Arena cap is getting out of hand

[Soulyss]

It still amazes me the how strong the force is for people wanting to play in the arena listed first. Just as DMGod showed, 2 = arenas but he waited 15 min just to get into the top one. I'm not blaming anyone for this, I am just amazed by it. People will claim many different reasons why they want the orange (I.E. like the terrain better), but we have actually just swapped positions on the list and then again everyone wanted the top arena.

Snipped down the quote to just the first paragraph, I wonder what would happen if you set the entry to screen to dynamically list the arena you want populated (I'm assuming it would be the one with the lower numbers) to the top based on current population levels?

[grizz441]

I'm always willing to listen to new ideas, but I'm not interested in ideas that will have the net effect of putting everyone in 1 arena. I.E. (make 2 arenas of 850 each and let the players choose)

I posted the solution on page 2 but everyone ignored it per usual.  Broadcast via game entrance when "Perk Bonuses are in Effect" in the underpopulated arena. When the unbalance is at a certain percentage maybe under 0.5 for example.  Also throw out a system message to the overpopulated arena "Blue is in 2x Perk Bonus Effect now".  Problem solved.

Just as you incentivize flying for the disadvantaged side, incentivize flying in the underpopulated arena but make it an even bigger bonus to warrant the switch.  Maybe as high as 2-2.5 perk multiplier earned for a limited period of time.

[pervert]

It still amazes me the how strong the force is for people wanting to play in the arena listed first. Just as DMGod showed, 2 = arenas but he waited 15 min just to get into the top one. I'm not blaming anyone for this, I am just amazed by it. People will claim many different reasons why they want the orange (I.E. like the terrain better), but we have actually just swapped positions on the list and then again everyone wanted the top arena.


There are other methods to solve the issue of overpopulation that would split arenas, and not have an artificial limit I.E. 500 and you reached a false ceiling because no one wants to be the first in the 2nd arena. Here are some other possibilities all of which also have short comings but do solve the issue .

1. Do a 1 time population split via random squad distributions followed by non squad players. Each person would then only be able to fly in 1 of the 2 arenas, and not have the choice to go to the other. I.E. Every night you would fly in the same arena.

2. Do very low cap multiple arenas, I.E. caps of 100-150 across 6-10 arenas.

3. Assign people to an arena when they enter and remove the choice of where they can enter.

4. Creating one "virtual" arena where it would contain multiple sets of people. The ground targets would all be common, but you could only see,fight, and speak with people in your "Set" of people.

I'm always willing to listen to new ideas, but I'm not interested in ideas that will have the net effect of putting everyone in 1 arena. I.E. (make 2 arenas of 850 each and let the players choose).

There is only 1 issue that I do not like about the split arenas that I did not anticipate when we implemented them. That is how the 2 arenas with free choice of entry causes country imbalance. As and example, in one arena the rooks will have 20 more then the other countries, and in the 2nd arena they will have 20 less.
Not just the rooks, but happens to all countries on different nights.

We have been considering doing some method of limiting this, but please do not post ideas that are just a hidden attempts at putting more people into one arena. The current method that I am leaning to is if the cap is 99, then once a country has 33 people no more people of that country can enter. There may also be a choice to enter if you switch sides on entry (of course change country times would also be adjusted).


HiTech

Thats simple, I go into the first one because there are more people in that one and therefore something better must be going on. Same as in H2H I'd keep trying to get into an 8 player room rather than a 7 or 6 player room for the same reason.

I like the number 4 idea, I presume you mean adding 1 or more new chess pieces to an arena?

[Oldman731]

If the plane sets reflected this theory then
I suspect the EU arena would be full and the pacific arena would be a baren wasteland!
JUGgler

That's how it was in AW.  There was a small dedicated PAC group, but the overwhelming mass of players was in ETO.

- oldman

[Zoney]

Blue wreaks a rancid stench of vTARDS.

Awesome.  Just fabulous.  A conversation involving what seems to be adults with differing opinions, promoting their ideas to possibly make the game better.  A post where the game owner has chimed in a bit also.  And you sir, choose to denigrate another squad instead offering up your opinion of the original post.  Well done sir <S> I am so totally impressed.

[kvuo75]

2 ideas,

#1 don't close arena for map reset, or don't uncap the other one while its resetting, or somehow remind people that the arena theyre gettin kicked out of will be back up in a minute

#2 dont show arena #'s for late war during primetime, or just show "full" or "available"..

[E25280]

I'm always willing to listen to new ideas, but I'm not interested in ideas that will have the net effect of putting everyone in 1 arena. I.E. (make 2 arenas of 850 each and let the players choose).

There is only 1 issue that I do not like about the split arenas that I did not anticipate when we implemented them. That is how the 2 arenas with free choice of entry causes country imbalance. As and example, in one arena the rooks will have 20 more then the other countries, and in the 2nd arena they will have 20 less.
Not just the rooks, but happens to all countries on different nights.

HiTech

It's so simple, it can't be a new idea, but here it is anyway.

You already have an ENY system in place that limits flight of certain aircraft based on numbers imbalances.  This same system can be used to limit country and/or arena choice.

