Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: sullie363 on September 15, 2006, 04:31:21 PM

Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: sullie363 on September 15, 2006, 04:31:21 PM
As someone who sometimes plays in the middle of the night I can say there is a problem with the new setup.  There would normally be about 100 players online at the low point which would be fine in the old MA.  But now with them spread out, simply finding somebody to fight is a problem.  A long standing player quit today simply because there was nobody around to fight.  I played for an hour this morning and only had two dogfights and it wasn't for a lack of trying.  I have no clue as to what can be done about this aside from every player agreeing to fly in only one arena during those low hours.  Otherwise those subscriptions are at risk simply do to boredom.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Overlag on September 15, 2006, 04:34:51 PM
this is my main gripe about the new setup.... its not so much as the spliting of the plane set's (i used to enjoy shootign down La7's with my 109F), but its the numbers.

AH clearly doesnt have enough players to populate 3 ARENA's all day long..... so WHY break it up? European times that i play are now absolutely pointless, as theres almost NO action at all.

so is my subscription charge going to go down now i cant play the normal hours i play???? i doubt it.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Spatula on September 15, 2006, 06:19:57 PM
Yup, totally agreed. Most all the people who play at my time slot agree too. Theres just little to nothing to fight with anymore...
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Xasthur on September 15, 2006, 06:29:16 PM
This is definately a major issue that needs to be adressed.

Lastnight, I was on and there was only 60 people in the EA, 10 in the Mid arena and 40 in the LA.

Had everyone been in the Early arena, it would have been awesome because the map was getting close to reset, but it was too sparsely populated to be the great scrap it could have been.

If this problem is addressed (and I realise this isn't really an easy fix if the split is to be maintained) the new changes have the potential to be fantastic.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Boyce on September 15, 2006, 06:57:45 PM
I've been playing for about three months now and I've been having a great time. I've been a regular lurker here and I've taken advantage of the very useful links on this site, and I finally got around to registering today. I didn't just register to complain about the recent changes. For the most part, I don't mind. I haven't really been around long enough to be too entrenched in the "old way". That said, the late night (in the U.S., at least) issue is a big one for me.

Because I have a goofy work schedule, I do most of my playing during non-peak U.S. hours. When I logged off last night at around 2AM CDT there were 5 Bish in the mid war arena. Late night used to be great because there weren't enough players for ridiculous and unstoppable hordes to develop, but there were enough for the game to be enjoyable for furballers, strat types, and anyone in between.

I'm not going to throw a fit and threaten to leave, and I'm not sure what the solution is. I just wanted to add my voice as someone who isn't often able to play during peak hours. Hopefully the problem will resolve itself as I'm really enjoying this game and the folks with whom I've been playing.

all.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: x0847Marine on September 15, 2006, 08:13:01 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Spatula
Yup, totally agreed. Most all the people who play at my time slot agree too. Theres just little to nothing to fight with anymore...


That is why I have challenged HT to include decent porn to help pass the time.

It should have been obvious some arenas would be near empty.

Even in the wee hours of PST the old MA was a ghost town... I cant fathom who thought fracturing a 3 team small player base was a good idea.

Why not log into the MA, with re-tooled maps that lets you choose which area with which planes you want to fly in? If someone tries to stray into another era, "out of bounds", al la Battlefield they start to die, run dry on gas, experience a mechanical failure or something.

This keeps everyone together and separates the planes. And it'd make it much easier to jump to another era to help out..
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: cav58d on September 15, 2006, 08:40:36 PM
Wow...Im suprised one of the a$sholes have not replied yet
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Yeager on September 15, 2006, 08:51:12 PM
you mean to say that of all the arenas available, there was no one logged on?
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Overlag on September 15, 2006, 09:14:26 PM
here comes one.......
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Boyce on September 15, 2006, 09:45:26 PM
Quote
you mean to say that of all the arenas available, there was no one logged on?


When I left, Early War was the busiest with about a dozen a side.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Spatula on September 15, 2006, 09:54:56 PM
Yup, seriously on average when im on theres:
LW - 20 people TOTAL.
MW - 5 people TOTAL (dont know what they're up to, why not just do a H2H session)
EW - 40 odd.

Even when you add them all up the numbers seem lower than they were when we were all together in one MA. Usually there would be 80 - 120 people in the old MA during my normal times, which makes for good play. But now when i want to fly something othere than a slow spit or hurri, i have to try weed out a scrap from 20 odd people spread out between 3 countries/3 fronts. Seems a number of those people are just land grabbin taking advantage of the fact that no-one is around to oppose them (whats the fun in that?). Whats the fun in any of this??
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Xasthur on September 15, 2006, 09:56:46 PM
Of course there are people online... but when you're splitting up 100 people six or seven ways instead of just three.... it starts to become tedious.

I'm all for the idea, I think it's great.

I can't wait for Stuka missions with 109 fighter cover.

