Suggested *Simple* Solution to Balancing Issue

[Bronk]

Originally posted by Kev367th
Not bad at all.

Maybe a few changes -

1) Once you are logged into an arena you can't swap arenas for a given time. stops people logging in and out, to find out which arena has the numbers. Sometimes you'll luck in, other times you won't.

2) Make exception for discos.

3) Would need something to allow squads to locate members.

On the original idea -

1) Dump Bish/Knit/Rook totally. Hell, call them Tutus, Thongs and Skivvies.

2) Assign squads based on the majority of the members time zones.

3) Use non squad guys to balance out

4) Then lock country jumping.

5) Use new guys to balance between the inevitable fluctuation between subscribed country members.

Probably still flaws in that, but just tossing it out.

That's not more restrictive than what HT wants to implement Karaya?
As it is now I cam pretty much do what what i want.
So yea he wants to assign sides.
Maybe you need to read a little?


Bronk

[Masherbrum]

AGAIN, he said "Original Idea", this was discussed  A WHILE AGO!   Welcome to yesteryear.  

As for BaldEgle's post, I no longer read cramped text posts, It kills me some forgot how a "paragraph" is used.

[Masherbrum]

Also, say Hi to RAGER for me, I met him in 2003.  Good guy.

[Kev367th]

Actaully no.
Theory is -
With 3 new countries with players/squads assigned by time zone (one cause of it in the 1st place) the imbalance would hopefully be kept to a minimum.
Preventing country switching stops one country gaining an unequal share of the players.

Sure there would still be temporary imbalances, but hopefully none so bad they'd have to keep the current draconian measures in place.

Making it so you can't jump from server to server (set time) stops people surfing to find the advantage.

Like I said just an idea, lots of possiblity for tweaking and expansion.

[Bronk]

Karaya please show me where in Kevs post he says "Original Idea".
Not being a smart a** but I must have missed that.
And will do with Rager.  


Bronk

[hubsonfire]

Karaya, if you read the post that opens this thread, delta mentions assigning people (not offering them a choice) to a country and keeping them there several times.

I don't see how this could do anything to promote overall balance, as all new accounts are already dumped into the lownumbers country anyway. I fail to see how sprinkling them around is going to improve things. I would think, unlike many vets, that the newer players are more interested in having fun than being loyal subjects of the cartoon icon. I can see absolutely no positives in keeping the community divided into 3 groups in the name of increased loyalty.

[Kev367th]

Here maybe

"3) Would need something to allow squads to locate members.

On the original idea -

1) Dump Bish/Knit/Rook totally. Hell, call them Tutus, Thongs and Skivvies.
"

HUB - I believe (could be wrong) -
Accounts are assigned in rotation to each country, at least thats what I seem to recall from a conversation with HT.

[Bronk]

Thanx  That'll teach me for skimming through .


Bronk

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Kev367th
Not bad at all.

Maybe a few changes -

1) Once you are logged into an arena you can't swap arenas for a given time. stops people logging in and out, to find out which arena has the numbers. Sometimes you'll luck in, other times you won't.

2) Make exception for discos.

3) Would need something to allow squads to locate members.

On the original idea -

1) Dump Bish/Knit/Rook totally. Hell, call them Tutus, Thongs and Skivvies.

2) Assign squads based on the majority of the members time zones.

3) Use non squad guys to balance out

4) Then lock country jumping.

5) Use new guys to balance between the inevitable fluctuation between subscribed country members.

Probably still flaws in that, but just tossing it out. [/B]

Actually, 96's idea isn't bad, because these are squadless folks who are more or less new to the game.   It would benefit them flying for a couple different sides, winging with different people and learning twice as mush, as staying on one side.   He isn't talking about a "generic Bronk you're over here, and on the other side ae your mates".    He's talking new guys.  

Hell, when I was a Knight, I flew with the Yellow Jackets and helped show a guy TexAce the in's and out's of an La7.   I also, recommended the YJ's to him.

[Hoarach]

Personally I dont like the idea.

