Originally posted by Edbert
Sloe,
I agree that there are many tastes, and different ways to enjoy this game, and that none of them are inherently right versus wrong, although the incessant gangbanging is close to being always "wrong" in my book. I agree with a large portion of what you wrote, and aside from the "yapping" comment, thought it was reasonable and rational and without insult. I have no problem with winning the war types, or buff drivers, or GVers. I roll 99.99% of my sorties in single engine fighters, you fly/drive whatever makes you happy. I just am happy to see steps being taken to encourage fairness in numbers/planetypes is all. The modest enticements did not work, it took years for that it to be realised that it was not working, so stiffer measures were taken. Only time will tell if they are sufficient or not, I expect it might take 3-6 months to know for sure.
I guess the only things you and I have to add or disagree on is the issue of those who choose "loyalty" to their chesspeice over fairness and then complain about ENY since they do in fact have a choice in the matter. If you choose to fly on the side with overwhelming numerical superiority then you should not complain about ENY, simple as that. Whining about a choice you made is just silly.
Edbert & Simaril, et al -
My apologies if I edged towards insult to anyone, but in this frustrating debate (both the topic and the medium in which it is conducted) its hard not to pick up some of the... um, colorful invectives and tone used by others. In serious discussions I do try hard not to go off the deep end.
I also appreciate and respect your comments and opinions, and I spent some time thinking about it. And, what you say is not totally unreasonable viewed from one perspective, but I don't think my points are either, or that they are that uncommon within the community.
It's hard to explain what makes it near impossible for some people to change sides. Right or wrong, for me and I think others, the "loyalty' element is part of what makes this game fun for us. It's an important factor in, and an extension of, the concept of teamwork, cooperation and achievement of a common objective. All of which is part of this game. Alot to the structure of AH that not only allows, but encourages this. So it seems paradoxical for HiTech and others such as yourself to say what essentially sounds like, "forget the loyalty thing, just jump sides" or "go to another arena. Don't help your friends or squaddies here, just go away." I guess we can't get you understand how inherently offensive that can be. It's like saying to someone, "you don't really count. You're enjoyment or concerns about he game are less important than anyone else."
I don't want ANYONE to suffer under an extreme numbers imbalance in an arena, even for a moment, though it can't ever be completely avoided. Truthfully, I always prefer an even and fair fight to see if I (or my team/squad, etc) can meet the challenge. I've come to believe that it may not be possible to really manage it without serious detriment to everyone. I just don't know.
What I do know is that the new format, which as a concept I initially favor, has been implemented with some serious flaws. I'm not one who says abandon it completely. I like having choice, which is why I hate being forced out of playing where, when and the way I want for any reason. Especially, when others are getting to play their way while I'm not.
I do like the idea of reducing the MA numbers down a bit, I just think a 250 limit in the LW (or any arena) isn't really helping and is too extreme. In fact, it's doing just the opposite of help the arena numbers, given the other problems that have arisen that make the imbalance significantly worse, not better.
Or, put another way, the more extreme changes in numbers (on a percentage basis), and greater freguency of fluctuation in the ENY do to the arena limit is, in itself, getting very disruptive to the gameplay now. For some this is not a problem, but for many it is. Some like a reasonably stable gameplay for at least longer than three minutes... or less, and think some higher level of stability in gameplay than we have now is necessary. Additionally, I don't think the Mid-war Arena is really necessary... yet, and may also be contributing the increased imbalance problem by splitting the players up too much. The new format simply needs some serious tweaks, not necessarily abandonment.
As an example, during one 20 minute period I stayed in the hangar checking between the roster (for country #'s) and the ENY limitation. With roughly about 125 to 150 people in the arena (unevenly split, of course), I watched as the change of even one person in or out of the arena on any side immediately changed the ENY for my country by 1 point. I watched the ENY repeatedly bounce up and down in those 20 minutes from 9 to 26. It changed at least 14 times in that period. I don't ever remember such a wild fluctuation up and down under the old MA in so short a time, or for so long a period. It continued more or less that way for a couple of hours.
This meant no one could know from one minute to the next, and back again, what kind of aircraft was available to them. I spent more time trying to find an aircraft that would do the mission I wanted to do, and that would meet the ENY, than I did actually flying. I know the ENY must go up and down, but it was just too mercurial to do any mission planning, and too annoying trying to sustain a consistent defense or attack. And this situation has occurred every day in the LW for extended periods of time.
I spent two days playing in the LW (and I usually play 2 to 5 hours nearly every day), where I got to take up all of maybe four Niki's the entire time. Yesterday, it got better, but I worry that the situation will reoccur too often and for too long. I fly other planes as well, but by and large enjoy the Nikki the most. I don't have to be in it all the time (and I'm usually not), but I'd like to fly it alot more than I think I'm going to get to as things stand now. Getting to fly it is part of why I play the game. Why shouldn't I expect to get that choice, as I have for a year and a half? If that's taken away by the new scenario, why shouldn't I be upset and voice my complaint? But since the Niki (and some others) are only available in the LW, not being able to take up a prefered aircraft at least half (heck, even a quarter) of the time you are on, is an undescribable pain.
I agree we must expect some change in the game over time, but there is such a thing as too much shock to the system. And while we know some of the mechanisms of the game do require that we be flexible as we play, on the other hand, people have come to expect some stability in the experience. But the now greater fluctuations during play are more annoying than helpful. For alot of us, it's just not that fun, and I think that is more the norm for most players.
To go further on the ENY problem, at one point, we could not take up any main battle tank, so we defended against multiple panzers and tigers with Osti's and M8's, and no ordinance. It was admittedly an interesting, though frustrating experience. However, it's the type of thing that's maybe fun once, but quickly becomes terminally annoying as you realize you're totally helpless to defend. And this has happened twice so far that I know of.
I don't believe ENY was intended to make one side pretty much defenseless like that, but I could be wrong. Since this occured during our squad night, changing sides was really not an option. And after an hour or so of this, people started to leave and squad night ended early. Believe me, people REALLY complained afterward about it, and still are. If you don't understand why this is a bad thing for everyone, then I can't explain it to you beyond what I've already said in previous posts.
Now, I don't know about others, but I find something inherently wrong in any solution that requires people to leave where they want to play, and go somewhere else that to them is second best. I don't believe people will like being forced out like that, or having their plane choices limited that much or that often. Especially if they can't understand or accept the reasoning for it.
And if it actually turns out that HiTech doesn't care whether some of it's players stay or go, well, that's so stupid and wrong, I don't even have the words for it. The only other business that I know of that can afford that kind of callous attitude towards it's customers involves Controlled Substances.
