Author Topic: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena  (Read 1714 times)

Offline Traveler

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3164
      • 113th Lucky Strikes
Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« on: October 17, 2026, 08:20:03 PM »
Special arena events are killing game play in the main arena. Saturday October 17, Main arena 57 players , Special Events 57 players,  Game play in the main arena is poor, the Special event game play is what it is.  I used to look forward to our squad play in the main arena, I no longer do.  I've been here for 26 year.    They should not run special events on Saturday nights.
Traveler
Executive Officer
113th LUcky Strikes
http://www.hitechcreations.com/wiki/index.php/113th_Lucky_Strikes

Offline hazmatt

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2592
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2026, 08:22:31 PM »
Special arena events are killing game play in the main arena. Saturday October 17, Main arena 57 players , Special Events 57 players,  Game play in the main arena is poor, the Special event game play is what it is.  I used to look forward to our squad play in the main arena, I no longer do.  I've been here for 26 year.    They should not run special events on Saturday nights.

I'm guessing more than half of those special event players only play because of special events. You might get half of them to go to MA but I suspect the other half wouldn't even log in. I know FSO kept me hanging around well after my enjoyment dropped in MA.

Offline Spikes

  • Aces High CM Staff
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 16311
    • Twitch: Twitch Feed
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2026, 08:47:26 PM »
They should not run special events on Saturday nights.
When, then?
i7-12700k | Gigabyte Z690 GAMING X | 64GB G.Skill DDR4 | EVGA 1080ti FTW3 | H150i Capellix

Offline caldera

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 6738
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2026, 08:49:48 PM »
When, then?
Sunday at 1PM, before the early bird special at Old Country Buffet.  :old:
Snuggie - voted "Sexiest Man Alive" for the entire Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere!

Offline captain1ma

  • Aces High CM Staff
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 15265
      • JG54 website
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2026, 09:37:44 PM »
Special arena events are killing game play in the main arena. Saturday October 17, Main arena 57 players , Special Events 57 players,  Game play in the main arena is poor, the Special event game play is what it is.  I used to look forward to our squad play in the main arena, I no longer do.  I've been here for 26 year.    They should not run special events on Saturday nights.

hey traveler, you could always join in. we'd love to have you! i normally dont fly MA anyway. i always do Monday night madness, Thursday night tank fights and the FSO.

Offline SIK1

  • AH Training Corps
  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3876
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2026, 09:50:28 PM »
I had a blast.  :neener:

 :cheers:
444th Air Mafia since Air Warrior
Proudly flying with VF-17 The Jolly Rogers

"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG54

Offline fudgums

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4246
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2026, 10:36:44 PM »
Special events keeping the game alive.
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27

Online AKKuya

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3178
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2026, 11:00:11 PM »
Special arena events are killing game play in the main arena. Saturday October 17, Main arena 57 players , Special Events 57 players,  Game play in the main arena is poor, the Special event game play is what it is.  I used to look forward to our squad play in the main arena, I no longer do.  I've been here for 26 year.    They should not run special events on Saturday nights.
[/quote

All you have to do is buy the game.  Then you can shut down Special Events.  You can close down all the other arenas and leave Melee open with no other options.

See how the MA numbers will drop to nothing.

Your rant has no merit. You did not provide any reasoning.  You did not specify what to do on Saturday evenings.

Instead of complaining, what are your suggestions to increase numbers?  And, the reasoning for those suggestions?

Future CEO of Section Eight Society
Rule #1 I make the rules
Rule #2 If in doubt, refer to above rule

Offline Brooke

  • Aces High CM Staff
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 15996
      • http://www.electraforge.com/brooke/
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2026, 02:46:52 AM »
Come play in Scenarios when we run them.  Bring your squad and fly together.  It's super fun.  :aok

We run only two scenarios per year.  Once in October-ish, and once in March-ish.

