Proposed gameplay changes for Main Arena

[AAIK]

The idea that people have their own way of playing is absurd.

The game is built with specific frameworks and rules, just like any other game; like chess or checkers.

The natural thing then to happen is the people themselves build rules to make engagements/interactions more fair or "honourable". Just like how religion shaped itself from the environment, evolved and grew to what it is now. The idea that someone was a "Dweeb" grew from this *meta* of interaction and expectations called "a game". It is but a layer of tradition, a well formed layer of guidelines.

As well, it is the choice of those who wish to stand for these more fair rules to preserve that tradition in order to allow other players to experience the effects of it. They must be commended, because it is those very traditions that add depth and increase the meaning of every encounter.

It is the easy way vs the hard way. That is an eternal struggle in a human sense of the way and takes part in everything that is human.

[Skuzzy]

The idea that people have their own way of playing is absurd.<snip>

Sorry, but you have not read or listened to the players if you think that is true.

1)  Players complain about GV's ruining their fights.
2)  Players complaining someone wants to land their kills.
3)  Players complaining about CV's not being used the way they should be.
4)  Players complaining about being picked in a fight.
5)  Players complaining about other players not playing the way they thing they should be.
6)  Players complaining (long and loud) about being found and shot down.

I could go on.  I spend a lot of time reading the logs and the dealing with player communications.  All the above is the result of players wanting others to play the way they think the game should be played.

[AAIK]

Sorry, but you have not read or listened to the players if you think that is true.

1)  Players complain about GV's ruining their fights.
2)  Players complaining someone wants to land their kills.
3)  Players complaining about CV's not being used the way they should be.
4)  Players complaining about being picked in a fight.
5)  Players complaining about other players not playing the way they thing they should be.
6)  Players complaining (long and loud) about being found and shot down.

I could go on.  I spend a lot of time reading the logs and the dealing with player communications.  All the above is the result of players wanting others to play the way they think the game should be played.

I am not sure, Skuzzy. It sound like these things are a threat to each person's ego. That isn't much of a "please play my way" than it is a expression of pure frustration/venting.

[Skuzzy]

If you push them, you will eventually will get to the bottom of the muck and find they get mad because so-and-so was not doing what they thought they should be doing.

I agree, there is also ego at play.  Pride as well.  That will vary depending on the person.

[AAIK]

If you push them, you will eventually will get to the bottom of the muck and find they get mad because so-and-so was not doing what they thought they should be doing.

I agree, there is also ego at play.  Pride as well.  That will vary depending on the person.

Most likely the other person is not 'dying' at their hands?

What if I told you that these rules/traditions that have been passed on cultivate a more controlled state of mind/different expectations?

[Skuzzy]

Most likely the other person is not 'dying' at their hands?

What if I told you that these rules/traditions that have been passed on cultivate a more controlled state of mind/different expectations?

It does not matter if the manifestations are not good.  Abusive, derogatory comms are not good for the health of the community unless your idea of it being healthy is to drive off players who might not play the game you would expect them to play.

[bustr]

Don't over think it bustr.  It is an opinion.  I have no control over the direction the game takes.  I want to make that very clear.

When people keep tossing around "Main Arena", it makes me cringe.

My apology, read way too much into it. I can understand the MA issue, hope it works itself out eventually.

[AAIK]

It does not matter if the manifestations are not good.  Abusive, derogatory comms are not good for the health of the community unless your idea of it being healthy is to drive off players who might not play the game you would expect them to play.

It is a confusing and complicated issue. I remember not having any problems or reservations being killed or out-smarted by other people when I first started playing these games. It would be an interesting observation to work out when people started becoming toxic so that there might be some sort of 'therapy' for it.

[Mongoose]

Almost everyday I see players come to this board complaining about how people are not playing the way they think it should be played.

  This is exactly what we are facing.  Skuzzy is right on the mark here.   

  The scenario goes something like this;  We have this big, beautiful playground, with all kinds of cool toys. Over there we have some guys playing tag.  Over here we have some guys playing hide-and-seek.  Over here we have some guys playing capture the flag.

Cue whiney voice:  "Mr. Hitech.  Those guys aren't playing tag with us they way they are supposed to. They're using the playground wrong.  Make them stop!"

[Skuzzy]

My favorite whines come from those who want a dedicated area of the map for a specific type of game play, instead of just going to the arena, or creating an arena which actually offers the type they want.

