Originally posted by Simaril
1) The ENY formula is under HTC's control.
2) HT has said elsewhere that "every game is based on fairness between the sides" or something to that effect.
3) ENY has seemed more restrictive to those who refuse to change sides.
Can you draw any conclusions about what HTC thinks ought to happen? HT doesnt like forcing arbitrarily, but he's willing to put in some pretty stiff incentives to have US balance ourselves. And despite your argument that the arena limits force inequity, the truth is that ANY of the people logged into an arena can cahnge sides of they choose. We CAN even the sides regardless of the total numbers.[edit: total numbers in the arena]
And if you argue "they've never worked before" I have to ask you -- if we as a community refuse to make things roughly fair on our own, do you think he'll give up , or do you think he'll make tougher rules?
You really may want to think about this.
This is for Edbert, the BK's and everyone else yapping about numbers balance. I thoroughly understand the need for balance, and your belief that changing sides is the solution. Unfortunately there are other considereations that make this imposible for many.
Many people are naturally loyal by nature and are committed to playing for one side only. This is the way they want to play, and is no better or worse than those who jump back and forth. Squadrons are provided by AH, so most people join one (the very greater majority), and fly together, sometimes in very large groups. All of this is normal, natural and PREDICTABLE human behavior, and another perfect acceptable way to play the game.
Some people play to win the map as opposed to just hunting for furballs and perk points -- both acceptable game play. AH provides the 'Win the map' strategy and functionality, so no one is doing something they shouldn't if they do everything they can to take bases and win. To imply anything different is wrong. The game (i.e. HiTech) provides it, so by default, they encourage and endorse it. You can't make it go away. It never will, unless HiTEch scraps the game itself and starts over.
Some people play to fly fighters. Some to bomb in buffs. Some to tank in GV's. AH provides all this, so it is again reasonable that people do this, and since they take EVERYONES money, it behooves HiTech to find the best solutions that help and enhance everyones game, not just a few (BK's are you listening). If HiTech takes your money over time, there is some obligation on their part to let you continue to play the game you thought you were purchasing, or at least announce that major game elements were changing so you could decide to stay or go. And this does not mean some changes shouldn't occur over time to improve the game, but to fundamentally change the gameplay (I'd say recreating the Arena format qualifies) in mid-stream makes it difficult for many people to still enjoy themselves, especially when ther are a number if ill-considered flaws in the new format.
On that point, I think it would have served HiTech's stated purpose to simply have added the Early Arena, keeping the original MA. The numbers right now suggest that would have drawn off 150 or more people from the MA during peak hours. Later, if their expected influx of new players required it, the could further divide the arenas, and with some experience and additiaonal insight from the first split. Unfortunately they went for the extreme, cold turkey approach.
As for numbers imbalance (which is more prevelant and extreme than before), basically, people are not going to voluntarily switch sides (at least not enough) cause that's not normal behavior. Only those who feel no loyalty to anything or anyone, and just want to fight their own little fight, will do the side switching. And that's OK for them.
There will always be some imbalance, sometimes extreme. The trick is not to increase the problem (as this format does) and find small, less disruptive ways to minimize it. ENY is one way that has some passably acceptable characteristics, but it needs to be implemented less onerously.
In my experience, HiTech is notable for killing mosquitoes (apologies to Mossie drivers) with sledgehammers, instead of finessing with a flyswatter.