Offline RichardDarkwood

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2051
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2026, 06:23:58 AM »
Sunday at 1PM, before the early bird special at Old Country Buffet.  :old:

Exactly
There was a big party every weekend, just so happens there was also a race to run in

https://www.twitch.tv/hounds_darkwood
CO--The Bad Guys

Offline TalonX

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1252
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2026, 07:18:25 AM »
Special arena events are killing game play in the main arena. Saturday October 17, Main arena 57 players , Special Events 57 players,  Game play in the main arena is poor, the Special event game play is what it is.  I used to look forward to our squad play in the main arena, I no longer do.  I've been here for 26 year.    They should not run special events on Saturday nights.

I fly the Special Events.  I see many many names who NEVER appear in the Main Arena.  While there is some drag on MA participation, I seriously don't think it's a big deal.

Your partner, Gunston flew the SA.    :)
-TalonX

Forgotten, but back in the game.  :)

Offline turt21

  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 677
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2026, 07:30:56 AM »
hazmatt thats exactly true. MAny SE players Ive never seen in MA.

Offline Bolt

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 215
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2026, 10:33:30 AM »
Aw well, it's regretful you didn't enjoy flying the 38 with us in scenario Traveler, I thought you would. Thanks for joining anyway. I dont care for MA play as FSO and scenarios give me what I'm looking for in the game...wingman tactics, tactical play, and real scenarios. So no, I wouldn't be in the MA.
Squadron: LCA Raiders @ https://www.lcaahiii.org/

“The most dangerous thing about lightning is that it’s always trying to find the ground.”

Offline Rubicon

  • Zinc Member
  • *
  • Posts: 34
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2026, 01:19:14 PM »
I share the thought that events take players out of the MA.  I also noticed that when I joined an event this weekend there were many names who do not frequent the MA.

I did not stay in the event to be assigned a side as it looked very likley, from the side balance perspective, that I would be assigned to a side with aircraft I did not want to fly.  After the event there was a later call for people to go to WW1 arena.

For those of you who berate Traveler for voicing his opinion, what are the reasons for these FSO / Event only people not wanting to go into the MA?  Seems to me if we had another 30 or so people in the MA it would be better.  What is wrong with MA that stops you wanting to fly in it?
In game name = Fess

Offline hazmatt

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2592
Re: Special Events is killing game play in the main arena
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2026, 02:07:22 PM »
What is wrong with MA that stops you wanting to fly in it?

These are just my opinions. No need to attack me if you disagree.

I rarely did scenarios and I can only speak about FSO in the way it was when I played it vs the MA when I played it.

In FSO the icon range was very short. You couldn't ID planes by icon until they were on top of you. Because of this brave pilots in the fastest planes would fly solo "scout" missions trying to find formations of aircraft that were unidentified. The would call out the location and we would try to determine if there were any friendlies in the area.

The numbers of planes were much larger when the fights started. I clearly remember attacking large formations of bombers with escorts where the number of aircraft in the fight were in the hundreds. You only had one life so you had to fly smart and you had to have SA.(which seems to be gone from the MA with the AWACS) If you were flying a 190 and you dove out, most of he escorting fighters would stay high to protect the bombers so it was a valid escape tactic most of the time. Also if you could extend past the short icon range you had a decent chance of escaping.

If you got a PW you would disengage immediately as you only had one life and saving the plane could mean that it would be able to be reused later and sometimes the points earned from the planes saved could mean the difference between winning or loosing.

For the most part the thing I liked about FSO was that it gave me the feeling of actually being engaged in something that attempted to simulate actual battles. I remember once flying a betty for like 45 minutes only to get pounced and shot down within sight of the target. I also recall dead-sticking my shot-up plane back to the base only to bleed out on the runway. Another time I remember being in a furball taking snap shots at planes and didn't think I'd got any kills only to find out I got 2 or 3 after the logs were posted.

I think the things I liked most were:
1. It felt more realistic
2. There were no names in lights. You had no idea if you actually got any kills until the logs were posted.
3. The icon ranges were very short.
4. You only got one life.
5. The engagements were massive

It made the MA feel like War Thunder arcade to me after the AWACS came along.