Open Letter as sent to Hitech (from me, a Bishop)

[TBolt A-10]

Originally posted by hitech
Some post never siece to amaze me at the length people will go to support a position. The premiss of KurtVWs argument is that having unbalanced sides is realy all about increasing a pure "Skill" game. Does anyone else besides me see the absurdity of that arguement.

People have choices to make things more fun for everyone.

1. Squads could choose a different night to fly.
2. Squads could talk to  squads in the smaller country to get them to fly the same night as they did.
3. They could change countries.
4. They could view things as a challange to win with lesser aircraft.

 

I think the point was that - by screwing with all the little details of the game, such as ENY-limitation, hardened targets, etc. - you're using artificial inputs to over-manage human behavior.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT...You know, HiTech, things might've been much better had you posted a message on the BB & told us that we - the customers - need to make some of our own adjustments to compensate for the unbalanced sides.  Had you placed the responsibility on the customer rather than tweek a good game, people wouldn't be so upset right now.  (to my knowledge, the above quote is the first time you've actually said something)  While some may not have done anything about it, others probably would have done SOMETHING to accomodate your request due to the high amount of respect that we have for you and the company of HTC.  But, no, rather than let the customers figure it out for themselves, you've tweeked a great game, made it less fun.  

And, now you have other tweeks in mind - all of which are still artificial band-aids that will do nothing but make the game even more frustrating?  AH (just like AW, AW2 & AW3) is my hobby.  But, I just don't know how long it'll be worth it if the arena becomes over-managed much longer.  And, that really bums me out.   I don't need a new hobby, but you're pushing, HT.  You're pushing.

[Morpheus]

** Docs advice.. Reset perks every month (possibly carry over 5-10 perks if the whine is unbearable but my suggestion is a fresh start put them at zero every month..)

This will have absolutly no impact on much of anything Doc. For the most part, the people with thousands of perks never use them. But.... They are theirs to use. They earned them. Taking them away simply wouldnt be fair.

Perk planes have basicly little impact on the bigger picture within the game. You can argue against this fact until you are blue in the face but you cant change reality. People fly them (the majority) very prudly. Only engaging with some sort of an advantage and when it is lost they do anything and everything posible to regain that advantage. More often than not this involves a retreat. What threat is that plane while it is in retreat?

Basicly, in a nut shell, perks and how people use them has a very small impact on one countrys advantage over another. I want to say almost no impact but I wont go that far.

[DoctorYO]

under the current system i agree morph but again perk the late war monsters and the whole dynamic of the game will change.. p47's and p38's and other mid wars vs g10's p51d's doras and la7's my money is on the late war bird team..  (even with lesser numbers)

perks are never used like you said.. but if they were more commoditized they would be used more frequent..

again your opinion differs from mine thats why we need a concensus of the players as a whole.. hence a vote..


DoctoryO

[Edbert]

Originally posted by MoRphEuS
People fly them (the majority) very prudly.
 

Not disagreeing with you at all but I blew about a thousand perkies in a tempest a few tours back. Got in deep, over my head, over and over. Could almost see the shock on the pilots face when I started T&Bing with Spits. Was a blast, will have to do it again sometime

[chaingun]

WELL DONE KURT, whines have run the game way too long

[JoeBWan17]

Originally posted by TBolt A-10
or.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT...You know, HiTech, things might've been much better had you posted a message on the BB & told us that we - the customers - need to make some of our own adjustments to compensate for the unbalanced sides.  Had you placed the responsibility on the customer rather than tweek a good game, people wouldn't be so upset right now.  (to my knowledge, the above quote is the first time you've actually said something)  While some may not have done anything about it, others probably would have done SOMETHING to accomodate your request due to the high amount of respect that we have for you and the company of HTC.  But, no, rather than let the customers figure it out for themselves, you've tweeked a great game, made it less fun.  

You must have missed something.  I think his original idea was to force people to wait and fly when sides were unbalanced.  The limited planes based on ENY was a suggestion in that thread.  This is definitely NOT the first time he has said something.

edit: Oh and if players "figured it for themselves" the eny system wouldn't even kick in.  The point is that they arn't willing to.  All he did was give them a little more motivation to figure it out.

