Is this what you wanted HTC?

[shiv]

I think the main consequence of the changes in regards to strategy.  In the off hours a handful of guys can no longer quickly grab back what the horde took the night before.

When the numbers are scaled back it is easier for the defenders to cope.  When there are 20+ guys all working the same objective the defenders need to get up and in their faces early enough to break the hordes morale.   The extended radar gives you a little extra warning and they can't run NOE.  This is why you see the the first guy go augering into the radar as the first strike.

As a community it is more important than ever to help balance the teams so it doesn't happen every day.   I've changed my own squadron rules to facilitate more flexibility.  If others do the same then we can cure the problem ourselves.

yesterday we fought between the same 2 bases for 7 hours and not once did anyone resort to checking town for M3's neither side got close.  These drawn out battles is what I strive for and not endless cheap captures.

Looks more like DA lake to me now.  If you want a fight you really have no choice but to join the horde attacking an enemy base or try to fight off the horde attacking one of your bases.  Fine for the players who like to fly with the squad and enjoy big furballs but for the lone wolf it's a lot tougher to find any kind of small fight.  And while I do enjoy a big furball I just don't want to do it all the time.

2 examples:  

-- Previously if I couldn't find a smaller fight I'd fly on the edge of a big fight and drag a con off for a 1v1.  Had some some success with this, not necessarily with winning the fight but could usually wind with a 1v1.  Now with the radar rings overlapping the bases there really are no edges.  

-- V-Base fights.  The old V-bases were easier to take so there was some profit to be had by sending in one or two planes to attack one.  So one defender could fly over and find some action.  Or you could fly a single plane in at a V-base and be pretty sure someone was upping at the nearest air-base to try to come over to defend.  Now you need a small army to take one so that's all you find.  

And I could care less about capturing bases - I'd participate in one every once in a while for a change is about all - but all the changes to make capture harder have made the game a lot less varied.  Now it's just giant darbars and no darbars.  MA lake, floor to ceiling radar and players flying in big gaggles.

[maddafinga]

Shiv, any time you see me on man, give me a shout and I'll gladly get together with you for some real fights. 

[shiv]

Shiv, any time you see me on man, give me a shout and I'll gladly get together with you for some real fights. 

Now that's fun.  I'll take you up on that Madda <<S>>

[BnZs]

The base capture mechanics are more difficult, which leads for the need to have a horde instead of a few skilled playes to capture a base. Not only are the planes easier to fly, they introduced a bunch of easy-mode planes to pile on.

Base captures do not define how you have to fly. Thin the horde, who cares if they get the base if you splash 5 of them?

[jamdive]

A lot tougher to find 1v1s now with the large radar rings that's for sure.

Now that the bases are harder to take, maybed we can get rid of that rats nest of radar circles and return to normal without a lot of carebear tears.

[Dadsguns]

I think the main consequence of the changes in regards to strategy.  In the off hours a handful of guys can no longer quickly grab back what the horde took the night before.

When the numbers are scaled back it is easier for the defenders to cope.  When there are 20+ guys all working the same objective the defenders need to get up and in their faces early enough to break the hordes morale.   The extended radar gives you a little extra warning and they can't run NOE.  This is why you see the the first guy go augering into the radar as the first strike.

As a community it is more important than ever to help balance the teams so it doesn't happen every day.   I've changed my own squadron rules to facilitate more flexibility.  If others do the same then we can cure the problem ourselves.

yesterday we fought between the same 2 bases for 7 hours and not once did anyone resort to checking town for M3's neither side got close.  These drawn out battles is what I strive for and not endless cheap captures.

I think most in the game will agree with you as I do as well, however what we are seeing more often than not is when the same two sides are exerting all available players against 1 side, your not going to get the response from the defenders you so speak of and surely not the type of fights people seek.  Does it happen almost daily, yes.  You cant put up much of a defense being outnumbered all the time on a front.

In essence, and I will say it like I see it, Bish continually are being ganged/horded from both fronts period. Does it happen to all sides? Sure it does, but its usually 90% of the time bish being horded.  Correct me if I am wrong here, but rarely do you see a comparable dar between rooks and knits.  Is that because Bish can put up an enjoyable fight?  Better Sheep?  Dont know.  But it surely is not being policed by players and balanced out between fronts by any substantial part of the community to rectify it.  

I dare say that the issue was never NOE's to begin with as far as finding any decent fights would go,  its the hording that was and still is the problem, noe was just a form of hording.  
One issue has been neutered.  Whats next to resolve the bigger issue of hording so that all can get the decent fight they are looking for? Community to police ourselves?  

IMO.

Good luck JB.

[CAP1]

This game has become a shell of what it used to be. I have been flying this game since 2000, less and less often as time goes buy. It doesn't suprise me why those that leave do. What Happened? It has devolved into just one mass of planes flying into another. There are no tactics, strategy, no reason other than fly into one area of the map and hope you can get a kill or two before being raped.
You made the bases harder to capture and the planes easier to fly. There is no emmersion anymore. I feel like everytime I takeoff, I should put a quarter in my computer. Its gone from a combat flight sim and real time strategy to an arcade game.
I remember when I couldn't wait to get home and fly. I even went to a couple of cons to meet those who i flew against or with. Now it's just a facebook account to keep in touch with some of the older fliers. Even their numbers are starting to dwindle.
For now I continue to play, but not with the same enthusiasm as I had in the past. Not nearly the entusiasm as I had in the past.

it's funny that you don't feel immersion. when i'm attacking bombers, i get that feeling of playing cat and mouse with them, as i set them up. when i'm in bombers, i get the same feeling when i see one setting me up.
 when i get into a fight, especially a furball, i am at that point totally immersed, as i'm trying to survive, and get rid of the red guys. \

 the only thing wrong with the game, is the one thing htc cannot control, and that is the players. htc is doing a phenomenal job at this.

