Players killing game with boring play

[Shane]

Here's an update where numbers are balancing out.  Rooks are working some of their bases back and annoying  knits with a raid or two and knits will eventually start something with them.   Knits are pushing back on Bish since they had started to go after them.  So the actions is slowly becoming a bit more three sided,

At some point in early evening, rooks will have the largest side, then in late evening that shifts to knits being larger, but in both situations the duration of those numbers is short and enough people still online able to find some kind of action, butnot as much as there used to be.

[Shane]

You're saying what I've said already, so thanks for validating me I guess in that those capable of implementing that "voluntary" solution can't or won't, i.e., poor gaming ethos and basic boring play styles... weaksauce, amirite?   

I'm saying if you have a solution that requires voluntary compliance to anything other than an HTC official rule, then you have no solution at all.

So what is your solution?

[CptTrips]

You're saying what I've said already, so thanks for validating me I guess in that those capable of implementing that "voluntary" solution can't or won't, i.e., poor gaming ethos and basic boring play styles... weaksauce, amirite?   

OK I got you now.

I was just thrown because you were calling it a solution, but if it can't happen it can't solve anything so "solution" was an odd definition.

So as far as it goes, I agree with you.  But we both know that players will never act against their own competitive self interest.  No set of "unwritten rules" will be abided by consistently.


So if you want to correct the issue that is bothering you, you need to find a solution that can be enforced in code\map design, or the HTC player agreement.  Nothing else is going to work.

[Dadtallica]

And here we are go again… AH is an extremely subjective experience. What you might find boring is the reason some people play.

There is no code to fix human nature.

[Shane]

Here's an update typical of the game play progression...

Numbers are very balanced.  Knits have taken 20% of bish fields because bish preferred to stay all-in vs rooks, ignoring the knit offenses. Sometimes it goes the other way with bish all-in on knits while rooks roll bases unopposed.

Rooks have currently only been able to re-take a few bases while the kni/.rook front has been relatively quiet.  This will change shortly as more rooks log on and a few will start to defend vs the knit front, but most will stay fighting vs bish, whon will continue to go all-in on rooks until rooks numbers taper off in mid-evening.  By late evening knits, largely unopposed, may or may not be close to resetting, but will also start to log for the night.  Sometimes knits may win reset overnight when about 10 people are active.

But once morning rolls in, the bish start this process all over again, all-in vs one side and still having more numbers than both knit/rooks combined. And this takes me back to the observation that boring, stagnant gameplay is slowly losing players who are tired/bored of facing disparate odds.

It's tragic when you actually think about it - refusal to consider change creates a barren game... who then will give these boring locust players the validation they seek when there's finally no one left who cares to play with them.   

[Oldman731]

And here we are go again… AH is an extremely subjective experience. What you might find boring is the reason some people play.

There is no code to fix human nature.

Much as it troubles me, I have to agree with this. 

- oldman

[GasTeddy]

Different logic, different tactics, different situations, goals etc...   One wants to take bases, another wants to defend existing ones, someone tries strategic bombing or uses navy guns while some want dogfights. One is desperate for kills, points and achievements while another just wants to mess around and have some fun. Yep, boring, when others don't want to play my way...   

I just log in, look around if my assistance is needed somewhere and adjust my actions according to that. Points, kills and achievements come if they come, never counted them. But am I boring, as I offer easy kills to enemy..?     

[Eagler]

Had a high ranking player in a tiffy last night that dragged me from ship ack to base ack and back and all while staying higher and booming then running from my k4..

..until ack hit my oil and rad and I had to ditch

Boring to the point of logging off

Eagler

[CptTrips]

Had a high ranking player in a tiffy last night that dragged me from ship ack to base ack and back and all while staying higher and booming then running from my k4..

..until ack hit my oil and rad and I had to ditch

Boring to the point of logging off

Why did you continue to chase him that long if it was clear that he was not going to engage?

If that ate a lot of your time, it seems like it was your choice, or you are easily manipulated.

