What are we gonna do to make this work?

[Lephturn]

You want more folks in that arena?

I like the WWII Battle Arena personally.  That said, a name change won't help the CT much if at all.

I'm somebody who doesn't normally have long stretches of un-interrupted time to fly, so I don't go to the CT often.  Some other things keep me out too, such as limited plane choices and radar that makes it tougher for me to find a fight.

Keep it Axis v. Allies and such, but try not limit the plane sets too much.  I think the majority of folks have favourite planes they like to fly, or at least favourite types.  Bottom line for me, if it isn't American and armed with .50's, I won't bother very often.  Cannon birds are an interesting diversion, but they aren't my "thing".  To get more people in the CT, make sure that some representatives of most different plane types are present.  Even if it's not perfectly historical.  The more plane choices available in a given CT setup, the more folks you will have interested in that setup IMNSHO.  When you are choosing limited matchups, choose the most inclusive ones you can that include the larger groups of enthusiasts first.  IE, there are a lot more P-47 enthusiasts, than say Yak enthusiasts, so if you have to choose a specific setup, one that includes Jugs makes more sense.  (Or maybe that's just my bias showing.  )

The more you limit the CT, the less folks you will have.  I really believe it's that simple.  The MA will ALWAYS have more people, because by design it can accomodate everyone.  To make the CT different and interesting you need to limit it, but you must always keep the limits to a bare minimum.  IMHO.  I'm not just talking about plane choices here, although I think that's the biggest one that stops me from playing in the CT much.  I don't always need or even want my Jug to fly, but I want something similar.  Give me an F6F, a Mustang, or (we can hope) a Wildcat and I'll be a happy camper.  Now I'm giving a specific example, but I think you can see what I mean.

Luckily as the planeset expands, the CT will get better and better IMO.

[Vortex]

Part of the problem with CT is that its identical to MA, just with a restricted plane set. As Lephturn noted many are attached to certain plane types and, in light of that, they aren't going to fly in an arena that is pretty much a mirror of MA insofar as underlying gameplay goes, moreso when their preferred rides aren't available. Myself, I have no real preference, I'll try pretty much any plane.

That having been said, if you like CT, go for it. I tend to agree with the sentiment of others here that it isn't ever going to be a big draw under its present layout. Its just too much like MA. Restricted plane sets are nice when they work, but its often hard to find a playability balance with historical restraints in the way. The last layout was a good example of that imo. Allies had a far superior planeset.

What I'd rather see is a furball arena. Small map(s), no base captures, no "winning" as it were, no plane restrictions beyond the perk layouts (fiddle with that if you like), allow base disruptions but only for very short periods, no GV's, very short downtimes for acks. That sort of thing. The idea being you encourage fast and easy fighter combat only and setup the arena in such a way as to support that end. I just see a lot more uniqueness with something like this as I do with CT.

Vortex

[J_A_B]

Indeed, the CT doesn't appear to be designed for mass appeal, for many of the reasons already listed in this thread.  It seems to be designed as a more difficult alternative to the MA, appealing mainly to those players who have "outgrown" the MA (this is why the average skill level in the CT is a bit higher).  

While this is not the course of action I would take with the CT, it does have its advantages--in time the CT may become a good tool for keeping players in AH who would otherwise become bored and move on to different games.  While things like the CT's ICON setting aren't especially realistic, they do much to change the dynamics of the fight and provide a new challenge for players.  The rotating planesets are another example--most AH players prefer to stick with one or two rides that may or may not be available in the CT, but once they become bored with the MA they may view the CT's shifting planesets as a new challenge, forcing them to learn a new ride every so often.

I do have one suggestion concerning the current CT design--planesets should last a full month (a full tour), as opposed to two weeks.  This would work better with AH's scoring system.  Otherwise, it would be desirable to shorten the length of the tour in the CT to match the 2 week planesets.

J_A_B

[popeye]

"What I'd rather see is a furball arena."

We have one.  It's the Dueling Arena.  Turn on Killshooter, and it's ready for furballing.

