Arena Cap is not cool...

[Lusche]

I'm probably way off, but I think that increasing the population density of an arena by reducing the map size isn't a bad idea. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone complaining that an arena was too crowded aside from waiting to get in because of a cap.

Oh no, there were lots of complaints about that.
From day one of the split many players were campaigning for getting the big maps back. And a few times there had been Titanic Tuesday on a small map, which absolutely sucks for many of us  because too crowded arenas have serious drawbacks.:

- FR issues
- increased perceived warpage
- limited gameplay when there's only big hordes slamming into each other due to lack of space / fields

I personally would prefer if LWO would concentrate on big maps, because it's usually the more populated arena and also the TT one; and LWB (with an offpeak population as low as 25 sometimes!) having small maps exclusively. The additional advantage would be that when arena caps are high enough, players could also chose their preferred map size.

[RTHolmes]

well first I should say that I joined last ?September, so I havent experienced the single arena or the hording problems associated with it (that was another reason to split and introduce caps right?) but since there have been 1100 players on at one time since then, I can see that might be a nightmare on one arena, and certainly justifies having 2 arenas. and if subs are up, you can't really argue with it

caps are a different matter though. personally I'd remove them entirely and let players fly wherever they like. simply because they cause annoyance, and I'm not sure exactly what problem they are a solution for.

[PFactorDave]

I personally would prefer if LWO would concentrate on big maps, because it's usually the more populated arena and also the TT one; and LWB (with an offpeak population as low as 25 sometimes!) having small maps exclusively. The additional advantage would be that when arena caps are high enough, players could also chose their preferred map size.

I think that this would be a perfectly reasonable idea.  Perhaps, also, calculate some formula that allows LWO to cap at a higher number so as to bring the population density between the two arenas into some sort of balance.

[Sunka]

Yay arena cap is in full swing,20 minuets ago i can fight with a whole 15 people in blue,20 minuets later i can fly with a whole 28 people fun fun

[999000]

Hitech,...I know I'm the villiage idiott....My perspective is that the need for more areana's is based in a very large part to the size of the map! Large maps can handle huge numbers..where as a small map would only be good for lower player numbers....I Love the big maps in  a large part because you can find any yand all different kinds of game play.
<S> 999000

[JHerne]

Lusche,

All valid points...like I said, it's just my perception as a noob.

I think 999000 has a point...a smaller map in a smaller arena is probably the easiest way to solve the problem. If you're into close quarters, furball maps, then a smaller one might be the way to go.

If you like the huge expanses of a large map, with players spread out over a larger area, well, I think we're already doing that to some extent.

BTW, so far, great dialogue. I've always held the belief that intelligent conversation will yield better results (or maybe something we haven't thought of) than P&Moaning.

J

[BMathis]

So you agree we needed different arenas. But you give no way of providing those different arenas.

I am open to any idea that will work. But the fact is no one wants to be the first one into a different arena. This you must accept. Because most peoples ideas to change the system, are only a way to make it so some one else must be the first in the arena, and not them.

HiTech

There are many ways to go with having two LW "Main Arenas". As some have said a large map with a high cap, and a smaller map with a smaller cap (to insure good FRs, etc).

Another good idea was pointed out in the wishlist, by Roadking. Perhaps a different style map for one of the late war arenas. One standard, like we have currently; The other with modified conditions -ie- Wind, Visibility, Full Night time included into the "Arena Time setup", Snow maps, dessert maps, etc...

This would be one way of enhancing the overall gameplay realisim, while gaining more and more customers. There are many of ways HTC can go about this, especially since most players are usually flying in Orange... Modify the Blue arena, and see what happens.

I'm excited to see what's next for AH.   

 

Mathis

[hitech]

There are many ways to go with having two LW "Main Arenas". As some have said a large map with a high cap, and a smaller map with a smaller cap (to insure good FRs, etc).

Happens now at times, yet as you state people still tend to be in the Orange. So what is different between the Orange and Blue. Only Orange is the first one on the list.  So why is it people are in the Orange.

We already have 3 different types of play and what you suggested was the first thing we tried. We made Late Mid Early. It did nothing to break heard mentality. (Heard mentality , tendency to go to the place most people are).

We made 2 late war arenas with higher fixed cap. One would fill up, and the other would remain very low population.

