Solution for the low numbers???

[Arlo]

The two-sided MELEE (not AvA) will become full, the other a ghost town.

Ok, you differentiated. But .... it exists.

[Arlo]

... if we had a zone that was STRICTLY Fighter town or Tank town-WITHOUT CROSS traffic from out side zones(MA).

That's not how an arena works.

[Vraciu]

I doubt that very much. Human nature will cause most players to gravitate to the higher number side not wanting to be under manned. The only way a 2 sided setup would work is if the game auto adjust and put the next player in the arena to the lower number side keeping the number even. WIth a 6 hour switch on top of that you wouldnt have squads any more. Instead of a community youd be pushing "individuals" and that would screw with the "teamwork" aspect.

I don't.  Three sided is getting a tad stale with the thinner numbers.  First time Buzzkill shows up on 3-sided people will go to two-sided and never go back to three.   Until Buzzkill shows up again, of course.

[Vraciu]

Which brings me back to what I posted earlier...Why is it necessary to have SEPARATE ARENAS. I dont go to AVA or MatchPlay because I like to know what is happening in the MA. Ok ENY is 29, if we had a zone that was STRICTLY Fighter town or Tank town-WITHOUT CROSS traffic from out side zones(MA). It would pass the time till ENY dropped, usually only stays THAT high in short spans. Eny only gets me bummed when it gets REAL HIGH, and this would keep fun rolling WHILE having access to REAL TIME goings on in The Win the War side of the arena? But thats just me

Yes.

...and anybody that thinks otherwise is simply deluded. Sorry.

We're splitting them already by default into thirds.    It's not working.   

But not my call either.

[Vraciu]

AVA exists.

I've said this until I am blue in the face so let me do it again any way.  AvA with two sides is *NOT* the same thing as a Melee with two sides.

AVA exists.

I've said this until I am blue in the face so let me do it again any way.  AvA with two sides is *NOT* the same thing as a Melee with two sides.

Ok, you differentiated. But .... it exists.

I've said this until I am blue in the face so let me do it again any way. AvA with two sides is *NOT* the same thing as a Melee with two sides.   The dynamics of the AvA are totally different than the MA, two OR three sides.

Cheers, bruh.   

[Arlo]

Axis vs Allies (originally called "Combat Theater") differences with the MA:

1. 2 sides with one side featuring a limited Axis plane set and the other a limited Allied plane set and the terrain often being historic.

2. Numbers.

This arena has tried almost everything to build numbers:

1. It has offered perk planes for free.

2. It has tried creative alternate history set-ups for balance.

3. It has promoted a 'civil gentlemen pilot environment' that differs from the typical MA environment (though I think that's neither
    necessary nor beneficial since it often comes across as shaming or 'manners policing' the player population to no good effect).

4. There have even been rare occasions (iirc) that the AvA pretty much hosted a mini 2-sided MA with all Axis planes vs all Allied planes.
    (I could be wrong. My memory is less 'perfect' than before.)

The most I remember ever logging into the AvA was still less than 40 (with the MA pushing almost max pop).

What difference .... is going to make a difference? (Bear in mind that I was once CT staff and I promoted that arena with all of my energy.) 

[Vraciu]

Axis vs Allies (originally called "Combat Theater") differences with the MA:

1. 2 sides with one side featuring a limited Axis plane set and the other a limited Allied plane set and the terrain often being historic.

2. Numbers.

This arena has tried almost everything to build numbers:

1. It has offered perk planes for free.

2. It has tried creative alternate history set-ups for balance.

3. It has promoted a 'civil gentlemen pilot environment' that differs from the typical MA environment (though I think that's neither
    necessary nor beneficial since it often comes across as shaming or 'manners policing' the player population to no good effect).

4. There have even been rare occasions (iirc) that the AvA pretty much hosted a mini 2-sided MA with all Axis planes vs all Allied planes.
    (I could be wrong. My memory is less 'perfect' than before.)

The most I remember ever logging into the AvA was still less than 40 (with the MA pushing almost max pop).

What difference .... is going to make a difference? (Bear in mind that I was once CT staff and I promoted that arena with all of my energy.) 

The fact that it is split along Axis and Allied lines is the kiss of death for it in this day and age.  People want to fight Jugs with their Mustangs.   It is what it is...

We had an AvA in WBs that was insanely popular.  Then one day it no longer was and instead the two-sided MA was.   Things never went back the other way once that happened.

[Arlo]

The fact that it is split along Axis and Allied lines is the kiss of death for it in this day and age.  People want to fight Jugs with their Mustangs.   It is what it is...

We had an AvA in WBs that was insanely popular.  Then one day it no longer was and instead the two-sided MA was.   Things never went back the other way once that happened.

Well, if eliminating one side (without an historical Axis vs. Allies setting) will bring in more numbers to AH then eliminating two should work even better. We could call it the perpetual kill-shooter arena.

[Vraciu]

Well, if eliminating one side (without an historical Axis vs. Allies setting) will bring in more numbers to AH then eliminating two should work even better. We could call it the perpetual kill-shooter arena.

Now you're just being silly.

[Arlo]

Now you're just being silly.

It must be catching. 

But seriously, we all love this game. We want it to thrive. We are desperately trying to come up with solutions while seeing the flaws in everyone else's suggestions. It may be too big and simple a problem to overcome. Maybe it's the arcade comfort and high end video card graphics of World of Warplanes (or other games that don't have anything what-so-ever to do with the fascination and enjoyment of WWII air combat) and a larger/younger demographic that doesn't appreciate the differences that AH offers. I don't want it to be that. But I'm starting to accept that this community really is a slowly shrinking due to two reasons - we are, indeed, a very selective game genre niche ... and we are starting to die off.

Neither of those realizations comfort me. I don't think the next generation of gamers will realize what they missed.

Hopefully, in a week ... or a day ... or an hour ... I will climb outa this funk and participate in 'How are we gonna help save Aces High?' again. I still have some getting shot down to look forward to .... in 2019.

[Vraciu]

It must be catching. 

But seriously, we all love this game. We want it to thrive. We are desperately trying to come up with solutions while seeing the flaws in everyone else's suggestions. It may be too big and simple a problem to overcome. Maybe it's the arcade comfort and high end video card graphics of World of Warplanes (or other games that don't have anything what-so-ever to do with the fascination and enjoyment of WWII air combat) and a larger/younger demographic that doesn't appreciate the differences that AH offers. I don't want it to be that. But I'm starting to accept that this community really is a slowly shrinking due to two reasons - we are, indeed, a very selective game genre niche ... and we are starting to die off.

Neither of those realizations comfort me. I don't think the next generation of gamers will realize what they missed.

Hopefully, in a week ... or a day ... or an hour ... I will climb outa this funk and participate in 'How are we gonna help save Aces High?' again. I still have some getting shot down to look forward to .... in 2019.

I hear ya.  I want to at least get to be the best evah and slay all of you before Hitech pulls the plug on the place.   

[nugetx]

[Squire]

There needs to be the Main Arena and SEA. That's it. Later on....we'll see.

[Connery]

Change the warring factions to 2 chess pieces only fighting a war on one front?  I've said this for a number of years, I'm not playing anymore, I'd love a reason to come back and play, but with what people are saying about the numbers of people playing the game and the vast reduction, I don't want to be spending a long time trying to find some fun.

[Connery]

Oh and another thing in this day and age. leverage youtube. Surely there is someone in the community or a group of people who could make some really nice ingame content then edit it, so that people there can get a Jist of whats going on. Hell get on Twitch and stream the game, the community could make it happen.

I'd love to see a regular youtube series or twitch stream.