My god would you please quit with the arena crap Hitech!

[Steve]

I do believe you prefer the fight to the horde however

I know like my 80th crew, the Muppets bounce to whichever side needs the help or where the fight can be found.  I know there are others who do this as well, but they are in the minority.  If there were more folks willing to move to balance the arena and combat the horde mentality, I would imagine the need to limit arena size would be less.  But since most folks won't do this, HTC is put in the position of having to so that the welfare of all players is taken into account. 

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

[SlapShot]

HTC is put in the position of having to so that the welfare of all players is taken into account. 

And more importantly ... HTC's bottom line.

HiTech said it himself and for some reason, people choose to ignore it. Had he continued down the path of 1 arena, he was looking at the strong possibility of going out of business.

But the real facts are had we not split arenas, it is possible Aces High would not exist.

HiTech didn't make this decision to piss people off ... he did it to survive and grow. Think about it ... why would he give a rats arse if their was 1 arena ... as long as he was making his numbers ? He didn't like the numbers and made a change which improved his numbers.

It was a business decision, plain and simple, so no amount of foot stomping or whining is going to make him change his mind about this. People need to sit back and look at it from the dollars and cents perspective.

The only thing that he will take into consideration, for change, is the logic on how he balances the arenas.

[saantana]

Why were the numbers going down when there was one arena? I think that's a point that is missing in this discussion.

[The Fugitive]

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

Steve, you and a few other don't see a problem because you guys are in the top end of the feeding pool. Just using BS numbers to point out what I mean...

10% of the players are the top guns or just plain love to "fight", these are the guys that CAN dive into a 10 vs 1 because they are skilled enough to be able to come out on top, OR just really don't care about score/rank so they fight. This is the group, like you   that has a hard time understanding what the big deal is.

20% are the average players. They still play a bit for score, are not really confident they can handle that 10 vs 1 so they will move on, or not even up in that area. They more often or not look for small groups to fight in... needing some protection, but not really wanting to share the kills  

70% of the players are the newbies. These include many players that have been here for years, ( was going to call this group "the skill less", but that would be rude   ) but have not advanced in their skill level due to being stuck in the horde and are happy at "being good enough".  These are the people that MUST hide in behind numbers because they don't have the skills or confidence to venture out on their own. These are the people that need the numbers, and flock to the most populated arena, and the biggest horde in that arena.

In a perfect world...

Squads would be limited to 32 people  
Missions limited to 15 people
Each squad would be responsible for their own area of the map, whether attacking or defending. (no joining other squads)

There would be fights along the whole front, NOT just in one sector. Can you imagine the options!! Battles everywhere, furballs, landgrabbing, GVs battling it out, it would be like heaven !  

Ahhhh nice dream, but it would never happen. It would take the "community" to decide to change game play like that, and far to many people in that 70% need the numbers to play.  I'd love to see HTC try the "Euro/Pac" arena set up. I flew Pac most of the time in AW and the numbers were good. I'd venture over to Euro now and then just for something different, and it was fun.

Why were the numbers going down when there was one arena? I think that's a point that is missing in this discussion.

I think it was posted by either Pyro or  HT that they ask "why" people are unsubscribing when they cancel their accounts and that info is what made them look at splitting the arenas. Picture a new guy signing up. The game is tough enough to get going as it is, add in 10 guys diving in on him each time he tries to up.

[saantana]

Steve, you and a few other don't see a problem because you guys are in the top end of the feeding pool. Just using BS numbers to point out what I mean...

10% of the players are the top guns or just plain love to "fight", these are the guys that CAN dive into a 10 vs 1 because they are skilled enough to be able to come out on top, OR just really don't care about score/rank so they fight. This is the group, like you   that has a hard time understanding what the big deal is.

20% are the average players. They still play a bit for score, are not really confident they can handle that 10 vs 1 so they will move on, or not even up in that area. They more often or not look for small groups to fight in... needing some protection, but not really wanting to share the kills  

70% of the players are the newbies. These include many players that have been here for years, ( was going to call this group "the skill less", but that would be rude   ) but have not advanced in their skill level due to being stuck in the horde and are happy at "being good enough".  These are the people that MUST hide in behind numbers because they don't have the skills or confidence to venture out on their own. These are the people that need the numbers, and flock to the most populated arena, and the biggest horde in that arena.

In a perfect world...

Squads would be limited to 32 people  
Missions limited to 15 people
Each squad would be responsible for their own area of the map, whether attacking or defending. (no joining other squads)

There would be fights along the whole front, NOT just in one sector. Can you imagine the options!! Battles everywhere, furballs, landgrabbing, GVs battling it out, it would be like heaven !  

Ahhhh nice dream, but it would never happen. It would take the "community" to decide to change game play like that, and far to many people in that 70% need the numbers to play.  I'd love to see HTC try the "Euro/Pac" arena set up. I flew Pac most of the time in AW and the numbers were good. I'd venture over to Euro now and then just for something different, and it was fun.

I think it was posted by either Pyro or  HT that they ask "why" people are unsubscribing when they cancel their accounts and that info is what made them look at splitting the arenas. Picture a new guy signing up. The game is tough enough to get going as it is, add in 10 guys diving in on him each time he tries to up.

That's a good point. However I must agree with Steve on one thing - I remember some of the best moments in Aces High were when I just upped from a base along with my squad and discovered 20-30 red icons of 110's and n1k's appearing out of nowhere, the rush of the feeling 'Chits hitting the fan now!!' is really great. That happens mostly on the bigger number arenas.
I remember that happening in Friday Ops as well, in the few times that I had the opportunity to participate.
But please put smaller maps on Blue arena. WAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

Edit: doesn't the argument of unsubscribing break after we introduce the fact of newbies usually join Bishops and participate in The Jokers missions right away? 

