In pursuit of balance

[Tilt]

Its good to see HTC still trying to tackle "the problem" of side imbalance in the MA.

We have the perk cost "multiplier" and now we have the hanger list "divider".

I wonder what the original "problem" is.......

We know that sides will never be really balanced in numbers........

We know that there will be little flow from one country to another due to most measures taken to create such an insentive...........

Its possible that the above will reduce the effectiveness of a sides superior numbers

But why try to balance sides numbers at all?

Is it to stop a side winning a reset? If so why have it as an objective.......I dont think this is the case.

I think its because one side can become swamped by the superior numbers of another locally.......... ie its about local game play where  there are always 20 ac over your field and you cant get up....and if you launch further back and fly to this field , the odds are still 10:1....... and everywhere else you look on your map the odds are the same.......... or there is no one there at all!

I dont think it is about winning or loosing.. I think "the problem" is about game play and local balance (perpetual local inbalance).

I have to say the only time I have seen a solution to this was in AW by using the Zone Limit.......In AW it was applied a different way.

In AH we could take the following factors mathematically

Number of players per side
Number of fields per side

and come up with a formula that decides how many players(or % of a countries players) can be spawned from any one field in any one country at any time.

Used properly the local odds should be smoothed.

[Kev367th]

Read your idea Tilt, then we get the 'I want to up from any field I want at any time I want. Why should I be restricted from lifting form frontline base, its not my fault etc' whines. Nothing is going to happen that won't upset people.

[XtrmeJ]

Go here. This is like the 15th one...

http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127090

[Mugzeee]

True Kev. But this is a more subtle tool. And would bring Far less infringment.
I know in AW it never really upset that many players.
Call it the diplomatic way.

[ET]

There is no way the perk multiplyer can know what is actually happening in the arena by using head count. Two lower number countrys could be gangbanging the country with the largest numbers and the largest country gets penalized by not being able to up certain planes.
Number of fields owned reflects more on what is happening in the arena and should be at least a large part of the system.

[Tilt]

Originally posted by Kev367th
Nothing is going to happen that won't upset people.

This would be true too....its a matter of degree. Its effect in AW was to spread stuff over the map more..........

Individuals and squads chose their launch field to suit whilst the zone limit forced both sides along the borders or if one side massively over whelmed another folk launched further back.

Certain key fields (in our case this could be zone masters) did not have the limit although with the proper maths it could be applied across all fields.

but it is a matter of getting the maths right........even now with the ENY balance system there is more fiddling of the maths required to get it to its optimum.......the question then is.......is the optimum ENY balance system good enough?

[Mugzeee]

Originally posted by ET
Number of fields owned reflects more on what is happening in the arena and should be at least a large part of the system.

I think this more accuralty reflects what has happened and has been happening. Maybe not what is happining at the present time.

[Tilt]

Zone Limit (ZL)

This game play modifier limits the number of players that may be spawned from any one field at any one moment in time. What ever  ZL is calculated once that number is reached no more players may spawn (from that field) until those players spawned end flight.

How could this be dynamically used to balance game play to prevent local massive misbalance?

One proposal is below.

Assumptions

Small maps start with approximately 6 to 8 fields bordering enemy fields.
Large maps start with roughly double this number of border fields.

Methodology.

A setting is added to the arena settings table it is the "max zone divider" (MaxZD) for terrains with larger borders this number would be larger and vis versa. (I would normally set it at the number of fields bordering minus 25%)


To set the zone limit per field we take the smallest population and divide it by the zone divider (ZD)

The ZD is 50% the number of fields of the smallest country  or 50% of the MZD which ever is the smaller.


How would this math work?


Below is a link to a small spread sheet upon which you can test it. Basically put your own numbers in the yellow cells and see how the zone limit spreads the larger populations across more fields.

What I think you will see is that when the population inbalance becomes very disproportionate then more  pilots will be forced to use rear fields.

However they will always be able to launch and they will not be denied of ac choice other than those restrictions as normally apply.

http://www.tilt.clara.net/strat/ZLT.xls

[kj714]

"and come up with a formula that decides how many players(or % of a countries players) can be spawned from any one field in any one country at any time."

People would still be unhappy, cuz if one side still had a large advantage the front line fields would be full and you'd end up having to spawn from fields too far away from the action, if it was me I'd rather fight with a different plane than have to fly from far away.

[Tilt]

Originally posted by kj714
[B
People would still be unhappy, cuz  [/B]

All modifiers will cause this to some extent........play with the spread sheet and you will see it is easily set to only kick in when numbers are very highly disproportionate