The only problem is that if you want a decent mission, you would need at least 10 or so pilots and if you have only 16 people on your side in your arena....well it won't really work when you're trying to defend multiple bases two fronts

Like I said, this isn't something Hitech can just code fix... Perhaps it will take time.... but in the mean time that means that everyone who isn't American peak time suffers greatly.

I'm not one to ***** and moan and I find this game to be the best I've ever played, but this current situation is frustrating for us non-peakers.

Like I said, this isn't a moan, I like the idea.. it's just not working for us yet
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Yeager on September 15, 2006, 11:48:56 PM
would seem to me if there are only a few people online spread across several servers then they would herd towards one server???  People are going to need to adopt some new behaviors I guess.....when numbers are low...try to populate one arena.  Arena caps surely cant be an issue with such low numbers.

I enjoyed late night in the MA because of the low dweeb density, but I liked the AvA too just because it was lightly populated.

Ok, arena check at 12:50 am east coast US time:

Early = 132/250
Mid = 50/250
Late1 = 225/250
Late2 = 24/25

These seem like pretty fair numbers to me totalling over 400+ people late night.

Thats actually pretty good with only the late2 server seeming really empty.  Wierd tho, becasye tjere is still room in Late one for those in Late2.

The one thing that has really surprised me about this whole deal is that so many seem to prefer Early over Mid.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Xasthur on September 16, 2006, 12:04:49 AM
It's probably just the novelty of being able to fly a 109F or a Spit I and not get shredded by a pack LA queens.

I've been in the EA 95% of the time since the change and I've been loving it, it's been great fun getting low and slow in a 109F or dominating people in a 190A5
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: TheCage on September 16, 2006, 12:15:37 AM
All I can say, be careful what you cry for, we got what all the whinners wanted, ENV, and now three arenas.  It's too late now, your stuck with it.  Where is the leading cheer leader now, with all his massive posts on the subject.:noid
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Yeager on September 16, 2006, 12:31:46 AM
what is ENY and what does it do anyway?  Is that the deal that keeps people from flying hot planes when their side has the majority?
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: RTGorkle on September 16, 2006, 01:09:12 AM
Last night, during my usual nightly AH session, there were 90 people online - usual amount. This is fine in a single arena - you can find a fight, organise missions, see pleny of activity etc. Now you cannot. We had 40 people in Early (split 10/13/20), Mid was 9/10/4, Late was 9/11/8.

AH has, in the blink of an eye, become decidedly un-fun.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: MIShill on September 16, 2006, 01:11:48 AM
Let's see, now with limited #s in arena the ONLY fighter I could fly was Hurri I with ENY limit. That is helpful. It makes you just go AWAY, thus the arena gets better balanced because......nobody is there.
-MI-
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: RTGorkle on September 16, 2006, 01:23:45 AM
Quote
Originally posted by MIShill
Let's see, now with limited #s in arena the ONLY fighter I could fly was Hurri I with ENY limit. That is helpful. It makes you just go AWAY, thus the arena gets better balanced because......nobody is there.
-MI-


Having the ENY limiter running when there's only 30 or 40 people in an arena is totally farcical. Literally every minute the available planeset changes before your eyes.

I'm going to hang around for another week or two and see how things develop.

I reckon HTC should put a trgger in so that when I log on, two of the arenas are disabled. That would work.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Amigo on September 16, 2006, 02:42:58 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Overlag
this is my main gripe about the new setup.... its not so much as the spliting of the plane set's (i used to enjoy shootign down La7's with my 109F), but its the numbers.

AH clearly doesnt have enough players to populate 3 ARENA's all day long..... so WHY break it up? European times that i play are now absolutely pointless, as theres almost NO action at all.
 


I posted exactly this in several places a couple days ago... that a nightly prime-time peak player base of 500-700, with lows of <100 throughout the rest of the day, was too small a number to fragment into 4 entities.

I was told that the MA was an "overpopulated slum", and to go away and stop complaining, " you whiner".  

In the words of the skanky Paris Hilton and her ex best-friend/coat tail-rider Nicole, "that's hot".
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: SFCHONDO on September 16, 2006, 03:33:51 AM
Reason they should have RPS. Each camp start out with week 1 EW, week 2 MW, week 3 LW (but it now has all planes) week 4 All planes. Since HT wants to lower arena numbers then make 2 arenas and have it hold 300-350 players. When it gets late most will gravitate to one arena where there are enough players to have fun. I personally think the MW has the best setup. (Love EW also) But to many still go to the LW so they can fly the easy mode uber rides. To bad really, the better fights are in the EW and MW arenas IMO.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Boyce on September 16, 2006, 03:36:42 AM
I just logged on at 3:33 CDT.

EW: 37/250
MW: 37/250
LW: 90/250

I'll see if I can find some fun. It's gonna be tough. I'll report back later.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Boyce on September 16, 2006, 08:12:20 AM
Okay, it was fun.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Oldman731 on September 16, 2006, 09:05:56 AM
Quote
Originally posted by MIShill
Let's see, now with limited #s in arena the ONLY fighter I could fly was Hurri I with ENY limit. That is helpful. It makes you just go AWAY, thus the arena gets better balanced because......nobody is there.
-MI-

Hurri I is one of the very most fun planes to fly, in any arena.  It is the master of the Hurri II, and usually you can sucker most of the faster planes into underestimating you.  Just remember to set your conversion to 175 and don't take any shots over 200.

