During off hours or with low players!

[guncrasher]

how does it work in ew and mw when there's only a few players and you can change at will?



semp

[TDeacon]

Actually, I prefer low player densities, as I perceive (rightly or wrongly) that I'm more likely to find a 1-1 in those situations. 

However, if you insist on reducing map playing area based on arena population, make this applicable just to AC, allowing GVs to play anywhere.  Then the AC guys will get the compressed play area (for what that's worth), and the GVs will get the equivalent of additional tank town space (i.e. the portion of the map which has been made off-limits).

MH

[Brooke]

Actually, I prefer low player densities, as I perceive (rightly or wrongly) that I'm more likely to find a 1-1 in those situations.  

However, if you insist on reducing map playing area based on arena population, make this applicable just to AC, allowing GVs to play anywhere.  Then the AC guys will get the compressed play area (for what that's worth), and the GVs will get the equivalent of additional tank town space (i.e. the portion of the map which has been made off-limits).

MH

Low player densities are great for 1 on 0 for a while until you find an occasional 1 on 1, and at 2 am Eastern or later, you can drive around in a tank and have the whole map to yourself.

Most people would rather have Aces High be more than a two-player game, though.

However, if all you want is 1 on 1's, you can do that regardless of what the MA map is like -- that's one of the things the Dueling Arena is for.  You ask people if anyone wants to duel, and off you go for a 1 on 1.

[bustr]

This is not that complicated.

At some wee time in the AM or minimum population number. The current large map is saved in its state. Then the center 6x6 or 8x8 sectors become the map. Most map designers place defined three way fight areas in the center of these giant maps along with a ring of bases inside of the first 3-4 sectors just outside of them.

Lusche probably has a graph of the current player densities to 24hours over the last 6 months. Base the life period of the low density map shrink from this. Players get a shrink warning of 10-15 minutes. They can still land at any of the full scale bases outside of the shrink zone but, will then be moved to an active base after towering. Once the shrink zone boarders are in place, the system can control gaming it by disabling your ride's ammo, bombs and rockets if you cross the line forcing you to get a fresh ride to get your go boom toys back.

Hitech can even program the HQ and strat being moved just inside of the boarders on this for the milk runners with one uncapterable field within a sector for resupply efforts. Winning the map won't happen until it expands back to it's full size. Or a new shrink zone win function can be put in place where winning gets a giant name in lights with perk points and all fields set back to a start state. Players will get a 10-15 minute warning for the expansion back to full size and whatever state the map was in before the shrink.

As for the chorus of, then make side switching at will during this. You will wind up with a very large group of the like minded all on one side gaming the shrink zone map win. There will not be a constant group of Eruo time rabid SOB ACM seal clubbers to control them. Jump at will allows everyone to jump to be with the guys they perceive holding the pain stick if they can't beat them. ENY hasn't done much to control hoards or human nature has it?

The 80% who constitute muppet fodder in the game don't care about fights. Winning by any means allowable matters more along with a very low pain tolerance. That's why you have the 12 hour rule and hoardlings. 

[TDeacon]

Low player densities are great for 1 on 0 for a while until you find an occasional 1 on 1, and at 2 am Eastern or later, you can drive around in a tank and have the whole map to yourself.

Most people would rather have Aces High be more than a two-player game, though.

However, if all you want is 1 on 1's, you can do that regardless of what the MA map is like -- that's one of the things the Dueling Arena is for.  You ask people if anyone wants to duel, and off you go for a 1 on 1.

Anyone who "can't find a fight" during low player densities isn't trying very hard.  I have played during both US and European prime time, and have always been able to "find fights" (that's for aircraft, not GVs).  Now you might not like the fights you find, but that is a function of the tendancy of most players to avoid fights unless greatly advantaged, and has little or nothing to do with the map size.  Actually, reducing the map size may well just guarantee that you have to fight a horde, since all locations will have hordes.  If you are a horder, that's fine, but some of us are not.  

And again, if you must make part of the map off-limits, since this OP pertains to aircraft, make it off-limits only to aircraft.  That way you give the GV guys a place to play unmolested, and both styles of play benefit. 

