FSO participation -- what would it take for scenarios?

[Brooke]

Hello, FSO folks.

FSO's have excellent levels of participation and regular attendance by many squads.  I was wondering if I could get some feedback or suggestions with regard to increasing the scenario player base.

FSO players, is there a reason why you regularly play in FSO's but not in scenarios?

FSO squads, what would it take for you to regularly participate in scenarios in addition to FSO's?

Many thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions.

[Fencer51]

FSOs are easily planned around and are always going on.  They generate and maintain an enthusiasm. 

Scenarios are months apart, lately down to 2 per year at best.

Run more scenarios, there is no reason, other than staffing at the scenario CM team level, why you cannot have one scenario being ran, another getting COs lined up and rules finalized, and a third in planning.  A scenario every other month could be done that way.  But again, you have to have enough people to manage them without burnout.  You already know my opinion on the CO situation. 

[SmokinLoon]

I would fly in scenarios if we had one every night.

Actually, if there was a way to have scenarios 3 nights a week (FSO on Friday @ 11pm EST, a scenario on Monday @ 10pm, and a scenario at 9pm on Weds).  That is when there are peak numbers of players.  Obviously, we'd want to keep the Sunday campagin for our Euro players, and if possible have one of those US nightly scenarios mirrored earlier in the day of the same day.

As it is.... I can only make the FSO and maybe another 1 or so throughout the week.

[Nefarious]

FSO players, is there a reason why you regularly play in FSO's but not in scenarios?

The hardest factor for me is the time. 3PM EST on any day of the week is hard to do for me and from what I have seen, my squad as well.

I personally have debated this over and over with countless CMs back when I was the lead of the Scenario Team. It's one of the main reasons we started the SNS event. Move a Scenario to Monday at 7 to 11PM EST and you my friend will have as much squad participation as FSO does.

Another possibility you may want to look into is building a Scenario Roster entirely from Squads, then later open single player registration.

[TheBug]

The hardest factor for me is the time. 3PM EST on any day of the week is hard to do for me

+1

Usually make the scenarios held during the winter months, but other than that 3pm on a Saturday not likely to find me able to be at my computer for a few hours.  8pm-till would work for me most nights.

[Brooke]

I understand.  The problem, though, with anything other than about 3 pm Eastern is it then precludes participation except for people in the US.  It's a dilemma.

[Gaidin]

I have the same issue with them.  I love them, have been in a few, but 3pm on Saturday causes some wife ack as well as other family conflicts.   Not to mention that I was up until 1am or so on Friday night for FSO.  If I was single, I would be at all of them, but Saturday and Sunday I try to keep as family days until the kids go to bed.

[Bino]

I understand.  The problem, though, with anything other than about 3 pm Eastern is it then precludes participation except for people in the US.  It's a dilemma.

Yeah, JG11 has two members who live in Europe, and the current Friday night FSO time is not easy for them.  Brooke, maybe if you were to alternate the Scenarios between USA-time and Euro-time slots?  Personally, I had a great time flying in that first Rangoon a long time back, and was looking forward to more, but RL (i.e., Saturday afternoon obligations) has prevented me from signing up.

[Nefarious]

I understand.  The problem, though, with anything other than about 3 pm Eastern is it then precludes participation except for people in the US.  It's a dilemma.

Then perhaps scenarios need to meet in the middle to form a combination of Frames from Europe and the US.

For example a frame could start at 3PM EST, last until 5PM EST then start a second frame at 7PM EST. The results would be compiled together.

[Anaxogoras]

FSO players, is there a reason why you regularly play in FSO's but not in scenarios?

I intentionally skipped the Rangoon scenario because of the substitutions.  However, I did fly every BoB frame because it seemed like a well designed setup, but in retrospect the rescues degraded the event (undermined the goal of landing, decreased the importance of SA): one pilot was shot down 5 times in a single frame.  In the future I would think twice about another scenario with rescues.

FSO squads, what would it take for you to regularly participate in scenarios in addition to FSO's?

Less prep-time from the log in deadline to when you actually get airborne; no substitutions; maximum of one rescue per frame.

[daddog]

Several in my squad enjoy scenarios and the planning that goes with them. For me personally I have had little enjoyment in them. More than once I flew around for two hours and never saw an enemy aircraft, let alone pull the trigger. Also Saturday’s are not the best time for me. Unless the basic design is changed I doubt Scenarios would ever really appeal to me personally.

In FSO I know I will see action, I get to fly with all my squadies, and that I only have one life. Can’t get much better than that.

[ELD66]

Saturday afternoon is rough on most family men. Also FSO moves more rapidly 3/4 weeks a month.

 Also with each frame there is a new CIC and a new plan all with the same intentions. The leadership are designated to a very few and the squads usually use there most qualified or the most willing running the show.

 FSO becomes an addiction, the rush of the few seconds of combat is better then anything that MA can give.

 FSO is also the closest thing to what it was like for the men more like boys back in the war. We reenact the battles as possible to the conditions that the men suffered through in WW2.

-ElD

[Delirium]

I'd love to do FSO, but I have to work every Friday night. I wish there was an FSO like event earlier in the day, or on Wednesdays.

That said, the biggest reason I think FSO is more popular is because few want to fly with people they don't know. The squad unit is much stronger than any bond you'd find artificially created by scenario enrollment software.

I'm of mixed opinion, I've made some good friendships flying with some people I don't know but I understand others' reluctance.

[Hajo]

Daddog I understand your problem with not seeing action in a short time.  But that is the way it happened in reality.  Sometimes you get more action then you can handle also.  For instance in the Scenario Operation Husky I flew a C47 for 2 hours and 15 mins and accomplished nothing.  Volunteers were requested to fly the C47 and I volunteered.  I left my P38G to help the Allies accomplish our goals.  I got shot down twice just before landing the troops for a capture.  C'est la Vie!

The virtual reality of a well designed and planned Scenario is unbeatable.  It places me in time, in an aircraft of that time, in a squadron that
actually saw combat.  Most people lose sight of what the Scenario is about.  It is the immersion.  Virtually placing yourself into that young pilots skin and aircraft and experiencing virtually what he might have felt and accomplished.  The directed teamwork of a good Scenario is unbeatable.  FSOs are almost the same.

The MA as someone so wisely put it is for the masses.   It's more of an added attraction for me.  It is fun, but seeing RAF Spitfire IXs attacking a formation of Lancasters is totally out of the realm of virtual reality.  Or for that matter USAAF P47s and P51s in a one on one didn't
happen very often did it? 

I would venture to say in the combat over Europe or the PAC for that matter some sorties just came home empty handed.  Some saw so much action they didn't return.  So saying that you were bored because of no action is really missing what the Scenario is about.  It is History.  It is the closest thing Aces High has to offer as a flight sim to virtual reality.  That is why I am here.  Before this tour I flew very little in the MA.  Why?  Gameplay and a complete lack of virtual reality. I have the month of January off so I've got to participate in the MA more.  And the more I logged into the MA the more I realized why I curtailed my flying in the MA previously.  Very little virtual realities in the two MAs.  The late and early War arenas have small populations and the same problem as the MA aircraft vs. aircraft.  Axis and Allies arena has the setup but what...sometimes only 3 people are there.

So think about the statement you made.....yup....it could be boring...maybe for awhile.  But the thrill of hearing over the VOX "Bogies!"
Two o'clock high!  they're 190s!  And then it starts!  That is what makes Scenarios my home in Aces High.

BTW having a Scenario on a weeknight Mon - Thurs would kill participation.  People work the next day and would curtail differing time zones
participation.

Hajo

[oakranger]

it is the timing of the scenarios.  make them Sat night.