All the talk about what the game has become and why is interesting but not much of that reflects what ThunderEGG was trying to say. It's not the graphics, it's not the game mechanics so much as it is the attitude of people playing. Used to be when most folks logged into the arena they'd salute or say hello to the "country" and usually there was a gaggle of salutes right back. People played together in ways they no longer do, and the sort of "forming" of that culture in the game is no longer prevalent like it once was. It was almost like a "game etiquette" sort of thing, where when you were learning the game the more experienced guys not only played in a way that set an example, but talked to the new guys and in many cases stopped them from doing stupid things that would grief other players, particularly if it griefed opponents. Call it what you will, a kind of code of honor, just simple good gamesmanship, whatever, it was something infused in new players and most would follow it. Naturally, there's always the few who don't and would be a PITA to everyone, but most seemed to work together.
It was VERY common for people to announce what they were going to work on... bomb a strat, cap a field, go after a CV, go kill some tanks, and of course there were far more missions. I know the numbers aren't what they once were, but that doesn't explain lack of missions now, only lack of really big ones. It's that kind of difference in game play that EGG was talking about and I know that because we flew together every week for the last 5-6 months and we both identified this factor as what we see as the biggest change in the game.
I don't know what the answer is, to try and recover that, but I know this: size matters little. In the past, the same thing took place at night when the numbers were lower, lower even than a normal late date/evening population in the MA now. Now it seems we have small groups start something, maybe a base take, and 6 or 7 planes head to the base. 5 minutes later half of them are gone and don't come back to keep helping the effort... they simply go to another part of the map and do something else. I don't know why, I just don't understand all the bouncing around without saying a word.
Part of it I suspect was because squads seemed more dominant back in the day and worked together. Now, squads are mostly one or two guys on at once and even they don't fly together. That's the mystery for me. I can remember if you didn't have a squad you couldn't fly for an hour without someone inviting you to join theirs they were so prevalent, but now not so much.
Is it the people? Maybe, maybe some. Is it the game itself? Well, maybe parts of it take more work than before or parts don't work the same, but fun can still be had if you're determined, so I don't think it's much of that. I just think it's how people play the game now versus before. The espirit de corps tank seems to be on empty. The country channel chatter is all but dead compared to before, and most of it has nothing to do with what action is going on where. There used to be furballs that went on all night long between a couple of bases, and though they could get huge, they often weren't more than a dozen planes and we still have a dozen planes, but rare is the furball that continues so long except over central islands with close bases. The current game just feels strange, like watching a rock concert from inside a phone booth where you don't get the experience of the crowd around you. That's what's missing now that was there before. There used to be a willingness to help that's missing. Help used to show up when someone asked; now you're lucky if can get a set of troops to a flattened field with a flattened town with all the guns down. It's just strange, and it doesn't feel at all like the game we once knew.
A word about ThunderEGG: many of you already know this, but the EGG is one of the finest players I've ever had the pleasure to share some sky with. He loves the game, and likes the people who play it, no matter what side they are on, you can see it in his postings here in the forum and many have experienced it in game play. Behind that microphone and "A-tailed" B-17 is one excellent human being that I am glad to call a friend. I sure will miss our conversations and mission chit-chat. He's opening a new chapter in his life, I am happy for him and wish him a great deal of success. <RD> ThunderEGG, and all the best, sir!
