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Special Events Forums => Friday Squad Operations => Topic started by: branch37 on November 02, 2015, 09:05:52 PM

Title: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: branch37 on November 02, 2015, 09:05:52 PM
Flying in FSO you don't notice it as much until you get to draft the orders.  135 pilots don't cover nearly as much ground as 235 used to. 
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Devil 505 on November 02, 2015, 09:08:49 PM
I agree, the best setups recently have been a two objective per side to bring back that roughly 30 v 30 action.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 02, 2015, 09:14:07 PM
Flying in FSO you don't notice it as much until you get to draft the orders.  135 pilots don't cover nearly as much ground as 235 used to. 

I agree, the best setups recently have been a two objective per side to bring back that roughly 30 v 30 action.

Agreed on both.

Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Squire on November 02, 2015, 09:56:09 PM
Yes we will be mindful not to spread out the action too thinly.  :salute
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: branch37 on November 02, 2015, 10:05:05 PM
Yes we will be mindful not to spread out the action too thinly.  :salute

not complaining about the setup, just being nostalgic.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: SlipKnt on November 03, 2015, 06:58:35 AM
We need to solicit more squads into FSO. 
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 03, 2015, 10:54:01 AM
We need to solicit more squads into FSO.

Get on it, new guy...  :D :bolt:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on November 03, 2015, 11:25:48 AM
Move it to 10pm EST and it will be 136.   :D
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: branch37 on November 03, 2015, 07:16:34 PM
Move it to 10pm EST and it will be 136.   :D
on the wrong side   :neener:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on November 03, 2015, 07:36:00 PM
When did VF-17 start preferring more green guys than red.   :devil
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: branch37 on November 03, 2015, 08:18:38 PM
When did VF-17 start preferring more green guys than red.   :devil

Touche sir, Bring em on I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.  :joystick:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Stampf on November 11, 2015, 11:22:50 AM
Move it to 10pm EST and it will be 136.   :D

and 137.

Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Delirium on November 11, 2015, 12:16:49 PM
I walked away from FSO early this year and the hour it takes place was definitely one of the factors in my decision.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Scca on November 11, 2015, 01:38:41 PM
Move it to 10pm EST and it will be 136.   :D
Ya, us old east coast guys find it hard to stay up till 1am...
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Frodo on November 11, 2015, 03:10:44 PM
Hard for us Midwest guys too. Move it up an hour.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: SNO on November 11, 2015, 07:08:27 PM
+1 on moving start time 10 pm est
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Kingpin on November 12, 2015, 02:53:38 PM

I too would be inclined to return and participate in more FSO's if it started an hour earlier.

+1
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Alpo on November 12, 2015, 04:12:41 PM
10PM Eastern    :aok

but who am I kidding, I'll be there at either hour :D
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Vulcan on November 13, 2015, 02:04:09 AM
Is this thing still going? Any squads looking for a newbie with poor formational awareness?
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 06:23:57 AM
Is this thing still going? Any squads looking for a newbie with poor formational awareness?

LoL,  PM me. We got a fun mission tonight!
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Stampf on November 13, 2015, 12:12:10 PM

Not even a reply in consideration of attempting to save FSO.  Much like the rest of AH.  Slow painful change adverse death.  Maybe when FSO gets down to 10 on 10 someone will wake up, but probably not.



Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: fudgums on November 13, 2015, 12:19:29 PM
(http://33.media.tumblr.com/2fd64a47183f27e8d237385fc43e4a35/tumblr_mn9fmxFVcZ1qz8x31o1_400.gif)
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 12:37:05 PM
Not even a reply in consideration of attempting to save FSO.  Much like the rest of AH.  Slow painful change adverse death.  Maybe when FSO gets down to 10 on 10 someone will wake up, but probably not.

Not speaking for Squire, FSO team lead, moving it back 1 hour for the sake of 6 people might not be beneficial for the Pacific time zone folks. 
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Zoney on November 13, 2015, 12:38:08 PM
I would also like to see the start time moved to 1 hour earlier.

I'm Pacific Time Zone.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Scca on November 13, 2015, 01:41:43 PM
Not speaking for Squire, FSO team lead, moving it back 1 hour for the sake of 6 people might not be beneficial for the Pacific time zone folks.
Are you sure it's only 6 people?

Have we emailed the squads that have left and asked why?  Where's the poll asking about this? 
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 01:42:48 PM
I just started a poll on my squad Forum to get a feel on how my Volunteers feel about it.

My squad is the biggest it's ever been,  so I doubt the time frame has little effect on my turnout.. I'm curious as to what they think.

