Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Citabria on December 16, 2002, 03:37:54 AM
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not for the masses mind you. they are still thrilled with that hamster wheel of theirs.
but since the latest maps have been added to the combat theatre the MA has become a stale environment in comparison for a great many long time players who are still too addicted to quit.
the main factor in this seems to be the objective of the players in the little arena. their objective is dogfighting. since theres usually no more than 40 people max most will switch sides quickly to keep the fight balanced and fun. you will see ground vehicles bombers and occasional jabo fighters sure enough, but base capture and killing ground targets in this place is not a high priority for most. what does get most players attention in the ct is dogfighting. not the ma style kill the field with numbers and kill the survivors. the kind of fight that dosn't happen in the immediate vicinity of the airfield is the kind thats more satisfying.
perhaps the fewer numbers and historic opposition is the cause of this. all I know is the darbars stay pretty even and the fights are in the air against opponents that ussually prefer to fight, not run.
I was playing the ct earlier then left and checked in to the ma. all i saw in the ma was lopsided darbars of either all green or all red. all fighting (if you can call it that) was taking place over an airfield.
whatever you call what the MA is it isnt as much fun as what I call dogfighting in a fight that is not one sided.
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Agree to 100%! Looking forward to seeing you in the CT once I get my new computer :)
Haven't seen any of the new maps, are they good? Historical?
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Hamster Wheel .. The MA ?
Hahahaha... YOU'RE RIGHT! (never thought of it that way)
When one actually sets his/her mouse cursor on the spot where the "launch/re-spawn" button WILL BE when they're shot-down,, so that they can mindlessly click on it and rush back into the 20 v 2 furball.. I guess it's a "hamster wheel"
Squeek~ Squeek! Chirp-Squeek..
Maybe time for change.. (change is good! says Cheryl Crowe)
Good one!
RV6
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Been thinkin this for the past year!
eskimo
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Citabria is right on. Its never too hard to find a fight, and a few people do run other kinds of missions too.
The CT has benefitted greatly from the new maps its been getting. Sometimes its just fun to login and fly around admiring the mapmaker's work. The skins look awesome too.
The FinRus map is the best I've seen so far, and has a nice planeset.
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The FinRus map is awesome, but what I like most about the map are the new airfields.
No runways, only a dirt/grass field surrounded by trees to take off from - very immersive :)
plus the custom skins/insigna on the planes...
A big to the designers :)
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I agree, this map is the best ever, by far. HTC should make a Brewster just to reward the mapmaker for his efforts.
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Trouble is, guys like you are flying in there Fester...how am I going to get my "sneak up from behind when the noob isn't paying attention" kills?;)
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This kind of thread is older than AH itself.
First, you start off basically insulting the MA and all who play in it, then you try and sell the CT. If it was so great, it would sell itself.
Want to keep it like it is? Dont try and sell it. If everyone jumped over, it would just be a renamed MA. Ever think of that?
The one element typical in the sales jobs, and at least Muckmaw remembered to add, it the "elite" pilot BS. Ya know "the best, the pros, the elite" pilots fly there stuff.
If you enjoy it, great, thats what this is all about. If I want to fly for long periods barely finding a fight, I will stick with that god awful pizza map.
dago :D
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I am starting to move towards the CT Darkside myself....
Since the contest started the MA has changed IMHO..
Cant put my finger on what exactly changed? its just an impression I have recieved over the last 2 weeks...
And I dont care for what the MA has turned into... The CT has a more friendly audience.. And you better use the check six button
or prepar to get yelled at!! LOL
T0J0
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Dago, basically it's just that time of the month again I think.
Better marketing this time overall, though. Muck sorta fell out of line and lo and behold there, behind the curtain, was the same old stuff.
It's cyclical like a HO thread or a Chute Shooter thread.
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Ah the world of cynics. This is not a sales job. Quite frankly, I could care less whether you guys try it or not.
I am simply reporting what I saw from the point of view of a dedicated Main Arena player, in an effort to let some of the new pilots, and veterans for that matter, be aware that there is a great alternative to the main. If someone told me in detail what the CT offered, I would have tried it some time ago.
Try it if you'd like. Don't bother if your happy. *shrugs* Either way, it does not put a dime in my pocket.
As for the bit about the better pilots being in there, that's not a selling point. That's a detraction, friend. 2 words fellas. FESTER and SHANE. There's no newbie kills to be had here. Every pilot I engaged knew what he was doing, leading to some long fought battles, of which I lost most. I sure would rather get easy kills, but the challenge of fighting someone like Fester is more enticing to me at this time. If the numbers in CT stay at 40 or so when I can find a good fight, that's where I'm flying. If they drop to old levels, it's the MA for me.
So play the main. Play the CT. Play HTH. Play with yourself. I could not care less.
Happy Holidays!
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Well I just had an MA moment in the CT today.... One of those brave MA heroes who only knows how to make lazy HO passes then extend 5k even when he had the faster plane and alt advantage... Yea.... :mad: Otherwise this current CT setup is making AH fun again!
