Etiquette in Training Area?

[sourkraut]

On Sunday I went in to the training area after the SE to practice some ACM. As I am flying along in autotrim (as I read the ACM manual) up pops another pilot who asks if I want to duel. I replied no, I am working on ACM and proceed to go about my business. Shortly after he is on my 6 and promptly shoots me down. After I typed : "You must be kidding! Go away." He apologized and proceeded to hound me as I flew along, occassionly throwing some lead my way. I tried to ignore him, but everytime I manuevered he was there.

What are the rules of etiquette in the TA?
Was I being unreasonable asking this guy to leave me alone?

Sour

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Sourkraut
JG-2 Richthofen

"Hey - someone has to be the target...."

   

[This message has been edited by sourkraut (edited 04-03-2000).]

[This message has been edited by sourkraut (edited 04-03-2000).]

[humble]

Often the TA degenerates into a roving furball  ..where once your wheels up your somewhat in danger. However, normally player wishes are honored with regard to combat. I've had a few instances of being hosed on the runway..or being interupted while training someone. These are rare events and not the norm in my experience.

Ask a trainer to intervene if it happens again. I'd also change countries and move away from the main action. The TA doubles as the "dueling" arena so you'll always have folks looking for quick action.

[Kieren]

My personal opinion is that the TA is what we make of it...

If you radioed the person asking him to leave you alone, that should be enough. I would then tell them you are filming the events, and would they care to know you intend to mail the film to HTC. That really should do it. If they continue after that point I would most definitely send the film to HTC.

It's true the TA can be a dueling arena. It is also true I often get shot by people when I'm training others- which is fine by me, that's what I'm there for. OTOH, when someone ignores your request to be left alone, and then shadows you, that is harrassment. There is no room for that here. Newbie or not, that is a lesson that is best learned early.  

[Spoons - SimHQ]

I've had very good luck avoiding being shot at in the TA when I announce that I'd like to be left alone.  One idiot one time thought it was cute to shoot me down 4 or 5 times as I was taking off, but I got the hint and moved to another base.

In general though, I think it's a strength of the game that there's a place you can go to practice "off the record."


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John Sponauer
Senior Editor, SimHQ.com
jsponauer@simhq.com

Grandson of a Navigator (15th AF, 460th BG, 761st)

[Ripsnort]

Here's the only documentation I've found regarding rules in TA:
"The only request that HTC asks of you is to please be courteous of others and do not disrupt training sessions in progress.


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Ripsnort(-rip1-)
=CO=II/JG2~Richthofen~
JG2 Communications Officer
Aces High Training Corps
JG2 "Richthofen"
 
"Experience is a hard teacher because she
gives the test first, the lesson afterwards"

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 04-05-2000).]

[Ronni]

Being courteous of others does include honoring one's request to be left alone.  You weren't being unreasonable, Sour.

Ronni


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Veronica "Ronni" Newman
Sr. Programmer/Webmaster
HiTech Creations, Inc.

[Maverick]

I also am having trouble in the training arena.ankly I am sick and tired of players coming by and hosing newbies (like me) on the runway (vulching) or while I am trying to learn from another trainer / player. I left 2 times today over this garbage (I would prefer a better word). The training arena, in my experiance, is just a place for someone to get an easy kill as it is the one known place to find newbies.  I expect to get killed in the main arena. I do NOT expect to have another player constantly vulch, or jump into a training flight like antman did this evening. If you want to teach newbies how to die, just drop the training arena. If newbies are to have any chance of learning in the training arena please restrict access to it. Being hosed during the training by a player just wanting to be a total jerk is not training. It's a waste of money and there are other ways to spend money for new players to investigate.

[weazel]

 Perhaps a solution to this problem would be to designate 1 field per country for training purposes only. When players log in they would recieve a pop-up message similar to the TOD change over we get informing them of this.

[Maverick]

I have a formal request, proposal or whatever you would like to call it. I would like to see the training arena dropped. I have found it to be a non training arena and only suitable for the vulching and hunting of newbies by experianced players.

The experiance I have had there indicates it is non functional as a training tool. You have a far better chance of taking off or driving out of the vehicle shed in the regular arena. I was vulched numerous times today by a player who camped in this arena for an extended time. I saw this player stay here doing the same thing when I came back after 3 hours. When I came up there was no offer of training or help. I was just shot before I could even get the engine started in the tank. There was no oportunity to see what the tank could do or how to operate it. The same happened to me on take off in a plane.

