Current player numbers.

[Shuffler]

I sat down to play the other night and my wife came in and asked me to help her do something..... I forgot about playing.  It has gotten that far out of my requirements now.

[Banshee7]

I sat down to play the other night and my wife came in and asked me to help her do something..... I forgot about playing.  It has gotten that far out of my requirements now.

I keep paying the subscription thinking one day I'll jump back on, but it never happens.    Other games and hobbies are occupying my time.  I don't want to sound negative or beat a dead horse, but it's the sad reality.  I miss flying.

[thndregg]

For me, Im happy to still have the game and enjoy playing when even I get a fight I like even if they dont last too long. Its kiinda like golf. If you really think of it, why do people play golf? Your out in the sun, swinging golf clubs, hunting for your golf balls, trying imposible shots from the ruogh/woods, walking 15 miles and swearing up a storm. But there is always that one shot that drops on the green and stops where its suppose to, or that long putt that has a big break yet it goes in, or the drive that seems to launch strait and rolls forever. Thats why they keep coming back for their golf games, and its why we keep coming back to the game. The one good fight you have and say"WOW! That was a blast!"

Same.. I can't get all overly worked up over people who game the game, or get irate and take it so seriously like it's a job you hate. I just roll my eyes at that crap and tune it out. If it ain't fun, don't play it. Rarely do I participate directly with the base take mob like I used to 20 years ago. Don't have the tolerance for lagged range vox whines and chatter of the "generals". I go off by myself on long haul strat runs in this sim as a way to relax in real life, hopefully grab a little high shoot-out attention from my pursuers, and get more involved in my bomb group's weekly missions.. just a bunch of us old guys having a good time with what remains of this game.

[Animl-AW]

Same.. I can't get all overly worked up over people who game the game, or get irate and take it so seriously like it's a job you hate. I just roll my eyes at that crap and tune it out. If it ain't fun, don't play it. Rarely do I participate directly with the base take mob like I used to 20 years ago. Don't have the tolerance for lagged range vox whines and chatter of the "generals". I go off by myself on long haul strat runs in this sim as a way to relax in real life, hopefully grab a little high shoot-out attention from my pursuers, and get more involved in my bomb group's weekly missions.. just a bunch of us old guys having a good time with what remains of this game.

There ya go.

that said, The Gang banging goes around the table, everyone gets their turn. HOWEVER, I don't like it, it makes players log,...this happens more so due to low numbers. You need to be above 110-120 critical mass and that stuff will not happen as much, you have other players starting other battles.

The ones who complain most about numbers and game play as a reason really don't help in anything that draws numbers in. But their negative whining pushes players out as power of suggestion. They eat their own feet. Kinda backseat drivers. Not that they don't make a valid point, it's that they spread the virus, some intentionally.

I USUALLY have a good time.

[Lazerr]

There ya go.

that said, The Gang banging goes around the table, everyone gets their turn. HOWEVER, I don't like it, it makes players log,...this happens more so due to low numbers. You need to be above 110-120 critical mass and that stuff will not happen as much, you have other players starting other battles.

The ones who complain most about numbers and game play as a reason really don't help in anything that draws numbers in. But their negative whining pushes players out as power of suggestion. They eat their own feet. Kinda backseat drivers. Not that they don't make a valid point, it's that they spread the virus, some intentionally.

I USUALLY have a good time.

What do you think hurts worse.. my sharing a logical opinion [or anyone for that matter] on how you people play the game, or the fact 30 people are getting piled by 70?  Dropping the HQ for icing on the cake.


Pull your head out of your azz.

[xanax]

I think Lazer had it right last night as far as new guys trying out the game or former dudes trying to get back in....it sucks. The community has mostly whittled its way down to ganging, timid dogfights consisting of having platform, alt and energy advantage before engaging. If not having all three, run until help arrives. I won't even mention only going for the HO with the 20's up front and on the sides. On the rare occasion they miss then extend to try again. Boring and a turnoff for a newb or someone wanting to have some fun. Yup, it was a strategy in WWII and all that....this ain't war-this is mostly old guys playing a video game.