- oldman
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Widewing on September 16, 2006, 09:59:53 AM
I'm a bit confused... If everyone online at prime-time Pacific or even early evening Europe all congregated in one arena, you would have the same player levels as before the changes. So, it's up to the players to create the environment they want.

If the player base is divided between all the arenas, that clearly indicates that HTC's intent of providing choice is working and players are exercising their choice to fly where they prefer.

I have seen lots of postings complaining about side imbalance issues during those hours. If players wanted higher numbers in any one arena, they can have them. Obviously, many do not as they fear that it will degenerate into the typical gangbang complained about so much.

HTC gave the player base more choices and the players are choosing how and where they want to play.

My regards,

Widewing
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Killjoy2 on September 16, 2006, 11:13:26 AM
By midnight California time, there was no AH left.  Last one out turn off the lights.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Mace2004 on September 16, 2006, 11:14:50 AM
Like many of you I played late into the night last night (4am EST) and saw the EW and MW numbers dwindle to the point you couldn't hardly buy a fight.  That said, the LW was doing just fine.

Since the issue now seems to be player density let me ask this...why do we still need three countries?  Eliminate one country and you've increased the average numbers of the other two countries by 50%.  What would you lose by doing this (aside from all the whinning from the died in the wool, koolaide drinking, mychesspieceisbetterthanyourc hesspiece guys)?

BTW, I took the liberty of conducting a coin toss and the Rooks are out.:D
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Domin on September 16, 2006, 05:14:45 PM
Quote
Originally posted by cav58d
Wow...Im suprised one of the a$sholes have not replied yet


:rofl

They will, they have to be noticed :)
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: jon on September 16, 2006, 05:31:11 PM
boyce i used to watch all star wresteling as a kid is that the claw master baron von reshke?
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Boyce on September 16, 2006, 06:11:01 PM
Yup. That's Baron Von Raschke, alright. He's alive and well in the Twin Cities. I think Mad Dog Vaschon's still kickin', too, although he lost a leg in a hit-and-run accident in Iowa. It's too bad we lost The Crusher. I always thought that Wisconsin missed a golden opportunity for one-upmanship by not putting The Crusher in office when Minnesotans elected Ventura.

His Official Website (http://www.baronvonraschke.com/)
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: jon on September 17, 2006, 01:10:44 AM
someone told me he worked the monorail at the minn zoo several years ago
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: LYNX on September 17, 2006, 06:27:07 AM
I'm a Brit and off peak split by 3 = less targets + more time to contact.   It's slow...... we all agree.

May I suggest BRITS, EURO'S, AUSSIES, KEWI'S and the rest of the world contact advertising agencies and give said agencies HTC's address :D

Personally I know of a beat up old truck parked in a field by the side of the M6 thats bill board space is 3.95 per week <$5,50>.  A picture of a Spitfire shooting a ME109 and in big letters http://WWW.FLYACESHIGH.COM  is all thats needed.

M6 = couple of million vehicles a month.  Built 35 years ago and begging for a fourth lane.  Arterial motorway  Joins the M1 linking middle England to the North West.  Passes Birmingham .  Middle England Britains largest manufacturing base.  Motor industries, heavy industries, aircraft industries you name it, besides all the McD's, call centers,  Bank /Insurance HQ's.

The furrows in the slow lane are that deep that I can let go of my wagons steering wheel and I'll go straight.  Dunno about a fourth lane or another Toll road but them furrows need fixing.  :lol.

Then again a full page add in the Sundays is a snip at $90,000.
Title: Population issues in the middle of the night
Post by: Overlag on September 17, 2006, 01:06:55 PM
Quote
Originally posted by LYNX
I'm a Brit and off peak split by 3 = less targets + more time to contact.   It's slow...... we all agree.

May I suggest BRITS, EURO'S, AUSSIES, KEWI'S and the rest of the world contact advertising agencies and give said agencies HTC's address :D

Personally I know of a beat up old truck parked in a field by the side of the M6 thats bill board space is 3.95 per week <$5,50>.  A picture of a Spitfire shooting a ME109 and in big letters http://WWW.FLYACESHIGH.COM  is all thats needed.

M6 = couple of million vehicles a month.  Built 35 years ago and begging for a fourth lane.  Arterial motorway  Joins the M1 linking middle England to the North West.  Passes Birmingham .  Middle England Britains largest manufacturing base.  Motor industries, heavy industries, aircraft industries you name it, besides all the McD's, call centers,  Bank /Insurance HQ's.

The furrows in the slow lane are that deep that I can let go of my wagons steering wheel and I'll go straight.  Dunno about a fourth lane or another Toll road but them furrows need fixing.  :lol.

Then again a full page add in the Sundays is a snip at $90,000.


i agree.... AH needs some advertisement in other countries... it isnt just about america.