[Morpheus]

I wish I could remember where I Hitech talked about why things arent perked in the manner you mention but I hope someone does.

He puts it best most of the time. It boils down to game play imo.

There are many reasons I have stuck with AH as long as I have, and never looked back.

One of the main reasons is I am FREE to do anything I want at any time I feel like it.

I beleive it is for that very reason why most do the same as I... And stick with Aces High above all others.

Up until now, there were never any restrictions on flying any plane you wanted with the exception of a few perk rides. It is this feeling of being able to do what you want when you want that draws a large part of HTC's customer base. There are many other obvious reasons why people come to and stay with AH over other games. But right now we are only talking about one.

If you want to earn the right to fly, go to WW2OL. I know many who have made the move to ww2ol. But they play for a very different reason than I. I play for the fun of being able to furball, die, get into fights that I know I have a very poor chance of flying away from. You dont earn the right to fly in AH. You do in other games. AH caters to a different crowd. As does ww2ol for instance. Its for the above reasons/differences that I will never set foot in ww2ol. Im not knocking the game its just not my kind of game... Aces High is.

We've seen what a simple eny system can do when certain planes are disabled. How many whines it can and did create. Can you imagine what the game would be like if people burnt up all their perks and they were limited to flying... Well, who knows what would be the "base" plane here in earning initial perks but people would go nuts.

You cant take whats been available for 5 years and simply take it away... The freedom to do and fly whatever you want when ever you want. You can take that away and expect people to remain happy and with the game.

I hate to make calls on good or bad business moves on anyones company. It is none of my business what they do with their company and the choices the make. But I will say that if this system ever goes into place in the MA there would be and will be many unhappy players.

[Karnak]

Zazen,

I see the argument brought up repeatedly that the two lesser sides gang up on the bigger side but I have never actually seen it happen in the game.  The ganging I have seen, and it usually does not occur, is the two biggest sides ganging up on the smallest side.

Why?

Simple really.  The greater the numbers disparity the easier it is to get kills without dying.  It doesn't matter that they have to compete with two or three other guys for each enemy, it just matters that they can do so in relative safety.


I think that basing the core of your argument on a once in a blue moon event is not setting a very strong foundation.

[ROC]

"Because to date almost all post on this subject can be sumbed up.
"I want to fly my plane, for my country any time I feel like it" with out the least thought as to how that effects things.

HiTech"

Interesting that there is a problem with this.

My daughter has soccer practice, homework, school projects that I am actively involved with.

I have work, political activities, and a wife that deserves attention.

All told, there is a limited amount of time for "me" which I can expect to enjoy my version of entertainment.  Of course it's about me.  It's how I enjoy the comraderie of the people I've known for so many years.

Frankly, Yes, I want to fly my plane, for my country any time I feel like it.  I have enough to think about outside of a "game" as to how that affects things.  This is recreation, pure and simple.  And it is wonderful that some want to cure all social unfairness in this "game" but I don't.  

Squad nights are generally chosen based on when the most of our group can log in and fly together, sort of what a squad is about.  Having made that choice, it would be nice to be able to layout a mission plan in advance, possibly apply some strategy along the way.  There have been plenty of situations where a good mission is planned, coordinated, and implemented just to find that after all the planning, the eny changes the field and the planeset isn't available.  Hmm, waste of time, frustrating, but let's be fair, either 20 rooks logged on or 20 bish left, either way, that's penalizing someone for somebody elses actions.  Bravo.

That's not a bad thing, it's just my opinion.  HT has built a good game, it's up to me to decide whether or not it satisfies my needs for my form of entertainment.  I was sure hoping it was, when I left AH due to lifes little way of being entertaining on it's own, I was Rooks, Outnumberd, OutGunned and came back because it was the time of my life and I Missed It!

Shame really.  The very thing I loved and enjoyed is now the reason eny exists lol  too funny.

Last post from me, bout beat this horse into dog food.

