Arena split

[hubsonfire]

This is a little off the main topic, but I believe that part of the EW's draw initially was due to people just clicking on the top arena at log in (where the old MA had been, IINM), not realizing things had changed, and then, as always, people go where the other people go, so that as EWs listed population surpassed any of the other new arenas, people went there. That herd behavior HTC mentioned...

With the planeset still missing a lot of desirable and historically relevant rides, I don't think anything HT can offer along the lines of theater-specific arenas will have anywhere near the draw that the current MAs have- anything tried while leaving the same main arena environment in place will change little, IMO. That being said, I like the concept, but I do doubt there's any interest in changing what has become a cashcow.

[Shuffler]

EW was fun when t first started. Nothing but a small squad in there these days. All on one side with no one else on. They capture bases that way lol.

[Ack-Ack]

Taking the liberty of quoting myself.

By the way.  I knew when I said that it would be unpopular, but I also did not see the neighborhood idea working under the current conditions at that time either.

I agree, the way we had the arenas in AW would be a good idea to try out in here.  The current arena setup isn't working all that well.  People don't fly in the EW because it has a rather limited plane set and people gravitate to the LW arenas because lemmings will head towards the arena where all the planes are available.


ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

I suppose that is a possibility, but having witnessed this type of setup where open planeset was not an option, in action over a 5 year period, that was not the case.  Some were consistantly more popular than others, but theaters each had a respectable following.

It not only worked but in the early days of AW4W, there was frequently a waiting list to get into the arenas.  I remember sometimes having to wait upwards to an hour before room was available in any of the 6 arenas in AW4W.  When AW2 and AW3 finally came out, the arenas were setup according to map size (Med ETO/Big PTO are examples) and made things a lot better, you didn't have to wait so long to enter in most cases.

However, before AW was taken behind the shed and EA put a bullet in its brain, AW4 was gravitating to a single main arena, much like WB's main arena at the time.


ack-ack

[Ack-Ack]

IMHO, EW suffers most from having absolutely dominating Hurricane IIC with no perk and ENY 10, and some gameplay issues & imbalances. Ironically, splitting the score between arenas was the last big negative impact on EW gameplay, much more than I would have ever believed.

Because there is no real reason to select another plane given the very limited EW plane selection in that arena.  If there was a more fleshed out EW planeset, you'd see numbers in there comparable to the numbers in the MW arena (which aren't high according to LW arena standards but 40-50 players a night does make for some good fights).


ack-ack

[Murdr]

However, before AW was taken behind the shed and EA put a bullet in its brain, AW4 was gravitating to a single main arena, much like WB's main arena at the time.


ack-ack

and you could see a difference in how the player base behaved too.

[DaddyAck]

I would have liked to see an arena based on the different fronts. Good Idea there, this thread has alot of good discussion going on.

[TequilaChaser]

yes, I so love the idea of seperate theatres of operations...... how about this to help everyone, to help newer players and squads to gel together quicker. Build an "Arcade style" arena for the gamer type players.  reduce the effects of flight, like can stall and lose speed but no hard flight maneuvering effects like spins.  Let them have Combat Trim, let them have auto take-off...... let them have the easier Bombing method and 3 bombers to one pilot ( and any other ideas others have ).
"Aces High Arcade" ( for Gamers )

• Aces High Arcade - Europe Malee Arena
• Aces High Arcade - Eastern Front
• Aces High Arcade - BoB
• Aces High Arcade - North Africa
• Aces High Arcade - Berlin
• Aces High Arcade - Pacific Malee Arena
• Aces High Arcade - Midway
• Aces High Arcade - Guadal Canal
• Aces High Arcade - Burma
• Aces High Arcade - Rabual

and for the Simmer ethusiast, let em have stuff like  the harder more thought processing Bombing mode, make them take-off manually ( no auto takeoff allowed), no Combat Trim allowed, make em learn to trim their plane.
"Aces High - Full Contact" ( for Simmers )

