Why so few people?

[antivortex]

Your going to have to try a different bait if your going to troll in here, according to your stats you've yet to fly in the aVa this month.

[BnZs]

Food for Thought:
I think there is perhaps an exploitable niche market of AHII players tired of the farcical "war", the hordes, and yes, the unrealistic matchups of the same planes again and again in the MA. This is certainly the appeal of FSO and other Special Events to these players.

Yet these same player's vision of a "historical arena" might *not* be an arena where one gets the impression that the only approved behavior is to pick out the best "dueling plane" each team has, and then have it out in low altitude 1v1s.

Yet,to be fair, I realize that when you have ~4 or so players in an arena, that is about the only way to proceed.

[B4Buster]

Yarbles, I share the same passion for "AvA combat" that you do. I joined the game under the assumption it was just that. Feel free to fly how you want, allthought some tactics will be frowned upon.

Next time you're thinking about going in the AvA shoot me a PM. if I'm on i'll come join you.

[fudgums]

Same for me yarbles

[Caldwell]

Yeah, I came here to fly Allied planes against Luftwaffe planes, or the other way around.  I'm a bit disappointed that instead I'm flying a Spit while 2 other guys flying on my wing are flying a Bf110 and a Zero while I'm going up against a Lanc and a Hurricane.

[Oldman731]

Next time you're thinking about going in the AvA shoot me a PM. if I'm on i'll come join you.

As Gavagai and Larry say, this generally works.  Once you have a couple of people in AvA, others will join in.

And as BnZ points out, "realistic war tactics" work best when you have a big crowd.  When you only have a few people, showing some consideration for fairness works a bit of magic.

- oldman

[humble]

While there is clearly a difference between the old CT mentality and the current AvA both were based on historical plane sets and share the same fundamental set up. Early on the CT was considered the elite arena, just look at the top 50 players each month in the 1st few years...its a who's who of AH sticks. In fact if we go back to the old days the great pilot match ups were historical (hangtime vs hblair for one). In fact the great debates on the FM's came from pilots attempts to mirror the tactics used vs historical opponents.

The CT never recovered from the introduction of "game play" to the arena. The old guard would seamlessly transition from 1 on 1 to small group and melee encounters while maintaining balance and a reasonable measure of fair play. Historical realities were accounted for and 190A5 vs spitV/9 interactions (for example) were fun and common. Both sides realizing the contrast and challenge involved worked within the boundaries of "their fight" without the BS we see all to often on 200 (in any arena). The AvA evolved from the ruins of the CT and despite every ones best efforts has never gained traction.

In part this is due to the fundamental shift in game dynamics that has driven hundreds (if not thousands) of the initial player base away from the game. I'm not condemning the "new reality" just recognizing it exists. The old way existed within game dynamics because it had to. When you had an average player base (in arena) of 20-40 guys (FR AW circa 1992) you nurtured the baby seals. By the time I really hit the scene (the $12/hr was beyond me) in 1993 (whenever it went to $2/hr or so) the old guard would make allowances and nurture guys like me....because it worked. So I got a bone now and then, guys like rocketman and -HR- mentored me (and everyone else) to ensure they had people to kill. The game was "playercentric".

The CT (being largely old school "elite" players) had this same flavor and personal interaction. In effect it was an attempt to recreate the old AW FR (I didnt fly WB enough but possibly that too) within the new game (AH). Once it got polluted (for lack of a better word) the original inhabitants either "died" or adapted to the new realities.

The truth is simple, in a low # environment you don't have the option of flying like you want if you are the dominant entity in skill, plane numbers or a combination of the above. The AvA is what it is because thats the way the player base has made it. Since the player base wont/cant police itself (or is happy with the current realities) the arena doesn't really change...

[Chilli]

All the arena is missing is a single squad that dedicates some, if not the majority of it's time to populating the arena.  Anytime that you get 5 or more "active" players in the arena, the game play is as good as it gets in AHII.

[humble]

All the arena is missing is a single squad that dedicates some, if not the majority of it's time to populating the arena.  Anytime that you get 5 or more "active" players in the arena, the game play is as good as it gets in AHII.

You couldn't be more wrong, by and large "game play" in the AvA scrapes the bottom of the barrel. That doesn't mean its universally bad or is it a condemnation of any single player or squad. The reality is that FSO is more popular then ever yet the closest approximation for a regular arena is often totally empty. This is a straight forward reflection on how most historically minded pilots in the game feel about the realities of the AvA.

[Masherbrum]

You couldn't be more wrong, by and large "game play" in the AvA scrapes the bottom of the barrel. That doesn't mean its universally bad or is it a condemnation of any single player or squad. The reality is that FSO is more popular then ever yet the closest approximation for a regular arena is often totally empty. This is a straight forward reflection on how most historically minded pilots in the game feel about the realities of the AvA.

Well put.   As was your first post as well.   

[TheBug]

Well put.   As was your first post as well.   

+1

[captain1ma]

love the comments by people that never play. good show boys. funny i always have a great time in there. the guys are friendly, the fights are fair, and of course there the gentleman's gentleman oldman to look forward too also. as for all your lovely comments, "what have you done for the AVA lately??"  -- oh yeah and before i forget...........IN!!

[humble]

love the comments by people that never play. good show boys. funny i always have a great time in there. the guys are friendly, the fights are fair, and of course there the gentleman's gentleman oldman to look forward too also. as for all your lovely comments, "what have you done for the AVA lately??"  -- oh yeah and before i forget...........IN!!

This highlights the sad reality, the few people who find the arena to be "good" somehow feel that the individual stamp of approval they give makes it so. As long as this type of delusion exists nothing can or will change. If in fact it was "good" more people would be there. Again this is not directed as an attack but as an observation....

[Masherbrum]

This highlights the sad reality, the few people who find the arena to be "good" somehow feel that the individual stamp of approval they give makes it so. As long as this type of delusion exists nothing can or will change. If in fact it was "good" more people would be there. Again this is not directed as an attack but as an observation....

I agree again.   

[Serenity]

My problem with the AvA is that when I pop in, there is rarely a fight, and when I try to talk to the guys who are on, to maybe track down some red or switch sides and get some action going, I seem to always log in when the jerks are on, because no one ever really responds. AvA has always felt to me like a clique I'm not welcome in. But that's just me.