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I think what also contributes to the great gameplay in the CT with the Finland/Russia map is the balanced plane sets - a mixture of German, Allied, and Soviet aircraft - and the fact that the availability of any particular aircraft is limited to certain fields. That certainly makes base captures more challenging, but also helps control the dogfights. LA-5 vs 109, 109 vs FW190, 190 vs Spitfire, Yak vs Hurricane, FM2 vs LA-5... some great matchups there, with none of the uber planes such as the LA-7 there to swing the balance of power either way.
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Originally posted by robsan
The FinRus map is awesome, but what I like most about the map are the new airfields.
No runways, only a dirt/grass field surrounded by trees to take off from - very immersive :)
plus the custom skins/insigna on the planes...
A big to the designers :)
There I was with a dead-engine LA-5, trying to coast into the field. Where the heck is the runway? All I see is dirt. Oh wait, there are some buildings and the map says its the airfield, ok, bleed off some speed, wiggle the rudder, drop the flaps, not sure where the runway is because its all just a big open field. Ok, just drop it down somewhere in the square and I'll be fine. Altitude falling, speed dropping, gear down, gonna be a bit fast and I'm short of the field but I'll coast it in, but ....look out for the trees! Kick the rudder hard right, right gear bouncing, left bouncing, straighten her out quick! Large tin building on the left, oaks and sycamores on the right. Right wing hits a tree, left wing hits the building, Ivan rolls the fire trucks and I'm back in the tower.
Gotta love those un-hardened Soviet forward airbases. :)
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I thought the CT was suppose to be some what one step down from the "Special Events" arena opened 24 hrs. An arena with the mutual and a general purpose. An area were guys can fly "unlike" aircraft in a somewhat realistic "combat" simulation environment without haven't to worry about overwhelming unrealistic "hamsterwheeling" furballs .
I thought the Main Arena was an arena where anyone can fly what he wants, how he wants, when he wants and can shoot where, when and what he wants anytime he wants. The Main Arena has a combination of those things, built up of new guys still learning the ropes as well as old timers that still enjoy the wide verity, either alone or with a squad.
I have discovered that the CT is nothing but a step child of the MA.
I have to somewhat agree with dago. The CT should sell itself for what it is for, or what I thought it represented. Not intended to be an insult to the MA but if all that happens is a switching of arenas with the same basic mentality, the CT is no different than the MA with the exception of the plane availability. This in no way means the CT is better...please I just mean different!
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Right on Fest.... MA is just not like it used to be .... the sheer numbers have changed it... sometimes into something that is no longer fun. CT, on the other hand, feels more like the Old AH... maybe it's just that more vets play there :D
I just prefered the days when i died to pilots and not to numbers :)
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The CT definately has its moments, both good and bad.
The one thing it has as a plus, is that whenever something bad happens, they can blame it on the MA.
The CT is not better or worse. Its usually the better MA pilots that hang out in there, because that's what the better pilots are supposed to do. Unfortunately, you still get the baggage that's associated with it.
Its also nice to just fly and look for fights without having to worry about anything else. For the most part, strat has been completely removed from the CT. I find this ironic since the MA is considered the quakehead arena.
The fights are also higher in the CT (as a rule). You'll find this the first time you climb to 20,000 feet and still have to look up to see the incoming cons.
I do remember some really good 1:1 fights in the CT, but I also remember some situations where I'd just launched and was dealing with 5 bandits with 10k of alt. Its definately give and take, and people seem to only mention the situations that prove their point.
And I've seen just as many insults thrown out in the CT as salutes, though there does seem to be less inane chatter on the comes. That's particularly nice.
Anyways... the CT has the benifit of being a small group of people that have separated themselves from the MA. They are there because they want to be, not because that's where everyone else is. That tends to lead towards a more mature audience. That means more salutes than you'll see in the MA, but it also means more mature insults.
AKDejaVu
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According to some people(Kappa) I'm not allowed to fly both the MA and the CT...
-SW
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"CT, on the other hand, feels more like the Old AH"
Yep!
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I've been flying the CT the last couple of days and have been enjoying it, if only for the terrain at some points. My frame rate is better in the CT...I don't have the fr counter on so I don't know by how much...but there's definitely an increase. The current terrain is very nice and the dirt fields are a nice touch.
The first two day that I flew, the terrain was all that kept me there. First day was actually past midnight which meant there were only 6 pilots in, down to 4 when I logged to go to the MA. Fester was one of the 4 and I died in a floppy firey fashion.
The second day, though the numbers were pretty even, I couldn't find anything but a 1 on 4 or more fight. Everywhere I went I was horribly outnumbered. From what I could tell we were spread out everywhere, including sectors where there was no enemy or enemy field. I probably didn't know what was going on.
Yesterday / last night, was a blast. Started out having to look for the fights, but the time spent flying to a fight was on par with the MA, and I didn't engage once over 10k and probably didn't see anyone over 15k. Soon, a nice little furball erupted at one point in the front and great fights were to be had a short distance from base and low over the water. Fun night. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
After logging from the CT on the first day, I headed over to the MA to enjoy a classic A4 versus A5 rumble. Shot a plane or two, but more importantly chalked up at least four chutes to my credit and to top it off, I found a defensless little goonie bird! Ended the evening with a Goon flight of my own to re-supply A4. Fun night.
