Do scores affect gameplay? Do captures interfere with fun?

[Simaril]

I dont think so.

Captures and scores dont make for weak play. As Leviathan said elsewhere, most timid players just dont want to die. The average timid guy has stats far enough down the scale that rank is essentially irrelevant.

I think what some old timer "I remember air warrior back when..."  types miss -- the camraderie of high level competition among ACM aficianados -- hass decreased due to the simple dynamics of a larger player base.

Seems to me that less intensely competitive play comes from that larger subscription base, which includes players with less fanatic commitment to simulation in air combat.

Think of it liek a softball league. When entry fees are reallly high, you get the competitive fanatics who'll pay an awful lot for the thrill of a great game -- but its hard to keep the fields cared for on what the proprieters earn. If you lower the fees, the league gets bigger and financially stable.

Course you get less of the intense semi-pro types, and more of the beer swilling-twist into the ground strikeout--drop the pop fly and fall down laughing types. They're having a blast, but they're not trying to win anything at all.

Not that there's anything wrong with that....

[FX1]

Shawk has fun

[Edbert]

Originally posted by Simaril
more of the beer swilling-twist into the ground strikeout--drop the pop fly and fall down laughing types. They're having a blast, but they're not trying to win anything at all.

I know more than a few of those guys.

[Brenjen]

quote:
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Originally posted by Simaril
"more of the beer swilling-twist into the ground strikeout--drop the pop fly and fall down laughing types. They're having a blast, but they're not trying to win anything at all."

 I'm one of those guys; & I'm trying to win plus get a good score & gain as many perkies as I can too.....in short I'm chasing my tail.....but I enjoy it.

[NoBaddy]

Originally posted by Simaril

I think what some old timer "I remember air warrior back when..."  types miss -- the camraderie of high level competition among ACM aficianados -- hass decreased due to the simple dynamics of a larger player base.

Seems to me that less intensely competitive play comes from that larger subscription base, which includes players with less fanatic commitment to simulation in air combat.

 

What this "old timer" misses is the camraderie of a small community. Of course, I also miss being a halfway decent player too.

[mars01]

Score affect gameplay - Yes when someone disengages when he sees he might die because he is afraid to mess up score.

Capture affect gameplay - Yes when furball dies because tool boys have to have that field.

[FiLtH]

I think the sole difference in the AW style of play vs the AH style, is the ability to kill from headon. That changes everything. In AW you had to work for a 6 shot or atleast a 90 degree deflection to get a kill. In here people can fly around popping people in the face and motor on. You dont get as much of the nail biting dogfights, and the number of LA7s shows that.

[Flaps]

"Score affect gameplay - Yes when someone disengages when he sees he might die because he is afraid to mess up score."

Well for some thats part of the simulation, too.   Having the ability to disengage then re-engage at will is a strength that some fighters benefit from.

[mars01]

Well for some thats part of the simulation, too. Having the ability to disengage then re-engage at will is a strength that some fighters benefit from.

Yes running is one way to see it, but then learning to recover and continue the fight from the original position and trying to regain the upper hand I value more.

[Simaril]

Originally posted by mars01
Yes running is one way to see it, but then learning to recover and continue the fight from the original position and trying to regain the upper hand I value more.

I guess my point is that some guys just dont care about being better at fighters. They want to shoot stuff down, the same way the weekend softball player loves to get a big hit, but they're not into the fight the same way ACM jockeys are. Where the ACM jockey hates the "easy pick" as a no-fun fight, many in the MA like to cherry pick since its safe, straightforward, and gts a kill.

That kind of stuff wont change if scores disappeared, because those guys dont have good scores to begin with.  The dynamic is more "I dont wanna die" and less "i want a better number."

[Guppy35]

The emphasis is on 'attaboys' and perks as near as I can tell.  It's amazing how often you see a guy land and immediately talk about how many perks he got.

You can also count on all kinds of WTG!s when somone lands 45 kills in LA7 of ......Squadron.  Getting those 'attaboys' becomes part of the drive to avoid a fight where you might have to work at it.

In the end I guess it doesn't matter to me anymore.  I don't see it changing.  And if you stick with the game long enough, you learn who the actual good sticks are vs those who are the experts at score whoring.

I guess I owe it to good old RAGS from my AW days.  With him around it took all of about a week to figure out that score meant nothing

[JMFJ]

You guys want realistic rides, but don't want people to fly realistic.  Knowing when to retreat is part of real wars & war based games.  Guys who force dogfights right to the bitter end are, no different then the guys who dive bomb in lancs, and bail.

JMFJ

[Guppy35]

Originally posted by JMFJ
You guys want realistic rides, but don't want people to fly realistic.  Knowing when to retreat is part of real wars & war based games.  Guys who force dogfights right to the bitter end are, no different then the guys who dive bomb in lancs, and bail.

JMFJ

Realistic?  It's a game, not war.  As soon as someone really dies, then talk to me about realistic.

We're sitting at our computers, not too far from the fridge, TV, stereo or the bathroom for that matter.  Not too much problem to set the autopilot and wander around if you want to.

When's the last time you logged on, crawled inside your refrigerator or freezer to get the temps just right, while sucking on oxygen with 3 layers of clothing on, while flying for 8 hours unable to stand up, to cover those bombers with the chance you'll never see an enemy plane?  Have you ever had your engine fall apart for no reason while you are playing?  Any chance someone snuck in the room and shot you with a 45 so the blood is real on your screen?

And I think you could find cases where guys got stuck into dogfights right to the bitter end, while I doubt you'll find me an instance where a Lanc pilot dive bombed a hanger and bailed out of a perfectly good plane over enemy territory.  I kinda think his crew would have been a bit angry about that

[JMFJ]

Originally posted by Guppy35
In the end I guess it doesn't matter to me anymore.  I don't see it changing.  And if you stick with the game long enough, you learn who the actual good sticks are vs those who are the experts at score whoring.

If you are talkin about overall rank I would agree it's a worthless rank, but the Fighter & GV ranking is pretty accurate (not 100% accurate) but close.  The guys at the top you will have to work pretty hard to send them back to the tower.

The Attack & Bomber Rankings are a joke at best.

JMFJ

[JMFJ]

Well then let me be more specific what is wrong with someone wanting to run, when outmatched or outnumbered?

You should reread my post I noted retreating was part of real wars & WAR BASED GAMES

JMFJ