I want to talk about something many of you may not want to hear... AirWarrior. I know AW is dead and AH is not AW, but there may be lessons to learn from the 15 years AW existed. A basic concept of AW was that nobody could win.
Jonathan Baron (Blue Baron) was a sage for AirWarrior. He had an ability to understand what made the game so good and communicate it (this applies to AH as it did AW). He ofen compared a Massive Online Multiplayer Game to a boxed game from a store.
The boxed game had to provide a story line, an objective, a means to achieve it, some form of increasing level of difficulty to maintain a challenge as players gain skill, and a reward. These games typically provide some form of artificial intelligence to compete with the player. A major objective in these types of games is to prolong the period of time before the player grew bored with it. How well the game designers accomplish this is a major factor in its success, but none have been able to captivate players as AirWarrior, War Birds and Aces High have (I'll even throw in Fighter Ace).
The MMP online game offers something boxed games cannot, a contest between individuals instead of artificial intelligence. People vs people can assure an almost inlimited variety and challenge if they are free to set their own objectives, devise the means by which to achieve these, and increase in skill to continuously challenge each other. Another factor to consider is that individual preference in game play varies between people. This results in groups of players in different parts of the arena playing the type of game they prefer.
With this in mind, it was Kesmai's intent to provide a place and tools to play, but let the players create the game. (A common statement was, the company provides the location, and the players provide the game.) Kesmai also devised the three country concept to detract from an "us vs them" war mentality in the main arenas.
For those who desired an arena war, there was a place for it (similar to AH's Combat Theater). For those who wanted authentic action with appropriately matched planes, there were the scenarios.
Kesmai wanted happy customers, and when a person logged on for a few hours of fun to find the arena decimated, he might not be a happy camper.
Although AH does provide the game and objectives in the main arena, many players still devise their own form of game. This can result in a conflict when the arena war players disrupt their play. This is most evident when a third party moves in with smart bombs to destroy and capture the bases they were fighting over. Buffs are a great enhancement to the game, and they serve a major part in a war. It's just that they can be a bit intrusive at times.
I'm not taking sides, just saying (tm Pasha) to promote understanding.
