Yo you going to let this game die or what?

[Lusche]

Eliminating Crater MA from the rotation would benefit you, but how would the 25% who play mainly GVs like losing Crater's tank area?

Where have I said I want to remove CraterMa? That's one of the small maps, the three large maps (20x20 sectors) are: Compello (actually my personal favourite map of all times), Ozkansas, Tagma

[Brooke]

I think that it would help greatly to reduce playing area to be suitable to number of players in the arena.

1st step (easiest) would be just smaller maps.

2nd step would be to figure out how to have yet smaller maps or play area at off-peak times when things get too thin to sustain robust activity.  Maybe just switch out of the bigger map when numbers drop below a certain level and leave it at the small map until it is won, then if you are in prime, bring up a bigger map next?

I haven't thought a lot about details -- just that active area really needs to scale with participation in my opinion.

Otherwise, as things thin out, action becomes harder to get, which causes more people to log out, and it is a negative feedback loop.

It would be easy to test -- just put some much smaller maps (or maps with greatly reduced active area, such as active bases only in particular regions) in off-peak and see how the numbers change during off peak.  Does it stay the same, decrease, or increase.  You'd have to do that enough times to get good stats on it.

[Lusche]

That would take way too many resources to implement, which are simply not there as long as HTC is busy building AH3. "Yet smaller maps" (I read that as: even smaller than the ones we have today) would have to be made first, to MA standards.
Any kind of system that involves a map switch when numbers drop, is going to cripple action even more, as it involves an arena reset. We had such a thing once, remember?  With less players than back then, it would take far longer for the arena to get back up to any kind of numbers.
Furthermore, I don't see the need to keep large map up at all, at this moment. For about half of the day AH has below 100 players during the week, with barely going over 200 for a limited time during US prime. It's not that a small map would be that crowded. After the big arena split, we played with substantially more players on those small maps.

Don't get me wrong, I love the many options the large maps can give us. I was very much lobbying to get them back to us after the Arena split. Compello is my favourite map of them all.
But the time for them has gone. One can only hope it comes back. But until then...

[Brooke]

That would take way too many resources to implement, which are simply not there as long as HTC is busy building AH3. "Yet smaller maps" (I read that as: even smaller than the ones we have today) would have to be made first, to MA standards.

Good point.

Any kind of system that involves a map switch when numbers drop, is going to cripple action even more, as it involves an arena reset. We had such a thing once, remember?

I don't remember that.

Furthermore, I don't see the need to keep large map up at all, at this moment.

Yep.

[Lusche]

I don't remember that.

Peak/offpeak late war arena system. Switched daily between the previous 2 LW arena setup (during peak hours) and a single offpeak arena. Was in effect from November 2010 to June 2011

[Lusche]

MainArena timeline

From start: Single Main Arena (later supplemented by AvA, Da, Ta and Special Events)
Summer 2001: As the numbers rise, large maps are being introduced to the rotation
September 2006: Arena Split. EW, MW, WW1 (since March 10),  2 LW arenas with automatic LW arena caps during peak times. All large maps are dropped
November 2007: Titanic Tuesday: Single LW arena, no caps, large map, on Tuesdays only. Peak of AH player numbers
November 2010: 2 LW setup changes to peak (2) / offpeak (1) arena system. Automatic arena cap during peak hours
June 2011: Current EW, MW, LW setup with a mix of large  and  small maps in the LW arena.

[NatCigg]

Peak/offpeak late war arena system. Switched daily between the previous 2 LW arena setup (during peak hours) and a single offpeak arena. Was in effect from November 2010 to June 2011

I remember a lot getting upset at this point.  Taking away freedom to play when and where you want hurt the norm.  I think the next big hit to the community was when everyone got put in one sandbox.

[Masherbrum]

This thread needs more salt.

[Lusche]

Have you been here when the single main was split into ew, we and 2*lw?
That was an uproar you have not heard before nor after. 

Oh and the switch to peak/offpeak system and then to single LW were made because of declining numbers, not causing them. The previous formats weren't sustainable anymore.

[Delirium]

Furthermore, I don't see the need to keep large map up at all, at this moment.

Yep.

Yes, agreed. If the number of bases out number the players (more so during primetime), it is a good idea to remove it from circulation.

[ghi]

This thread needs more salt.

Agreed!
 Btw, we switched to pink Himalayan salt, try it guys, It's natural unprocessed, taste great. 

[NatCigg]

Agreed!
 Btw, we switched to pink Himalayan salt, try it guys, It's natural unprocessed, taste great. 
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)

my god i think he said it had vibrations. 

all his health advice is wiped out by his psychotic paranoid mental state. 

Pinks salt is good on finished food through course grinder! 

[Rich46yo]

I "like" the big maps to. Its not a question of "liking" or not.

I remember when we used to groan when Uterus rotated in. Now I yearn for it.

Anyway finally a few days off to play a little. Next year I hang up my spurs and hope to play a lot.

[715]

Where have I said I want to remove CraterMa? That's one of the small maps, the three large maps (20x20 sectors) are: Compello (actually my personal favourite map of all times), Ozkansas, Tagma

Forgive me, I misunderstood you.  I thought you wanted to remove "Caldera" which I took to mean CraterMA  ("caldera" is a synonym for crater).

[Brooke]

A drink of this will cure all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nITLob098W8