Fork gets up off his chair, and walks up onto the stage. The lone speakers stand has a single microphone, it's red light indicating a live mic. He steps up to the mic, slightly lowers his head, and speaks.
Fork: "Hi, my name is Fork. "
Crowd: "Hi Fork"
Fork: "I've been an Aces High addict for almost six years now. And I finding that my addition is not filling my needs.
With the new three arena's now in place, I do believe it's time that HTC move away from the game-play of three sides, Rooks, Bishops, and Knights, and move into the real war we've been seeking - Axis versus Allies.
I know I'm the admin for the AvA arena, but I think with the separation of the generations of aircraft, we should enter the true Aces High - Axis versus Allies arenas - Early, Mid, and Late war for each series.
The tri-country model is old, and not conducive to the growth and the arena numbers that HTC seeks to create in this game. There are a couple of reasons for this:
a) The three country model works only for a small and simple game design based strictly on simple air-vs-air combat, with limited strategy. Let's face it, Aces High is now a complex combat simulator with real-life tactics and strategies. A two-sided war is truly independent of #'s of players.
b) The side balancing would truly be effective for a two country war. Too many allies in the late war? No P-51's, Tempests, or late model Spitfires until the numbers balance out.
c) A two side war is really what the arena squadrons are seeking. I can't speak for my squadron, but seeing the names like JG3-Udet, 490TH Battlin BullDogs, and 460 Sqn RAAF, it seems that players are trying to model history life in a game that doesn't match it.
d) History. All of us are military history freaks. I know I am, and I play other games including Silent Hunter, Call of Duty, and IL2, not because I want to 'play a game', I want to live history. Living history in a fictitious three front war named after chess pieces, does not model history.
e) New player growth. Ever time I speak to buddies who I convince to download and try Aces High are not impressed that you can fly a P-51 vs a Spitfire. They are expecting to fly a P-51 against a Bf-109. With new customers, we should match expectations with gameplay. WWII Online has found that a two sided model works well, very well.
f) Headaches. I think the three country model with all aircraft creates more problems than it worth. Balancing three sides is a lot harder than two.
We all love this game. It's time for the war to begin! Are you with me?"
Fork sets back from the microphone, looks at the crowd, and quietly walks back to his chair.
Someone in crowd: "who's this nut case?"
Someone else: "donno. He's the admin in the AvA Arena"
Somone: "Was the admin you mean (snicker). Maybe he has a point?"
Else: "Maybe, but it's Pyro's and Hitech's game. Let them decide."
Someone: "True. True. But he has a point."
