Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: transatlanticflight on November 10, 2012, 12:10:44 AM
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I have started this post to generate a dialogue about the MA.
It's funny....AH has 8 arenas: EW, MW, LW, AvA, training, DA and 2 SEA's. If you set aside training and the DA as special purpose and acknowledge that SEA's are not 24/7, that leaves 4 fulltime "main" arenas. And, yet, everyone gravitates to the LW. Even many of the best designed SEA's have marginal attendance.
Everyone has a different theory... for me it has to do with one simple thing...momentum. Like the local hotspot nightclub, everyone is there simply because everyone is there. After all, AH is about massive multi-player action in a WWII setting...there's nothing massively multi-player about 5 guys flying around a ginormous map. Many people claim the popularity of the LW has to do with access to the best planes, but that can't be the only reason since even when there were two LW's everyone gravitated to one first before spilling over into the other. Also many of the best attended SEA's involve non-perk planes.
I have an idea for an alternative arena that could blend the best aspects of the LW, MW, EW and SEA's into a single exciting powerhouse 24/7 arena. Just an alternative to current offerings not a replacement. One that could potentially resolve many of the complaints I see here in the forums and hear in chat regarding the LW. Unlike many of the "wishlist" posts I've read, I believe this concept could be implemented tomorrow, tried and tested without requiring any major programming or development.
But before I elaborate, I would like to do some research and gather player input specifically with the goal of identifying the top reasons the majority of players end up in the LW. So please feel free to submit a post listing the things you like most and the things you like least about the LW. Or if you are partial to MW, EW, or SEA you may comment on those. All I ask is that your comments be directed towards identifying why everyone seems to gravitate to the LW by drawing on your own personal reasons for being there.
Thanks in advance.
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Three aircraft primarily draw the new players to this game, specifically younger ones.
P-51D
Spitfire
ME-262
2 of those are only available in LW, and the Spitfire's truly successful variants are only in MW-LW. And as the majority are in LW, its to LW they go. 51D's and Spit 16's are the two most common sights in AH2. Along with the F4U and the 109.
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In the end, it all takes us back to the beginning, where we have faced THE question.
"Rolling planeset, or no?"
People have already answered. Thus, the consequences we face, some good, some bad.
(ps) Personally, I support the RPS.
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I have started this post to generate a dialogue about the MA.
It's funny....AH has 8 arenas: EW, MW, LW, AvA, training, DA and 2 SEA's. If you set aside training and the DA as special purpose and acknowledge that SEA's are not 24/7, that leaves 4 fulltime "main" arenas. And, yet, everyone gravitates to the LW. Even many of the best designed SEA's have marginal attendance.
Everyone has a different theory... for me it has to do with one simple thing...momentum. Like the local hotspot nightclub, everyone is there simply because everyone is there. After all, AH is about massive multi-player action in a WWII setting...there's nothing massively multi-player about 5 guys flying around a ginormous map. Many people claim the popularity of the LW has to do with access to the best planes, but that can't be the only reason since even when there were two LW's everyone gravitated to one first before spilling over into the other. Also many of the best attended SEA's involve non-perk planes.
I have an idea for an alternative arena that could blend the best aspects of the LW, MW, EW and SEA's into a single exciting powerhouse 24/7 arena. Just an alternative to current offerings not a replacement. One that could potentially resolve many of the complaints I see here in the forums and hear in chat regarding the LW. Unlike many of the "wishlist" posts I've read, I believe this concept could be implemented tomorrow, tried and tested without requiring any major programming or development.
But before I elaborate, I would like to do some research and gather player input specifically with the goal of identifying the top reasons the majority of players end up in the LW. So please feel free to submit a post listing the things you like most and the things you like least about the LW. Or if you are partial to MW, EW, or SEA you may comment on those. All I ask is that your comments be directed towards identifying why everyone seems to gravitate to the LW by drawing on your own personal reasons for being there.
Thanks in advance.
First, if I may what is your in-game handle, second why don't you just tell us what your idea is instead of beating around the bush ? If you want to do some "research" , read the 6 billion threads that came before yours about this same subject.