There was only one field that was being used by players so if you wanted to train, the options were fly / drive by yourself (which can be done offline quite as well) or operate from the ocupied field.

This arena could be better if it were simply a dueling zone. There is no training going on as far as I could see in 4 out of 5 visits there. The one time I did get training it was cut short by another experianced player jumping into the training and shooting me down during the lesson. Repeated requests to refrain were ignored and in fact were returned in a taunting manner.

Tonight when I asked if there was a trainer present, the players doing the vulching sarcastically told me to go to another field and practice by myself.

I do not see this as much of a quality gaming experiance. I do not know how to take care of this situation but I think the administrators need to take SOME kind of action to allow newbies to learn the game. If you want to lose customers, just let it go the way it is. You expect to be shot up in the main arena. You do NOT expect to be killed before you can even start the engine in your vehicle in the training arena. Placing a tank just outside the vehicle "barn" and shooting each new vehicle as it appears does not accomplish training, neither does the systematic hunting and vulching of new players by experianced players in that arena. If you aren't there to train or learn from trainers then stay the hell out ot it.

At the present time, If you are a newby, go to the main arena and learn. Players there are more likely to answer your questions and allow you to get into the air than in the practice arena. My experiance is that there are no trainers in the training arena to learn from.

Mav

[Citabria]

just have a designated free for all field for the quick action seekers in the popup when the game loads the arena

say:

"Field 1 is designated Free for all field"

[Maverick]

With the main arena to play in, WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A FREE FIRE ZONE??

Particularly in the TRAINING arena. If it isn't for training it shouldn't be listed for training.

Have a seperate DUELING FREEFIRE zone arena instead of using training arena, particularly in the default field when you log into the arena.

Mav

[sourkraut]

Maverick -
1. Post the abusers handle on the UBB. I will  the next time this happens to me (warning to blueice).
2. Record film and email to HTC. I will the next time this happens to me (warning to blueice).

 
Sour

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Sourkraut
JG-2 Richthofen

"Hey - someone has to be the target...."

[Kieren]

Maverick-

What time do you log in? Have you contacted any trainers to set up a time for them to be there?

As a trainer, here is my login procedure:

1. Check to see if anyone is in TA.
2. If even one player is there, I will log in and ask if they need help.
3. If no one needs help I leave and go to the MA. I do this because flying in circles alone does nothing to sharpen ACM skills I'm supposed to teach.
4. If someone in the MA needs help, I invite them in private to the TA.
5. Some nights as I leave the MA I will announce I am going to the TA.

With the new release I have also spent more time in the MA learning the things I need to teach in the TA. I feel the main purpose of the trainers is to teach others how to be successful in the MA or any other arena. I can't teach until I have learned myself.

You are right about the TA being unruly at times; and if you read above you can see how to handle it. The trainers are not guards and have no more power to dictate what happens there than anyone else (and frankly, I don't want that power. I am not the one losing money when players are booted).

If someone is mistreating you there, ask them to stop. Film their behavior if they do not, and send it to HTC.

There is no schedule for trainers, and this was the way it was intended. If you want to post on here a time you can make it, I'm sure one of us would be happy to help.

And for the record, the bulk of my last tour was spent in the TA, night after night.   That has typically been 3-4 nights, 2 hours a night (8:30-10:30 PM EST). I have seen many other trainers in at those times too.

[Maverick]

Thanks for the selection of ideas. AS soon as I learn how to do the camera, I'll be happy to film any problems I have in the TA.

I was in the TA in the morning on Sunday then later in the day and into the night. I was on 3 times from 6:00pm Pacific through 11:00pm Pacific. Only the last time I came on about 10:30 PM did I see the player who was camped there all evening had left. By that time there was a trainer, Weasel (sorry about spelling if I goofed it up) there but I had to log by 11:00PM.

I can't set a time to play or train. I am getting playing time "on the fly" between the job, family and my wifes cancer treatments. If I had a schedule I could do some set training or playing times but I just get on when I can.

I guess the lack of spare time is one reason why I hate to have it wasted from being vulched or otherwise take as an easy kill. As far as I know, I am likely to be the easiest darn kill in the game. I would like to CHANGE that.

Is there a page with the ney keymaps on it? I need to see how or what to use for the tanks other gunnery positions. The main gunb is nice but not much help while being stafed.

Mav

[Minotaur]

Mav;

Check out Hitech Creations Web Page .  

Look under Help --> Getting Started.

Good Luck!

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Mino
The Wrecking Crew