To all readers... I only ask that you read my posting with the same respect I give yours.. That is to read it in a way as to listen to my points and wishes as I have listened to yours and to give my the same weight you would give your own or your friends, as I do yours. I know my mind is never made up should a argument be made that makes more sense to me than the position I currently stand upon.
I started flying Aces High a few years back, and strictly flew MA. I continued on with the game for approximately 9 months, then I became very unhappy with the peripheral aspects of the game. These aspects specifically being some squads, and certain players. These follow as such... There were certain squads and more intently certain players who were just a nuisance. No matter what, they always complained about the way things were being played, even if the action that night was following whatever "pattern" (i.e.. More dogfights than ground fights, etc..) that he/they were LOUDLY stating should be "how the game is played" just the previous night.
Furthermore these specific instances became worse when people who only occasionally would come into that arena would show up, make statements on how the "thing should be played/ran/scored" and then these people would leave the arena, and go back to the one they had come from in the first place.
Now, it may have been more the times I had come in, or whatever aspects made it so, but usually when I came into play, I was one of the few "unattached" pilots. Being "unattached" made it somewhat hard to get that score I wanted to be able to advance into the more advanced planes/tanks/etc, and more advanced rank. I never held it against any of these people I fought against, that they were part of a squad and watched each others backs, making sure that if you were about to make a kill on their squadie, you had 2 or 3 of them swooping in to the rescue, on the contrary I thought it was pretty cool. Personally I just didnt have the time in my life to devote to anything other than family or work then and I didnt want to be "expected" to do more. (Some of you know what I mean, not sure if there still are any squads out there that do it, but I know there were some that had the"You be online and ready to rumble by this time" stuff going) Be it as that may, it became enough to make me leave the game entirely for a time.
So now I have come back to AH and found a home in the DA. I still wander into the MA from time to time, usually to let those much better pilots use me for target practice, but enjoy my time in there. But I mostly remain in the DA, specifically the Furball Arena. There have been some people out there who want to disband squads, not allow this or that, etc. I see their point on some items. But, I don't see why we would completely rip out the guts of what has become a very wonderful "home" to many pilots of the AH family. Some changes are mostly a good thing, painful at times, yes, but items like resetting the scoring for pilots to see how much they have improved is a pretty viable idea. I also have to agree with Shanes idea of setting aside more room for the "1to1" fights, or build the arena so that there is a 1-1 canyon or such set just to the side of the furball area so that the pilots can use their own bases and such and don't have to move around to get there. I personally do not like 1-1 fights happening right in the middle or just off to the side of the "action" as I, personally, have flown into the fight, thinking I am helping out a fellow pilot from my "country" and ruin the 1-1. At no time did I mean to ruin their fun, but I happened into it inadvertently. Hence why those in the DA always hear me stating "tell us or take it to the canyon", as a way to keep it separate. Personally, while I do not want more area between bases, as one of the drawbacks for me in the MA is the long flight sometimes found to get to the fight, I would enjoy seeing a little more diversified terrain than bare ground or water to fight on.
I do hear a lot of the "We need to move the DA out completely" or "Move the furball away". I think this is being a little extreme for the small improvements most are asking for. This falls under the same type of thought process as when those of us who fight the furball or DA arena's go into the MA and find the (VERY)few AH members who seem to be rabid Rooks, Knights, or Bishops and do not think that we hold whatever area we generally fight with in the DA as "ours". Yet most do, but even then you will see knights become rooks, bishops become knights, rooks become bishops to try and make the arena more of a fun and even place to have our cyberbattles. So with keeping in mind this aspect, it becomes problematic as to decide what will "go" and what will "stay" and where does these specific places, such as the furball get placed. If even 2 AH members use say the tank arena in the DA, then it becomes an arena that should be protected at ALL costs and we, as fellow pilots, crew members, gunners, and bombardiers should be rabid in our defense of it. Think of it this way.. It may not be YOUR arena that is in question today, but what about tomorrow?
To end my rambling (which I know it sounds like) I would like to address the parts of resetting the arenas scores and the place of squads in the DA. As far as resetting, personally I am ambivalent to this, but I have heard both sides of the issue and must side with the resetting of the score. Personally, I switch planes depending on what I see the fight developing into (fly a long distance, maybe a P51, not so far, maybe a FM2, etc) But MANY use this tool as a way to rate themselves and to see if there is any improvement in their play during that month. So I do see where they are coming from and the argument for that just makes more sense.
As for squads being in the DA, I know personally I am biased towards this as I belong to a DA squad. I have developed some long term friendships through the squad and find that when I play I look forward to these gentlemen and ladies coming into the arena and my being allowed to cover their backs in a fight, and being sure they are there when I need some help. Does this mean that I cover them instead of a fellow "countryman"? No. It just means that I have a group that I look forward to flying with and enjoy talking to on the radio because I have become comfortable with them. I still fly with the many others who start from my base, and treat them the same as anyone else. Many will give the argument that having squads creates "ganging". I disagree. If I was to see another countrymens plane in trouble, I would jump in and help. I personally will generally pull off the fight if there is more than 2 planes involved unless I am a primary in the dogfight. Some people do not and take advantage of this which is a negative thing. Same as flying at 20,000k, waiting to see a furbal develop and flying through to pick off a few (otherwise known as BoomNZoom) on the edges is not a true fight. (But that is MY opinion).
If we are going to make changes to the DA, lets make them the least painful to all, and the most gainful to all. If it causes a problem, then it isn't one that we need at this time, but, if it is an improvement, and will not change anyone's thoughts of AH, or make them quit something they have come to enjoy as a place to get away from the "real world", but yet make it an even more enjoyable stay then let's do it.
