DA / State of affairs?

[BaldEagl]

... It was not the dying that confused me-- i expected it.  It is the lack of 'true fight' in the DUELING arena.  ... What is the point of going to a DUELING arena if you are going to up a bird (example Tempest) that gives such a tremendous advantage as to negate the need for skill?  

Don't confuse Furball Lake with the rest of the DA.  As previously mentiond, a DUEL is a controlled event between two DUELISTS.  Furball Lake is a FURBALL and, like any FURBALL in the game, nearly anything goes.  If you were expecting a DUEL in the middle of a FURBALL you were seriously delusional when you upped.  If what you really wanted was a DUEL all you had to do was ask if anyone else wanted to go a few rounds.  90% of the arena is dedicated to DUELING after all.


And BTW, I am so sick of every thread turning into a "The AVA is soooo great" thread it's enough in itself to keep me away.

[NCLawman]

Don't confuse Furball Lake with the rest of the DA.  As previously mentiond, a DUEL is a controlled event between two DUELISTS.  Furball Lake is a FURBALL and, like any FURBALL in the game, nearly anything goes.  If you were expecting a DUEL in the middle of a FURBALL you were seriously delusional when you upped.  If what you really wanted was a DUEL all you had to do was ask if anyone else wanted to go a few rounds.  90% of the arena is dedicated to DUELING after all.


And BTW, I am so sick of every thread turning into a "The AVA is soooo great" thread it's enough in itself to keep me away.

Eagle,  I don't disagree with you.  I wasn't looking for specifically a 'duel'.   I realize that the furball lake is a furball.  What I envisioned was a mass knife fight - not 3 or 4 guys knife fighting while getting 'picked' by 8 or 10 Tempests.  Again, I am not quite grasping the point of the BnZ pick in the DUELING arena. 

I went to furball lake because I was looking for quick action and wanted to mix it up in a a disadvantaged plane.  What I found was NOT a furball.  It was a small number of guys trying to furball being interrupted by a larger number of tempest-pickers.  So what is the point of that in the DA?  I get it in the MA; but, what does that accomplish or prove in the DA?

My question still stands and I believe is valid... IS THIS WHAT THE DA HAS BECOME? AND IS THIS A FUTURE REPRESENTATION OF THE GAME .... AIRQUAKE?  Is it a bunch of guys not trying to learn the ACM and merely doing whatever with the most powerful weapon they can find to get 'instant' kills?   

[nrshida]

NCLawman, there is absolutely no need to apologize to me sir, no offense taken in any way  I just wanted to explain the realities of the DA and explain the philosophy at work there and the reasons for what you experienced. I actually agree with you regarding the fights and the game play / sportsmanship, however it must be acknowledged that this is probably a minority view now.

I usually refrain from posting on these type of threads regarding game play etc, but I do get annoyed sometimes at some of the elitist attitudes from some of the MA players (I do not direct this at you!).

If you subtract the disproportionate amount of new players from the DA, then I'd say the average skill level is the same. I actually think the most common tactic in the MA is much lamer. By that I mean the egressing from the fight by diving away, running to ack or friendlies the moment the advantage is lost. I can only assume the motivation for this is to either replicate a 'real world' sense of survival, or more likely to protect one's score?

If you look at the usage of space on the radar of the DA arena on any given moment, you will usually find that the furball lake is the most densely populated, with on average two of the side fields in use for private duelling. This is why the terms DA and furball lake have basically become interchangeable. It is important to know this because again it alters people's expectations of what will happen in there.

The DA / furball lake is not a bad place to fly in. Filth pretty well nailed it, you can find a fight very quickly etc. There are plenty of good sticks as well as beginners and there are also helpful players, willing to duel and even help out if there is anything specific you want to learn. I would encourage anyone to drop in and give it a go. But be informed about the place and what goes on there to prevent disappointment. Yes there is much lameness and even vulching!

A good tip for evaluating the mood of the DA is to find out how many Tempests are flying, and to determine if all the dots on the radar are compressed into one tiny space or spread out evenly.

[Vudak]

Is it a bunch of guys not trying to learn the ACM and merely doing whatever with the most powerful weapon they can find to get 'instant' kills?  

Yeah, pretty much.  Just like it's always been.

It takes a special kind of person to devote the single half hour of time to learning the few simple ideas that will help them be a better killer.

Edit - I might as well expand on this so there is a point to it.

There are three basic things that change the game once you learn them.

1. A single reversal option
2. The effect of separation on the merge on a lead turn (vertical, lateral, or both)
3. "Egg Theory," or how there are many different ways to get from point A to B

Having a single reversal option (A simple barrel roll guns defense is fine) gives you the opportunity to put your opponent in trouble, rather than have to always run from trouble.

Separation on the merge and the ensuing lead turn allows you to set the stage for an engagement.

"Egg theory" allows you to maintain any initial advantage you may have.