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It's because that is where everyone is most of time.
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It's because that is where everyone is most of time.
I hate it when I agree with Waystin ! :neener:
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Since general foot traffic in the EW and MW arenas is much less than the LW, create several super small maps like the AvASummr map but, with 3 small countries. 10-12 feilds at most of all kinds. Keep all airfeilds strictly within 1 sector or closer of each other.
I can't remember if perks earned in each arena are only good for that arena. If not, then change perks to being arena specific so the only thing you can milk late nights is the ideiocy of flipping a tiny map adfinitum or just don't have perked rides. Then let the community label the map flippers "Tiny Mouse Map Boys". Or, if the maps did become smaller then change the war win to include a percentage of the strats destroyed.
The reason for tiny maps is so players cannot hide from individuals who drop in to find a few fights in a less uber plane or GV matchups. Look at the WW1 arena, the small number of feilds and how few are in there. But, at least they fight each other in there.
Much of the time in the EW and MW players use the standard size maps to hide from combat.
Over the years of reading the reoccuring posts about the EW and MW action\culture. Most players are turned off by not being able to simply "drop in" and find fights with random unknown players. As the constant criticism goes, you drop in, drop a few red guys, and they move off to a part of the map you cannot get to, then resume their milk runs. If players wanted to drop in with freinds and have to go oopsies, the red guys have run away again, half of us have to switch sides. They would have dropped in to the AvA or the DA.
The attraction to the LWMA is being able to "drop in", find your freinds, and most of the red guys want to find you and your freinds as bad as you want to find them. Create maps that make hiding in those 2 arenas harder than it's worth. Other wise the DA furball lake will continue to host consistantly larger numbers and more drop in-able action.
Games like this are not unlike running a sports bar or a night spot that targets a younger crowd. Customers will try out new things for the novelty, then go back to what feeds their needs. But, there are tried and true formulas that keep them coming back. WW1, AvA and the DA are niche spots with small groups of dedicated customers with environments generaly taylored to the obvious. The EW and MW are niches but, are not setup to reflect that fact. They are setup trying to be clones of the "Big Show LW" with offerings not proportionate to the scale of the expected combat, foot traffic, or followings of the rides.
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I hate it when I agree with Waystin ! :neener:
Gah! Imagine how I feel reading it...LOL Seriously though, it's not a good thing it's not a bad thing. Folks just go where the most people are logged in.
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If you really want a rolling plane-set - spend some time in AvA :angel:
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I hate it when I agree with Waystin ! :neener:
I hate it when I actually agree with bustr but this time I do.
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Everyone has a different theory... for me it has to do with one simple thing...momentum.
Momentum is very important, but not that simple. It's not becasue of momentum alone that the (overwhelming) majority of action happens in LW. Because if momentum were the only reason, we would still play in EW all the time, because that was for some time the hot place to be when the arena split happened. But in the end, the huge majority migrated back to LW. Or see a few days ago when LW went down for about 24h: Almost everybody went to MW. But when LW came back up it took only about 1h to get the usual distribution of numbers. Despite seeing about 100 players in MW and next to none in LW, players chose to log into LW...
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Uhh... Guys.
Re: Life for AH beyond the Late War Arena?
Without massive infusion of new blood into this game from the marketing department of HiTech Creations, LW Arena will be the last battlefield of the aerial warfare in the virtual skies.
With that new blood, many dedicated players must be brought forth to augment existing squads and form new squads plus participation in Special Events for Aces High to continue.
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Thank you for your responses so far, especially those that stay on topic...
What I am looking for here is direct confirmation of my hypothesis about what works and what doesn't work in the creation of an arena. I developed the hypothesis by reading the posts, playing the game for 6+ years, and really listening to the chat buffers. My idea for an arena is really "your ideas" combined in a unique way. I'm not trying to be mysterious...just scientific.
Yes, this information can be gleaned from reading 6 million posts before me...I'm trying to enlist your help in concentrating it into 1 post and gathering the current feelings of all of you experienced AH players and forum participants (who I believe are the most passionate and potentially knowledgeable and creatively-minded players).