We finally made the floating caps to populate both Arenas. Now people only sight the switch over times when we go from 400 caps, to balancing caps. The time of day we chose to do this is based on when the Arena populations are growing most rapidly. Hence minimizing the time one arena is low numbers.

This simple fact is , there is a practical limit of how many people can play together in one Arena. Things like how much text traffic people can read is only one issue. There are many others.

In this thread there has been no ideas presented that have not been presented before. And I believe we have already tried every Idea bnasty sights as many ideas to try.

HiTech

[SlapShot]

I personally would prefer if LWO would concentrate on big maps, because it's usually the more populated arena and also the TT one; and LWB (with an offpeak population as low as 25 sometimes!) having small maps exclusively. The additional advantage would be that when arena caps are high enough, players could also chose their preferred map size.

Not a bad suggestion, but before LWB would ever be forced to just run "small" maps, some new "small" maps need to be made. The majority of the "small" maps are circa AH I and are as stale as all get out. Their game play design is AH I design, whereas most new maps (circa AH II) have been designed to have bases closer along with other map placement enhancements.

[mipoikel]

What if there would be time limit with arena changes? If you go to orange arena, you cant hop to another LATE war arena until lets say 6 hours?

I have no idea if this helps anything but thats only new thing what came in to my mind. 

[SlapShot]

In this thread there has been no ideas presented that have not been presented before. And I believe we have already tried every Idea bnasty sights as many ideas to try.

HiTech

Any more thought on the notion that I presented ... moving the choice down one more level.

Allowing people to jump into a MAXed arena ... but they can only choose to fly for one of the lowest populated countries and internal country numbers are not equal.

Examples :

Orange could be MAXed at 400/400, but on the inside it could be :

=========================================================

Bish 150
Rook 140
Knights 110

Why not allow entry into Orange but only if you choose to fly for Rooks or Knights ?

I choose Bish so the MAX is changed to 401/401 and the count looks like this ...

Bish 150
Rook 141
Knights 110

=========================================================

Bish 150
Rook 150
Knights 100

Why not allow entry into Orange but only if you choose to fly for Knights ?

I choose Knights so the MAX is changed to 401/401 and the count looks like this ...

Bish 150
Rook 150
Knights 101

=========================================================

With that, some who are turned away could actually enter the arena but under a lower level "condition". If I don't want to fly for any of the lower populated country(s), I can then choose to go to another arena.

At the same time, if the population of Purple hit the %filled logic, that you currently use, the MAX in Orange would be bumped up as usual, and when people choose Orange, they can now choose any of the 3 countries to fly for.

Pushing the choice to fly for the lower numbered countries would only come into effect when the arena is MAXed.

[BaldEagl]

Why can't you just rotate big maps in orange with a permanent 450 cap and rotate small maps in blue with a permanent 250 cap (caps are just examples... adjust as needed to accomodate how many players are normally on)?  There's enough players that detest one or the other (big maps or small maps) that they'll get spread out on their own.

Personally, I don't usually care which LW arena I'm in as long as it's not a map I hate but I gravitate to orange because I know it's most likely a big map and it's going to hit cap and if I don't go there when I have a chance I might not have the chance again.  If I was "free" to move around I'd probably spend more time in blue than I do.

[Alky]

I gravitate to orange because I know it's most likely a big map and it's going to hit cap and if I don't go there when I have a chance I might not have the chance again.  If I was "free" to move around I'd probably spend more time in blue than I do.

Exactly how I feel!!! 

[hitech]

Why can't you just rotate big maps in orange with a permanent 450 cap and rotate small maps in blue with a permanent 250 cap (caps are just examples... adjust as needed to accomodate how many players are normally on)?  There's enough players that detest one or the other (big maps or small maps) that they'll get spread out on their own.

As I stated , you completely miss the force of the herd mentality. We already have 3 different choices. Does it do much to spread players out?

What would happen is the 450 cap arena would fill up. And then I would have people would complaining and wanting the cap raised. We would raise the cap as you wish and end up with one big arena.  Next I start loosing players because they are not having as much fun. My revenue and player counts go down because people are not having as much fun. I switch back to the system I have now.

And as I stated before, we tried this when we first made the arena splits.

And as a different question, if 1 arena is so wonderful , why is Tuesday night not the busiest night of the week?

HiTech

[Lusche]

And as a different question, if 1 arena is so wonderful , why is Tuesday night not the busiest night of the week?

Let me guess... busiest night is at weekends when most players have not to work next day? Friday, when there's FSO?