[SmokinLoon]

Who dictates the experience?  Who has the ability to change that experience?   

IMO, the sim/game has gotten better.  I am one of the most "traditionalist" sim-gamres a person could meet, and I feel that HTC has improved the online air combat sim experience with all the improvements they have introduced the past 2 years.

If a guys doesnt want to furball... then dont.  Dont want to gv... then dont.  Etc.  There are so many things to do mission wise in this game I feel real sorry for someone who has to point fingers when their fun has been disrupted by an update.

FWIW... it doesnt take any more of the "skilled" players to take down a town.  I have not fully counted all the buildings yet... but over all I dont think there are that many more.  They are simply spread out. 

[rvflyer]

FWIW... it doesnt take any more of the "skilled" players to take down a town.  I have not fully counted all the buildings yet... but over all I dont think there are that many more.  They are simply spread out. 

  Put the radar back to original and change the town back to original, with maybe some eye candy, and the game would be more rounded for everyones type of play style.
I don't even bother going to a town anymore there is not the satisfaction of sneaking a base or foiling someone trying to sneak a base.

[CAP1]

Put the radar back to original and change the town back to original, with maybe some eye candy, and the game would be more rounded for everyones type of play style.
I don't even bother going to a town anymore there is not the satisfaction of sneaking a base or foiling someone trying to sneak a base.

i like the new look of the towns....they look more realistic.

[Yeager]

i like the new look of the towns....they look more realistic.

The new towns are excellent.  the game is better now than it has ever been.  Again, the quality of people is what has changed.  The mentality of the collective players, the mentaility of how the game is being played today, pretty much sucks.  Has nothing to do with the mechanics of gameplay.

Just my most worthless opinio, but Its mine and Im sticken with it.

[DrBone1]

The new towns are excellent.  the game is better now than it has ever been.  Again, the quality of people is what has changed.  The mentality of the collective players, the mentaility of how the game is being played today, pretty much sucks.  Has nothing to do with the mechanics of gameplay.

Just my most worthless opinio, but Its mine and Im sticken with it.

i will back you up on that 1 bud 

[Lusche]

A few of the recent changes had some big negative / unwanted or for some part surely unintended effects, most notably strengthening hording tendencies and hurting gameplay diversity.

[Airborne]

I didn't read 100% of the posts, but I seem to see the common value is people looking for that 1v1....

I've only played AH for 3-ish years, and only for the last few months have I been at it full time since FA shut down.

See, back FA 1.x you had 4 bases, giant furballs, if you wanted a 1v1 you told X person to meet at Y grid at Z altitude and that was it. I also saw the <S> for a GF, and even in the horde if someone called empty/winchester or RTB due to damage, more often than not he was let go IF he had managed to disengage and get away from "the fight"... I.E. no one chased him all the way back to his base...

however, that changed in FA as it got to 2.X.... Just as I am reading it has changed in AH... but what AH has that FA didn't is a DA. in FA we had our Territory Conquest (MA), FFA, historical, etc. No dueling arena. You had to move off to an area and hope noone interfered.

What I am getting at, and I mean no offense to anyone is this: The game, as with any that survives, changes. If  you want your 1v1 clean fights, go to the DA with like minded folks. There are those of us who enjoy flying with squaddies and taking ground. Granted, I like both, but my skill level is not on par with the game mechanics in AH and flight differences coming from FA to duel.... so... I stay in the MA. Again, no offense to anyone, but it sounds as if people want to make the MA more of a dueling arena. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think points apply in the DA/TA/Fighter Town and if that's the case, then it sounds more of a "I have the skill to fight 1v1, win, and make my points, but I don't have the squaddies or the ability (if anyone does) to fight 8v1 and win."

I don't know, I may be way off there, but that's how it appears "at-a-glance." One last time, before someone goes off half-cocked, I MEAN NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE'S SENSIBILITIES, HOWEVER DELICATE THEY MAY BE!!!....

But seriously, this game immerses you in way that FA didnt.. FA's tanks were AI... Here, they are not (which is awesome!) All flak in FA were AI as well... Here, you have areas such as the DA and Fightertown to establish your 1v1 and have your fun with likeminded people, I just don't understand why a change needs to happen in a territory conquest arena. And to be honest, I used to hate it when 1-5 people could capture a base... The fight was over before you could get into it. Granted, I don't like fighting for 2 days over defending my base then attacking the one north like happened the last 2 days, (thats a little long XD) but still, I think it's a good time..

And having played before they change the towns and such, I like the towns now... Takes more effort to down a town, imho.

But I am beginning to ramble, so I'll stop here and wait to see who flames my post first.

~Airborne

[Gooss]

I love it.

Four Corsairs to choose from.

Lots of red guys.  

I dunno about HTC, but it is exactly what I wanted.

HONK!
Gooss