Seems everyone has a different view on how the game play is going or play styles. I always viewed the Main Arena as nothing more then practice for scenarios, fso's and snapshots. Since 2002 I've always seen people days before an FSO event flying their "event ride" to practice, as vOid once pointed out "why not familiar yourself with the ride you are going to be flying in the events?". I used the Main arena to challenge myself also, flying Ki-84s and C.205s in a late war arena was much more challenging then it seems. I believe it made me a better pilot, as there was no aircraft I couldn't fly without regard in any situation or scenario.
The Duel Arena was nothing more then challenge myself to learn to fight more efficiently, when my gunnery improved - I was able to show you could down 8 planes in a C.202 on a random sortie. Could I pull it off always? course not, but I gave myself expectations that in any scenario I would be confident enough I could handle any mission.
FSO, Snapshots and Scenarios was just where I put it all on the line. I left the game almost 3 years ago today because of personal reasons - it wasn't because the "main arena" was changing, it has always changed since 2002 - I pretty much learned the game play was turning "sour" when the Muppets had to put up a dogfight mission in the Main arena because frankly everything at this point was to "NOE undefended bases". There was no fighting spirit left in the game it seemed, of course there are people like Del and Latrobe who I flew with that always gave you a good time, even if it was once a week it made it worth it. Sorry I cannot comment on the gameplay now, I've been lurking only hoping to have an interest in coming back, but for three years now my thrustmasters warthogs have sat untouched. I guess I can say I lost all "interest", only because when I could fly - there were not very many fights going on, of course the loss in players attributed to that.
I think in my best opinion its because players like me; have chosen to move on - as much as I wanted to stick around (I didn't pay $500 for thrustmasters for nothing), I just lost all interest and hope.