Eagler has it right. Instead of racking up the kills being an ENY potato, howsabout learning a new skill and driving a less capable plane and flexing some pilot skills? Foofighter, Lazer, Haggerty, Caldera (Snuggie) and Eagler along with a few others do it and thrive. It's cool to watch and I think some would be surprised at how fun it is to not worry about prestige and score and not be a potato. There are others but not enough of them. Get a grip, try a crappy ship

Eagler has it right about making the numbers even too. Switching sides to make things more compelling and fun isn't a crime. Obliterating the undermanned in a GAME should be as it's not a WAR and it doesn't come close to simulating war. It never can if you are sitting in a chair sipping rum and inhaling lung darts with ESPN or CNN droning in the background.

Squads are great and a good thing. Nothing more fun than wingin' and banterin' with the fellas. Being able to move around isn't a betrayal of that concept. In fact, squad mates should go against each other on occasion for perspective, training and fun. Plus, it evens out the sides. See above.

Absolute loyalty to a chess piece is absurd at best. Supposedly we're all friends or capable of that here. Why the false idolatry? Any of you have a chess piece tattooed to your lower back? Didn't think so.

Cheating: I get so tired of cheating tirades on voice channel. If you think someone is cheating, film the damn transgression and send it in to HT! Or post it. on voice All three countries have 4 or 5 tanker dudes that do nothing but moan about cheating. It reminds me of an old folks home where every resident is convinced every other resident is cheating at Cribbage or Canasta. I've asked a few times if folks send a film....crickets. I believe it was Banshee7 who compared the current state of the MA to a rec center in a retirement community. A humorous analogy and quite accurate as well. Good one Banshee, see you on the golf course.

Little generals....GoldenBBshowers et al: I love .squelch. Napoleon, Patton and Alexander never whined or cried. Shaddup.

I know I'll get some pushback but I don't care. It's a game and arguing ruins it for me. Just laying out some opinion.

[hazmatt]

Well said. All we need now is for Admiral RODBSTR to return!

[Animl-AW]

I'm sharing my opinion after being here for over 25 years, sometimes playing a lot, and having a much better grasp on reality than you.  Your posting here leaves your opinion with very little validity.  Not everyone that doesn't agree with your whacked perceptions on reality is sniveling.

Your fights are better fought with the guys posting about other sims.  You won't get very far with me.

Stork I was agreeing with you, fault seeker

Only to you.

Don't ever try to intimidate me.

You lied about me to make me look small here and I called you out,.. stuff it rabbit head

Started 1989, was a GA and one of the Tech Support for AW....ya I know nothing, grasshopper

[xanax]

"Potato" must be the replacement word for a female dog or whiny old guy in a Tempest being Milquetoast and HOing stuff before running home to to Pepto-Bismol.

Sorry for demeaning potatoes.

[uptown]

New players are looked at with suspicion as if we're there to steal their golden eggs or something. Forget about dogfighting for you won't get a check6 must less some help. What you will get is a guy who's played for hours upon hours every day for the last 15 or 20 years, greeting your midwar plane in a Tempest with 10K alt advantage. Then the next thing ya know, your "team" has disappeared off somewhere to try another base sneak. Leaving the new player going wtf?
I wasn't on the Rook side a hour before GoldenBBShower figured out I was a shady spy loser that hated myself. I get the impression that most the core player base feels that way about outsiders, and GoldenBB just says it out loud.  How are you going to get numbers up like that?
Playing offline has become more fun than dealing with the retarded drama and milk fest the online game has become.
On top of all that you have a game that's not maintained or updated. Player made maps full of bugs and exploits, like invisible tanks in buildings, that players are all too willing to take advantage of.  It's ridiculous.

[xanax]

I wasn't on the Rook side a hour before GoldenBBShower figured out I was a shady spy loser that hated myself. I get the impression that most the core player base feels that way about outsiders, and GoldenBB just says it out loud.  How are you going to get numbers up like that?

Yeah, I had a run-in with him on voice when I came back. He's not a fan of newbs or returnees. My wife and nephew were present in the room and they advised me to let him be as it sounded like the game was all he had left in his life. I did have to correct him though as he said he'd been playing AH for 30 years. I feel bad about the words I used while arguing with him. He's definitely not the ambassador for the game like Fugitive or a fella like BSB is. Friendly, engaging and helpful is what they are and that's what it takes. Plenty of others are helpful too. In fact, 97% of them in my experience. But I get ya, the bad apples in the barrel do raise a stink. Ignore 'em and engage elsewhere, they'll help out. Shoot the bad apples repeatedly.