This idea would promote loyalty to a virtual chess piece and then would have the ranting on 200 of my country is better than yours, blah blah blah.  

I like the ability to change countries to fly with who I enjoy to fly with as I have friends to fly with on all sides.  Being able to switch sides lets me enjoy the time to fly with different people.  I dont have loyalty to any chess piece and I dont have any objections to flying with any country.  I usually switch to the side where the good fights are and will fly for the country with the fewer numbers currently where the good furball is.


My $.02.

[Docc]

I seem to recall from another thread that HT has AI fighter technology in a box somewhere.  The AI fighters had adjustable lethality and skills on par or better than the average pilot.

Why not make up country imbalances with AI fighters and allow them to defend only?

[Spatula]

Im really liking Delta's rather simple but neat idea:
1. Deny people the side count information on the log-on page and on the roster. Just colour code the names like the icon system green = good, red = bad.
2. Once someone logs in, they can not swap sides for 1 hour minimum in that arena.

This would make it more of a lottery as to whether you end up on the country with the most numbers or least. In fact it should be a fairly random distribution =  perfect.


Another alternative is to give the perk system some B*LLS! Get rid of the concept that only certain a/c can be perked. Instead ensure all a/c have the potential to be perked if the arenas become too unbalanced. So as things get more unbalanced, the a/c on the side with the higher numbers start to go up in price starting with the newer and/or more capable a/c. The reverse happens in the country with the lower numbers. In a balanced arena, all a/c except the current perk a/c (262s, 163s, Spit14s, 152s which will default to current cost) will be free as they currently are.
What im trying to put across is give people REAL incentives to swtich to lower numbered countries, BUT also provide REAL deterrents from flying with the hoarde. Perks is perfect for this, but how about givin the perk system 'a pair...'??

[BaldEagl]

Originally posted by Bronk
UMMM whats this then posted by BaldEagl.
"his is a decent idea but take it the next step. When you log on your given the choice of EW, MW or LW arenas. If there's 2 LW arenas or 3 or 4 your automatically put into the one that needs you for balancing purposes. No choices. No ability to change other than to EW or MW. Once assigned to an arena your assigned for the next X # of hours so if you get disco'd you get right back into the same arena (or alternatly you have to be logged out for X # of hours to be re-assigned). For squads once one member is on all others are automatically assigned to the same arena."


Guess i miss read that ehh.



Bronk

Actually you might not have misread it but the intent was that you remain with your country forever as mentioned in the original post but arenas (if there are more than one for a given period; i.e. EW, MW, LW) are automatically assigned when you log on to help balance sides.

[Krusty]

I think there are some very good ideas in this thread, but I must play devil's advocate and point several things out.


First, the point about not being able to log into another arena for X period of time? No good. I'm the type of person that will see his own team has WAY too many pilots, and log out, go to another arena. Or I'm the type of person that logs in, finds out from .SR later that his squaddies are in another arena and switch. This only works if everybody looks for the arena where their team has all the players -- and not all players do this.

Secondly, the idea of not seeing enemy teams? On the surface I find it a cool idea. However, I think you're over-analyzing the end result. Players don't log in, check the roster, and say "Hey, check it out, the knits are way outnumbered again, let's hit them while the other team is hitting them too." It's a matter of the path of least resistance. Even if you can't SEE how many players team X has, it will have less players, be less capable of putting up a strong defense, and both other teams will gravitate toward this path of least resistance. It's not a concious process, I'd say. So you wouldn't be able to prevent it.

[Donzo]

Originally posted by Krusty
It's a matter of the path of least resistance. Even if you can't SEE how many players team X has, it will have less players, be less capable of putting up a strong defense, and both other teams will gravitate toward this path of least resistance. It's not a concious process, I'd say. So you wouldn't be able to prevent it.

If you can't see the number of players on the teams, how will you know what the path of least resistance is?

How would you know what side to gravitate to (in your example)...what would you use as information to make this decision if it's not the number of people on a team?