This arena/map set-up is BS

[Platano]

Originally posted by BaldEagl
I haven't whined in a while.

Tonight this set-up was total BS.

I logged on and Orange was filled.  No problem, my squaddies were in Blue.  The only fight that a Bish could get into was a furball between the Bish and Knights in the middle of the map and that's where all my squadies were so that's where I went.  I did  that until all my squaddies logged and I got bored and decided to see where else I could find a decent fight so I logged out of Blue.

Orange was still full.

I went to MW.  Great.  60 players almost evenly split and several in flight but only one front for the Bish.  I upped a couple of Ki-61  missions, got several kills, then it turned into a Bish grab-fest as the enemys mostly went elsewhere.  No one for a Bish to fight except one or two and, of course, all 20 Bish were after them so I logged out of MW.

Orange was still full.  Checked back into Blue.  No change.

So I went to EW.  A couple of Knights trying to take an undefended VB.  Maybe they want a fight.  I up a Hurri and head out.  Before I get there they take the base and I just miss the C-47 as he lands and ends flight but there's another in the next sector, probably headed home (no vis, just a guess).  I turn and WEP after him.  I catch up to him just over his base.  He flys by as a 109 ups.  Oh boy, some fighting.  I kill the 109 and the 110 but die in the ack.  No one ups anywhere else so I log out of EW.

Orange is still full.  I check back into Blue.  No change.  I check back into MW.  No change.  Finally Orange is open, 3 hours later.

I log into Orange and there's several fights going on both sides of the map.  I up a P-47-D25 and take off, even though it's long after I should have logged.  I land a few kills and have to log for the night.

I just need to say that HTC is making it very difficult to have any fun at this.  Not only do I have to chase across an arena to find a decent fight, I have to chase across multiple arenas to do so.  I like furballing just fine but only for a while then I get bored with it.

At least with the old one arena set-up (which I know isn't coming back) or with the big maps, there were several fights going on in several areas across the arena and you could find one to suit what you felt like doing.  Now it seems your forced into a single style of play unless your fortunate enough to get into the one arena where the action is.

Before you say I could have changed countries I don't think it would have made much difference.  Maybe but I don't think so and I'm a Bish loyalist anyway.

I don't know what the answers to this are but I was incredibly frustrated trying to have fun tonight and it's been happening more and more lately.  I can see getting frustrated when you're having a bad night but I wasn't.  You're not supposed to get frustrated just trying to play.  Thats just not right.

That said I'm thankful to HTC for the game.  I love this game but something needs fixing.

I wonder how long it'll take people to realize that it isnt so bad if you switch sides to a country that has a fight... No offense Eagle but you choose to limit yourself to one country... Jump sides and you will find out it isnt so bad...

As for the game getting dull and boring...IMO only way HTC will listen to their customers is if a considerate amount of people cancel thier accounts and HTC notices an alarming dramatic drop in income.

[thndregg]

Originally posted by Guppy35
I wonder if it has more to do with folks flying too much and burning out in need of a break to get their perspective back?

Some yes, some no.

I know I don't play near as much as I used to. Plenty of opportunity for me to be away from the game with work, family, and my other hobbies-- especially since the weather's good.

I know my brother at the other end of the farm (FlaydONE) has put in less than 10hrs a month, and is leaning toward cancelling. He's had plenty of time away from the game. Both of us enjoy playing all aspects of AH, but it has lost some of its appeal.

[Scca]

Hey BaldEagl..

I am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  If you ever can't find a good fight, look me up I will go to the DA with you.  

I am sure I will come out on the losing side, but I will give you my best, and I might learn something in the process..  

I am better than my fighter score indicates.  I have this reckless side that puts puts me back in the tower often.  

If you want some 2v1 action, I am sure I can bring a squaddie or two.  You and I have had some good battles before, I would enjoy another shot.

[Max]

cough:::::::::::donut ::::::::::cough

[toonces3]

I said this in another post, but I'll say it again here:

Why aren't the AvA maps tweaked for use in the MA?

Last night I flew in the AvA, BoB setup.  There were 4 tiny planes in that vast map.  In fact, the map was so big that I could barely, just barely zoom in enough to figure out where the fight was.

