A Main Arena with a Historical Twist...

[eskimo]

Just suppose:

That at large airfields you could always select any fighter.
But at medium airfields you could only get either Axis fighters or Allied fighters (Each country would get X amount of each, depending on the map used).
At small airfields, you could only get aircraft from one country of origin: Germany, Japan, Italy, Britain, Russia, or US (Again, each country would get Y amount of each).      
All bombers and ground vehicles would be available at every field (This might actually encourage the use of bombers, something AH needs IMO).

Pros:
1-Variety!  Not the same old fight everywhere!
2-Small friendly bases next to small enemy bases would create mini "historical pockets".  
3-You may have several different kinds of "historical pocket" fights to choose from.
4-Some of the historical pockets may be new and interesting (I.E. German Vs Japanese planes).
5-If none of the historical pockets appealed to you, there would likely be a few medium or large front line fields to get your plane of choice from.
6-Can be implemented with current maps.
7-Computer can randomly select fighter/country origin for small fields at reset so that the map is different with each reset.  I.E. A-10 on the island map may be Russian now, but after reset may be assigned US.  Same idea for Axis Vs Allied medium fields.
8-The main arena would still function pretty much the same way, and have almost all of the appeal that a MA should.  However, those seeking a HA would at least occasionally be able to find semi-historical fights within the MA.
9-We all would be encouraged to become proficient in 5 or 6 very different fighters in order to play the "hot spots".

Cons:
1-If your country gets whittled down to its two Italian fields, your screwed.  Then again, reset would only be a minute or two away.
2-Guys who fly only one ride, on occasion, may have to launch from a rear field.
3-Number of plane types available per small field would vary (including variants of type):
   Germany - 9,  Japan - 3,  Italy - 2,  Britain - 5,  Russia - 4,  US - 9
   Perhaps Japan and Italy could be combined to help this, however.
4-We all would be encouraged to become proficient in 5 or 6 very different fighters in order to play the "hot spots", this may not be fair to those who barely have enough play time to become proficient in one.

If you like this idea, or have some input, please add to this post.  
New game-play ideas from customers never get implemented without support.

Thanks,
eskimo

[Karnak]

Its a neat idea, and novel enough that I cannot predict what effect it would have other than make the "I only fly x fighter, period!" guys complain very loudly.

Your predictions look as reasonable as anything I could think of.

------------------
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Mosquito FB.MkVI Series 2 to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[eskimo]

Pros:
10-Arena would naturally become more ballanced.  Whatever the newest despised plane is would only be available from about 50% of available fields.
11-Because of this, perk system could be done away with so the arena would become more fair to newbies.

[Lephturn]

Big huge con:  Folks don't like to be limited.  It's not the lack of availability that would piss me off, it's the location.  What if I like Italian AC, but that small field is far from the front due to placement?

Too complicated.  This would do nothing but frustrate and confuse newbies far more than the perk system could IMO.

An interesting idea, but not in the main.

Lephturn

------------------
Sean "Lephturn" Conrad - Aces High Chief Trainer

A proud member of the mighty Flying Pigs http://www.flyingpigs.com

Check out Lephturn's Aerodrome for AH articles and training info!

[This message has been edited by Lephturn (edited 05-30-2001).]

[aknimitz]

Fun and Interesting.  At the very worse, it is worth a try.  At best, it should be permanently implemented.  I definitely would like to see something like this implemented at least for one tour maybe?

Nimitz

[SeaWulfe]

Sure and find me a really good offline game....
-SW

[eskimo]

Lephturn,
If you liked Itailian aircraft, you would still be able to get them at ANY large field, 50% of the medium fields, and perhaps 20% of the small fields.  Any fighter would be available at about 50% of its fields.  unless they are down to two small fields... worse case scenario.
It's not realy that complicated.  You go to a field and sellect from what's available.  It wouldn't take long to scan your entire front line.

eskimo

[lazs]

It's bad enough now that you can't even take off in anything from any useful field half the time.   why limit the usefulness even more?   Why allow the "patience equals skill" set an even greater advantage?  I would love to see the stats on the average amount of time people spend online after logging in.  
lazs

[Maverick]

Creative thinking there but I think the execution would have very bad results for players. Many do not want to see that they can't get their favored ride. Why stay then? Many will see that they are reduced to lesser and lesser capable planes, Why pay for that? Gang banging will take on new life as that means much more vulching oportunities to keep a country in the gutter so they can build the all important perk points. That would make it very unfun for the low team. I think many more would simply log off than put up with it.

Mav