Where's WWI going from here?

[CptTrips]

Wab, last time I saw guys near ack, it was killing friendlies and enemies indiscrimnantly.

I'm sorry, I don't think you answered my question.

Try a yes or no.

Regards,
Wab

[Toad]

I'm sorry, I don't think you read my reply.

It's immaterial whether or not allowing ack huggers to hug ack promotes the fight for two reasons.

1. It's THEIR $15/month; I'm certainly not going to tell them they have to play they way I think they should play.

2. The ack huggers in WW1 have no effect on the availability of fights. There's PLENTY of players outside the ack having what they consider to be good fights. How can I say this yet again? The fight doesn't need promoting in WW1; there are LOTS of fights going on, LOTS of kills getting recorded, LOTS of air combat.

You didn't answer my question either. Do you think a zeppelin/balloon/trench with more ack is going to promote the fight? Why ever would that be, if these same people are hugging the ack at their field?

[Yeager]

Toad,

I'm curious.

Do you think allowing the huggers to orbit in an impenatrable force field of ack promote the fight?

Wab

Oooh me  pick me!!!
In my experience it is a moving force field used as necessary.  As soon as enough of the hoarding reds died off down in the weeds near the green airfield they were encroaching on in superior numbers, the half dozen green guys grabbing a few hundred feet a minute in the protection of the ack went fourth giving chase in the odd way that only chases happenin at 90-110 mph can go.  In any situation, when you take 10 guys at a disadvantage and pit them up against 20 guys in a superior position they are going to circle the wagons.

[SlapShot]

It's the players, not the playground.
 

Isn't the basic general premise of the current AvA arena the same as the WWI arenas ... dogfighting and not "Win the War" ?

I could be wrong, but isn't the AvA setup to pit like/equal allies/axis planes against each other in a "real" geographic setting and not to capture bases to reset the map ? ... so if the playgrounds are similar in their basic intent then why aren't there as many people in AvA (past and present) as there has been in the WWI arenas since they have opened ? ... my guess (I know it's a stretch) ... it's something NEW and when the shine wears off the exterior ... well look at AvA.

I believe that once the newness of the WWI airplanes wears off ... it will be a ghost town for the most part ... just like AvA ... and that would be a shame.

I don't think for one second that Dale and Doug believe that the WWI participation will keep up at the pace that they are seeing, for an extended period of time, keeping it status quo.

[Toad]

That may be Slap but changing it into another WW2 MA isn't a step forward either.

I think they'll eventually tinker with it but I think the tinkering will be based on finding a different way forward in gameplay.

Look how long the AvA has lasted though. I doubt it will close anytime soon. Probably the same reason restaurants have more than one item on their menus.

[CptTrips]

I'm sorry, I don't think you read my reply.
...
You didn't answer my question either. Do you think a zeppelin/balloon/trench with more ack is going to promote the fight? Why ever would that be, if these same people are hugging the ack at their field?

I think it does not promote the fight.  Any artificial force field that prevents me from getting at the enemies throat is not promoting the fight.  I've flown all the way to bases and they just circle inside and we just circle outside until I auger in disgust.  I'm just asking for a chance to dive in and get them.  I'm ok with some ack.  I'm ok with that being very dangerous, but making it pointless insta-death just does not promote the fight.  

The zeppelins and balloons were not my suggestion.  Wether or not they would promote fights depends I think on what the penalty would be for the team not to protect them.  The ack huggers circle in the ack because there is no penalty for doing so.  Infact, its an advantage.  And I'm not asking for more ack.  I'm asking for less, and maybe make some of it manned instead.


Regards,
Wab

[hymijr]

just a thought
maybe we could set up some guns in the fields outside and send troops at them.......lots of them
the troops could capture guns and get the fields
it will work the same as MA after a % is captured then we win

[Toad]

Wab, IIRC, you said you liked this idea of Baumer's.

So that brings me to my proposed arena change. I'd like to see a trench line between the countries with ack on both sides...  

So what do you think is going to happen behind that impenetrable line of ack (assuming the ack is like the base ack)?

As Yeager pointed out, people climbing in the base ack come out eventually. I doubt anyone pays $15/month to endlessly circle in base ack. I think, as Yeag says, when the (usually) overwhelming threat backs off to between the fields, the uppers come out an get in the game.

I can't believe you're really having a hard time finding targets.

[Yeager]

I believe that once the newness of the WWI airplanes wears off ... it will be a ghost town for the most part ... just like AvA ...

