HiTech sure screwed the pooch big time on this one. Whether anyone realizes it or not, they have just punished EVERYONE to solve a problem they don't seem want to spend the effort on to solve properly. Even after all of the discussion and suggestions about this subject.
Let me count the ways turing on the kill shooter is bad.
1. I now have to spend 80-90% of my time in the DA either waiting for, or traveling to a fight. Thank you, but I don't especially want to fly to another base for a duel. I can do that in the MA all day long. Don't need a mini-MA.
2. In many cases, it isn't going to be a duel as I expect every dweeb near by is gonna "jump" on the red icon as soon as I appear. Again, I've got that in the MA, why do I need it here.
3. If I want a true one-on-on duel, I have to spend the time trying guess who's engaged or who isn't from a distance, then IM people to try to make an "appointment" for a duel. More time wasted for what I can do in the MA - i.e. "200: Hey, you and I at quiet base A120. Me the Niki. Be there or be square."
4. If I want to give or get ACM pointers, carry on a discussion I've changeg my Vox channel or try to get them on mine. Not too big a deal, unless I wanted to stay in comm with my squaddies or someone else. And pain and time waster..
5. Finally (for now) Squad practises will be much more difficult to set up as I have in the past. Opponents will have to be in another country, Vox confusion again. Harder to organize and manage. Another pain and time waster.
This solution has just changed the aggravation, and ruined the DA instead of fixing, or at least, improving the situation a little.
I go into the DA often to GET AWAY from the MA. I like being able to immediately up an aircraft and then start a duel with someone. No waiting, no hassle. With this that is all gone. Not gonna waste more time flying around open countryside. MA requires it. DA shouldn't.
What should HiTech do?
At a minimum...
1. Canvas the veteran community and come up with the standard rules of engagement we fly by in there, and then post them in the MOTD, JUST AS THEY DO IN THE TA TODAY! Really a tough one there.
2. Ask for additional veteran volunteers to be "DA observers" that may or may not have ejection priveleges.
3. Publicly provide the guidelines for punishment of offenders, i.e.
1st time, ejection from DA for 24 hours,
2nd time, suspension from AH for 48 hours.
3rd time, loss of account and black listing of credit card holder AND IPAddress.
4. Restrict two week trial members to the TA and MA until they start paying. Part of the training in the TA should include the instruction of the DA, its use and rules.
There are more supporting ideas out there, but these would be more than a step in the right direction. The idea is NOT to eliminate the possiblity of anyone vulching or engaging in bad behavior. As the current solution shows, you can only "guarantee" security by eliminating freedom -- from everyone!
The idea is to put in reponsible measures to encourage the correct behavior and for those few who are either initially ignorant or just socially terminal, provide a means of recognition and reporting the offenders, and when necessary punishment.
This will not 'solve' the problem such that we will never see another teenie-dweeb-vulcher-cherrypicker, but should help us to prevent many from even getting started, and bringing it to an acceptable level. We can then have the DA as most of us like to enjoy it.
