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Introduction – Why Arcade Battles Must Be Reworked
Arcade Battles currently suffer from low player participation and weak long-term engagement.
This issue is not caused by individual vehicle balance problems, but by a lack of clear identity and meaningful incentives.
First, the reward efficiency of Arcade Battles is significantly lower compared to other modes.
For the same amount of playtime, players receive fewer Silver Lions and Research Points, making the mode unattractive for both progression-focused and casual players.
There are also very few high-impact rewards that create memorable moments or encourage repeated play.
Second, Arcade Battles lack clearly differentiated gameplay.
While the mode offers control assistance and faster pacing, these features alone do not define a unique experience.
As a result, Arcade Battles are often perceived as a simplified version of other modes rather than a mode chosen for its own strengths.
At this stage, minor numerical adjustments are no longer sufficient.
Arcade Battles require a structural rework that clearly answers one question:
“Why should a player choose this mode over others?”
This proposal aims to redefine Arcade Battles as a high-survivability, event-driven, reward-focused arcade experience.
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Main Proposal – Core Rework Structure
- Increased Durability and Survivability
Arcade Battles should prioritize sustained combat over instant destruction.
Key changes:
- Significantly increased base durability for all aircraft
- Additional durability scaling for large aircraft
- Reduced likelihood of combat-ending outcomes from single hits
The goal is to maintain continuous engagement and minimize abrupt removal from gameplay.
- Mid-Air Repair System
A limited mid-air repair system should be introduced.
Design principles:
- Repairs restore functionality rather than full health
- Focus on flight controls, engine output, and system recovery
- Cooldowns and limited charges prevent abuse
This system allows players to recover and rejoin combat without disengaging entirely.
- Airborne Item System (Floating Pickups)
Floating airborne items should periodically appear across the combat space.
Examples:
- Temporary repair packs
- Ammunition resupply
- Short-duration performance buffs
- Event progress acceleration items
These pickups create spatial objectives, encouraging movement and dynamic positioning while delivering immediate arcade-style rewards.
- Boss (Strategic Weapon) Events
At certain points during a match, a strategic weapon event may be triggered.
Bosses are large-scale objectives governed by special rules.
Example strategic weapons (including paper projects):
- Super-heavy paper-plan bombers (e.g., G10N Fugaku-class concepts)
- Experimental flying wings and oversized aircraft designs
- Mobile ground fortresses based on super-heavy paper projects
- Naval battleships using existing assets
- Hybrid sea-air units inspired by experimental platforms
Boss characteristics:
- Extremely high durability
- No instant destruction mechanics
- Damage applied through cumulative module and system failure
- Defeat achieved through total neutralization (crash, immobilization, or sinking)
Boss encounters are the primary source of high rewards in Arcade Battles.
- Orders System – Tactical AI Reinforcements
The Orders system allows players to temporarily influence the battlefield by calling in AI support units.
Example orders include:
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Blind Hunt:
Deploys AI interceptor aircraft that automatically track and pursue designated enemy targets.
These units prioritize speed and interception rather than raw damage. -
Anti-Mechanized (Anti-Mech):
Deploys AI attack aircraft focused on striking large targets such as bosses, ground fortresses, or heavy units.
These units apply sustained pressure rather than burst damage. -
Escort Wing:
Spawns AI fighters that protect friendly players or strategic units for a limited time.
Orders are time-limited, situational tools designed to enhance large-scale engagements without overwhelming the match.
- Aircraft Skill System (Active Abilities)
Each aircraft may equip a limited number of active skills, selected before the match.
Example skills:
- Very short-duration temporary invulnerability
- Instant rearm or ammunition refill
- Temporary engine overboost
- Rapid system recovery
- Short-term maneuverability enhancement
Design rules:
- Skills have strong cooldowns
- Only one skill can be active at a time
- Skills are intended for clutch moments, not constant use
These abilities reinforce the arcade nature of the mode and increase player expression.
- Reward Structure – Boss-Focused Incentives
Arcade Battles should strongly prioritize rewards from strategic objectives rather than standard eliminations.
Reward principles:
- Boss damage contribution provides significantly increased SL/RP
- Sustained participation against bosses yields cumulative rewards
- Event completion grants bonus payouts
Standard aircraft eliminations provide relatively low rewards,
ensuring that the primary incentive is participation in large-scale events rather than routine engagements.
This structure encourages cooperation, prolonged engagement, and focus on strategic objectives.
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Conclusion – Redefining Arcade Battles
Arcade Battles should no longer attempt to compete with other modes on realism or simulation depth.
Instead, they must fully embrace their role as an event-driven, high-action arcade experience.
By increasing survivability, enabling mid-air recovery, introducing airborne objectives,
allowing players to call in AI reinforcements through orders,
providing selectable aircraft abilities,
and shifting rewards toward large-scale boss encounters,
Arcade Battles gain a clear and independent identity.
This rework transforms Arcade Battles into a mode chosen not because it is simpler,
but because it consistently delivers exciting moments, visible rewards, and large-scale events.
Arcade Battles should not feel like a simplified alternative,
but like the mode where the battle escalates.