A couple of observations since my return

[humble]

I've been back about 3 weeks now, and there are a couple of interesting...and possibly dangerous trends since December when I left.

#1 on the list is a serious "gang-bang" mentality. Before many of the better players (and squads) switched sides to balance things out. Now it's a combo landgrab/vulchfest for the most part. The flight sim portion of the game (to me it's heart & soul) is suffering for it.

#2 a change in the focus of the "airwar". Before we had a mix of T&B fight till you die and "fly smart" types with a good middle mix as well. More and more I'm seeing alt monkee's and gang bangers...again this is not a good evolution from my point of view.

3# TREMENDOUS turnover in a short time...of course many may be flying under a new "handle"...but I'd say less than 20% of the regulars from Dec are still active...least thats my gut feeling. I don't seem to see alot of long term interest like the old AW/WB communities had.

I'm sure many will disagree or have other issues. This is easily the best flight sim I've ever had the pleasure of playing. I'm still asking why I don't enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did a year ago. While many seem to be totally engrossed by the strategic elements and constant "new toys"...I'm concerned that a "silent minority" are just quietly going away.

I do know that having the snot beat out of us (niggit's) last week has really highlighted the dangers of unbalanced gameplay to me. Seems I can defect and join the gangbang...become a fp driver (yuk) or simply fly and die as best I can. Hopefully some type of equalizer or limitation will eventually be added to at least provide some measure of balance....but truthfully thre further it evolves away from its air combat beginnings the more I wonder about the future.

Just curious if I'm way off to one side of the curve here...or if anyone else has been pondering the same things?

[Hangtime]

LOL.

Kill the red ones. Before they kill you.

D:
 

[-Pirado-]

bah

[AKcurly]

Wait til the first, humble, it will be somebody else in the barrel.  I've watched it for over a year now. When I first started, it seemed like the Rooks had a large Asian contingent because invariably, at 9am or so, the rooks would control a large part of the map!  At U.S. prime time, it seemed the rooks were always outnumbered.

The Knits *ALWAYS* had the largest body count during U.S. prime time and the Bish hung in there, always with fewer numbers.

It's different now and I don't know why, but the Knits are frequently outnumbered.  Is it because squads rotate at months end?  I don't think it's that simple.

Anyway, I noticed the Assassin rotated to Knit recently, probably because of concern over numbers.

There have always been hills and valleys with player numbers -- in the past, maybe it occurred when  you weren't ordinarily logged in?

AKcurly

[MrSiD]

IMO the three country setup is the worst possible for game balance.

Now it's most likely that a country will ally with another to beat the third.. That means the third country will have to face 2:1 situation.

But I guess the real problem lies with the loser players who go to the winning side always in search of a few easy vulch kills.

If players would automatically choose the side which balances the arena best, we would never have this problem. Maybe if it was set up as default country for the newcomers? So that when player joins the arena he will have his country set to the country with least numbers (which he could then change at will..)

[hazed-]

Ive been in knits as you know for ages and had some hard times and good ones concerning numbers.But honestly NOTHING like the last week or so!It was truelly bad in knits with constant 3-4 days of defending outnumbered in every fight.You get desperate for a fair fight and end up trying stupid sorties in a vain attempt to avoid getting chased by packs of fighters.It really has made AH more annoying than enjoyable.
I have had my best score in any tour up until 'hell week'   then i dropped 10-15 places even though in the busy skies i felt i did well just to stay alive let alone kill much.
Since 1.07 its not been so pronounced and with all those pilots testing unfamiliar planes(me included  ) theres been a chance for me to get some score back.

i know what you mean hblair  

------------------
Hazed
9./JG54

[Zippatuh]

I’ve only been in AH since the beginning of the year and cannot comment on the history like some others can.

I can say that it sucks to be outnumbered two or three to one sometimes.  Does well to advance you situationall awareness though.

“Con 2 low, 3 hi, 7 hi, 10 low, 9 co-alt, look out GV flacks…  Ahhh fek it, kill anything red, muahahahaha.”

I can also say that I’m having the best tour since my subscription began and that my ACM and gunnery seems to be getting better tour to tour.  (ok, well maybe not my gunnery but I’ve always felt that I could fly somewhat well)

So what do those two statements add up to?  Bring it on ya bastiges!!  

Zippatuh

[Staga]

Usually games I play have even sides but in AH I've noticed there's 30% more players in other countries.
I'm thinking to spend my perkpoints away and look if grass is greener in other games.

[rosco-]

  Rooks were in the exact same situation early on in the last tour. "or maby the tour before that" but i remember a few days logging on with a hand full of fields and outnumbered 3 to 1 on every front. I didnt whine personally but when someone else did they were told to stop whineing and that next tour it would be someone elses turn in the hole. Now its someone elses turn and the same advice applies  
 
 Dont forget the option is there to switch sides if you arent having fun.