I have a question for the "CH1 squelchers"--If you squelch CH 1 always, then why are you paying for AH? I'm not trying to seem rude, I just want your point of view.
IMO the PEOPLE, the radio buffer--those 3 lines of text--is what makes AH special. AH the flightsim cannot compare to the likes of IL2. However, AH the game provides something no stand-alone product can--interaction between large numbers of real people. THAT is what your money is providing that a free (1 time purshase) can't.
I don't mind the "rude" behavior. In fact, I think the calls to "be civilized" are well-meaning but misguided. Why should someone flying a wargame with bombs and guns and chute shooters say "Gee thanks you good old chap, I so enjoy being shot down by Bish blokes like yourself". Stupid, isn't it? Trash-talking is part of AH as much as airplanes are.
In fact, next month I may try to entice such behavior somewhat by bringing back an old feature of AW....I will (if I remember) advertise the handle of every kill on CH1. That was great for stoking the hate! A lot of people despise seeing their name in the buffer "Pilot XXX shot down".
I get no greater satisfaction than seeing the whines of someone I shot down, the "you're a cheating hacker ganging sumbiatch" and so on. Those comments directed at me are IMO representative of a job well done. Likewise, when I vent online, I do it on the squad channel just so the enemy doesn't get the satisfaction of seeing it (fuggin ganger bishrooks).
As for the suggestion that the "trashtalking" drives away customers.....that's BS. Games like CS and Everquest and UT thrive in an environment which makes AH's flames look like a kiddie pool. AH is INCREDIBLY tame compared to most popular games. Actually it's so sterile at times it's almost boring. There ARE elements of the AH community that may drive some players away, but it isn't the trash-talkers (cough: its the "no tolerance realism elite" crowd :cough).
J_A_B
