Aces High Bulletin Board
Special Events Forums => Special Events General => Topic started by: flubby on March 22, 2008, 01:50:04 AM
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Hello gentlemen,
we the PARROTS are a squadron, wich formerly flew in another flightsim. There we had a lot of fun, flying regulary scenarios at sunday evening 21:00 central europe time. Beside from the fact, that we really love AH and we are very happy to change the flightsim, we strongly miss a regular weekend event for european players. I am convinced, that it would be a great improvement for AH and drag some more european players from other sims into AH.
We have a lot of experience in building scenarios and we would be very happy, if there are some volunteers, who would like to install a sunday event for european players. The PARROTS have more than 30 active players and we know a lot of other AH squadrons, who would like to have such an event.
We offer our support in planning and advertising an european time event if there are CM´s who like to host it.
Is there any chance to get it?
Regards
Flubby
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The CM team is currently working on a Sunday event, not sure what time they will run it though.
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,225577.0.html
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Thx for the reply.
It is great to hear, that you already working out an event at the weekend, but from my experience, the sunday evening is much more attractive, because on aturday, most people go out with friends of wife :). Furthermore the eurpeans prefer flying in the evening and not after midnight :).
Once again. We offer all possible help in advertising the event and creating some nice scenarios. We already have two CM´s in our squadron, who worked in the "other" flightsim very successul.
Regards
Flubby
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The CM team use to host a Sunday evening (European) time event, but it had low turnout to justify the CM time and resource commitment. We know our friends and players in Europe need/want events that are time friendly to them, but we've struggled over the years to provide a quality event that drew players to it. We will continue to explore options and try events.
We appreciate the PARROTS offer to help and to participate.
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Flubby I think you and your group may be interested in this.
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,231183.0.html
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Yes Husky, but 8 pm means for me 2 am !
This is the main problem most european players have.
Cu
Flubby
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it will be great when there is a possiblity to establish a second special event for europeans. actually the only special event i can join (from germany) is the thursday snapshot at 3PM EST. this is a very good time.
also it is (especially for me) very sad that the air-race events take place at a time i really cant join (10PM EST is 4AM german time)
yesterday i joined the snapshot at 9PM german time and it was a true pleasure to be there. with great wingman from finland:]
so i want to vote for a second time for europeans and when possible a second race event time for us from the old world ;]
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Gentlemen, I would be more than happy to start up another Sunday event during the prime European time slot.
It can be done easily, duplicating the snapshot format.
The only problem is, we've done it, twice, and the attendance was frankly abysmal.
We have a fantastic Snapshot team, led by Sasmox who is on the European time zone. If there could be some kind of assurance that we wouldn't be talking to ourselves in the arena, I'd authorize another run at a Sunday Snapshot 3:00 PM Eastern in a heartbeat.
But to go through it, again, as we have before and have about a dozen players show up, that just puts a pretty stiff workload on volunteer CM team members for little reward. Our guys work of Pride. You should see the moral on the FSO team, stunning team, stunning players, pulling 400+ regularly now. People get discouraged when they draw 12 people into an event that takes some effort to pull off. I'd hate to ask that of them...again.
So, if you guys are serious, I'll ask the Players to honestly put forth a group that Wants, but more importantly would Attend, a weekly event, and I can put the team together. Remember, however, we ran CAP, which was not taking off, and we turned it into Close Escort, which was not performing, and we closed them both. We moved the sunday event to prime time US, and it didn't catch hold, so we closed that as well. I'll do it, but again, I'm going to need convincing, then I'll back it 100%.
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CAP was on saturdays and Close Escort was on Sunday. Prior to the Close Escort we used to have a Sunday Squad Ops that was registered squads only, just like FSO, but the lack of committed squads hurt. That's where close escort came in as a mix of squads and walk-ons. Again we had some early mild successes, but the event quickly returned to a few players.
