Author Topic: CT needs more pilots... (Read 4249 times)

Squire · « **Reply #30 on:** August 31, 2004, 02:49:53 AM »

Thursday nights at 10:00 EST is the semi official squad night for a lot of CT squads. We do missions that are many times pre organised. Anybody is welcome to show up and fly, as always. Look for a mission announcement a few days before.

They can't be as structured as the Squad Ops are, because its an arena, and anybody can show up and fly but you will find much more "happening" on thursday nights in the CT. This way we get at least one night a week where the #s come up and we can make it a lot more interesting. Thats the idea.

Panzzer · « **Reply #31 on:** August 31, 2004, 02:50:12 AM »

TC, there was somewhere a topic on last week's thursday night mission (here).

Back to the topic, the low numbers are definately a problem for us Euro-time squads. But things are starting to look better, last week we had some good nights when there were good fights. Hopefully we'll be seeing some good action for us european pilots too at the CT...

Oh, and Kanttori has the new terrain editor installed, hopefully we'll get some new maps at some point.

B17Skull12 · « **Reply #32 on:** August 31, 2004, 02:53:15 AM »

This is not the real WW2, and everyone can be a internet though guy, technically speaking there is no honor on the intardnet. I can't do squat anymore. i was accutally getting good, but then AH came out and i am about as good as a rock at dogfighting. i can never get abot 10 fps in combat, so i just fly bombers, and try to teach my squaddies a thing or 2 about ACM in a Rotte. That is my sole purpose in AH2, because it is all i really *can* do.

that state is the WAAAH you stole my killer ****er, your a studmuffin who has no skills and is a mother ****er. statement i hear so often from people.

Also i find my self fling the orginal Il2 more these days offline. I find it much more fun than AH and i get kills now and then,

TequilaChaser · « **Reply #33 on:** August 31, 2004, 03:27:14 AM »

Panzzer, u being euro your nights is like what 4pm est here where I am correct? I will check out the link...ty you to Squire

Skull12,
sorry to hear about your computer woes....we all at 1 time or another go thru that trust me........unless you got a money tree ( some on here do btw )

as for them types of statements, I pay them no attention unless it is rude an obnoxious then if they have to insist on masking vulgarity I find it in my duty as a community member to ask them to clean it up, there is enough long time players who know what is ok and what is down right rude and out of place text or vox it doesn't matter....

I very seldom poke fun at people and when I do I try to do it in a humorous way to get a laugh out of the guy I am ribbin....not saying I have never had words with people in a game but I try to use tact if at all possible.

I'm sure you are a good pile-it and everything is cool between us as far as I am concerned

as for this community , or WB, or any other flight sim there is honor in different degrees, what we should strive to do is enrich our comunity to be the best of the best

This starts with each individual player and how they act toward another........

we can weed out or change the bad seeds and have some nice shiney red apples to pick if we all set forth a commitment to clean it up !

Panzzer · « **Reply #34 on:** August 31, 2004, 04:45:40 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by TequilaChaser
Panzzer, u being euro your nights is like what 4pm est here where I am correct?

Yes, that's correct. Add 6 to 8 hours to EST to get the time here in Europe. 4pm est would be 11pm Finnish time, 10pm Central European time and 9pm in the UK. Or something like that..

TexMurphy · « **Reply #35 on:** August 31, 2004, 05:31:56 AM »

Ive thought more on this how to get more players into CT.

There are a few reasons we have low numbers, Ill go through them and then at the end will have a list of ideas I think would help.

First of all realism vs arcade. There will always be more arcade players then players who enjoy hardcore realism. Realism is a niche and arcade is mainstream.

Player egoism. This is a very high factor. "I WANT MY TOY SCREW YOU". Why do you think players always ***** up a storm when something is nerfed even if its for the good of a game or for the survival of the game? Because they cant think outside them selfs. This runs both ways its not unique to MA players or CT players it applies to ALL players.

When you as a new player look at the server list what do you see, what do you pick? You see the words "Main Arena" and the number 300 then you see "Combat Theatre" and 20. For me as a noob I knew right away that Main Arena is where everyone plays because Main means where the people hang out and a high number is just proff of that.

To be honest it all boils down to these 3 issues.