[Simaril]

HiTech didn't make this decision to piss people off ... he did it to survive and grow. Think about it ... why would he give a rats arse if their was 1 arena ... as long as he was making his numbers ? He didn't like the numbers and made a change which improved his numbers.

Quoted for truth.

Way back in the day of the original arena split, HTC made this point completely clear. Member growth had fossilized, and the game experience was so negative for new players that retention of trial memberships (and other proprietary metrics) that changes HAD to come. As HT said back then, the system was "sick"

And before anyone says anything about the evils of money grubbing businessmen, remember the REASON retention was poor -- the population as a whole voted with their dollars to say that the GAME EXPERIENCE was suffering. That environment affects the long term vets just as much as the new players, just in different ways.

[SlapShot]

Why were the numbers going down when there was one arena? I think that's a point that is missing in this discussion.

Only HiTech could really answer that, but what difference would it make even if he did answer it. If I remember correctly from the initial thread concerning the arena split was Pyro saying that the 1 arena turned into a "slum" and it was driving customers away.

Never the less, I don't think that it would even be a point of discussion ... HiTech has been in this business for quite some time and would know better than any of us when it comes to making these types of decisions.

[Steve]

Steve, you and a few other don't see a problem because you guys are in the top end of the feeding pool. Just using BS numbers to point out what I mean...

10% of the players are the top guns or just plain love to "fight", these are the guys that CAN dive into a 10 vs 1 because they are skilled enough to be able to come out on top, OR just really don't care about score/rank so they fight. This is the group, like you   that has a hard time understanding what the big deal is.

20% are the average players. They still play a bit for score, are not really confident they can handle that 10 vs 1 so they will move on, or not even up in that area. They more often or not look for small groups to fight in... needing some protection, but not really wanting to share the kills  

70% of the players are the newbies. These include many players that have been here for years, ( was going to call this group "the skill less", but that would be rude   ) but have not advanced in their skill level due to being stuck in the horde and are happy at "being good enough".  These are the people that MUST hide in behind numbers because they don't have the skills or confidence to venture out on their own. These are the people that need the numbers, and flock to the most populated arena, and the biggest horde in that arena.

OK, this makes sense.

HiTech didn't make this decision to piss people off ... he did it to survive and grow

 

Well this may not be directed at me but.. I'm not pissed off.  Seriously. Sometimes later in the evening when I log on fights are harder to come by and the alts seem really really high. I get disappointed but it's a long way from pissed off. Also, I don't pretend to represent "everybody" or "the majority". I personally don't care for the 2 arenas.  If it was indeed a business decision and it has been good for HTC, bully for them! I don't feel so strongly about it that I'm going to take my pony and go home. 

It would be nice if there weren't such big maps so that, when numbers are a bit smaller, what planes are in the arena aren't scattered beyond finding a fight easily. Again, just my 2 cents. As I said, with the exception I mentioned, I have fun in the game. I want/hope for others to have fun as well.

[saantana]

Ok. So that was a business decision which is understandable.
Still, I have to agree with Steve that a smaller map for Blue would be nice. I'm going to start whining about that now.

WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa I want smaller maps in Blue WAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

[DamnedRen]

Kinda makes you wonder when TV's Shows "jump the shark" what happened to their marketing dept?

Something change?

I agree with Steve, I prefer one arena. I can find fights in the arena. All I have to do is look for the horde.
If they go away I wonder what will happen. If there are 2 arenas then it's statis quote. Life goes on.

It's really good to know HiTech knows what we really want and not what we think we want (I'm so confused. Living all these years and I just haven't a clue).

Clueless Moron #2

Well anyway, let's hear it for the morons!!!

 

[moot]

Single arena slums sucked.

[DMBEAR]

What sucks worse than 1 arena is having two arenas and being told you have to go to the crappy one with a giant map and 15 people on each country.  Meanwhile. the arena you can't get in has a large % of people just sitting in the tower afk so that when they do want to play they won't be locked out.

[SlapShot]

Well this may not be directed at me but.. I'm not pissed off.  Seriously. Sometimes later in the evening when I log on fights are harder to come by and the alts seem really really high. I get disappointed but it's a long way from pissed off. Also, I don't pretend to represent "everybody" or "the majority". I personally don't care for the 2 arenas.  If it was indeed a business decision and it has been good for HTC, bully for them! I don't feel so strongly about it that I'm going to take my pony and go home.

It wasn't directed at you ... I know your not happy ... but some are "pissed off".

[SlapShot]

Ok. So that was a business decision which is understandable.
Still, I have to agree with Steve that a smaller map for Blue would be nice. I'm going to start whining about that now.

WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa I want smaller maps in Blue WAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 

NEW small maps would be nice. The old/stale AH1 maps are ... well ... old and stale ... and EVERY map should have water that will support CVs. Personally, if I log into an arena and it doesn't have water ... I log out.

[hitech]

By DammedRen
It's really good to know HiTech knows what we really want and not what we think we want (I'm so confused. Living all these years and I just haven't a clue). Smiley

Clueless Moron #2

I a glad you now understand your true roll in life.

To rephrase, many times a customer will phrase what there desire is by means of an implantation. As an example.

A customer wishes to fly with his squad, but phrases it as in I want one arena.

Or a customer will say, I want things to be realistic as possible, and there for I want cowl flaps. In reality the as saying I want to feel as if I am really in a WWII plane.


The issue is the customer does not very often knows the real out come of implementing what he says he wants. He automatically thinks that what he is asking for will give him what he desires, and it normally does not.

HiTech