Not to mention the terrain is sometimes different with the winter tiles in that one map, and different cloud effects in others.

Maybe experiment with one in the EW or MW arena to see what kind of response it gets from the community.

Just an idea.  It makes no sense to me that the least populated arena in AH has the best/biggest maps.

[Krusty]

BOB map was made for a BOB scenario. Its use in the AvA is entirely secondary to its original purpose.

These maps cannot be used in the MA because they are almost all designed and created for use by 2 opposing sides (for historical use in scenarios), whereas the MA has an entirely different set or requirements. In fact, a historical map would NOT work in the MA ever. Historical = not fun gameplay. Historical = longer distances, less fights, more strat. Historical = large empty maps. MA gameplay is very different and requires balanced gameplay and 3 countries, and other things that historical maps can skip.

[bozon]

Originally posted by BaldEagl
 I upped a couple of Ki-61  missions, got several kills, then it turned into a Bish grab-fest as the enemys mostly went elsewhere.  No one for a Bish to fight except one or two and, of course, all 20 Bish were after them so I logged out of MW.

That is your problem right there. Your squad mates were gone, so just switch to the other side and fight the bish. You get a steady stream of squeaky milkrunners to shoot down.

[toonces3]

Originally posted by Krusty
BOB map was made for a BOB scenario. Its use in the AvA is entirely secondary to its original purpose.

These maps cannot be used in the MA because they are almost all designed and created for use by 2 opposing sides (for historical use in scenarios), whereas the MA has an entirely different set or requirements. In fact, a historical map would NOT work in the MA ever. Historical = not fun gameplay. Historical = longer distances, less fights, more strat. Historical = large empty maps. MA gameplay is very different and requires balanced gameplay and 3 countries, and other things that historical maps can skip.

I understand that they would need to be tweaked to have 3 countries.  Having never worked with the terrain editor, I'm not sure how hard it would be to change some country assignments.  Second, I agree that in some cases the distances are a bit far, but some of the fronts are quite close- last night we were a 3 minute flight from each other.  The cross channel flight is maybe 25 miles?

I understand what you're saying, and the maps would need work, but the raw materials are there to work with.  Someone with your skinning skills could probably knock out a new map in a couple of days.

Barring that, I agree with the original poster that the maps are kinda boring, and I haven't even been playing that long.  FSO is definately the highlight of my week.

[68ROX]

Originally posted by Platano
I wonder how long it'll take people to realize that it isnt so bad if you switch sides to a country that has a fight...

NOT aimed at you Platano-- <>--you are a good dude, and one of the toughest 'nanners in the game...

I await my flames, but here goes.

Many players are in squads that are loyal to one specific country.  Mine is, (68th Lightning Lancers) and I have always been knight (for many years before joining the 68th), and always plan to be.

Our late squad CO, (68KO) was always adamant about being loyal to knightland, and I don't see anyone in the squad seeing otherwise.

Many players see those who constantly side-hop as not being trustworthy, as those who are fighting along side you now....just as well might be taking note of cv locations, mission plans, etc, and fighting against you 10 minutes from now.

For those who (in their own enjoyment of the game, and paying their $15 a month to play however they wish, and have no loyalties of squad or country to worry about) want to hop sides...knock yourself out, I have no problem with that.

Just PLEASE understand there are those like me who's loyalty to squad, squaddies, and other players they have fought along side with for YEARS takes precident over switching sides.

Again...if you are FREE of those loyalties, switch...it's your $15...play however you wish, with my compliments.

Before you flame...please promise to READ this post twice before firing up the blowtorch.

<>

68ROX
Proud to be in the brotherhood that is the 68th Lighting Lancers

[tedrbr]

BaldEagl does bring up a valid and often repeated complaint: not being able to log into the arena your squadies are on and fly with them.   Expecting all your squad mates to change arenas or countries to accommodate you just getting there is not a reasonable option.  Not facilitating the squads and team cooperative efforts takes away a large part of the game for many players.

The other night, Knits took Blue, and the arena cap for Orange dropped from 320 to 120 in 5 minutes, with 290+ players still in Orange.   Very few players logged back into Blue after that it seemed.... well more than half the pilots just logged for the night rather than jump into the reset map.   Anyone who got disco'd from Orange was not getting back into it either.