These are not difficult concepts to learn.  Assuming you have played the game long enough to set up your controls and master basic flying skills, any trainer can teach you these three steps in as little as half an hour to an hour.  Once you learn them, your confidence and results will improve.  With a little practice, those results will improve enormously. Every CO of every squad should ensure that their squad mates get this training from somewhere (be it an official trainer, good stick in the squad, or random vet who is willing to help).

[Imowface]

I dont know why everyone whines about tempests in the DA, when I was flying they never gave me trouble, and on the last day of my account, I decided to take one up to see what it was like, and thats when I found out that there is no reason to whine because no good tempest pilots fly in the DA, after landing my 7 kills, 6 of which were other tempests, I just sort of laughed to myself about all the fuss they cause

[nrshida]

They cause a fuss because they can essentially stop anyone else fighting when they are around. A Tempest can basically fly around untouched if the stick has any brains at all. Even if you get the better of them in terms of position you usually can't do enough damage to stop them escaping and they will come back later with a lot more energy. It is not the case that you have to be especially skilled in ACM to be successful in a Tempest, just lean heavily on the strengths of the machine. This would be a problem with one annoying Tempest pilot, when you have three or four of them around it's fairly demanding 

Having said that, there are also a few highly skilled Tempy sticks. Diktater will merge with you and gives an excellent fight.

[R 105]

 If the DA had no F-3 mode and no perk rides. Maybe ACM skills would enter into the equation. What I see most times I come to the DA is guys flying around in F-3 making fantastic deflection shots in perk rides they can't afford in the MA.You learn nothing spraying the sky with cannons like a garden hose. If getting kills by any means you can is all you want then buy a Micro Soft game and shoot down drones all day.

 While I do see a lot of good sticks in the DA I mostly see the perked cannon rides BnZ some poor P-40 just taking off. I been playing about 4 or 5 years and the DA has always been about what it is now. People can do what they want it is their $14.95 but if you want to learn combat flying. Stay out of perk birds and F-3 mode. Who knows you may become a legitimate fighter pilot and the DA would be a lot more fun.

 

[FiLtH]

My question still stands and I believe is valid... IS THIS WHAT THE DA HAS BECOME? AND IS THIS A FUTURE REPRESENTATION OF THE GAME .... AIRQUAKE?  Is it a bunch of guys not trying to learn the ACM and merely doing whatever with the most powerful weapon they can find to get 'instant' kills?   

  Its a bunch of guys with acm, fighting a few guys without it, who think a perk ride will always win, and the rest of us trying to prove them wrong

[2bighorn]

Dedalos pretty much ruined DA.

[dedalos]

Dedalos pretty much ruined DA.

Total BS.  It was YOU!!!!!!!!!

[jocrp6]

   I'm a DA regular, If you hardly fly in there, and are not on a squad,  look at roster to compare the fairness of countries, and make freind's and use commication,   these guy's are tough!  I'm a fighter,  If I want to hang out at 20K I'll be in the MA, and don't HO till HO'ed apon.   (as far as the lake goes)   I wish I could fly with the breakfast club! nrshida Is a great pilot!   as far as getting on in the eve's,  which Im used to,   It's a very dark dark ally,  better have your led pipe handy!   lol   Misfire out,

[Shuffler]

  I'm a DA regular, If you hardly fly in there, and are not on a squad,  look at roster to compare the fairness of countries, and make freind's and use commication,   these guy's are tough!  I'm a fighter,  If I want to hang out at 20K I'll be in the MA, and don't HO till HO'ed apon.   (as far as the lake goes)   I wish I could fly with the breakfast club! nrshida Is a great pilot!   as far as getting on in the eve's,  which Im used to,   It's a very dark dark ally,  better have your led pipe handy!   lol   Misfire out,

We flew a few sorties on the lake lake last night till it was time for us to migrate to a couple of DA fields for our meet with the jugs.

What we noticed.....

Mostly Spit 16, P47M, and Tempest.
Most up high.
Very few fighting on the lake (most way above it).
Bulk of the folks just droping in and zooming.
Many HO attempts.



The folks on DA Lake last night were just confirming what is posted about the place on the boards.

[doc1kelley]

We flew a few sorties on the lake lake last night till it was time for us to migrate to a couple of DA fields for our meet with the jugs.

What we noticed.....

Mostly Spit 16, P47M, and Tempest.
Most up high.
Very few fighting on the lake (most way above it).
Bulk of the folks just droping in and zooming.
Many HO attempts.



The folks on DA Lake last night were just confirming what is posted about the place on the boards.

Which really started the cesspool atmosphere of the DA when the free 8-player mode was removed.  I still say that if HTC initiated a subscriber 8-player mode option, the DA would return to what it was intended to be.  Hey, I've been wrong before and I'm sure I'll be wrong again but it would be nice to see in this case if I was right or wrong.

All the Best...

   Jay

[jocrp6]

   As far as the HO'ing goes, that's every where,  don't care where ya go!   The only way I see to bring (fairness to DA) would be to put a 10K alt cap on it! But I don't see that happening,   And I have a good laugh when the alt monky drops and I kick his butt,  but it is what it is!