[Tuck]

how about calling it the "virgin sheep theater"?  that'd increase the numbers...although it'd mostly increase the numbers of players from west virginia and kentucky.       (wales and ireland for your europeans)

The Tuckster

"The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down."
Col. Chuck Yeager, USAAF
 
 

[CRASH]

I'm thinkin' it's gonna need "WWII" in the name somewhere, given that I think anything else you add would work

CRASH

[K West]

While I don't think having the "right" name is the cure all to higher numebrs in the CT I do think that it help make it looke more appealing and intriguing on the surface.

 Over the past 13 some years the "arena" has had names such as "Page xxx", "xxxx theatre" "xxxx room" .and "xxxx arena"  but IMO these were all very neutral and ambiguos monikers.

 The "Main arena" sounds fine for what it is.  The name covers is like the arena itself where inside is an anything goes atmosphere.

 IMO make the HA/CT name more colorful and creative - but without being outlandish.

 Westy

[ET]

Why not call it the Strategy Arena.We all know its WW2.

We would have been using the Stalingrad map right now except for a bug or something.I never got a chance to see it even though  I downloaded it.

Buzzbait and others are working hard to make more historical maps to make it more realistic.

Hey you map making guys.
Many thanks.

[Joc]

'WW2 BATTLE ARENA 'good name eh? only we'll have to petition HT I think to get name change...

[Buzzbait]

S!

Not me making the maps.

Thank 10 Bears, Sundog, Camo and the rest of the terrain guys...

[Sling]

Originally posted by J_A_B
...designed as a more difficult alternative to the MA, appealing mainly to those players who have "outgrown" the MA (this is why the average skill level in the CT is a bit higher).  

 

Hmmph...so when do I know that I am good enough to fly in there?  Is there like an entrance exam or something that I have to take?  

I cant wait 'til I get big an' then I can fly in the big boy arena.  Sheesh...its already started.  I know that a lot of guys have wanted this and I know that the player base has probably grown sufficiently to warrant having 2 separate arenas.  But the inevitable 'our arena is better because its harder' and 'only gamers fly in the MA' crap has started to rear its ugly head.  I was never involved in WB but I have heard enough and read enough about this split in the player base over there and was hoping that this kind of attitude would never show up over here.  I guess I was wrong.

[deSelys]

My 0.02 $:

I don't think the 'better' players fly the CT. But, as the numbers are much lower than MA, you'll quickly feel the difference when 5 good sticks like wilbuz, hblair,eskimo, proffate... are logged on as enemies.
OTOH, I've seen a lot of 'inexperienced' (no offence) players this last week, which is good IMHO.

As a result, opposition level may vary drastically, but I wouldn't say that only the 'experten' fly CT. A lot of them stayed faithful to the MA.

[oboe]

My preference for CT-style of play has nothing to do with my skill level.   I would just rather fly against the historical counterparts of whatever plane I'm flying.   And I'd rather enemy pilots work a little harder to spot my plane and keep track of it once they've visually identified me.

[Jaekart]

FWIIW,  from a newbie who is still trying to get his system to let him fly.

   My most extensive immersion in a flight sim is/was FA 2.0, where the most fun I had was in the Realistic Arenas.  I met quite a few really good people, who always went out of their way to help a newb figure out what he was doing wrong, in order that in the future, I would become a decent challenge for them.  From what I have seen within the posts on this BB, the same seems to hold true here as well.

  I sincerely hope that I shall soon be able to fly in the CT, as my personal passion in a game is to be able to help achieve some type of team oriented goal, while still being an Individual, within a Team. " Axis vs Allies " is definately "My Cup of Tea".  I have always detested being shot down by somebody who was flying the same plane or seemingly the same side as I was, as I gather happens regularly within the MA.

   I have no objection to a 1 vs 1 in the same plane in a "Dueling Arena" setting, as I am expecting it to happen.  { Just a personal preference thrown in. }

   At the moment, I don't have any constructive Ideas to contribute, yet feel that those that have been brought forth seem to have merit for the most part.  Most of them seem on the surface to have been thought out to some degree, and not just thrown out as a whine or gripe.  Hopefully, ideas will always be brought forth, and considered in this manner.

   To those that are working HARD to get this Arena working and playable, who LISTEN to those that play here, and also REPLY to those that make suggestions, all I can do at the moment is say THANK YOU & KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE.  

[Elysian]

How about Axis vs Allies?

Elysian/cmorris