To be able to deal with the first issue of realism vs arcade issue we first need to deal with the player egoism issue. We cant influence other players, we cant change the MA players but we can change our selfs.

Ive heard so many times MA sucks, MA pilots suck, I dont want CT to turn out like MA. But instead ask your self how far are you willing to compromize on the server settings inorder to have a CT with players in it, to have a CT at all in the long run.

I think that the gap between MA and CT is a tad to big atm. Id love it to be bigger but the bigger it is the more niche CT will get and the less players it will have.

After all CT is a server that should give "more WW2 immersion to AH2", right? Not be a "highly realistic WW2 simmulator".

So I think closing the gap between MA and CT has to be done. While closing the ground on the setup one can still make CT more mission based by having more staff assigned missions in the game. This ofcourse by no way beeing forced upon the players since you dont HAVE TO fly the missions.

Next thing. The ONE thing that is bigger then a players egoism is the players desire for new toys.

All new content in AH2 should be added through the CT. CT should have it first and there should be a campaign that has the new content in a way that it makes sence on CT before it hits MA.

More and newer content is always an incentive to play on a server. More maps, more variation in maps and newer content should be the "signum" of CT.

On the issue of the server names and order in which they appear.

The servers should be renamed both of them. Main Arena should not be AHs main server but it should be what it is a arcade option.

Renaming it to "Arcade Arena" will make much more sence. It will be much more informative to new players and players will know what they are getting into.

Atm since Main means just that main the message is that AH2 is MA. This imho shouldnt be necessaryliy true as AH2 should have an arcade game play and a more ww2 inspired game play but none should be main and non should be secondary.

The name Combat Theatre is not a really good name either. I mean Main Arena is a combat theatre as well. Instead useing the word "WW2 Arena" would be much more informative.

Just look at the names.

WW2 Arena and Arcade Arena vs Comat Theatre and Main Arena. Imho much more informative and none showing supperiority over the other.

To boost the numbers a tad more I think the sudgestion to move the WW2 Arena to the top of the server list is a good idea.

So to summerize things.

1. Close the gab in game play between MA and CT, focus on WW2 immersion and not on WW2 simulation.
2. Add new content through the CT server with scenarios specially designed for that new content. Planes, tanks ect.
3. Rename the servers to WW2 Arena and Arcade Arena.
4. Put WW2 Arena on top of the server list.

Tex

Telstar · « **Reply #36 on:** August 31, 2004, 05:35:46 AM »

All this time zone stuff makes my head hurt....

Seeker · « **Reply #37 on:** August 31, 2004, 06:25:47 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Sable
Keep in mind that the current CT setup has full radar and icons. I can't say I love these settings, but it makes it very easy to find the other guys and fight them.

Has that Baltic map been brought into AH2? That was a great map - I'd love to see it again.

IT has!!

Since when?

I'll check it out.

I think it's great you guys are begining to experiment a little; but I follow the CT forum reasonably closely; and I had no idea you'd gone from "chase the dot" settings. Could you publicize this stuff a little more?

Arlo · « **Reply #38 on:** August 31, 2004, 07:46:49 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Seeker
IT has!!

Since when?

I'll check it out.

I think it's great you guys are begining to experiment a little; but I follow the CT forum reasonably closely; and I had no idea you'd gone from "chase the dot" settings. Could you publicize this stuff a little more?

You've never once clicked the CT banner and looked at my site, have you? Advertised it for 2 weeks ... hehe.

storch · « **Reply #39 on:** August 31, 2004, 08:04:45 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by TequilaChaser
yeah Bear actually most times I find the CT self balances itself pretty good when I log in, and maybe the people there had planned a mission and the opposite side showed up late or something........

I have no clue why it was that way, just like Skull12 there pokes his comment in not knowing I had just took off from a base with maybe 3 or 4 k alt and the 109 was a good alt above me.....

its that word you know "ASSUMPTION" it is the mother of all screw ups!

I do recall telling arlo I either didn't or couldn't see the other dots he refered me too, I actually thought everyone on knights was in GV mission mode except for allmetal and Redd........

no biggie........just venting a whee bit

skull is a numbskull

He's very athletic, he always jumps to conclusions and flies off handles. Then again he's 12 years old.

hitech · « **Reply #40 on:** August 31, 2004, 08:43:48 AM »

TexMurphy: Althow I agree with the first part of your post stating make the CT settings closer to the main to attract new players.

