Originally posted by Baine
7. You assume that squads no matter how large increase player retention.
8. You assume that squads are the only item that increase retention and attract players.
9. You assume that if nothing had changed people do not leave for other reasons.
10. You assume that to have fun with your squad, every member must be able to fly together.
My point is, that I very well understand the attractions and need for social aspect of a "Squad". But also understand there are other needs that have to be balanced with the needs of squads.
HiTech
The change does in no way threaten the squad base.
HT I'm sorry, but you're just plain wrong there.
These guys aren't making comments with the jerk of a knee. The comments are coming after flying for the last couple of months and trying to enjoy squad nights under the old set of new changes. They've given stuff the good college try without *****in or moaning. Now they - and many of the other people in this 12 pages of comments - see changes that they fear are going to finally do away with the aspect of the game they treasure most.
I don't know if you fly in a squad or not. But if you did regularly you would understand where they are coming from.
You're also assuming that these guys are saying they want to fly together all the time, they don't. But this system does make it difficult, if not impossible on squad nights when they do want to fly together.
I'm not assuming that you do not know about the interaction of squads. But I also know that these guys _ and lots of others in this thread _ are basing their comments on their real experiences over the past several months, not on some perverse desire to give you a hard time. They are speaking from experience. They know what they are talking about.
You say we assume you don't have other ideas in the works.
I think, given the last couple of weeks, most of us are sure that you do. But, since you won't share them and tend to announce them rather abruptly, then you can't blame us for commenting on them as they come along.
You say "I have a roadmap, trust me" but then when people post their concerns in a civil way you go into "I am the great and powerful Oz" mode. An understandable reaction, but one not likely to generate a lot of trust.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I think a lot of us, if you do have a plan, would prefer you wait until it was fully formed instead of implementing it in drips and drabs. That's not an assumption, but based on the numerous "I don't want to pay to beta test" posts.
I don't think anyone will argue with you on point 8 and 9. I don't see anyone here doing so.
But you are dead wrong on point 7. I speak from experience. Take a look at my stats (SKBaine). I'm flying maybe 6-10 hours a month these days. Most of that is on squad nights. Without my squad I probably would have cancelled my subscription a while back. I might have come back when you got done with CT and started putting a little more effort into AH again, I might not have. But the opportunity to spend two or three hours a Sunday with guys who are both my virtual and real life friends keeps me playing. (Well, that and the fact that I'm a real procrastinator). So, here you have at least one person who stayed because of his squad. I know of at least two others and I assume that we are not alone.
And finally, we do understand that you have to balance many needs to make the game a success. Remember, many of us have been here since the start, and have played other MM games before. We know the drill.
That's why these guys don't post very often. They are content to let you do what you need to do.
As I said in the beginning of my post - they kept their mouths shut for many weeks and tried to make a go of it. You should consider that when you consider their comments and give them the respect they deserve. [/B][/QUOTE]
Lets look at the numbers shall we?
As of this morning, there were a total of 1,155 squads listed on the HT website containing 6,813 people for an average of 5.89 ppl per squad.
Now looking at above average squadrons containing 7 or more people there were 271 with 4,291 people for an average of 15.83 ppl per squad.
That's 63% of the toal squadron member ship is contained within 23.5% of all the squadrons.
Now considering that those who choose not to fly within a squadron or new members on free trials or yet to be signed into a squadron makeup only on average 10% of the total arena memberships at anyone time, that would make the larger squads responcible for atleast 50% of the general revenue for hightech.
I have to side with the squadron C.O.'s on this matter, the cap limits are a big pile.
Rather than trying to keep tabs here on the BB you could just set up a poll for folks to vote on to get a concensus or even just poll the top squadron C.O's & see what they have to say......if you care to get a realistic responce worthy of notation.
As for the new capture victory conditions, with cap limits in place forcing parity for all 3 sides, noone will have the #'s needed to attain them fighting a 2-front war and no reset will come & no perks will be awarded & the same map will be played till weeks end reset with everyone complaining about the "same ol map"