So far we seem to have two factors and by your own posts they rank like this:
1. Everyone is there.
2. Access to the high performance planes.
Please continue to chime in and especially if you can think of other factors...even if they are lesser factors. I'd like to know what everyone enjoys about game play in the MA - LW. I would also like to know your greatest complaints.
Thanks
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we are done, so give up your idea.
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A) Numbers are there.
B) You have the least restricted access to all the planes in the set.
It's that simple.
So can we look forward to another 'No really, this time the RPS will work guys!' thread?
Wiley.
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The LW arena has all the planes enabled, so I can get ready for whatever FSO (http://www.ahevents.org/events/fso.html) or Scenario (http://www.ahevents.org/events/scenarios.html) I'm involved with at that moment.
After all, the MA is merely a practice area, right? ;)
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Thanks for responding:
Traveler --- patience
Wiley --- promise no rps
Bino--- if you like FSO and Scenarios...but also like great MA features like access to a full plane set... you really may like my concept. I also appreciate your sentiment about the MA as practice area...funny....but sad to have so much practice and so few performances...don't you think?
I will spill the beans soon....but really want to get as many people to post unbiased likes and dislikes about the LW before I post the concept and get ripped apart...lol. What we need is evidence to support the creation of something new...and a direction that seems a logical progression from what works...that diminishes the complaints...and is reasonable for the hitech development team and command staff to impliment and maintain. Perhaps with a solid plan and a team of like minded players/command staff a new arena could migrate existing game play to a new level.
Keep it coming. Thanks.
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the thing of it is, people make the mistake and think AH is a WW2 combat sim, which it is NOT, it is a combat sim using WW2 tools....we DO NOT replay WW2 we have special events for that...the MA is a giant sandbox, for combat, and the only thing wrong with it is........
wait for it
NOTHING :aok
it is the players that ruin it(not that I think it is ruined I for the most part very much enjoy flying the MA), players that think it is a WW2 sim and think that staying alive is more important then the fight, so they fly very timid....it is sad really
just last night I was fighting 2 51's that had NO CLUE how to fight then 3 nme 262's and a 190 joined the fun so did one of my squadie's it lasted so long that I ran out of fuel, I did kill one of the 262's, but it was a very sad display of "combat" on their part.....I blame the fact that they were so worried about "dieing" that they flew extremely timid.
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Thanks for responding:
Traveler --- patience
I've lost interest.
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Not to over-simplify, but particularly in MMOs (Massive Multiplayer Online games), the population tends to be drawn to (like moths to a flame) participating with the larger(est) mass. It has always been that way, even with multiple LWMAs in AH, most players who came here for a MMO WWII combat sim want to JUST play with most other players in the same arena.
The fundamental idea that one can split up the mass is flawed simpley because the mass doesn't want to be split up. In AH everyone naturaly gravitates twords the LWMA because it is the largest sandbox and with the biggest/baddest toys.
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The LWMA concept is not flawed. It is simplicity taken to an extream allowing players to do almost anything they can dream up as long as they don't attempt to hack the game code or use foul language in the common communications channels.
The ability to equaly wage war at all times with the least number of restrictions other than the actions of players against you and the limitations of your imagination.
To the OP:
What is it you realy want?
About once a year this POST resurrects itself like a zombie that won't die. Each OP rearranges the questionair format but, never can hide it's DNA becasue the "question" wants to go down the same rabbit hole each time.
How can "we" change this game so it will be more interesting to "me" the OP?
To you the OP I ask why don't you like unrestricted freedom to do near anything you can dream up in that arena?
It's never a discussion about changing the WW1, AvA, DA or Special Scenario arenas and what happens in them. It's always how to impose something into the Aces High quintessential "free for all" MA arena. The resultant change each OP over the years presents to us, either as the body of his initial POST or after a "Billy Mays" buildup to reel in the marks. Always imposes some form of pendantic order, rollplaying or complex stick and carrots under the guise of a strategoist two protagonist world view. At least this time the additional strategy of dragging in references to the competition's current offerings like a veiled marketing shill hasen't surfaced.
