slightly. On the other hand, that particular design should be perfect for the VF-17, considering it's feet are mounted sideways in fighter mode. It still won't help posability in battroid though. It is good to hear they're looking at the ankles some, and strengthening that thigh piece. Either way though, I love this design so much, no amount of ankle weirdness is going to dampen my enthusiasm for the S/F/P. I can't wait to get those. The only question remaining is how many I'll actually buy.

Honestly? Best one I think I've ever seen in the "awesome AMV" category? This. Crazy anime, video is incredibly well done, and I love this song. I will never be able to associate it with anything other than ballet, no matter how hard I try. Honestly, I'm waiting for someone to make a version with footage from Black Swan. On the funnier side, just look up anything under the title AMV Hell, and prepare to potentially die laughing. There's too many good bits to list, but I'll post a personal favorite clip.

Holy crap that Su-35 demo was.. well.. seriously.. wtf do they even call that maneuver? I'm running out of aircraft terms...might have to resort to skateboarding stunts to describe what that plane just did. It looked like he pulled a half culbit into a controlled inverted flat-spin 180...then later pulled a full 360, and the video cut off before he approached 540. There's no real frame of reference to see how much altitude he lost during all that spinning, but I'm reminded of that bit in Hot Shots where he claims to have learned a particular maneuver from Paula Abdul... or was it Nancy Kerrigan? After all the times seeing various valks drop their legs to throw their thrust full forward and stop on a dime, I wondered if any real aircraft could pull off something similar without falling apart. Obviously the plane was tuned up, and lightened to let it do all that, but still, seeing a plane flip itself around and fly backwards to slow down is impressive. Reminds me of the kinds of stunts guys in bi-planes tend to do.. or the F-22 I saw pull the jet equivalent of a hammerhead stall once. Also, Russia should just state the obvious and call it the Tu-22.5, or maybe the Tu-45.. it's about what you'd get if you threw an F-22 and F-23 in a blender.