• Aces High Full Contact- Europe Malee Arena
• Aces High Full Contact- Eastern Front
• Aces High Full Contact- BoB
• Aces High Full Contact- North Africa
• Aces High Full Contact- Berlin
• Aces High Full Contact- Pacific Malee Arena
• Aces High Full Contact- Midway
• Aces High Full Contact- Guadal Canal
• Aces High Full Contact- Burma
• Aces High Full Contact- Rabual

make it take more troops to capture the base ( say 35 troops  ) and as I saw someone post somewhere, make em have to capture the base with this many troops within 5 minutes of the last building going down in the Town.  make it to where you actually got to drive and Stalk/Hunt  instead of Spawn Camp, increase the randomness of Spawning to where it be impossible to Spawn Camp.

just some random thoughts of stuff people in this community might like to see HTC create/design and pull off !  We all know they can, because they already built 3 or 4 of these MMOG/online flight sims before and they all been successful 

[drdeathx]

This came out of the "Why are they leaving" thread.

Why not have early to mid and mid to late war versions of European Eastern Front, European Western Front and Pacific Theaters each with their respective plane sets and get rid of the free-for-all main arenas?

Eastern front would include primarily Russian and German equipment, Western front would include American, British, German and Italian equipment and the Pacific would include primarily American and Japanese equipment.

That would be a total of six arenas each with it's own plane/GV set. Then add a WWI arena as a bonus    Oh, and keep the TA, DA, AvA, etc and of course retain the 3 country set-up.

This would have several advantages for the game:

Smaller, tighter communities.
Easier for n00bs to learn the planes they have to fight against as there would be fewer in each arena.
Arena specific squads, hopefully breaking up the mega squads into more manageable units.
More opportunities for more players to achieve rank/score recognition.
While you'd still have P-51's against P-51's it would move the game closer to historical match-ups.
More arenas/choices for the players to break up potential boredom.
Less likelyhood to be chess piece loyal outside of your "home" arena should you decide to adopt one.

I'm sure someone will say I want to fight Zekes in 190's.  Well, you could still do that in the TA or the DA.

I'm not sure I really see a downside to this.  Plus it should be a marketing ploy for HT...  MMOG in seven period and front specific arenas...

Your thoughts?

I like the out of the box thinking. Nice Idea!

[Ack-Ack]

yes, I so love the idea of seperate theatres of operations...... how about this to help everyone, to help newer players and squads to gel together quicker. Build an "Arcade style" arena for the gamer type players. 

One thing I am dead against is introducing a Relaxed Realism arena into AH.  If people think the FM is too hard then they are always free to try out the arcade FM in Fighter Ace.


ack-ack

[bozon]

I will shamelessly link my own thread in the wish forum:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,256300.0.html
A suggestion to pump some new gameplay style in the arena without hurting current gameplay too much.

[Knite]

I have a thought to go along with the original post...

How about instead of just ETO/PTO,

There's 3 separations not for time period (no EW, MW, LW), but for map size.

I.e.
ETO Small Map, Med Map, Large Map.
PTO Small Map, Med Map, Large Map.

That way, the people who prefer different sized maps have placed to fly, it also still allows the change of planesets for something "fresh". It gives slightly different feelings to the combat itself (small maps are different feeling than larger maps)

[hitech]

What happens when the ETO  or PTO or what ever arena is full?

[Oldman731]

What happens when the ETO  or PTO or what ever arena is full?

....why....why then, people will say "Why should I pay $15 a month if I can't fly in the arena I want to fly in!"

I mean, geez, Hitech, you should know these things by now...

- oldman

[BaldEagl]

What happens when the ETO  or PTO or what ever arena is full?

If there were six (or even four) arenas as in my OP then put the cap at a high limit (400-450) for each arena and leave it there.  Yes, some will get locked out for a while or have to wait to get in.  In the meantime there's other arenas.

I think people would adjust to it although I see LW Western Europe being the most popular so maybe you'd need two of those.