MH

[Tinkles]

This is not that complicated.

At some wee time in the AM or minimum population number. The current large map is saved in its state. Then the center 6x6 or 8x8 sectors become the map. Most map designers place defined three way fight areas in the center of these giant maps along with a ring of bases inside of the first 3-4 sectors just outside of them.

Lusche probably has a graph of the current player densities to 24hours over the last 6 months. Base the life period of the low density map shrink from this. Players get a shrink warning of 10-15 minutes. They can still land at any of the full scale bases outside of the shrink zone but, will then be moved to an active base after towering. Once the shrink zone boarders are in place, the system can control gaming it by disabling your ride's ammo, bombs and rockets if you cross the line forcing you to get a fresh ride to get your go boom toys back.

Hitech can even program the HQ and strat being moved just inside of the boarders on this for the milk runners with one uncapterable field within a sector for resupply efforts. Winning the map won't happen until it expands back to it's full size. Or a new shrink zone win function can be put in place where winning gets a giant name in lights with perk points and all fields set back to a start state. Players will get a 10-15 minute warning for the expansion back to full size and whatever state the map was in before the shrink.

As for the chorus of, then make side switching at will during this. You will wind up with a very large group of the like minded all on one side gaming the shrink zone map win. There will not be a constant group of Eruo time rabid SOB ACM seal clubbers to control them. Jump at will allows everyone to jump to be with the guys they perceive holding the pain stick if they can't beat them. ENY hasn't done much to control hoards or human nature has it?

The 80% who constitute muppet fodder in the game don't care about fights. Winning by any means allowable matters more along with a very low pain tolerance. That's why you have the 12 hour rule and hoardlings. 

Nice addition to the wish.  I don't think we need "endless switching" abilities on the low-population times.  I think we should be able to switch ONLY to the outnumbered sides. Perhaps if there is a certain ENY percentage ? 
During the "main times" when most are on, I think 2 hour side switch limit is fair. It isn't long, but it isn't short enough either.

Tinkles

<<S>>

[Brooke]

Anyone who "can't find a fight" during low player densities isn't trying very hard. [etc.]

I disagree.  I'm not in the game for just an endless series of 1 on 1's -- that's a two-player game and vastly inferior to a multiplayer game, in my opinion.  Finding rip-roaring many-on-many fights can be hard at 2 am Eastern or later.  In US prime time, you can easily find a pair of fields where lots of people are upping from them, going at it in the space between the two fields.  All kinds of fights going on, at all kinds of altitudes, all kinds of different aircraft, bombers at times going for your field, etc.  That is an active, fun environment by the tastes of the vast majority of the player base.  Far off peak hours, it can be just as I previously described:  one person all by himself over there doing a milk run, a couple of people here fighting each other (so if you up there, it is then a 2:1, which is not much fun), over there a couple of people who are done fighting and just returning to base (so when you up, you find after trying to fly to some action that sector counters disappear as the guys land and don't re-up there).  Replicate that over the whole map.

[TDeacon]

I disagree.  I'm not in the game for just an endless series of 1 on 1's -- that's a two-player game and vastly inferior to a multiplayer game, in my opinion.  Finding rip-roaring many-on-many fights can be hard at 2 am Eastern or later.  In US prime time, you can easily find a pair of fields where lots of people are upping from them, going at it in the space between the two fields.  All kinds of fights going on, at all kinds of altitudes, all kinds of different aircraft, bombers at times going for your field, etc.  That is an active, fun environment by the tastes of the vast majority of the player base.  Far off peak hours, it can be just as I previously described:  one person all by himself over there doing a milk run, a couple of people here fighting each other (so if you up there, it is then a 2:1, which is not much fun), over there a couple of people who are done fighting and just returning to base (so when you up, you find after trying to fly to some action that sector counters disappear as the guys land and don't re-up there).  Replicate that over the whole map.

So it's not really that you can't find fights, but instead that you can't find the type of fight you prefer.  Just out of curiosity, how do you know that this inability is due to map size, rather than to the behaviors of the other players? 