While I'm not opposed to seeing it changed,  I think it's important to hear some more input.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on November 13, 2015, 02:46:55 PM
Are you sure it's only 6 people?

Have we emailed the squads that have left and asked why?  Where's the poll asking about this?

There was a poll done a year or two back and it was resoundingly in favor of moving the start time ahead one hour.  So it appears the level of desire or fairness is not really a factor in the decision.

To me it only seems fair but maybe I am mistaken.  In my opinion if I had to pick the ultimate start time for FSO it would be 8pm.  Late enough that dinner is out of the way, rest of the family is probably chilling watching tv, etc..  But still would be able to be done by 10pm, very easy to manage that especially with the next day being Saturday.  Hell I would even have no problem being up early to go hunting with an end time like that.  The ideal time.  So for the west coast backing it up an hour may make it a little less than ideal, have to rush dinner a little to make sure you are there in time or whatever.  Why can't they bear a little of the inconvenience that us east coast guys are very much bearing (making it impossible for some of us, myself included to play FSO), which is still quite a bit more even with it being an hour earlier.

To me it seems only fair and based upon the last poll it was a very, very small minority that was not either for moving the starting time or had no issue with it being moved.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Frodo on November 13, 2015, 03:26:24 PM
I remember this poll and it was as Bug described.

Perhaps put something up when you log in and see what kind of results you get? This would get most people who fly FSO and not rely on the bbs that a lot of people don't read.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 03:37:41 PM
I'll try to find the post when I get home.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Scca on November 13, 2015, 03:55:04 PM
I'll try to find the post when I get home.
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,320194.msg4218849/topicseen.html#msg4218849 (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,320194)

Yup, 60% yes. A lot more than 6...
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 04:24:48 PM
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,320194.msg4218849/topicseen.html#msg4218849 (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,320194)

Yup, 60% yes. A lot more than 6...

Well, I was referring to this thread. My issue is for me personally is asking East Coast people to stay up late is a lot easier than asking West Coast people to cut into family time.  What's more important?

As I said,  I'm not opposed to it.  Just trying to see all sides.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on November 13, 2015, 04:33:42 PM
Im also curious how something that has been done for 14 years is a problem that is hurting FSO.

FSO numbers are a direct correlation to the game numbers.  I can show details here soon. Still not home.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on November 13, 2015, 04:52:24 PM
Personally to me it has nothing to do with numbers,  although I doubt it would reduce them I couldn't say for sure it wouldn't increase them, but the fairness of the start time. But I don't expect it to change. In fact you sound like you have already convinced yourself it shouldn't.

No worries.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: SNO on November 13, 2015, 04:54:05 PM
Im also curious how something that has been done for 14 years is a problem that is hurting FSO.

We weren't as old as we are now 14 years ago, that is how
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Scca on November 13, 2015, 05:01:08 PM
We weren't as old as we are now 14 years ago, that is how
:rofl :rofl :aok
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on November 13, 2015, 05:17:33 PM
We weren't as old as we are now 14 years ago, that is how


Hehe, I don't like to admit that evil precipitation.  But that is the biggest factor for me.  I would be crushed Saturday staying up that late. "Cutting into my family time" the day after FSO.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Zoney on November 13, 2015, 05:25:16 PM
Im also curious how something that has been done for 14 years is a problem that is hurting FSO.

FSO numbers are a direct correlation to the game numbers.  I can show details here soon. Still not home.

If I may, my take is that when FSO numbers were huge, nothing needed to be done, there were plenty of players.  Now that FSO numbers are not huge, maybe something could be done to pump those numbers up a bit and maybe an earlier start time might be that something.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Squire on November 13, 2015, 05:51:30 PM
Its been a thorn in the side of FSO since it started...3 hours time difference between the coasts on a workday leaves almost no room to maneuver at all.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: branch37 on November 13, 2015, 09:21:03 PM
Its been a thorn in the side of FSO since it started...3 hours time difference between the coasts on a workday leaves almost no room to maneuver at all.
This is pretty much how I feel about it.  For me in the Central time zone, moving it up an hour wouldnt matter a whole lot.  Sure nights like tonight, where I've had a long day at work, its going to be hard to stay focused the whole frame.  If we moved it up an hour, sure we may gain a few players on the East coast that have been unable to play in the past, but we will also lose players on the West coast who have family commitments, or aren't home yet. 
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Kanth on November 14, 2015, 05:17:20 AM

