Competitive mode

[BluKitty]

I think you folks should start a 5 vs. 5 competitive mode.

Let me explain.  Idea is something like 20-25 minute rounds, aiming for a ~90 minute commitment.  You allow pick up groups, and pre-made squads-but perhaps put pick up groups, and squads in different ranked groups

I'm not a fan of air starts, it's probably worth considering in this case, but landing I think is key-and should perhaps be a focus.  Anything you think would work, I would love to see, with something like a structured 5 vs. 5

- Idea is rng to start on Axis or Allies, but you switch teams after two rounds-best of 5.

- An objective needs to be in place.  It can be almost anything, as long as it forces teams not to kite about-they need to be forced to engage

- Rank etc is separate from MA, and dropping matches results in temporary time outs from competitive play

I want 5 vs. 5 matches against competent squads to be easy, not something we have to setup in DFC or something.  Please give us some kind of structure to get the level of dogfighting we seek without crazy efforts of organization.  I don't think creating some sort of structure like this would be a waste of your time-Certainly put the HTC touch on it, but please give us some kind of squad "competitive mode".  I still think pick up groups need to be the norm though, with squads a part of it, but not the focus.

Cheers!

[Vudak]

I know there's been some interest in reviving the Squad Dueling League.  The rules could be revisited to bring it more in line with what you're describing.

I'd suggest that it be renamed "Team Dueling League" given that we're currently rebuilding the game and not all squads could likely field 5 people regularly.  I think teams should be able to put together a list of any 5-8 people who will participate for 3 months of this (maybe 1 event per month) and have it be bassmaster rules - you can use whatever boat you want, but you're stuck with it all season - meaning no one other than those 5-8 can fly for that team during that season.  If you can't field 5 for a night, you fight 4 (or whatever) v. 5 (unless the other team is sporting).

You could have each month have a different objective/flavor.  Sometimes AvA, maybe sometimes "fantasy" (what if Germany and Japan fought?), sometimes "dealer's choice."

Maybe for objectives you basically make this a monthly bracket style tournament, results TBD that one night - make all squads show up for the same 2 hours, those who aren't fighting can watch in CM eye mode.  Like KOTH, you have a monthly event with a Tournament of Champions at the end.  Maybe invite the top 20% of teams to that bracket. 

As for actual fighting rules - I'm of the opinion that the less rules you have, the more fun it ultimately is, because there's less chance for someone breaking them/skirting them, and you can just worry about fighting.  HO, ganging, picking, etc. are all allowed.

Maybe just have a small, confined area (with mountains, like the smaller KOTH map) to keep people close. 

Anyway, another event that encourages fighting would be a good thing, IMO.

[bustr]

AH3 has a new 1v1 match up arena where you sit in the O'club until you are launched. Try extending a request to Hitech for a maxing out to include your request. After 2 years of testing alpha until now, it's unfortunately one of the things that came in late I didn't test. You might try talking to Junky I think he tried a few match ups during the open beta.

We even have a steal the sheep arena and Hitech is a mean sheep stealer.....

[Randall172]

+1 I've asked for this, but got my thread locked because I bumped, but this is something this game seriously needs.

[The Fugitive]

You can already do this with a custom arena. Like a few people are doing pushing the Tanking Thursdays, or the furball sundays the players interested CAN do this. I just don't think your going to find enough people interested to keep this going. The fighter stuff they had going on Mondays that Odd was working with lasted a couple months and I haven't seen anything about it after that. They started up the Sunday version that one is all done when we make the switch to AH3 unless someone picks it back up.

[Randall172]

You can already do this with a custom arena. Like a few people are doing pushing the Tanking Thursdays, or the furball sundays the players interested CAN do this. I just don't think your going to find enough people interested to keep this going. The fighter stuff they had going on Mondays that Odd was working with lasted a couple months and I haven't seen anything about it after that. They started up the Sunday version that one is all done when we make the switch to AH3 unless someone picks it back up.

I would if Hitech would release an api so that i could set up a matchmaking system, what i'm imagining is you press search, and when it finds someone else that is looking it will launch you co - alt in your planes, ready to fight.

the biggest problem with this game is the time to fight (TTF),

[bustr]

The only thing this game seriously needs is bodies. As the number of bodies increases so do the number of players interested in matched dueling. Then they will find many creative ways to show up in the same place at the same time to duel. At this time if you are seeing next to no players interested in showing up together, we need more bodies. Then you won't need to program anything, just show up with them and fight. Aces High has always been organic like that.