MH

[Brooke]

So it's not really that you can't find fights, but instead that you can't find the type of fight you prefer. 

I have a harder time finding fighting -- of any type -- during far off-peak hours than during peak hours.  I don't think many people would argue that point or disagree with it, and it is likely provable if someone wants to take the time to gather stats.

In addition to having a harder time finding any fight at all, I sometimes find it difficult beyond the point of practicality to find many-on-many fights in far off-peak hours.

I suspect that the vast majority of players (not just myself) prefer the fighting available during peak hours to the fighting available during far off-peak hours.

Just out of curiosity, how do you know that this inability is due to map size, rather than to the behaviors of the other players? 

My belief is based on math and reasoning; but it is a belief.  To know for sure would require testing it out.

[bustr]

Map size influences behavior by the player responding to the scale of the offering in concert with the current player density.

Late night shrinking the map scale to 8x8 with 50 players online will make that scaled to a 20x20 with 400 players online. Right now 50 players can disappear into a 20x20 map and turn the LWMA into a ghost town. You cannot base your projections of resource usage upon the most energetic and motivated players or the 20% of Pareto principle . They will always do what is needed to hunt down a fight. But, they will never be the majority in the arena at any given time.

You base it on the risk adverse 80%, who if forced into close proximity of other 80%ers, will fight each other because they don't have to look very hard creating the illusion of numbers to be part of. Otherwise they will scatter to the far reaches of the map and play with the landscape to avoid the pain of being shot down.

The single biggest mistake the members of this forum make when analyzing the player community is using themselves as the prototypical player. Many of the players who post ideas in this forum are the 20% in the arena. So their ideas have a tendency to not be for the good of the "Whole" community but, to serve their own ideal of the moment. Which is out of the 80%ers skill level to enjoy, or interests to pursuit.

There is nothing that can be changed about the game that will make 80%ers act like 20%ers and less lame than most 20%ers accuse this game's 80%ers of being. This is a business that has to cater to the 80% while relying on the 20% to use their imaginations to entertain themselves upon the backs of the 80%. You give the 20% their own special arenas so they can play game gods off in their own playpens so as to never drive away the 80% from the core offering.

So how has the CT\AvA and DA been all these years? Crowded perchance?    

[shotgunneeley]

Reminds me of the Battlefield 2 multiplayer maps - 16, 32, and 64 player sizes.

When a certain threshold is passed, the map could area could increase/decrease to fit the number of players. Players outside the limit could continue to fly and land at their choosing, but they would not be able to re-launch from a field outside the sandbox. I don't know if the arena would have to shutdown every time the map size changes though. That could get annoying during times of high fluctuation. Would be nice if this boundary line could appear once a certain parameter is reached, kind of like how the factories retreat once a zone base is captured.

[Patches1]

Perhaps an alternate solution might be to open up a Late Night Main Arena (much the same idea with the split arenas of the past) that is populated only with small maps and opens after peak prime time and closes shortly before peak prime time...what times those are...I don't know...but during the time this arena is open the Late War, Mid War, and Early War main arenas would be closed.

The benefits I see are:

1) No maps have to be pulled out of rotation to be modified, and no special boundaries or rules need be applied.

2) Those Folks interested in map making can take advantage of this arena and utilize the ideas posted in this thread to make maps 
    specifically for this arena.

3) Scoring does not need to be modified in any manner to fit in with the Late, Mid, or Early War Main Arenas.

4) All of us who play in the off hours are herded into the same arena where it would be up to us to find and fight each other.


The Cons I see are:

1) Folks may not wish to have only one choice of a Main Arena.

2) Folks may become bored with the repetition of the current Small Arena Maps available.

3) Mapmaking Folks may not wish to make new small maps specifically for this arena.

I'm sure this idea has been advanced many times over the years...I just thought it should be advanced again.

Just thoughts...

[Pandora]

good idea as finding a fight that late is not always easy especially on the huge maps...

also get rid of switch sides time limit all together after midnight.

whose midnight ?  Oh yeah .. it's not just the USA