Seriously?!!

[TheRapier]

The Fester map in the MA has an approximate area of 250,000 square miles.

At peak of 300 players, each player has 800 square miles to themselves.

At the low point of 100 players, each player has 2500 square miles to themselves.

Is it any wonder that players are complaining that they can't find a fight? Does anyone even look at the maps to see if they are appropriate to the number of players? It should be obvious, but this is a totally and completely fixable problem. Doesn't require new code work or development. What is the point of letting the game just languish this way?

I'm trying very hard to understand how this is a rational move and honestly, I can't find it.

[glzsqd]

I think the fester Map is fine. Easy to find fights with the way the fronts are set up. just need the Dar and HQ problems fixed.

[Lusche]

At the low point of 100 players, each player has 2500 square miles to themselves.

100?  

It was like that about 6 years ago....


But I agree with glzsqd. Fester map is much better adapting to changing player numbers thanks to it's initial small fronts than many other maps.

[DmonSlyr]

The problem with most maps is that the bases are too far away. Combat becomes difficult to control when both parties have to fly further for some action, more ganging will occur, and uneven battles will constantly take place.

Festers Map, while being large, has bases that are closer together, and bases that have strategic concepts such as the rows of Vbases in the middle. The map has many aspects that allow for people to enjoy any aspect of the game they choose, while encorporating those styles for other people to battle and have fun. I think it is actually the best map in rotation and I've never not been able to find a fight, again, cause the bases are closer.

I like the concept of smaller maps. But bases should be around 15 miles apart, not 25>. It allows for better close quarter more action fighting.

[Debrody]

100 players on a map was nearly ideal condition for the kind of fighting i liked. But hey... seen 18 players on 2 years ago. Just alt+f4-ed.

Since that, im not playing regularly.

[DREDIOCK]

I think the fester Map is fine. Easy to find fights with the way the fronts are set up. just need the Dar and HQ problems fixed.

Well there is also the issue of the PT spawns over dry land

[MK-84]

Well there is also the issue of the PT spawns over dry land

It isnt actually dry land. Detailed water has to be on to see it though

[Lusche]

It isnt actually dry land. Detailed water has to be on to see it though

As well as the water in front of the fighter spawn hangar on several airfields. If you don't have "detailed water" on, you will be in for a surprise at takeoff 

[MK-84]

As well as the water in front of the fighter spawn hangar on several airfields. If you don't have "detailed water" on, you will be in for a surprise at takeoff 

I didnt notice that....yet

[Lusche]

A162, with detailed terrain & water



without detailed terrain & water

[715]

There is also a vehicle field on the Fester map where if you turn right coming out of the spawn hanger your tank immediately sinks into a lake.

[TheRapier]

Wow . . .

I take it that the massively over the top maps are ok and that you'd never want to play any time other than the 3 hours of peak a day? The guys that are not in the US just need to give up the game? Folks that can't play peak in the US should take up WOW?

The really brilliant thing about the BBS is that it can never, ever achieve consensus on any change because people can't get out of the "well its ok for me, playing as I do from the US at peak" comment and think more broadly about the health of the game overall. It's beyond apathy more like a micro self centeredness. The world could collapse brick by brick around and as long as a brick doesn't drop in your cereal, everything is fine.

To be fair, the BBS shouldn't be a replacement for a devoted developer but here it seems to be.

IMHO, it is appalling that this game only functions 3 hours a day out of 24. It is appalling that the weekend numbers barely go above 300 at their PEAK. It is appalling that no one in this "community" seems read the trend.

May I suggest a different way of viewing the wish list? For a year, try to think of how a suggestion would affect the overall health of the game instead of how it would affect just you. How it affects you in the game will be a moot point when there is NO game. That might change some of way it works here. In a year either this will be a thriving place or a smoking hole in the ground. IMHO it doesn't seem to be a lot to give up to see if it can be made to thrive.

What is obvious is that how things have been done has got us here. If here is where you want to be that's great. My problem is that I can remember when the arena peaked at 600 or 800, when you could find a fight as easy as lifting from a field. I can remember when there were 3 or 4 games in this genre. Now there is ONE game and it can't even fill ONE arena. With that memory its hard to see this as anything other than the tail end. When something as basic as tailoring the map size to the number of players escapes both the developer and the players, you have to wonder where the thing is headed.

[BaldEagl]

Wow . . .

I take it that the massively over the top maps are ok and that you'd never want to play any time other than the 3 hours of peak a day? The guys that are not in the US just need to give up the game? Folks that can't play peak in the US should take up WOW?