My head just hits the desk when I read those.

[Rodent57]

If you had taken the amount of time it took you to type all that up to search you would have found that these ideas have been talked to death and will never happen in the Main Arena.

It is available in the Axis vs Allied arena. The "Combat Theater" later renamed to the Axis vs Allied Arena (AvA) has been around since Dec 2001. In that time it has never been very popular. If that was how the game was setup in the Mains this company would be closed in weeks.

There is really nothing wrong with the game in the Main arena. Its a big sand box that has all kinds of game play covered. The problem arise when the numbers are low like they are now. With the numbers low sometimes you log on and its a majority of GV battles. If you dont like GVing, your one of a few in the air. Sometimes you log in and its a horde group rolling the map and they are not fighting on your front. Again your type of play is screwed.

With three times the numbers, more people are playing more types of play at the same time and it is easier to find the type of play a player likes and can ignore the other types with out being frustrated by being forced to play the only thing really going on in the game at that time. That is the real strength of this game and one of the secrets to its longevity, the ability to play it many different ways.   

True!

But to paraphrase someone, if AvA was to suddenly gain favor amongst the players, then play in MAs would suffer.

FWIW:  I like the idea of a End-to-End emulation of WWII!

[nugetx]

FWIW:  I like the idea of a End-to-End emulation of WWII!

Yea that's the idea.

I called it the 'main arena' because it's where the most players flock to.


Also 3 sides is not the best solution for low players numbers. Even if Steam bumps the play numbers, in time, they might go lower again, and AH might be in same situation.

While writing this I not only thinked about low player numbers, but also a long term perspective of the game...... new players after time might get bored with all planes unlocked all the time.

I don't know about you guys, but all planes unlocked is bad for the metagame, because early and mid war planes are ciminaly underused, leaving people using 2-3 types of late war planes.

That's why rolling plane set is a good solution for this, because  early med and late are shared through times.

If you had taken the amount of time it took you to type all that up to search you would have found that these ideas have been talked to death and will never happen in the Main Arena.

If they had been talked to death it means people would like to see them and something that should be considered imo.

There is really nothing wrong with the game in the Main arena.

What about a handfull of planes being used only ?
When I'm in a spit...... and a spit goes against me.... I always get this feeling 'wait.....something is not right here', and plenty of other people get also that play flight sims for over 20 years.

The scenario goes something like this;  We have this big, beautiful playground, with all kinds of cool toys. Over there we have some guys playing tag.  Over here we have some guys playing hide-and-seek.  Over here we have some guys playing capture the flag.

Cue whiney voice:  "Mr. Hitech.  Those guys aren't playing tag with us they way they are supposed to. They're using the playground wrong.  Make them stop!"

And if we would be doing this in a historical setting, I guarantee you, that more people would come.




Again, like in the other thread i made.... I am pro HTC and i'm posting this as a solution to a problem that is right there in the face.
I am not saying this is perfect solution, but I proposed something which I would consider to be logical.


Saying all that, I enjoy the game, but something should be done about atleast:

All planes available to all sides -- because fighting vs the same side plane in a ww2 flight sim REALLY makes people run away.

[cav58d]

 

[nugetx]

That wall has to creak eventualy 

[Ack-Ack]

I don't know about you guys, but all planes unlocked is bad for the metagame, because early and mid war planes are ciminaly underused, leaving people using 2-3 types of late war planes.

That's why rolling plane set is a good solution for this, because  early med and late are shared through times.

Rolling plane set will drive away players if they don't have access to the planes they want to fly.  It didn't work for WB and one of the main reasons why I left that game.  It sucked having to wait 2 week to fly the P-38F and then an additional week if I wanted to fly the J model and had to wait until almost the end of the campaign to fly the L model.  At the time of the introduction of the rolling plane set in WB, it started the exodus from that game.  Even HiTech (the creator of WB) has posted that the RPS in WB was a bad idea and why it hasn't been introduced into Aces High.

People cry that they can't fly their plane of choice when ENY kicks in, imagine the cries if they can't fly their plane of choice for days or even weeks due to a RPS system.

All planes available to all sides -- because fighting vs the same side plane in a ww2 flight sim REALLY makes people run away.

This isn't a WW2 flight sim, the core game in no way tries to simulate or replicate WW2.  The core game just aims to simulate in a game environment a combat simulator using WW2 vehicles, not the war itself.