Yep there's an idea, maybe over two frames to get the most folks to vote.  :aok

Perhaps put something up when you log in and see what kind of results you get? This would get most people who fly FSO and not rely on the bbs that a lot of people don't read.   :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: flatiron1 on November 14, 2015, 06:35:32 AM
How about move it back 30 minutes. That would be better than 11.00 for me.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: 1Canukk on November 14, 2015, 09:54:13 AM
   Again  for me time is a factor but being old  :old: and retired ,  FSO starts at Midnight  and goes into 2am but after doing more than 200 of these FSO this is what AH is all about , more people , more planes , greater battles . But I am a voice of 1 . :salute An hour more an hour less even 30 minutes what can we ALL do to increase the #'s , not knocking anyone but rather what can we do ? , would it increase some European participation as we have several squad members that get up at 4 and 5 am to play so we must have something good going on here . Not saying no to the idea but not saying yes without looking for options is not helping either...My  .75 Cents...Cant wait for next Friday :aok
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Frodo on November 14, 2015, 06:20:16 PM
Yep there's an idea, maybe over two frames to get the most folks to vote.  :aok

Maybe even do it all 3 frames of an FSO series. Get even the people only able to make 1 FSO a month.  :aok
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: KCDitto on November 14, 2015, 06:23:17 PM
Well,

I do not get off work until 8:00 PAC time normally. My boss lets me leave a little early on Friday nights for this (I tell him I am in an on-line study group that meets 3 Fridays a month) I leave work at 7:15 PM and my wife will sometimes get in to the arena and has even taken off for me before, following the squad around hoping she does not have to dogfight.

If you move it up an hour, or even a half an hour, i am out those nights that I work. I am sorry you have to stay up late on a Friday night, really I am. Those guys that work Saturdays have it tough, no doubt.

I think we all have made changes in our weekly plans for FSO. I told a band I was playing in no more gigs on Fridays so I could do this. My wife knows to not schedule anything of Fridays because of this. My kids know that dad is flying on Fridays and don't bug me for this.... I live in California and cannot change that. I have a good job that requires me to be there and don't want to change that, I have a home mortgage and a daughter in college.

Just my $.02 worth.

I really enjoy FSO and scenarios and it is the only reason I am still here.... Without that I wold be gone already and killing zombies.   

 :salute


Ditto
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: blutic on November 20, 2015, 08:10:44 PM
I remember flying with Daddog in the 332nd and would stay up late on Fridays to fly, even if I had to work. I still fly in FSO, I seldom come to the main arena. It just ain't what it used to be. I accept that, but we have two guys in our squad that fly from Europe, and get up to fly with their squadmates <salute Harppa and Kippari> I hope to see you tonight.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: 10thmd on December 09, 2015, 01:41:32 PM
Here is an Idea move the whole event to Saturday say at 5pm est then you might even get some more European guys in. Of course we would have to rename it to SSO :rofl
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on December 09, 2015, 02:28:40 PM
There used to be a Sunday afternoon Squad Ops that died off I believe due to lack of participation.  I'm curious as to the results of the vote in Nef's squad.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Nefarious on December 09, 2015, 06:35:31 PM
I'm curious as to the results of the vote in Nef's squad.

I posted a poll in our forum with 4 options.

1)Move it 1 Hour Earlier
2)Move it 1 Hour Later
3)Don't Move it at all
4)I don't care

58.3% wanted FSO moved an hour earlier, 41.7% did not care. No one voted for option 2 or 3.

In the original vote a few years back, I voted to move it an hour earlier because at that time I was working a rotating monthly shift which would have allowed me to participate more regularly had it been moved forward. My job has since changed and I personally voted that I did not care.

Perhaps it's something that Squire and Team will consider mulling over again, It's also something that the Setup CMs have be able to do as well, After all, they are the ones building and hosting the arena.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on December 09, 2015, 08:20:04 PM
Thanks Nef.  :salute
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Frodo on December 10, 2015, 11:53:31 AM
I posted a poll in our forum with 4 options.

1)Move it 1 Hour Earlier
2)Move it 1 Hour Later
3)Don't Move it at all
4)I don't care

58.3% wanted FSO moved an hour earlier, 41.7% did not care. No one voted for option 2 or 3.

In the original vote a few years back, I voted to move it an hour earlier because at that time I was working a rotating monthly shift which would have allowed me to participate more regularly had it been moved forward. My job has since changed and I personally voted that I did not care.

Perhaps it's something that Squire and Team will consider mulling over again, It's also something that the Setup CMs have be able to do as well, After all, they are the ones building and hosting the arena.

