One arena weekend

[Bruv119]

move the timing of the cap back 4 hours and It wouldn't be a problem for us.

[Shuffler]

<<<<<< Pro Choice

[Soulyss]

Just for arguments sake, on Sunday I played a couple hours in the afternoon and logged because I looked across the map and all I saw were hordes chasing each others tails.  I logged back in to check the maps two or three times over the next several hours just to see if anything was going on and I just saw the same thing.  At one point right before I decided to call it a night and head to bed about 50% of people on my current country were sitting in the tower because all of the 4-5 fields that had any action at all going on were being swarmed by the hordes.

Conversely last night I logged on, went to blue since I preferred the map/terrain there and enjoyed a couple hours of battle, getting some kills here and there and collecting more than my fair share of violent cartoon deaths in the process, with friendly banter and joking going back and forth between the two combating countries along with a liberal sprinkling of salutes and wit. 

[LLogann]

 

You are hurting your self.  One arena, better chances someone will not like it and end up in the AvA

As for the real problem, as so many have pointed out.... The CAP... I do not think it would hurt the servers (or whatever other reason HTC uses) if CAPs never went under 400.  That way primetime Europe can have a little more freedom before the real need for CAPs comes into play anyway.

[dedalos]

As for the real problem, as so many have pointed out.... The CAP... I do not think it would hurt the servers (or whatever other reason HTC uses) if CAPs never went under 400.  That way primetime Europe can have a little more freedom before the real need for CAPs comes into play anyway.

You are right.  The problem is not the servers.  The FE on the other hand is a different story.  I see a huge difference in frame rates, stater, and planes flying through tracers on TT when 400+ are on.

[dedalos]

<<<<<< Pro Choice

democrat

[Lusche]

Just for arguments sake, on Sunday I played a couple hours in the afternoon and logged because I looked across the map and all I saw were hordes chasing each others tails.  I logged back in to check the maps two or three times over the next several hours just to see if anything was going on and I just saw the same thing.  At one point right before I decided to call it a night and head to bed about 50% of people on my current country were sitting in the tower because all of the 4-5 fields that had any action at all going on were being swarmed by the hordes.

Conversely last night I logged on, went to blue since I preferred the map/terrain there and enjoyed a couple hours of battle, getting some kills here and there and collecting more than my fair share of violent cartoon deaths in the process, with friendly banter and joking going back and forth between the two combating countries along with a liberal sprinkling of salutes and wit.  

Indeed, everybody (regardless of playing style) can have a good night with few players on and find a absolutely sucking combat environment with mayn players in an arena.
But for those interested in more that than fighting 1v1, the chances are much higher if more players are online. Terrain size, base distribution and base/town layouts require a minimum population to ensure varied & dynamic gameplay.  

One year ago, the CAPS were merely annoying to me. But it took only about one hour to get LWB up to numbers LWO to regain it's mpmentum again. When I left 2 weeks ago, this time has increased to 3-4 hours - about the whole evening.

Once the time when caps kicked in, it was in fact the best time for this, with rapidly growing player numbers during that time. The last time I tracked it, the total number of players online after cap begin stagnated and even dropped! Seemed almost as if a lot of players simply turned back at the entrance...


I have it even better than most of you guys. I don't have a squad, I do not "have to play with my friends", I do not need to join an arena with certain players. This aspect of the cap system doesn't even bother me

[Blooz]

As for the real problem, as so many have pointed out.... The CAP... I do not think it would hurt the servers (or whatever other reason HTC uses) if CAPs never went under 400.  That way primetime Europe can have a little more freedom before the real need for CAPs comes into play anyway.

Can't wait for the day you log on as player #401.

I can hear the screams already.

[DrBone1]

You are right.  The problem is not the servers.  The FE on the other hand is a different story.  I see a huge difference in frame rates, stater, and planes flying through tracers on TT when 400+ are on.

This is true 

[Kazaa]

You are right.  The problem is not the servers.  The FE on the other hand is a different story.  I see a huge difference in frame rates, stater, and planes flying through tracers on TT when 400+ are on.

You're right, Skuzzy once stated the following: The server doesn't even pass 2% stress on TT. A drop in frame rate usually has a lot to do with your computer not being up to the task.

[Soulyss]

Indeed, everybody (regardless of playing style) can have a good night with few players on and find a absolutely sucking combat environment with mayn players in an arena.
But for those interested in more that than fighting 1v1, the chances are much higher if more players are online. Terrain size, base distribution and base/town layouts require a minimum population to ensure varied & dynamic gameplay.  

One year ago, the CAPS were merely annoying to me. But it took only about one hour to get LWB up to numbers LWO to regain it's mpmentum again. When I left 2 weeks ago, this time has increased to 3-4 hours - about the whole evening.