The really brilliant thing about the BBS is that it can never, ever achieve consensus on any change because people can't get out of the "well its ok for me, playing as I do from the US at peak" comment and think more broadly about the health of the game overall. It's beyond apathy more like a micro self centeredness. The world could collapse brick by brick around and as long as a brick doesn't drop in your cereal, everything is fine.

To be fair, the BBS shouldn't be a replacement for a devoted developer but here it seems to be.

IMHO, it is appalling that this game only functions 3 hours a day out of 24. It is appalling that the weekend numbers barely go above 300 at their PEAK. It is appalling that no one in this "community" seems read the trend.

May I suggest a different way of viewing the wish list? For a year, try to think of how a suggestion would affect the overall health of the game instead of how it would affect just you. How it affects you in the game will be a moot point when there is NO game. That might change some of way it works here. In a year either this will be a thriving place or a smoking hole in the ground. IMHO it doesn't seem to be a lot to give up to see if it can be made to thrive.

What is obvious is that how things have been done has got us here. If here is where you want to be that's great. My problem is that I can remember when the arena peaked at 600 or 800, when you could find a fight as easy as lifting from a field. I can remember when there were 3 or 4 games in this genre. Now there is ONE game and it can't even fill ONE arena. With that memory its hard to see this as anything other than the tail end. When something as basic as tailoring the map size to the number of players escapes both the developer and the players, you have to wonder where the thing is headed.

So let me get this straight.

Because people disagree with your analysis of one particular map you think that the way to garner support is to berate the entire community and HTC. 

To you it's obvious that your one single suggestion will completely turn the tides in subscriber numbers and save the game.  Do me a favor and do a little search.  There have been numerous threads, discussions and ideas tossed around as to how to turn those tides.  To contend that the entire player base is apathetic to the situation is to blatantly dismiss every other suggestion that's been made.

I'm going to stop now before I really get angry.

Have a nice Thanksgiving.

[Ratsy]

May I suggest a different way of viewing the wish list? For a year, try to think of how a suggestion would affect the overall health of the game instead of how it would affect just you. How it affects you in the game will be a moot point when there is NO game. That might change some of way it works here. In a year either this will be a thriving place or a smoking hole in the ground. IMHO it doesn't seem to be a lot to give up to see if it can be made to thrive.

Rapier - I have known you in two games and have had a lot of laughs with the Muskies in both of them.  I won't claim to understand how you think, but I know you are sincere.

I used only a clip from your post but since it resonated with me, I will comment.

I don't claim to have any more knowledge about this topic than what everybody can see with their own eyes.  What I do know is that HTC, based on observation, will not 'surge hire' to get changes done any faster.  I do know that they have a strategy to make changes to game play aiming to improve subscription numbers.  I do know that they would be working on it, but the graphics upgrade in progress took a higher priority.  I do know that they have a development process that is not different from most shops out there.  I do know that HiTech has a firm understanding of his customer demographic and has educated himself on what the customer-to-be needs and wants.  I do know that HTC is committed.

The wish list serves a purpose, as you are aware.  However it, like a large number of topics on this BBS, gets bloated and sometimes personal.   A little pro-con is needed, but very little.  I wish we could limit ourselves to only two sentences of pro-con on the wishlist.  It takes a serious amount of time for HTC to wade through the horsepucky comments to get to the gems.  That's entirely my opinion and I'll probably suffer for it.

I very much like your idea to focus more on wishlist topics that would help attract the customer-to-be.  That's what resonates with me and likely irritates a lot of folks here who haven't quite figured out that there's no such thing as status quo ("home sweet home") in online gaming.  It's 'change or die' on methamphetamine.

I know you have seen at least two MMO's go under in your years.  I've only seen one but it was painful to watch.  I think you were on the Confirmed Kill alpha?  In any event that was the saddest...a game with outstanding potential dying in the studio.

Stay the course, Rapier.

Respectfully,

Ratsy - Raider_DD - AKRaider
 

[MrKrabs]

The thing is, you know things are rather bad if even Rapier comes forward with the same general complaint.

He comes forward with actual sincerity and only gets it thrown in his face...

Yes, we all know the numbers are low, instead of arguing how low and or why like a gaggle of beaurocratic trolls why not shaddup and have fun?

Make your own fun and stop expecting it to be handed to you especially when anyone thinks they can control how/why anyone else plays their game...