Considering the poor opinions that have been voiced by MA players about DA players...and considering the superlative performance by those same DA players in BE's Brackets, I believe it's in order that the DA start being a ranked room. Eliminate F3 mode so that the terms for fighting are the same as the MA and rank pilots who fly there. We are NOT the red-headed step children of Aces High, we are some of the best fighters in the game and we deserve the same recognition that pilots in the MA get.
I don't know that all or even most of folks who spend most of their time in the MA really feel like the DA players are the red-headed step children of AH. I don't. I suspect most MA players don't really think about the DA players at all if they don't go there. I've really only heard one person express a really negative attitude about the DA on the BBS....can't speak to ingame on 200....I don't usu tune to it. I think that guy is really just trying to find a way to defend what many others call lame behavior and thinks referring to those folks as having a DA mentality is some sort of insult. I know that there are a number of really good pilots flying in there.
I don't care if they rank the DA or not. I don't pay attention to rank in the MA either. My experience in the DA is that it's just sort of a mini-MA at furball lake when it's busy (minus the base taking). A few really good flyers, a few in temps, F4U-4s or mustangs picking and the rest. When it's not busy it's a great place to relax and find a fight really fast....many times with people who kick the crap out of me. Great place to learn to fly a specific plane or some ACM and very much more laid back than the MA as the egos tend to be toned down somewhat for whatever reason.
I would think that in order to rank the DA players they would not only have to get rid of F3 mode but also perk the rides in the same manner as that in the MA with all planes being available (if the rank is going to be comparable to a MA rank). This sort of goes against one of the purposes of having a DA. That being a place to go settle daddy part measuring disputes, a place to learn a specific ride in a real fight (as opposed to the TA....can't REALLY tell if that shot you made woulda killed the other guy or not) and a place to learn ACM (F3 helps that). Our squad and a number of others uses it for training purposes also...not really possible in the TA.
Rank is really meaningless in terms of a real comparison of relative ability between players. Some folks like to work for better ranks, others don't. So a simple comparison of rank or sub-rank (fighter only etc.) is pretty meaningless. Many of the best dogfighters in the MA have less than stellar or way way less than stellar ranks as they will sometimes auger rather than fly back, tend to fly into situations involving high odds against them, don't fly bombers and don't GV much.
You and a number of other DA regulars always put up a tough fight when I'm in there, usually with a distinct lack of chest thumping....who cares what the anyone else thinks in the MA...(or DA for that matter). I would hate to see the DA environment change in any way as I think it's a nice change of pace and I like the guys flying in there....I'm afraid adding a rank system would do just that.
Zaphod