I do switch countries these days; since the arena split, the strategic side of the war means little so I don't fly heavy buffs anywhere near as much as I used to.  I don't like being with the country with a horde going, because as BaldEagl stated, when you *do* find a fight, it's often 4 or 5 on 1.  Not fun for me, so I go often to the country with the least numbers (and often find myself the 1 vs the 4 or 5... oh well, score don't mean much anymore anyways).
For the first year and a half, I flew exclusively Rooks, but as Rooks have the greatest numbers more often than not when I log in, I don't find myself flying with Rooks all that much any more.  

I also bounce between Blue and Orange.  The EW and MW arenas don't have enough population to interest me as I spend too much time trying to find a fight in the first place at times.  

Burn out on the game is a reality:  I took a three month break for a while, and I may be taking another one here again shortly at this rate.

But additional content is also important to keep the players that have been around for a while.  How important that is to the current business model is of course a question?  If enough new players are joining to replace the old players leaving easily enough, then you have to ask if investing in new content and development is worth it or not.  There is also profit margin to consider.  And, the game HAS been around for a while, so you have to take into account the expected shelf life of the game.   This will play into any plane additions, maps (are there any players still making maps btw?  I looked at it, but seemed pretty daunting task to me), and arena changes that happen or don't happen.

I'm not altogether clear on exactly why we had the arena split, or the arena cap's purpose, what the intended goals or objectives were, but I gather from most of what I read here that the experiment failed for the most part, as far as the players see it.

[Atoon]

So disgusted with the stale maps & the crappy gameplay they promote, I have no interest in flying.

Sure I still get the urge to fly, but I remember how unenjoyable the game has become to me, for the various reasons recently posted on these boards over & over & over & over & over & over & over & over again. My flightstick is now gathering dust again, & my steering wheel is back in use.

Haven't closed my account yet, but I think about it regularly.

[SlapShot]

Originally posted by Guppy35
Can't for the life of me figure out what I'm doing wrong.  Must not be flying enough, cause I couldn't tell ya the name of the map, but I can always find a fight and I'm having as much fun as I ever had if not more.

I wonder if it has more to do with folks flying too much and burning out in need of a break to get their perspective back?

You and I suffer from the same thing ... I guess part of it, for me, can be attributed to "expectation".

I too, can log in, and run into some of the probems that BaldEagl has stated ... but when that happens, I just log ... and I don't log off mad. This game is so dynamic and fluid that I don't EXPECT it to be perfect ALL the time ... nor do I NEED to fly every night. If the all the moons and stars don't align for me ... then no AH for me, for that night.

What I do find, after almost 6 years playing this game ... is that there are many more GOOD nights than BAD nights ... for me ... and maybe that is due to my own personal expectations.

It seems that those who go nuclear are those that NEED Aces High to be perfect every night and every time they log in. This not only pertains to arena balancing, but ENY, HOs, collisions, damage model, etc.

There is a code that my wife and I live by ... "Don't sweat the small stuff" ... and anything that my go "wrong" in Aces High ... is really "small stuff" in the larger scheme of life.

I do have one exception tho ... when I see the "Uterus" map ... I shudder and have an urge to puke ... I hate that map with a passion.

[Kev367th]

Shame some of the newbs will never know (it seems) the pleasures of OzKansas, Donut etc.

Slap - yup Uterus has to be by far and away the WORST of the limited map set now.

[BaldEagl]

Funny.  I actually LIKE Uterus.  It's NDIsles I can't stand.  Mid-Mesa's a close second.

SCCA, I'd be glad to go a few rounds with you in the DA (although I'm not much of a DAer).  Just get my attention when you see me on.

[Scca]

Originally posted by BaldEagl
...SCCA, I'd be glad to go a few rounds with you in the DA (although I'm not much of a DAer).  Just get my attention when you see me on.

We pretty much DA'ed one night in MW..  We met several times over the water on the NE side of the map.  You even gave me a hard time because I switched to a Hurri, from my favorite Pink Spit...

Next week, for sure.