[The Fugitive]

Why did you continue to chase him that long if it was clear that he was not going to engage?

If that ate a lot of your time, it seems like it was your choice, or you are easily manipulated.

Maybe it was the only possible fight in the area at the time. I suppose he could have bailed and then moved to another area to try and find a fight there, but the point is you have what looks like a good fight shaping up IF the coward might have turned around and gave it a shot.

He said it was "a high ranking player", so I guess he has to fly that way to get his rank, but again this type of play is what is killing this game in the long run. Fighters who choose to run to ack, or pick from a perch to build a good rank because they dont try to get better and learn to fight and get a good rank that way. Bombers that climb to 30K and run 2 hour milk runs only to bail if someone gets close enough to MAYBE engage. Tankers who find a hiding spot and long range kills at spawn points to rack up the kill runs. Rarely do you see them running around going head to head with anyone.

Wen we had the numbers this type of play was still going on then, but there were more players that did engage and so it wasnt as detrimental to game play as it is now. The lower numbers exasperates the issues that players are complaining about these days. I do fear eventually it is going to be a number of players in fighters climbing to be "king of the hill" in alt , a few buffs milking the maps, and a couple dozen "Cybro's" all hiding waiting for someone to spawn. 

[CptTrips]

Maybe it was the only possible fight in the area at the time.

Well, that is a whole other problem isn't it.

From his description, it sounded it went on for quite some time.  If he won't engage, and you are not fast enough to catch him, and the chase has gone on for more than a couple of minutes, then I'd say Eagler only has himself to blame for the wasted time.

So yes, if what you are doing is not working, do something else.  With anything in life, you should be able to recognize when you are wasting your time.

Surely that was apparent fairly early on.

[Shane]

Trying to play a game where it becomes clear you're wasting your time in trying to have fun (game, right?) is what is causes that aforementioned boredom quitting and contributes to the death-spiral of the game. There's not enough new blood to help dilute the density of the locusts. Soon enough the fields will be barren, and there are only the locusts to blame.

So yes, if what you are doing is not working, do something else.  With anything in life, you should be able to recognize when you are wasting your time.

[CptTrips]

Trying to play a game where it becomes clear you're wasting your time in trying to have fun (game, right?) is what is causes that aforementioned boredom quitting and contributes to the death-spiral of the game. There's not enough new blood to help dilute the density of the locusts. Soon enough the fields will be barren, and there are only the locusts to blame.

I don't disagree, but you can not change how others fly as long as the code and the HTC rules allow it, right?
You can't shame them into playing the way you want.  You can't insult them into doing what you want.
Just venting because of frustrating is fine.  I get that.  As long as you realize that doesn't and can't change a single thing.

[Shane]

You're giving too much safe space to the locusts, but you're also saying that like locusts, these players are incapable of thinking beyond momentary selfishness and contemplating a different course of action that benefits the world of AH.

It's amazing humanity even got this far, isn't it?  Wonder how we managed?

So yeah, I'll continue to "vent" by calling these locusts the losers they are - when they're not being butthurt and pounding that report button. (Who knew the truth could be so brutal to these snowflakes?)

I don't disagree, but you can not change how others fly as long as the code and the HTC rules allow it, right?
You can't shame them into playing the way you want.  You can't insult them into doing what you want.
Just venting because of frustrating is fine.  I get that.  As long as you realize that doesn't and can't change a single thing.

[Dadtallica]

You're giving too much safe space to the locusts, but you're also saying that like locusts, these players are incapable of thinking beyond momentary selfishness and contemplating a different course of action that benefits the world of AH.

It's amazing humanity even got this far, isn't it?  Wonder how we managed?

So yeah, I'll continue to "vent" by calling these locusts the losers they are - when they're not being butthurt and pounding that report button. (Who knew the truth could be so brutal to these snowflakes?)

Maybe you should take a break. It’s just a game, you need to let it go. Your boring is somebody else’s good time. Or don’t you care?