ROC,
Speaking/thinking out loud, could we schedule a once a month Sunday snapshot that is Euro time friendly and see how the turn out is over the course of a couple of months. This could confirm the interest and participation level. We'd need to see if Sasmox's team or someone else could host the event on an interim basis.
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I've already spoken with SASMOX about this, several months ago. As I said, I'd be more than happy to run something, but this time I really want more than a couple of guys saying it would be fun, this time I'd like to see it backed and supported before we make the effort. Every prior one has been talked about, and tried. The interest and participation level needs to be there up front.
Thanks for clarifying the Cap, and yes, your timeline is more accurate and reflects again why advance commitment is what I'd be looking for.
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I think you could count on some of the EST guys in my squad to get behind this. :rock
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Hello Roc,
thank you for your reply. So what can i say. Yes we are a bunch of guys, whou would like to participate such an event. Maybe this is not enough in your eyes, but this is the basic prerequisite ;).
I can guarantee that the PARROTS alone will get 10-15 players together in such an sunday evening event. Furthermore i again offer our help in advertising the event. Advertising is one of the most importants parts imho and we know how to do it :). At least our member kangar, an experienced scenario designer, would like to volunteer either as CM or designer.
Feel free to ask for some more help. I will see what we can do.
Best regards
Flubby
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Hello Roc, Hello ForHim,
I'm Kanga (well, Kangar in the game, one day I may figure out how to drop the r). Sorry I haven't jumped in here sooner, I've had enough fun learning a new game and haven't yet got into the community forums here.
Onto scenarios. I think the key problem is organising events from a US time zone to be played in a European Time zone. You (US based CMs) have to change your day around to attend and run events at odd hours and lets face it, you're volunteers. You shouldn't need to make extra special efforts to organise an event (I speak as one who knows how many hours can be consumed with research and setup in the first place) and I for one wouldn't expect you to.
I believe, along with flubby and some of the other parrots, that an event would be popular. It would take time to grow for sure, but I think it will be lots of fun. I'm willing to put some time asside to help create and run events. I couldn't do that alone though (at least not forever, though I have no problem being the first to start it off), I think it will need several European CM's in order to make it work.
Perhaps we can talk off forum about what commitment you (AH) need from a CM and whether between us we can make something happen. That way you wouldn't have to volunteer to odd hours for us Europhiles (at least once I've learnt the ropes).
Regards
Kanga
a.k.a. Steve
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Kanga,
ROC is head CM and he's the one to speak to about commitment, etc. As stated, Sasmox who is the lead for the snapshot team is in Finland, I believe, and he has 2 or 3 other CMs on his team that are European based. For a while we even had an Aussie on the team :) We do try to adapt and make the special events available to multiple timezones. That is one of the reasons the scenarios are typically ran on Saturday or Sunday afternoon US time so that we can also get European based players in them.
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Maybe this is not enough in your eyes
Don't get the wrong idea, it's not about what is in my eyes :) I have to tell someone they have to work an event, and all I want to do is make sure it's not a "here we go again", as we have done this before.
I've stated on each response that I would be more than happy to do this. I have the staff, from time zones throughout the world. We have an entire library of Years worth of FSO and Snapshot setups that can be ran with no design effort at all. I can have a staff team up and running with very little effort, might even drag in a few of you guys, but again, I can do it, all I am asking is for this. We can manage to run an FSO for 3 Fridays a month, most every player registers and commits to the time. I am simply asking for a number that can be firm, so we don't go through this all over again "hoping" people show up. That's all, it's not a slight or a slam against the time zone, it is not an inconvenience to be there, heck it is Noon my time and I'd probably attend. That is not the issue. The single, only, absolute issue is I cannot do this again for a maybe.
Bring a number of players that will do this, and I will make it happen. That's all I'm asking. Text is hard to get a point across. There is nothing here other than Yes, I Will Do It. Get me a roster of squads and friends who will support this, not might and gee we'd like to, and let's get it going. I just do not want to Cancel another event due to best intentions but lack of attendance.