So,
Without abusing the audience's proclevities further to kvetch about the game in this forum adfinitum to sucker them into your sales pitch. Answer your own question so your audience knows how they are getting used by you and let them off your hook.
How can "I" change this game so it will be more interesting to "me" the OP?
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The LWMA concept is not flawed. It is simplicity taken to an extream allowing players to do almost anything they can dream up as long as they don't attempt to hack the game code or use foul language in the common communications channels.
The ability to equaly wage war at all times with the least number of restrictions other than the actions of players against you and the limitations of your imagination.
To the OP:
What is it you realy want?
About once a year this POST resurrects itself like a zombie that won't die. Each OP rearranges the questionair format but, never can hide it's DNA becasue the "question" wants to go down the same rabbit hole each time.
How can "we" change this game so it will be more interesting to "me" the OP?
To you the OP I ask why don't you like unrestricted freedom to do near anything you can dream up in that arena?
It's never a discussion about changing the WW1, AvA, DA or Special Scenario arenas and what happens in them. It's always how to impose something into the Aces High quintessential "free for all" MA arena. The resultant change each OP over the years presents to us, either as the body of his initial POST or after a "Billy Mays" buildup to reel in the marks. Always imposes some form of pendantic order, rollplaying or complex stick and carrots under the guise of a strategoist two protagonist world view. At least this time the additional strategy of dragging in references to the competition's current offerings like a veiled marketing shill hasen't surfaced.
So,
Without abusing the audience's proclevities further to kvetch about the game in this forum adfinitum to sucker them into your sales pitch. Answer your own question so your audience knows how they are getting used by you and let them off your hook.
How can "I" change this game so it will be more interesting to "me" the OP?
:headscratch:
Oook.
:) :aok
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I'm new and fly the LWMA because that is where I can learn the most. If everyone were in the EW or MW that's where I'd be. However, if it were fairly split up I don't think I would have much of a preference.
At this point I'm trying to focus on a few of the Lw aircraft. In almost all things I tend toward the underdog, so I don't mind being beaten up by superior aircraft. Hopefully in the long run, the pain I'm enduring here in Fw's and Me's is going to pay off in skill later, or is there a flaw in that approach?
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Uhh... Guys.
Re: Life for AH beyond the Late War Arena?
Without massive infusion of new blood into this game from the marketing department of HiTech Creations, LW Arena will be the last battlefield of the aerial warfare in the virtual skies.
With that new blood, many dedicated players must be brought forth to augment existing squads and form new squads plus participation in Special Events for Aces High to continue.
all true, especially the bolded part. as a squad we dont actively recruit, but we still take on a new guy or two every month and make a real effort to bring them up to scratch in all aspects of the game.
we players dont have much influence over the product which attracts players in the first place, but we do have a big influence on their gaming experience and consequently retaining the new players.
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At this point I'm trying to focus on a few of the Lw aircraft. In almost all things I tend toward the underdog, so I don't mind being beaten up by superior aircraft. Hopefully in the long run, the pain I'm enduring here in Fw's and Me's is going to pay off in skill later, or is there a flaw in that approach?
The only flaw in your approach is that it tends to increase the learning curve for new players.
ack-ack
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Im still waiting for the big reveal. (http://knittinandkittens.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/whistling-emoticon.gif)
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Hey!! You sure you wanna see a man take his nikkers off??
I think I'd rather start another FW190-A8 thread with Krusty............
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Hey!! You sure you wanna see a man take his nikkers off??
I think I'd rather start another FW190-A8 thread with Krusty............
Plase, don't, everytime we make one that A9 and D-11/13 gets pushed back on "the list". :aok :pray
I'm new and fly the LWMA because that is where I can learn the most. If everyone were in the EW or MW that's where I'd be. However, if it were fairly split up I don't think I would have much of a preference.