Your other sugestions on renaming miss a few points of basic goals.

It is not HTC desire to move people from the main to the CT.
Are goal is to provide a service to the widest verarity of people. This includes the main just as much as the CT.

Now as your premmis states most people like the main style of play more than the CT. So why would we change names to somthing that would be less accomidating to the widest range of people. Why would we want to put the most popular arena 2nd on the list to make it slightly less friendly to the bigest group of people? Why would we want to limit the new stuff from the bigest group.

As a CT flyer I can see why you wish our goal was to put more people in the CT, for you anything that puts more people in the CT is a good thing. But we view the CT as an alternative to the main, If the CT staff comes up with things that atracts more people,that is good for both CT flyiers and HTC. But just wanting to push more people to the CT is only good for the CT and not HTC.

HiTech

Sable · « **Reply #41 on:** August 31, 2004, 09:45:47 AM »

Well this current setup definitely seems to be drawing better numbers. We were seeing 10-15 per team for a while last night. I'm not sure if thats due to icons changes, or due to the planes available.

Perhaps there is a better way we could advertise the fact that the CT is using full icons and DAR to the folks in the MA? I get the feeling that there are a lot of people in Seeker's boat who just don't know and would give the CT a try to see if they like the allied/axis setup.

Mister Fork · « **Reply #42 on:** August 31, 2004, 09:49:17 AM »

HiTech and I had talk about increasing the numbers and I'm on board with his view. If we are to increase numbers in the CT, it's just to broaden the gamplay scope of HTC that appeals to players, not to rob them from the MA. That means attracting more players to Aces High and letting all players know what the Combat Theatre is about.

Example 1: A player might get bored of the MA and is thinking about closing his account. He hears about the CT, gives it a whirl and it renews his interest in Aces High.

Example 2: A prospective player has signed up for the two week free account. She likes the historical setups rather than the typical mix of aircraft in the Main Arena.

Example 3: A player signs up because he likes the fact that he can take his favorite ride up in the Main Arena any time, and then when he can, take it up against it's historical opponent in the Combat Theatre.

The Combat Theatre isn't in competition with the Main Arena. It's just a different place to fly.

B17Skull12 · « **Reply #43 on:** August 31, 2004, 09:53:14 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by storch
skull is a numbskull He's very athletic, he always jumps to conclusions and flies off handles. Then again he's 12 years old.

J00 AR3 T3H SM4RT!

TexMurphy · « **Reply #44 on:** August 31, 2004, 10:28:10 AM »

HiTech

Dont get me wrong. Reshuffeling the player base is not a good thing to do.

The reason Im sudgesting a renaming to Arcade and WW2 Arena is to make it more informative to new players.

Im purely looking on my own history with AH.

2 years ago I first found out about the game. Im like woot mmog WW2 flight sim wooot right down my alley.

I sign up for a trial period. Im like "god this flight engine is great but wtf is this bish/rook/kinght setting about, and the maps are just dumb as well". I dont sign up for an extention of my trial account.

1 year ago I come back to try AH out again. I miss WW2 flying in a good physics engine and since I only play online games this is where I go. So once again back in my n1k and enjoying the flight engine but the bish/rook/knight setting just gets to me.

I get told about the combat theatre. On my first visit I wasnt even aware there ws such a thing. Guess Im stoopid for just clicking on the word "Main".

Well it was fun, played on the baltic map and loved it. But there was no players to play with.

I come back this time again and I figured crap Ill give the game a chance even though the faction setup and Ill try to see if I can somehow come up with ideas how to fill up CT.

So Im now subscribing.

Though most people dont come back 3 times. Only reason I have come back 3 times is that there are quite alot of Jumpgate players here who mention the game eveyr now and then. Else Id propably forgotten about it after my first visit.

What Im saying is that you where -><- close to missing my subscription just because the room names wherent informative enough.

I mean this could have happened on more then one occation.

Plus that there might be quite a few players within the MA communicty who would actually play on CT if it had more numbers but dont atm. The risk is that, if players play on a setting that is less down their alley just because its the only real option for them, they are more likely to cancell their acount.

Though I can buy your reasoning on not moving the CT to the top of the list.

Tex