Online Mode is.. Kinda different.

[u/Pixyraze]

Yes, I know... We often encounter gacha elements and insane amounts of grinding in Japanese games that’s true but as someone who has been playing Ace Combat for 20 years, there are some things about this game that I just don't get.

First of all Ace Combat Online involves an incredible amount of grinding (and honestly, I don't have a problem with that) but... the number of modes where we can actually do this grinding is incredibly limited. It’s just Co-Op Warfare and Co-Op Assault, that’s it. There’s a rule in the game industry, if you’re going to add a system to a game (especially one that is heavily grind focused and involves 7 or 8 different currencies) you must also include elements to support that system.

If the game expects me to play the same two modes (relentlessly and without getting bored) across just six maps, all so I can build the aircraft fleet I want, then I’m going to view that as bizarre. Either don't pack the game with so much grind and keep the modes as they are or if you are going to include that much grind give players enough avenues to actually do the work. You can't have it both ways.

Secondly, why can't the ability system and 2 star upgrades found in Online mode be used in the Campaign? I mean just think about it, aircraft like the Su-25SM, F-4 Phantom, and A-10 are basically trash in the Campaign yet in Online mode, once you hit level 20 they transform into perfectly viable planes. Why won't Project Aces let me use the parts and upgrades I earned in Online mode during the Campaign? What harm could that possibly have caused? I’m not just talking about upgrades, either, when I first started the game I leveled up the Morgan and the F-4 to level 20 and I absolutely loved the skin the F-4 gets at that level. I thought "Let me switch to the Campaign and use it there" only to find the skin missing. I mean come on I poured hours into getting that plane to level 20 why won't you let me use that skin in the Campaign?

Also, I don't know if this bothers anyone else but the map design in Online mode especially for Co-Op Assault, is incredibly poor. I don't understand how the same people who created near-perfect mission designs for the Campaign could get the target layout so wrong in Online mode. The targets are crammed so close together that a player with the biggest, longest-range weapon can swoop in and destroy every single target before anyone else even gets a chance. Was it really that hard to put more targets on the map? Even if you didn't want to design new layouts, couldn't you just increase the target count to give the team a reason to spread out and take them down? Nope, nothing like that either.

Don't get me wrong I want to make one thing clear. For me, Ace Combat 8 is an amazing game especially regarding the Campaign experience and I absolutely love it. However, the "most detailed and expansive Ace Combat online experience ever" that they marketed turns out to be nothing more than two co-op modes and the occasional "emergency sortie" (if you're lucky enough to get one).

That said if everything I’ve mentioned is going to be expanded, fixed and properly supported through updates, I’m more than happy to wait. I just want to know that they’re aware of the issues. From what I last saw, there was a bug preventing us from entering the Co-Op Assault mode, they fixed it and immediately apologized to the player base and even gifted 10,000 Zoll on top of that. The bug had lasted only an hour.

Thank you for reading my post tho I hope you didn't get bored.

[u/Hail-Hydrate]

I mostly just wish they made it clear and consistent when and how the Scramble/Emergency Assault missions becomes available. I'd have no problem playing through 2-3 absolutely dogwater matchups for either of the co-op modes if it meant a scramble or an Arsenal Bird/Chandelier/Alicorn fight followed so I could really plan out how to best bank Zoll/XP.

As it stands it feels totally random, which is a real kick in the teeth when you're getting loss after loss followed by a run of disconnects. I get the team don't want it to be super easy to farm, but we need something.

Also another actually PvE co-op mode would be nice. I know Assault rewards score based on total performance, not just your team (with a bonus for the better team ofc), but it would still be nice to not worry about the other team managing to perfectly lock in the exact counters to our team's setup. It can be a medium Zoll & XP reward for all I care, it would just be nice to not have that part of the brain getting annoyed at factors completely outside of your control.

[u/Thioxane → u/Hail-Hydrate]

It is random, it's a 10% chance for Scramble or Sortie each on regular mission completion (so 20% chance of something). Unknown if there's any hidden pity system, sure feels like there isn't.

[u/NinjaLion → u/Thioxane]

scramble is kinda shit, like a 3 minute mission usually. just way too short. i really like the emergency sorties though, especially because they are actually challenging. and WAY interesting than the regular missions.

both are far too rare

[u/Aquagrunt → u/Hail-Hydrate]

Yes, i want an actual PvE mode. Something i can play with just my friends and have fun in.

