Where's WWI going from here?

[The Fugitive]

wow! a T doesn't look anything like a C thanks for catching that !

[bmwgs]

Didn't say there was no pickin.  They just can't take warp speed passes in uber rides with relative impunity. It is in no way like the DA.

I don't know.  Your right its not at warp speed, but everything in the WW1 Arena is slow, but at times I see no difference except for speed.

My Opinion

Fred

[Westy]

 Hate his politics : ) but super kudos to Toad for doing a phenominal job at trying to
get the point across to those who *thought* they were listening but were assuredly
not.

All hail the Hitechster!  Your group has made something special once again with this
new WWI  arena.  <S>

[Bronk]

I don't know.  Your right its not at warp speed, but everything in the WW1 Arena is slow, but at times I see no difference except for speed.

My Opinion

Fred

Ohh I agree on pickin galore. However there is a HUGE diff between quad cannon birds swarmin vs. twin .303s birds swarmin.  Much less 1 shot kills.

[NoBaddy]

If so, you understand these seemingly innocuous ideas will evolve into the morass that is the MA.


It was an Atoll map with three bases on an island in the middle. Each country had an uncapturable big island of their own. The GVs were ONLY in the middle. Bombers did have absolutely minimal effect on gameplay, although they were fun to fly because you could put so many live gunners in them.

Geez....kids......:-)

Mid 1990, "Iron Bottom Sound". Large lake in the middle, with 3 main air fields around the it. Behind each main field (way behind) was a city and 2 secondary fields (one facing each opposing country). There were NO capturable fields. Bombers were flown for score...period.

Things didn't really get out of hand until all the fields became capturable. Game play deteriorated steadily from that point.

[Toad]

OK, Oldtimer. You got me there.  

You made the most important point though. It's a truth that has continued from there to the present day.

Things didn't really get out of hand until all the fields became capturable. Game play deteriorated steadily from that point.

[Yeager]

do keep in mind when stating that "gameplay deteriorated steadily from that point" that the AH population has increased steadily from that point.  What can be stated fairly accurately I think is that a smaller population became somehwat disengaged as a larger population took over.  From HTCs viewpoint they are better off today than they were ten years ago.  Keep that in mind.

[Toad]

If there were three 10,000 player hordes avoiding each other as they rolled undefended bases in the MA, HTC would undoubtedly be better off financially.

It would be pretty hard to say that improved gameplay though. It would have to be viewed as deterioration.

[Yeager]

Im in agreement with you. 

However, I am aware that for many other players gameplay is simply not an issue.  Case in point: I will not play in LW because it is simply too crowded for my enjoyment.  Simply too much all around dweebiness.  Before the WW1 arenas came along I was exclusively a MW player.  Great crowds, not too many peeps to piss in my wheaties, and I loved the plane set.  But, each night there are 350-400 people split between the two LW arenas, so a LOT of people are having fun in an arena(s) that I do not enjoy playing in because "gameplay" sucks.  Just keeping it real.

[Toad]

Believe me, 30,000 people in the MA would not bother me at all.

I wouldn't be there but it wouldn't bother me.

[Kirin]

I love the new WW1 'pure dogfight' arena. It's fresh - it's a change. I also love the MA 'war' arena which comes a little closer to depict applied air-to-air tactcis as I understand them. I do not understand why a T&B pilot should be more skilled than a B&Z pilot - just to justify those two stereotypes here.

Leave WW1 as it is - maybe add a few 'fun targets' like zeps and ballons - but leave it for the stick & rudder types.

As for the ganging problem... for those who whine about being outnumbered or 'picked' in a fight - can you tell me why you fly a multiplayer combat sim with massive multiplayer arenas in the first place? Setup your duels at places and times where you like - but don't whine in a arena with 100+ people. SA is a skill too! So is tactical engagement and disengagement. Or maybe team tactics - wingmen - etc. ...

[Boxboy]

LOL @Kirin get real bud this is an egomaniac game so screams of hording, picking, etc are sure to follow a shootdown I do it myself from time to time 

[NoBaddy]

OK, Oldtimer. You got me there.  

You made the most important point though. It's a truth that has continued from there to the present day.

Gee thanks....as if I don't feel old enough! 

Unfortunately, the proponents of pure fight are the minority. HTC needs the majority to pay the bills. At the same time, I played WW1 in AW. It was, most often, a ghost town. This was because, in part, the "fight" has a limited appeal.

What I see as the optimal solution is some form of activity that will inspire attack and defense (without encouraging horde monkey gameplay). In the end, I find mindless furballing as inane as mindless toolshedding.

Okay, now I can drop a few hints about what I think might work...

First, establish "battle lines" between the air fields. There would be ack like the field ack. The ack would provide "cover" for the observation balloons and prevent the current conga lines.

In addition, have a ground battle going on in the center of the map. Each side would also have an observation balloon there (but no ack). That would "funnel" the players into the center area and the Mother of All WW1 furballs. 

[Toad]

Right down the same old road.  It would never end; you know this from experience.

It would be like the begatting in the Bible.

"“Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; / And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; / And Aram begat Aminadab....."

Pretty soon, you'd begat the current MA.

[NoBaddy]

Well Toad...

With out a bit of beggatting... no one would be here to play the game.