IMO, CT is a great alternative to the MA on nights when the MA just isn't cutting it for you, and vice versa. I like the higher FR of the CT along with the fact that it's less crowded, but when it gets too scarce it sucks. I like the MA for the huge furballs that can erupt and the utter chaos that ensues, as well as the necessity of using some strat elements (such as goons).
SOB
PS...If it's OK for a dishonorable scumbag chute shooting gamer-dweeb like myself to fly in the CT, it's OK for anyone.
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I flew the CT a couple of times this last weekend. And I have to say I really like it. The new terrian for the Finnish and Soviet front is great. I like that and aircraft you fly, German,Allie that the FAF flew has the national insigna on it. I had fun and even scored a couple of kills. Which is something since I suck at air to air. I'll be playing there more. Hope to see more numbers there.
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Had a great time in the CT yesterday. Best map yet. The dogfights were nice and drawn out.
Drex
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Drex lives!
I was worried he was spending all his time chasing thunderstorms. :)
Maybe I will give the CT a try next time the pizza map is up in the MA.
That will be the end of guys saying its just the good pilots in there at least. :D
dago
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The finland vs russia setup is the best I've seen, not to mention the beautifull terrain.
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Heya Dago ;)
No storms here, just a lot of work and no play.
Drex
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Originally posted by Curval
Trouble is, guys like you are flying in there Fester...how am I going to get my "sneak up from behind when the noob isn't paying attention" kills?;)
Might surprise yerself, Curval....I popped into the CT the other nite after Sakai posted about the new setup in Bigweek. I managed to collect a Fester pelt, and I'm about as noob/dweeb as it gets in this game...sometimes even aces get fun-fixated ;)
culero (now Shane, OTOH, that slut is easy!)
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I have same opinion than many of you: I fly with pleasure in CT and MA is not intrest me anymore. MA is a little boy's sandbox and CT big boy's, that's it!:D
In CT I have met very many nice brothers from everywhere around the world and they can really fly and fight and most of all: they do it like Gentlemen. It is very nice to talk and make friendships in CT and in HTC discussion forums, too!
I quess in CT are mostly the pilots who are older (I am almost 45!
:D ). It is easy to notice when you discuss there for ex. II WW general history and not only airplanes. Big boys there knows the facts and have great sense of humour, that's best!
I have nothing against young boys, but it seems very often, that the MA-youth is there only making arcade cracles wisping their joysticks and hoping they have turbo lasers! ;)
I found this game about one year ago and it is the first and only Online game to me. It inspired me at once and I was sold. I have read earlier almost all books from an aerial war history and modelled all the planes when I was young boy. I found my hobby again with this great game!:D
The Combat Theater is the World, which is very near to my hobby. And because I'm stubborn and patriotic Finn, I want to fly sometimes (not always) our own Continuation War missions, too. That's the reason I started to make this Finland Russian map to us everybody. Actually I think first that I maybe can make good H2H-map to Finns... but as we say in here: "The motorbike run away from hands!":D
I have been really surprised and pleased for the great feedback of the FinRus terrain. I'm very happy that I can share it with you in the CT and popularize the Finns war history at the same time!
And boys, next map is under my plans. Whole CT Staff and pilots there gave me power to make them more!;)
Thank you very much!
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Well guys,
I have never flown in the CT arena....what is it all about? I think I will give it a shot tomorrow or later this week. I too am sick of the lopsided darbar gang banging....its very hard sometimes in the MA to find a 1v1 or 1v2 fight. The thought of newer terrains has my interest as well:D .
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Originally posted by guttboy
Well guys,
I have never flown in the CT arena....what is it all about? I think I will give it a shot tomorrow or later this week. I too am sick of the lopsided darbar gang banging....its very hard sometimes in the MA to find a 1v1 or 1v2 fight. The thought of newer terrains has my interest as well:D .
Combat Theater (CT) is a player-run HTC arena which specializes in (mostly) historical match ups (Axis vs. Allies) on (usually) historical terrains. It usually uses custom arena settings, such as reduced range icons and radar, and less lethal ack. The set up rotates each week (on Friday), and we usually try to go two Europe-centric set ups in a row, than a PTO or CBI set up, than back to Europe. Europe-centric basically means anything with the Luftwaffe in it (Europe, Russia, Med, Africa, etc). Some set ups have particular victory conditions, sometimes it's just standard base capture. Our peak numbers are usually found in the 2000 EST to 0000 EST times. Basically, if you see 10 or more people in there via the log-in screen, give it a try. Hope you enjoy it.
Sabre
CT Staff
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The CT also has a snowball effect. If you log on and see 10 people in there, those logging on after you will see 11 and join, and so on. Lately, the numbers are running around 50 at peak, which lends to plenty of 1 on 1 fights.
Just be prepared for the unusual fields, terrain, and high trees on this map.
Good Luck!