[Morpheus]

Originally posted by Edbert MOL
Not disagreeing with you at all but I blew about a thousand perkies in a tempest a few tours back. Got in deep, over my head, over and over. Could almost see the shock on the pilots face when I started T&Bing with Spits. Was a blast, will have to do it again sometime

Ok, and to further the point I am tryign to make is. What threat were you to the opposition around you at the time?

The answer is obvious based on...

I blew about a thousand perkies in a tempest a few tours back.

Not picking on you here, just making a point of how perks and perk planes have very little impact on the bigger picture. You died just like everyone else would in a non perked plane. The only difference is it cost you more than the others flying non perked planes.

[Dead Man Flying]

Originally posted by KurtVW
The truth is insulting?  People make their own decision to be insulted.  You can't ram it down their throats.  I am sure that HiTech is mature enough to read my thoughts at face value.

[/b]

The "truth" is insulting?  So when you state something like "average the complainers against your player base... see what a small percentage they are.. Stop trying to code to the lowest common denominator," you know for a fact that this average amounts to a small percentage?  Really?  Interesting.

You're making assumptions and pretending they are fact.  You're also making assumptions about HiTech's motivations for changes and stating them as fact.  This does not make them true.

Condescending?  As in - It appears I am talking down to him?

[/b]

That was the impression I got from it with comments like "Please step away from the keyboard" and "Don't follow [George Lucas'] example."  You spoke as if you were the authority on this subject and sprinkled your comments with warnings and orders.

And I deliver facts, not candy coated sweet-talk.

[/b]

You deliver opinions based on assumptions, not fact.  Just for future reference.

Sorry you were offended Todd.  But you're not the recipient anyhow.

I wasn't offended.  I said that if I were in HTC's position and just read what you wrote, I would be offended and insulted.

-- Todd/Leviathn

[TBolt A-10]

Originally posted by JoeBWan17
You must have missed something.  I think his original idea was to force people to wait and fly when sides were unbalanced.

[/b]

over-management

This is definitely NOT the first time he has said something.

[/b]

As I don't follow everything that goes on in these boards, please show me where HT came out and said, "Hey guys...big problem...losing customers...countries are out of balance...here are my suggestions on how YOU guys can fix the problem (1, 2, 3, 4, 5...)...you have 2 weeks or else Big Daddy's gotta try his own fix."

Just as over-management is a good way to hinder a workforce, over-management is a good way to screw up a good online arena.

[TBolt A-10]

Edit for flame bait.

[Kev367th]

From HT -

People have so many alternatives to make this a better game. But instead of realy thinking about what will make it more fun for everyone, they tend to just want there little piece of the pie. This desire for there little piece tends to be what we call "Whinning".

Couldn't agree more, into this category drop -

1) Perk them so we can still fly them, but only like 4-5 perks - Translates to 'I have watermelon loads of perks but only want to risk very little, screw the newbs who haven't got any perks'

2) Why weren't people asked to changed sides -
Translates to, 'I was quite was happy with having overwhelming numbers and wouldn't have done anything to help that required independent thought.'

3) The arena would have balanced out naturally -
Obviously it WASN'T.

[hitech]

Originally posted by hitech
To begin with I think side imbalencing has not been that much of a problem over the years. Only on a few occasions has things gotten out of wack.

But there have been times when the numbers have gotten far out of wack.  We typicly resist any change that forces people to different sides.We typicly are more inclined to giving incentives to changing sides to the lower number country, but so far it has not been a strong enough force to always keep the sides  close to balance.


Our current thought is that a country with substantialy more numbers, say in the realm of 20% more will have a time limit imposed between flights. This time would vary with the side balance.

This would have a few effects.

1. No one realy wants to wait to fly another fight, wrather than wait some will either change sides, or log off. Either has the effect of balancing the numbers.

2. The wait time will also have the effect of fewer people acctualy in the air at one time. Hence also balancing the fighting numbers.


Your thoughts?


HiTech

TBolt: My very first post on the subject does exactly what you ask.
People easly could have said , no wories HiTech a few of our squads will change sides.  So please do not play monday quaterback and tell me what I should have done.


HiTech