 :aok
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: flatiron1 on January 23, 2016, 08:42:51 AM
I am dropping out of fso due to the late start time and early rise. Be nice to go to a earlier start time.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: captain1ma on January 23, 2016, 09:51:35 AM
dolby was in the Beta AVA with us on Thursday and suggested that if it was earlier, we'd get more European players. how many more, would be the question? maybe put out a post in either the FSO forum or General forum and see what people have to say. personally I like 11pm but earlier wouldn't kill me either.
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Ratsy on January 23, 2016, 10:14:39 AM
I don't know the history here prior to 2008 but -

If FSO hasn't been moved up an hour at any time in the past, then it's high time we did so.  Think of it as a trial by numbers.  Central and Mountain time flyers shouldn't be bothered as much.  Let's get some real-life feedback from the West coast.

I'd also be interested in the actual impact to Southwest Pacific and Europe.  To that end, does the Special Events pilot account registration include time zone (Greenwich + or -).  If not, maybe that could be done first. 

We could also create an over/under to compensate for those of us (like me usually) who normally don't warm up to change of any sort and choose to sit out for a month.

Move it up for a month, I say.

 :salute
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: weiser on January 25, 2016, 06:44:39 AM
Living in Atlantic Canada FSO starts at Midnight, and being a shift worker I often have to be up at 6am,
and work a 12hr shift. Usually I don't last past the 1st hour but like to hang around until all my squad
are done, makes for a long day but well worth it, I think.
 :salute
weiser
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Rodent57 on February 13, 2016, 11:18:20 PM
"There was a poll done a year or two back and it was resoundingly in favor of moving the start time ahead one hour.  So it appears the level of desire or fairness is not really a factor in the decision.

To me it only seems fair but maybe I am mistaken.  In my opinion if I had to pick the ultimate start time for FSO it would be 8pm.  Late enough that dinner is out of the way, rest of the family is probably chilling watching tv, etc..  ..."

Bug Sir, I spent my first year plus playing FSO in the Mountain Time zone and it was nice.   Then I moved to the East Coast, and it started Late ... but it was worth it, so I kept on playing.  Last 5 years I'm back home in the Pacific Time Zone and I couldn't agree more  ... 8PM is barely enough time to get home, get food and a cocktail, and get ready to play .... (but that's 11PM on the east coast).

I'd be more than willing to try a 7PM Pacific start time ... but we may lose a number of pacific coast folks equal the players we might gain from the time zones further East.

Bottom line:  If everyone would simply move to California (and stay down there)... maybe we could get more FSO players :-)

- Rodent57
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Seighin on February 14, 2016, 12:56:07 PM
I vote move it up an hour.  :aok
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: TheBug on February 15, 2016, 09:47:08 AM
Bug Sir, I spent my first year plus playing FSO in the Mountain Time zone and it was nice.   Then I moved to the East Coast, and it started Late ... but it was worth it, so I kept on playing.  Last 5 years I'm back home in the Pacific Time Zone and I couldn't agree more  ... 8PM is barely enough time to get home, get food and a cocktail, and get ready to play .... (but that's 11PM on the east coast).

I'd be more than willing to try a 7PM Pacific start time ... but we may lose a number of pacific coast folks equal the players we might gain from the time zones further East.

Bottom line:  If everyone would simply move to California (and stay down there)... maybe we could get more FSO players :-)

- Rodent57

<S>Rodent.  Just for informative reasons, since you quoted me, I no longer have a dog in this race.    :cheers:
Title: Re: Anyone else miss the old days of FSO?
Post by: Shooter503 on February 21, 2016, 03:22:47 AM
Wow,  I was kind of surprised when I read this thread.    :O

I had to walk away from the game a few years back. I gotta tell ya I did not miss the MA much but damn I missed FSO.  For over well over 100 friday nights I would rush home so could get into the game.  Some nights I would call home and my wife would log in for me and get me going.  Sometimes I would miss the start and would not be able to play. :furious But a great many times I made it.    Every-time, rather in the air or on the ground I rooted for my squad and looked up the results of nights mission. The squads website tracked what we did in FSO together. Every time my squad backed me when I flew. (And trust me I suck at this game) and understood when I couldn't.  Now I am trying to get back and find a new squad and go again. And then I see this thread.   :bhead

I am a little surprised about the one hour discussion.  In FSO we have people coming together from all across the US Canada Europe to share in a common experience that we all enjoy so much.  With the wide a birth we have to have a balance on when we start so we can make it happen.   

1 hour earlier gets more engaged I would say do it.  I read a post that said start two at 7 and one at 8.  heck that is brilliant.  :x  Start the first at 8 and the next two at 7 we get more people up and most battles start small and build anyway, so it actually makes since. 

We could also allow a longer time frame to up so that people in the west could still join if they are running late. That would be the second wave of planes into battle.  ( we are Californians we have an expectation to be treated better.)

Try it and see if we increase. 

Keep em flying