Once the time when caps kicked in, it was in fact the best time for this, with rapidly growing player numbers during that time. The last time I tracked it, the total number of players online after cap begin stagnated and even dropped! Seemed almost as if a lot of players simply turned back at the entrance...


I have it even better than most of you guys. I don't have a squad, I do not "have to play with my friends", I do not need to join an arena with certain players. This aspect of the cap system doesn't even bother me

I agree that there is a range of #'s that I think give the best chance for a fun evening of AH, be it duels, furballs, tank battles, base capture, etc. What those actual numbers are could be argued to death I'm sure but I do believe there is a minimum and maximum.  Once that point of critical mass is reached I think certain aspects of the game begin to deteriorate.  I also understand that under the current system a lot of European players really get the short end of the deal.  I see the CAPS and multiple arenas as a flawed but necessary solution to the problem, I do really hope that a better idea/solution presents itself.

For the record 1v1's aren't my favorite thing in AH, if I had to pigeon hole myself into any single classification I would say I'm a furballer at heart.  I find a group engagement to offer more prolonged fun over the course of the evening than a series of 1v1's.  That being said a good 1v1 can really make my night.

[Lusche]

I see the CAPS and multiple arenas as a flawed but necessary solution to the problem, I do really hope that a better idea/solution presents itself.

Just tossing a thought into the ring: Is that problem that gave birth to split arenas & caps still there?

The overall number of players online in the mains is much lower nowadays then back when the caps were introduced. In fact, the total LW population O and B combined) on workingdays is most of the time even lower than in the single most populated LW arena after the split, with caps.

[Soulyss]

Just tossing a thought into the ring: Is that problem that gave birth to split arenas & caps still there?

The overall number of players online in the mains is much lower nowadays then back when the caps were introduced. In fact, the total LW population O and B combined) on workingdays is most of the time even lower than in the single most populated LW arena after the split, with caps.

It is an interesting question, but I think it would be hard to quantify.  I know you've been keeping statistics on arena populations, the only question I would have is what times were those samples taken?  It's entirely possible that numbers online dropped during some times and increased in others, I would also imagine that arena numbers could be a decent analog for subscribers the two numbers are technically unrelated.  I could keep an account and not log at all during a given tour (I know I've done it. ) There also could be multiple accounts for one household that get consolidated down to one.  Plus how to quantify lower numbers and arena caps and not other external factors like a down economy?

But is it an interesting question.

[Kazaa]

Just give us two arenas with no caps, large map in one and a small map in the other. Problem solved.

[Lusche]

It is an interesting question, but I think it would be hard to quantify.  I know you've been keeping statistics on arena populations, the only question I would have is what times were those samples taken?  It's entirely possible that numbers online dropped during some times and increased in others, I would also imagine that arena numbers could be a decent analog for subscribers the two numbers are technically unrelated.  I could keep an account and not log at all during a given tour (I know I've done it. ) There also could be multiple accounts for one household that get consolidated down to one.  Plus how to quantify lower numbers and arena caps and not other external factors like a down economy?

But is it an interesting question.

First, let me claryify that I never said the caps are the (sole/main) reason for dropping numbers. It's my personal belief (<-important) that the caps did not have any considerable negative influence (on player numbers online) for a long time. HT stated that the quote of players keeping a subscription after their 2weeks did improve.
However I do have the opinion that now they possibly do contribute to the problem, as it takes more and more time to get to "critical mass" during off peak times.
In other words: For one's individual gameplay, it doesn'T make that much difference if there are 500 or 250 players on a large map. But having to join a 40 players arena instead of playing with 180 makes a much bigger difference.

But all in all, the phenomenon of decreasing numbers is a different, (and quite complex) discussion.


On the numbers:
I have three sets of numbers I'm currently basing my argumentation on.
The first, and weakest data source is my memory. While I always took big interest in all numbers (as you all know  ), I did not care to keep records during the "golden days". While I used to fly a lot both at Euro  as well as US times, I'm reluctant to compare US numbers now and then. But I belive I have a very good memeory for offpeak numbers.

But as memory is fallible, it try to get different data to compensate for that. One crutch to measure some kind of "activity" is simply to count the number of kills made in the arenas over time - this number is available. While there can & will be some minor variation due to holidays, tour length and maps, it's quite comparable as the basic distances & gameplay design didn't change during the past 5 years:


(Black column= Arena Split)

And the third set is data actually recorded by me. I started this last month, to see how player numbers and caps work out during the day. By chance I found one set of numbers showing arena population during Euro prime from early 2009, which allowed me a comparison based on hard data.