Author Topic: Time for Plan B (Read 2569 times)

funkedup · « **on:** October 30, 2001, 03:44:00 PM »

Instead of starting on the opposite end of the spectrum from the MA and working back towards it, let's start with the MA and work our way towards the far end.

So how about setting the CT up exactly the same as the MA, except:

1. Flight is disabled for Bish.

2. Knights have Axis aircraft only.*

3. Rooks have Allied aircraft only.

4. Scenario Icons. (3.0k max range.)

5. Rolling Plane Set**.

See how many people are attracted by these settings. Then one can think about moving further in the quasi-historical direction, e.g. radar settings, icon settings, terrains, strat, plane sets.

I'm one of many who have a lot of ideas for additional changes, but most of these ideas require some programming effort. And it's unlikely that HTC will expend this effort on an arena which has zero population.

We need to get some people in the arena before we start making big wish lists and designing social engineering masterpieces. So I am proposing simple changes which require zero programming effort and minimal maintenance.

*All vehicles and the C-47 are enabled at all times for both sides.

**First day of each Tour is April 1943. Each Day of the Tour is one WW2 Month, and planes are enabled on their approximate Month of introduction during WW2. Perk planes are still perked per MA values with one exception. Day 30 is August 1945, so the 30th and 31st days of a Tour are full planeset days during which all of a side's planes are enabled without perk prices.

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: funkedup ]

Serapis · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2001, 04:45:00 PM »

That looks good funked. Might I suggest one strat addition -- disabling airdrop capture (but not resupply) to encourage a sea invasion concept and land war?

Charon

If the numbers were up this is where I would fly most of the time.

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Charon ]

skernsk · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2001, 05:32:00 PM »

I'm not sure it's possible to disable air dropping.

Zigrat · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2001, 06:11:00 PM »

disable teh c-47 that would do it if thats what you wanted

SKurj · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2001, 10:48:00 PM »

Ya have to leave goons in, the maps aren't all GV friendly, and even less so when it comes to landing LVT's

I like Funked's idea, the RPS will cause some grief I am sure. Perhaps we could start without the RPS...

SKurj

funkedup · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2001, 11:34:00 PM »

Leaving out the RPS is fine with me in the short term. The idea is to start with the MA and move away from it, and find the point where people start to get turned off completely, then move it back towards the MA a little. Find the most "historical" setup that can still draw something like 20 people minimum.

pimpjoe · « **Reply #6 on:** October 31, 2001, 01:57:00 AM »

i like the idea someone else posted a few weeks ago about closing the MA for a weekend and having everyone going to CT. there is lots of people that just dont go there because of the low numbers. personaly i have a blast in the CT but never go in there anymore due to the extremely low numbers (3-4 max). i think that once the people realized just how fun the arena could be there would be a lot more people in there and it would be worth going into.

Seeker · « **Reply #7 on:** October 31, 2001, 02:35:00 AM »

.

[ 12-04-2001: Message edited by: Seeker ]

funkedup · « **Reply #8 on:** October 31, 2001, 04:01:00 PM »

Pimpjoe the phenomenon you describe does indeed occur but it is not the cause of the lack of pilots in the current CT. Initially the CT had plenty of pilots in it, but they stopped coming back. We need to look at why they stopped coming back.

The MA is HTC's bread and butter. They have put a lot of time and effort into it and it is a success. So please stop with the suggestions that it should be closed because it is absotively posolutely not going to happen. All these suggestions do is anger the MA denziens and it make it clear that you don't understand HTC's business.

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: funkedup ]

WarChild · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2001, 09:58:00 PM »

Let me give u a perspective from a guy who loves the historical match ups of opponents, and everthy CT could be, but doesnt spend 5 mins in the arena since its first week out.

No base captures. I spend my time I want some percievable result.

No score keeping. I spend my time, I want some percievble result.

I really am rooting for you guys, and i think you'll do better starting more like MA and converting over to true HA.

I'll be watching

pimpjoe · « **Reply #10 on:** November 01, 2001, 12:25:00 AM »

eek guys...calm down...it was just a suggestion. and im not sayin close it permanently, just for a weekend. hell its been down longer than that a time or two. sheesh...sorry...i wont make any more suggestions

AcId · « **Reply #11 on:** November 01, 2001, 08:18:00 AM »

I agree with joe here on a few key items. And its my opinion that they are key, for instance, starting from a MA aspect and moving towards Historical slowly. I like the idea of starting with basicaly the same thing but only using 2 countries with axis vs allied planesets. In hindsight it's clear that moving to the CT we have now may not have been the best choice, nonetheless it was givin to us which is a good sign. HTC does care about it's customers and is willing to try new things. That being said they're not gonna run off and waste time trying every little suggestion either, I wouldn't. I do believe though that a slightly more Historic 2nd MA might get some numbers. Maybe if a CM or two were able to tweak things for the populace we could find a happy medium as far as settings were concerned, that may be stretching it though, a voting system would have to be devised so that a CM wasn't changing things based on the opinion of a small percentage of players. 'Tis a thought though

Serapis · « **Reply #12 on:** November 01, 2001, 08:35:00 AM »

Quote

Leaving out the RPS is fine with me in the short term. The idea is to start with the MA and move away from it, and find the point where people start to get turned off completely, then move it back towards the MA a little. Find the most "historical" setup that can still draw something like 20 people minimum.

funkedup

If you want a rolling plane set in the long run (I do) don't count on it happening if it's not there from the beginning. Once a pattern is set it's hard to turn back. I agree the CT needs to be more like the MA in strat and scoring to attract players, but the RPS is what seems to really set it apart and make it "historical". Otherwise, all it is is some late war axis vs allies arena. Also, how will the LW contingent feel in an arena where they will not enjoy any periods of historical advantage?

Charon

funkedup · « **Reply #13 on:** November 01, 2001, 10:14:00 AM »

Charon you have a good point about setting a pattern. But I'd rather just try it out with both settings and let the numbers speak for themselves. If RPS draws less than no-RPS (all other things being equal) then the matter is solved.

About the Luftwaffe, I think that adding some planes to the planeset (BoB and early war USAAF) would give them some periods of advantage in the long term. Also I think it's true of most LW guys that they aren't looking for advantages. If they wanted historical advantages they chose just about the worse possible side, except maybe for IJN.

[ 11-01-2001: Message edited by: funkedup ]

Westy MOL · « **Reply #14 on:** November 01, 2001, 11:25:00 AM »

" We need to look at why they stopped coming back. "

I stopped going because it was akin to online H2H play in that the fight was constantly between the same two closest cross-Channel points with a small (and dwindling every week) number of players flying the same few planes. There was no strat, no benefit to attract flying bombers (when getting my prettythang handed to me it boost the ego to knock a few JU's or B-26's out of the air) and it just didn't have a very historical feeling at all to it (imo)

This topic (if HTC will implement it) and the ideas offered is a giant step to making the CT a viable and well used arena imo.

Westy

[ 11-01-2001: Message edited by: Westy MOL ]