These would be the new "rules":
1) No one in any arena can switch to an ENY-limited country via the O'club.  Changing from the ENY limited country to a non-limited country, or between two non-limited countries, would be OK.
2) If my last sortie when logging in was as country X, and I attempt to enter an arena where X is already ENY-limited, a pop-up would inform me country X is closed.  I can either choose country Y, choose country Z, or go to another arena and remain with country X.

Obviously this is more heavy-handed than the simple ENY system we have, but if the players are not rebalancing themselves when ENY is a limitation, then stronger measures are clearly needed.  This wouldn't force anyone to fly for a different country (which would not go over well for a multitude or reasons), but would assist in both keeping ENY restrictions low less frequent and balance out the populations between multiple arenas.  If it works well enough, tweaking of when ENY kicks in could bring numbers even more in line down the road.

The only "problem" in regard to country choice would occur if country X was ENY limited in both LWAs, but I don't think I've ever witnessed that occur . . .usually is it X with massive ENY (due to massive numbers advantage) in one arena and both countries Y and Z ENY limited in the other arena with very few in country X to oppose them.

[moot]

This shows how hard it is to babysit groups of people.

While some try to make things better, others..

 

Next all caps line was "dont ever calabrate just dive bombb"

[Lusche]

While some try to make things better, others..
(Image removed from quote.)
 

Next all caps line was "dont ever calabrate just dive bombb"

Someone wanted to do a grillparty in LWO   

[JUGgler]

While some try to make things better, others..
(Image removed from quote.)
 

Next all caps line was "dont ever calabrate just dive bombb"

  You neglected to blot a line out moot    

oops














I hope no-one gets GRILLED over this


JUGgler

[AWwrgwy]

Blue wreaks a rancid stench of vTARDS.

Imagine that. A big squad that wants to fly together chooses to fly in the less populated arena. OP take note.

How about borrowing a page from the AW play book and have two arenas based on theaters of war, Euro and pacific. Then leave Titanic Tues as is.

I'm always willing to listen to new ideas, but I'm not interested in ideas that will have the net effect of putting everyone in 1 arena. I.E. (make 2 arenas of 850 each and let the players choose)

Thats simple, I go into the first one because there are more people in that one and therefore something better must be going on. Same as in H2H I'd keep trying to get into an 8 player room rather than a 7 or 6 player room for the same reason.

I like the number 4 idea, I presume you mean adding 1 or more new chess pieces to an arena?

Last time I looked, EW was first.

4. Creating one "virtual" arena where it would contain multiple sets of people. The ground targets would all be common, but you could only see,fight, and speak with people in your "Set" of people.

I assumethis would be like "duel" in Air Warrior where you were still in the same arena but you and who you challenged to duel could only see each other.

Probably everyone would only have one arena to enter and then arbitrarily be split into equal groups of equal sides and each group could only see others in the same group.

Essentially it would be multiple arenas but you wouldn't chose where you were playing, I think.

2 ideas,

#1 don't close arena for map reset, or don't uncap the other one while its resetting, or somehow remind people that the arena theyre gettin kicked out of will be back up in a minute

#2 dont show arena #'s for late war during primetime, or just show "full" or "available"..

I've been suggesting this forever. Sony did this when I played Everquest but I always thought it was to disguise their dropping numbers from their competetors.


wrongway

[Traveler]

Arena CAP's are better for HTC business.
End of discussion.

That would be true if the CAP's were always in place.  But everyday the CAP's are removed and there is just one arena until 5:00 PM EST.  There are no CAP's on the Late War arena on Tuesday,  Is that because HiTech doesn't care about business on Tuesday.   The CAP's are in place because HiTech wants the CAP's in place when and where he want's them in place.  I really doubt it has anything to do with business, or lack there of.

[MORAY37]

I posted the solution on page 2 but everyone ignored it per usual.  Broadcast via game entrance when "Perk Bonuses are in Effect" in the underpopulated arena. When the unbalance is at a certain percentage maybe under 0.5 for example.  Also throw out a system message to the overpopulated arena "Blue is in 2x Perk Bonus Effect now".  Problem solved.

Just as you incentivize flying for the disadvantaged side, incentivize flying in the underpopulated arena but make it an even bigger bonus to warrant the switch.  Maybe as high as 2-2.5 perk multiplier earned for a limited period of time.

I really like the added perk bonus Idea.  Though, I don't know, in reality, what percentage of the current players would move for that reason.  I suspect the exodus would be in long time players to the under gunned side. 

[AWwrgwy]

That would be true if the CAP's were always in place.  But everyday the CAP's are removed and there is just one arena until 5:00 PM EST.  There are no CAP's on the Late War arena on Tuesday,  Is that because HiTech doesn't care about business on Tuesday.   The CAP's are in place because HiTech wants the CAP's in place when and where he want's them in place.  I really doubt it has anything to do with business, or lack there of.

No caps on Tuesdays was to appease the whiners.

No caps during "off-hours" is because there are less people on then the caps are designed to cap.

But I agree. Hitech is just a sadist who likes to screw with his income base.

 


wrongway

[moot]

You neglected to blot a line out moot