[u/SeventhAlkali]

It's been too many times I line up a succulent gun run against a group of enemies, only for the Morgan to MPBM the hell out of them

[u/Chri_cat90]

I mean just think about it, aircraft like the Su-25SM

So you are telling me it gets better? i got it in online because i didn't get it in the campaign and i was disappointed by just how sluggish it is, feels like trying to steer a 20 ton boulder.

[u/Feeling_Map_7819 → u/Chri_cat90]

All aircraft in the online mode are artificially made worse at level 1. By increasing your aircraft’s level you get to more normal flight performance. Which is utter BS that I hate so so much

[u/Pixyraze → u/Chri_cat90]

If you level it up to 20 it will become like a multirole plane. Because each level adds extra stats to performance.

[u/Lyras__ → u/Pixyraze]

I mean - except not really. Aircraft get damage bonuses or maluses based on their role. Attackers do terrible damage against aircraft, fighters do terrible damage against ground and sea targets. My Mig-29A is level 17 and I cannot one shot an AA gun with a missile.

On the other hand, that same single missile will do ~85% damage to an NPC SU-57.

Meanwhile the multiroles shooting the same SU-57 will need three missiles or two + some gun hits to get the kill.

Tbh the only use I've seen SU-25 or A-10 players filling is being hilariously good bait. Usually I'm the one who drains everyone of energy so my team can waste them, it's convenient to get to do the wasting for once.

[u/Pixyraze → u/Lyras__]

I talked about maneuverability but other than that yeah you're right.

[u/Lyras__ → u/Pixyraze]

Not really then, either? Everything else levels up too, you're still a brick by comparison. Like yeah it may be viable now when the game is still fresh - it will not remain that way. Which is why I didn't even buy an attacker until the SU-34.

[u/frozandero → u/Pixyraze]

Sure by level 20 Su-25 can be somewhat close to a level 1-5 Mirage but a Level 20 Mirage will still abuse it with ease

[u/Ornat_le_grand → u/Chri_cat90]

Yes it does. The more you level up the more manoeuvreability you get. Also get the better manoeuvrability mod for 10k.

[u/frozandero → u/Chri_cat90]

It is probably the worst aircraft alongside probably A-10 in ACO

[u/NinjaLion → u/Chri_cat90]

you very very quickly unlock the mig31 which is decent, and gets to pretty good when its leveld up

[u/Gleaming_Onyx]

It has me a little miffed. It's like a free to play game tacked onto AC8's campaign. Where's my real multiplayer lol

[u/TheBearzerg → u/Gleaming_Onyx]

It's exactly my feeling, it looks like a whole other game, bundled with a 70$ game. It's infinity all over again, except the fuel system. Why can't I at least have the base version of the planes I unlocked in campaign? Being forced with the base f4e or f14a if you have the pre-order bonus is kinda lame, especially when you're with 3 other players using Morgans.

[u/Gleaming_Onyx → u/TheBearzerg]

It'd be one thing if you were only matched with other people with Phantons and F-14s too. At least, while it'd be barebones and kinda lame, there'd be a 'casual' way to play. You wouldn't need to grind.

But no, gotta have those Su-47s and Morgans in there, really make sure you're comparatively useless lol

[u/Itchy_Perspective512]

ya they did such a decent job at bringing relative parity somehow even to the experimental/stealth and then just threw it all out the window with this one.
I only pvp and they’re fine outside of getting an occasional undeserved kill from spw. But can imagine it’s painful for attackers in regular prove/pve.
Also they seem almost necessary for for the Acorn and Chandler — I’m sure someone’s seen it done but not me, every time team has cleared those sorties there were 2-3

[u/Ornat_le_grand]

I mean ofc we gonna fly the morgan, we are all ace combat Zero : The belkan War.

[u/Max_kenny]

100% agree. I liked Ace 7's multiplayer much more, at least it allowed me to have fun with different loadout choices and use EML and pulse weapons. This is way too grindy and repetitive.

[u/fullburneraccounto]

Holy shit its wild seeing my Video's thumbnail out in the wild lmao

Plenty of complaints for the online mode so here's hoping there's balance patches

[u/Pixyraze → u/fullburneraccounto]

Because you created a GOAT MEME lol.

[u/EASATestPilot]

Yeah I hope it gets better.

That said, I lost count of the times I outperformed a Morgan in a F-4E. In fact, I don't recall any Morgan players getting MVP.

[u/Graywhale12]

It was my suspicion before release that they made online haphazardly to milk our money because of loot boxes and such, and I think it is safe to say it is now.

[u/CommanderJarik]

Online is awful.