At this point I'm trying to focus on a few of the Lw aircraft. In almost all things I tend toward the underdog, so I don't mind being beaten up by superior aircraft. Hopefully in the long run, the pain I'm enduring here in Fw's and Me's is going to pay off in skill later, or is there a flaw in that approach?
Only flaw is that it may take you longer to understand, learn and then utilise each of their unique strengths and weaknesses. You're avoiding some of that though by engaging and seeking more experienced players for advise or suggestions. Ontop of the rides you're learning to fly in combat with, you may have some trouble learning relative basics and ACM that you can learn easier in other rides but really isn't dependent on the plane you fly so much. Most people know what a barrel roll is, but if you're not familiar with the definition of a high yo-yo, lag/point/lead persuit, or the single-most difference between a half-cuban-8 and an immelman - then go through Rolex's basic ACM films or if possible one of his regular ACM training clinics or just ask one of the patient and outgoing AH Trainers for a session with them (you can find them in the training arena or forum).
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the thing of it is, people make the mistake and think AH is a WW2 combat sim, which it is NOT, it is a combat sim using WW2 tools....we DO NOT replay WW2 we have special events for that...the MA is a giant sandbox, for combat, and the only thing wrong with it is........
wait for it
NOTHING :aok
it is the players that ruin it(not that I think it is ruined I for the most part very much enjoy flying the MA), players that think it is a WW2 sim and think that staying alive is more important then the fight, so they fly very timid....it is sad really
Heh, I would say that the fact that people don't worry about dieing and pull ridiculous suicidal runs is whats wrong with it....but hey, that's me. To each his own is what I say. So yes, I will fly with the intention of bringing my plane back to base at the end of my flight. Even if that means limping back on a single engine, ditching it in friendly territory, disengaging when the horde drops in etc.etc.etc.
Its how I would like to play it, so I will. You are free to play as you would....
Oh and as for the OP, I think its just the fact that LW offers the most in equipment/aircraft that most people fly there. Then because most people are in there, the others looking for a fight will also jump in there.
A rolling plane set might actually prove detrimental to game-play since most people will find something else to do while they wait for the day 'their' favorite era spawns in the arena.
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Heh, I would say that the fact that people don't worry about dieing and pull ridiculous suicidal runs is whats wrong with it....but hey, that's me. To each his own is what I say. So yes, I will fly with the intention of bringing my plane back to base at the end of my flight. Even if that means limping back on a single engine, ditching it in friendly territory, disengaging when the horde drops in etc.etc.etc.
Its how I would like to play it, so I will. You are free to play as you would....
Oh and as for the OP, I think its just the fact that LW offers the most in equipment/aircraft that most people fly there. Then because most people are in there, the others looking for a fight will also jump in there.
A rolling plane set might actually prove detrimental to game-play since most people will find something else to do while they wait for the day 'their' favorite era spawns in the arena.
Curious, do you play other games? Do you sit in one corner for the entire duration so you don't die? Because that's exactly what I see people do in AH. Sit at 20K and hope you don't die.
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Heh, I would say that the fact that people don't worry about dieing and pull ridiculous suicidal runs is whats wrong with it....but hey, that's me. To each his own is what I say. So yes, I will fly with the intention of bringing my plane back to base at the end of my flight. Even if that means limping back on a single engine, ditching it in friendly territory, disengaging when the horde drops in etc.etc.etc.
Its how I would like to play it, so I will. You are free to play as you would....
Oh and as for the OP, I think its just the fact that LW offers the most in equipment/aircraft that most people fly there. Then because most people are in there, the others looking for a fight will also jump in there.
A rolling plane set might actually prove detrimental to game-play since most people will find something else to do while they wait for the day 'their' favorite era spawns in the arena.
yup its your 15$ play how you see fit....me personally I like fighting odds that as you say are "ridiculous suicidal runs" I have been doing that since tour 52.....which has givin me the ability to take on many cons every sortie and still have a higher kill then death ratio....and occasionally when I am shooting good take on 7 nme by my self and kill them.... :aok and no not while they are rollin on the runway :rofl
I wonder if anyone who plays to "survive" can say that? and have films to prove it.