I think the key problem is organising events from a US time zone to be played in a European Time zone.
Good observation, and actually one of the early things I considered quite a while ago. However, that idea died a quick death when the events were run with Euro CMs. We do have a very strong presence with SASMOX and his group, Thursdays of all things have better turnouts than we were seeing on Sunday. So again, Yes, Yes and Yes, I'm all for it. Per some of the above :) Really guys, I'm behind you completely. So let's do it.
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ROC,
Sunday eve is a strong time slot for the 11th. I can commit to 10 -20 most regularly for this.
EDIT: Allied numbers would be the concern I am thinking.
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Stampf -- is that Sunday evening US time or Sunday evening European time?
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U.S. Maybe 4 - 6 pilots Euro time.
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Really guys, I'm behind you completely. So let's do it.
OK friends, it's up to us to give roc some guaranteed* numbers for a Sunday evening 2 hour max event, starting 9pm CET (=8pm UK).
Flubby, I nominate you Air Chief Propaganda Marshall :-)
I guess we need a place where people will be able to sign up as willing and able, tell us our orders sir <S>
Roc, it will help promotion if we have an idea of the type of event that can be set out. The previous game we played, the event Flubby has referred to was based on recreating historic events within the limits of a) aircraft available in the game b) keeping it fun c) variation of player numbers on the night of 60 - 100 (those who just turned up or found it for the first time). The CM would set up the arena, explain the history and tell each side what resources they had and what their mission was. Each side would have a CO that had already volunteered a few weeks before and would have worked out how they would use those resources to achieve the mission. There were normally XO's (Executive Officers, can't figure the X myself but spelling never was my thing) who would lead smaller parts of the CO's overall mission for them, eg flights of fighters, often members of the same squad.
BUT - it doesn't have to be like that, you know what can work from your end so please let us know. We also had some purely fun events, like Drache's (now Boozeman's) field race, and Kanga's landing challenges, another player even worked out a medal system from the event results tables we created and would create virtual medals for different achievements.
<SALUTE>
>>>> Kanga goes and puts on uniform, straightens tie, Marches away saying "Once more into the breach dear friends....."
*guaranteed - as much as real life allows
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Hello Gentlemen,
I am in, that is about 11 - noon on a Sunday here in LA, Nice way to wake up and enjoy my coffee!
<S>
Edgar
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i sign up for the sunday 3PM EST event.
also the idea to try something different is absolutely supported. i love stuff like air-racing and extreme landings, maybe more than shooting down
those brave allies ;]
and at the parrots team: i hope you continue the efforts to establish the sunday euro slot at 3PM EST and i am sure we will have a lot of fun there.
by the way: i noticed one of your pilots lives just 3 kilometers away from me in merseburg. the world is a damn small island in the darkness of the eternal depth of the universe, lets use the time we spend on her with playing the right games
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.................. Per some of the above :) Really guys, I'm behind you completely. So let's do it.
Hello Roc,
i am one of those Parrots also, well, i can help to promote this thing, i will offer to make it run, design scenarios, a couple of books offers a lot of great setup too. i got no cm background as kanga, but i worked as an official Trainer at the other sim, think i can help to design even some scenarios and "balance a bit" Will help where ever i can!
<<S>>
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Hiho guys,
I'm also a Parrot and missed the european event, too (hehe, thats all I missed from the other simulation :devil :devil )
So, I will support everybody, who establish an european event and try
to help.
Greetings,
Gunas (aka Gunner)
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Thanks for bearing with the discussion everyone.
Ok, so as not to assume everyone knows everything, I'll take the liberty of showing you things you probably already know but I'd hate to overlook.