[hazmatt]

Playing offline has become more fun than dealing with the retarded drama and milk fest the online game has become.

True! I really enjoy the 4x4 offline missions. The ai actually turnf ights and you don't have to be worried about getting bounced by somebody with 10k alt. Every once in a while I get the urge to fly a couple when I have limited time to spare.

[Lazerr]

The AI fighters in the dueling arena furball area can be fun too, for those of you enjoying offline mode.  I don't blame you for trying to find fun somewhere other than the MA with what it's turned into.

[Animl-AW]

On top of all that you have a game that's not maintained or updated. Player made maps full of bugs and exploits, like invisible tanks in buildings, that players are all too willing to take advantage of.  It's ridiculous.

First, I’m glad both uptown and xanax are around, I’ll wing anytime.

Updates, not yet. Probably can’t afford a crew to do it with lower subs. As some found with EA.com, there was a legal problem with free work, even tech support, we had to sign waivers.

The reason I got to do things like the damage model, acks etc…was because I did it for free. As I understand the suits weren’t allowing spending so I donated my updated 3DMax to BB so he could do things for an update. Point being, everything I did was free just to get it done. So unkess he wants to get qualified people to do it it would be rough. Plus other math is involved.

There’s only so much that can be done without a major update.

However recently there has been some movement.
Maps were updated with fixes, can’t hide in buildings anymore. That does take time in fixing and testing.
Dar was adjusted higher.
Connection upgraded
Ammo bunkers hardened
Tweaks we don’t know about or forgot

As far as numbers, its not easy to bring them up with mentioned 200, which has calmed down a lot, rampant politics and promoting modern games and personal attacks in bbs. These are all buzz-kill turn-offs. Most times I’m attacked is trying to correct it. Not much joy, some want all that crap to remain then cry about numbers. Oxymoron. They are their own worst enemy. We must be above 120, game play changes. The worst refuse to cooperate, its a waste of my effort. I don’t mind contributing if its not impeded 5 min later, if its allowed to make a difference. But that Skyyr crap was the worst I’ve seen in a game and allowed to continue so long it wasted all our gains. From 112 to 200, back down to 100+.

All that aside a lot of us are still having fun with it. The loud and ugly get the attention they undeservingly crave, but a lot more are good decent players just having a good time. A lot of good humor.

It can be a challenge to keep up with moving sneak targets.
200 has calmed way down, bbs too with certain hot spots.

I refuse to let the worst walk on me because they didn’t get their way pushing nonsense. You cannot be nice to people who have no intension of being nice. It just encourages them to walk around stomping on people and the game, destroying numbers.

Rotor (one of my former bosses at kesmia) came in one night and we chatted a long time about 200 out of control. We agreed that normally I/we would not have verbal confrontation, I/We would just pull out the magic wand (which I rarely used) and its over. I don’t have those tools now. But since that night 200 calmed down.

Some think I’m new just because they didn’t know me before, I was under the radar. Now, after 35 yrs, some think I’m new and know nothing. Funny, in a sad way. <shrug> i’m just going to play the game. They can live in their own head.

Sorry another coffee wot

[JimmyD3]

Well, while I'm not a long time player, started in 2012, I am sure there are perspectives I don't have. That being said, I love this game, I have tried the DCS, IL2, and several others but they just don't stack up to AH3. A lot of that enjoyment in AH3 is because of the player base.

Things do get out of hand every now and then on 200, but that's what squelch is for. Hopefully at a minimum, on country players will step in when a new player is being harassed by an existing player, if not Maybe the MODS will get involved.

For my 13 years, I have met some wonderful people on all 3 countries, and can't think of more than 2 players I have ever had  any issue with. Both of those individuals had either drinking problems or drugs.

I enjoy making maps, I have several in rotation as  you all know. Map making is not a cooky cutter exercise, there will be bugs. I have yet to make a map I didn't have to tweak once it was in rotation. If an error is found, I try to quickly correct it and get the update to Hitech.