Well truth is surely subjective. Does 'truth' require a defensive stance?
1. The DA still exists.
2. How players choose to play or not play with the toys provided has never been HT's fault (if you feel that statement is wrong then you need to provide more than 'more are logging off and never logging back on' and how the 'differences in the game design' are truly at fault and not just perceived by you to be.)
Allow me a general word on this matter.
Well apart from the fact that I'm here for battles, not duels.... Things don't work like this, unfortunately.
I can control only my actions, and when the DA is empty (which it always is during off hours) it wont help when I go there. The other 10-30 active players won't follow me. Been there, done that in different constellations over the years in AH.
Any 'solution' that doesn't accept the realities of human nature and just ask for a major change of behaviour of the population as a whole does not work.
That's what you got gameplay mechanisms and rules for (just like ENY, perks, or killshooter). "We" can't to the work of the game designer.
As far as actual proposals go:
- Change the HQ (has been commented on by HT in another thread)
- Take the large maps out of rotation until the numbers allow for them again
(They had been introduced at a much higher population which was very much increasing at those times. And remember how they were taken out of the game after the big arena split, only to be returned for Titanic Tuesdays exclusively?)
- Reduce the sideswitch time limit. Doesn't have to be as low as one hour, even something like four might help.