First, what we already do. www.ahevents.org check out the link to snapshot setups found http://ahevents.org/snapshot-setups/index.php <-- Right There. Each of those setups are completed snapshot events. Snapshots do not typically have a pre-determined leader, as much as I think they would benefit if they had them :) The Snapshot is a rather informal event, which is designed to show people an alternative to the main arena, and provide an organized and relatively balanced event. The snapshot is a one frame, and generally a one life event, although 2nd life options come into play depending on the event. These are the easiest to setup and start out with.
This is the link to FSO ( Friday Squad Ops) http://ahevents.org/fso-related/friday-squad-ops-welcome.html
This event runs 3 Fridays in a row, is typically a one life event, again with modifiers to the setup, and is very regulated. The squads must register, in advance, and plug in commitment levels both Minimum and Maximum. The CM designs the event, with the rules and parameters, the CiC designs and distributes the orders, and no walkons are allowed. It is very formal, very controlled, and has grown to 400+ players per frame.
FSO is most likely something you do not want to try and duplicate at the start. You will drive yourselves batty putting in the hours of order design and have 30 people show up while the event design was for 150 or something. You would most likely want to start with a snapshot event, formalize it with picking leaders in advance, with orders, but allowing for stages of those orders depending on turnout. Turnout of 30-50 Target and Planeset A. Turnout up to 75-100 Add planeset and objective B, etc etc.
It would be my hope that you needed to organize a full Sunday Squad Ops and have to manage 250-300 players on a regular basis, and adopt the FSO model. But that's down the road.
If you browse through the ahevents.org site, you'll see the existing format we have in place, the registration page for scenarios and FSO, the setups we already use, and see quickly that we have a fully working model in place to do pretty much what you want.
Give the sites a look through, think about what you want to accomplish, and we can brainstorm this thing out to an event. If you don't hear from me over the weekend, it's cause I'm working on another event, but I'll check in. Use this place as you need to come up with ideas and discussions. When the times comes, we'll relocate to an existing forum or create a new one depending on the end result.
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Yes i already know the eventpages and i am very impressed about the efford you put in this.
I personally think that in the beginning the rules don´t need to be too restrictive that means maybe 2 lives and Walkons allowed. With CO´s and XO´s on both sides it should be possibel to manage 30-40% walkons. It is not quite easy but it is better than play with only 40 preregistered players ;). If the numbers grow it might be possible to force players to register.
The 2 lives rule worked quite good in the EMC. The second life was granted for all at the same time. There was a live reset afte on hour. Most people who died in the first hour kept staying in the game and so the numbers did not break down too much during the event.
Fo the CO`s there always should be one main and two to three seondary goals to archive. This was because it should not be too simple and the CO´s had the option to alter the strategy during the scenario for whatever reason i.e. imbalanced numbers during the game .
I hope some more guys post ideas here there is a lot of room for developement ;).
Cu
Flu
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Hi Guys,
Sorry, I don't monitor the BBS much but I got pointed to this thread by Dhyran.
I am the CO of Duxford Wing RAF, who recently gravitated from the "other" sim to Aces High (although we are still represented there). We don't have big numbers at the moment but everyone who has moved across with us all agree that we miss the Sunday night action, so a regular Sunday event for Euros in Aces High would be a big attraction for us.
I am more than happy to help whip up some numbers, act as CO, or flight lead, whatever. I was also a CM in the "other" sim so am experienced in running events (as is Kangar) and would be willing to assist any way I can in getting a series of events going.
Cheers
Drem
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Hey Drem,
nice to have you with us. It`s a great pleasure to see, that you support this event. It would be really fun to meet us again in the virtual skies :D
Cu
Flubby
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Hi Flubby <S>
Lol, I got kicked off the forum because I changed my email address and had to re-register. Anyone know how I can reactivate a profile so I can go back to being just Drem? :)
Anyway, back to the point - it would be very interesting to see something take off in AH for us Euros. I think, at least initially, that flexibility is the key - single life operations would be too restrictive in the early days. Just my 2p worth.