If we could get it down to 40-50 peeps on average at peak evening times it would be a beautiful  beautiful thing.  Of course, thats my personal preference.  

It wont be a ghost town I can assure you.  Its not like there are 15 arenas set up in half a dozen different settings using at least 5 different planesets staring at you in the login screen.  There are four planes (currently) in a very limited number of arenas and a small (but growing) dedicated fanbase of hardcore afficianados of WW1 air war and ACM.  Have a little faith, think outside the LW box.

[CptTrips]

Wab, IIRC, you said you liked this idea of Baumer's.

So what do you think is going to happen behind that impenetrable line of ack (assuming the ack is like the base ack)?

Toad,

Did you even look at the image you just posted?   

It simply alters the traffic flow slightly towards the center.  It can still be flanked.  I can still reach the enemy base. (it should probably extended farther to the outside beyond which anyone would want to fly the back way.)  It doesn't prevent me from getting at the enemies throat.  It just makes me fly a little closer to the middle where the 3rd team can get at me easier, promoting more fights.

I thought the idea had enough merit to discuss.  Thats not the same as it having been my suggestion.


Regards,
Wab

[Sunka]

Wab, IIRC, you said you liked this idea of Baumer's.

(Image removed from quote.)



So what do you think is going to happen behind that impenetrable line of ack (assuming the ack is like the base ack)?

As Yeager pointed out, people climbing in the base ack come out eventually. I doubt anyone pays $15/month to endlessly circle in base ack. I think, as Yeag says, when the (usually) overwhelming threat backs off to between the fields, the uppers come out an get in the game.

I can't believe you're really having a hard time finding targets.

Leave the one on one area in the middle alone!IM having fun fights and dont want to change everything!

[Pongo]

Make A1 a rook field and A2 a knight field.
Force side balance to within 10%
Allow side switching at will(no strat who cares)
Put low level robo mgs along both sides of no mans land.(puffy ack 1/10th as dangerous as the current base ack just for enviroment)
Put in refuel spots.
Allow players to walk the 2km home if they ditch in friendly.
Add a few light clouds etc.
A few indestructible spotting balloons also just for enviroment
Turn enemy icons way down, maybe off.
and
limit arena to 60 and each field to 16 planes.

[Sunka]

Turn enemy icons way down,

^^Dose need done.I can see an icon coming at me 3 minuets before i ever engage them.

[Toad]

Toad,

Did you even look at the image you just posted?   

Did you?

Are you ignoring the fact it gives the same people you want to boot out of the field ack another place to circle in safety? So now you've got three places they can hover. That's an improvement?

[Nr_RaVeN]

Make A1 a rook field and A2 a knight field.
Force side balance to within 10%
Allow side switching at will(no strat who cares)
Put low level robo mgs along both sides of no mans land.(puffy ack 1/10th as dangerous as the current base ack just for enviroment)
Put in refuel spots.
Allow players to walk the 2km home if they ditch in friendly.
Add a few light clouds etc.
A few indestructible spotting balloons also just for enviroment
Turn enemy icons way down, maybe off.
and
limit arena to 60 and each field to 16 planes.

Yea But with enemy Icons Off and really short friendly icons.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,285684.0.html

With every one complaining about getting horded in the WWI arena I wish for one of the 4 WWI areans to be set up



No Icon WWI arena
Not to be confused with the Axis V allies arena.
As Axis V allies or The central powers V Allied Powers ONLY 2 country's
for the guys that do like it.
 
There are 3-4 WWI arenas already.

This way the hording is greatly reduced wile game play is enhanced.
As a WWI buff shooting at A D7 wile I'm flying one kills the fun.

 If I'm in a Camel I don't want to be shooting at a camel.

Each air craft has its own attributes and weaknesses flying opposing aircraft allows tactics to be used to take advantage of the attributes of a particular aircraft wile exploiting the other aircrafts weaknesses. kind of how it was in WWI. and WW2 for that matter.

Besides that the imagery of the WWI paint schemes and AC design should be allowed to show though with out being diluted with immersion killing icons. .

A NO icon WWI arena would be allot of fun.

 The bases are close lending themselves to the perfect no icon environment, for those that would be up to the challenge.

With 4 arenas it cant hurt to set one up like that. Perhaps just keeping short friendly icons to help with the team work.

I hope HTC would consider this option to add immersion to there great WWI add on