Drem
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Hi Guys,
you have my voice for introducing Sunday events too. Of course - decision is fully in hands of US guys. But if they are good businessmen, they should listen to the "voice of customers" ;)
Sunday event around 20 GMT/UTC could bring more Europeans - this mean more income :D
In case of mine - special events is a matter why i want to pay AH. Smashing in MA furballs against identical airplanes :rolleyes: (spitfire x spitfire, 109 x 109) isn't really the one for what I would like spend money and time in long term. There are more EU guys who are on same page imho.
So count me in if you need help with it.
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Thank you for the support Rbull <S>
Flubby
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<punt>
And I'm back to being Drem :)
Drem
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Anything on the way? Some new informations for the poor european players? ;)
Cu
Flubby
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OK, we need to record levels of interest. If you are serious in wanting to join in AND will be able to join in on the proposed Sunday evenings, ***EUROPEAN EVENINGS**** Record your interest on this web page please:
http://www.steveroot.co.uk/ah2/ (http://www.steveroot.co.uk/ah2/)
I will feedback the level of interest and keep all those who have shown an interest informed as to what's happening.
<S> All
Kanga
PS - please spread the word to others, eg Squad mates, to read this forum and show their interest too. Thankyou.
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This time slot isn't forgotten, it takes a while to get a new event running, and won't happen over night. But I am working on something so keep up the interest.
This is such a naturally favorable time slot for me, had I not been picking the wife up from the hospital today I might have put a snapshot up just for something relaxing to do.
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Let's see how many people show their interest ROC, then we'll know if a regular investment of time is worthwhile.
Thanks for the support so far.
Kanga
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ROC, Kangar,
thank you a lot for your effort and all the best to your wife ROC.
<S>
Flubby
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8 pilots so far (and 1 message to say they'd love to join in but Sunday eve's are a no go for the foreseeable future) -
please spread the word, if others are interested they need to show their interest by
signing up here: http://www.steveroot.co.uk/ah2/ (http://www.steveroot.co.uk/ah2/)
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Flubby, Kanga -- who's the Parrot's web master? I noticed the link I followed from kanga's site went to a frame redirect, but I can still see the ?German? writing behind the joomla frame that comes up. Was that meant to be?
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You find our HP here: http://joomla.hp-parrots.de/joomla/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=8
And Kangas link is this one: http://www.steveroot.co.uk/ah2/
Wich one does not work?
Cu
Flu
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Kangas's blog has http://parrots.de.nr/ which appears to be a frame wrapper around your first link.
The blog entry on Kangas's site I pulled the link from is about two years old, so that's probably why. I just found the old link.
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Thanks forHIM, I updated my old blog post to the new domain. Guess I'll have to put an AH2 post in that blog soon :salute
PS: - 20 signed up so far - keep spreading the word folks!
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Kanga,
No problem. Glad you're getting the word out and doing the leg work to measure the interest level.
Regarding the link -- whoever you site admin is may want to look at doing a redirect via meta characters or .htaccess instead of doing a frame based redirect. I haven't checked the site in IE to see if that works normally, but firefox showed remnants of the original home page.
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Already signed in on Kanga's site. :salute
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Any update?
As I have seen - Thursday event, which usually was set for 3pm EST (19 or 20 GMT - depends on daylight savings), now is set for 10pm EST (02 GMT). It means there is actually no snapshot suitable for the Europeans :frown:
Is it an exception or its a trend?
Introducing Sunday (EU) event make sense in the light of this fact much more...
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Thursday snapshot should not have moved in time. If it is wrong on the calendar, then we'll have to get ROC to fix it. Or I didn't get the memo. The Thursday snapshot should still be between 8pm and 10pm Euro time.
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Thursday Snapshop Typo on my end, Sorry about that. Corrected the calendar to reflect the 3pm Eastern US Time as it has been. Nothing moved, I just experienced a bit of cranial flatulence.
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signed in and will join thursday ss n a half hour ;]