I'm not sure where the current negativity regarding the 12 hour set up came from. I recall very clearly that those that participated enjoyed it thoroughly, because they said they did. Frankly I do not remember one person that said anything like, "It would have been better to be 3 hours each, 4 consecutive Saturday's".
It was the most fun I have ever had in Aces High and that includes FSO's which are near and dear to me and I always have a whole lot of fun on Friday's.
I must assume the 12 hour negativity is from players that did not actually play in it. Maybe they didn't play because they were just so sure they wouldn't like it, never tried it, and are stuck with their original negative opinion because they don't want to be wrong.
I agree with you here about how fun and challenging the 12 hour scenario was. The 12 hour scenario also has the added benefit of excluding no player based solely on their time of day (except Aussies
) and with the declining player base this is very important.
But I also agree with most of the critics of the 12 hour format. Those who like the long term camaraderie built within their squad and command team lose that aspect of the scenario. While I never thought of that aspect as being important before Target for Today, I did feel that it was sorely missed once it was over. Players who enjoy getting into the history of a particular campaign lose their ability to experience the grind of day-to-day operations. Those who enjoy the grand strategy aspect lose the ability to assess the past frame, confer with squad leaders, make adjustments, and draw up a new plan. Much of what makes a scenario different from other events is lost with a single frame event, regardless of length.
Target for Today proved that a 12 hour scenario is a viable tool for scenario designers, but I think it's use should be tied to a specific vision for the event. I believe that Brooke made a mistake in having both the basic setup and format up for popular vote. Now Brooke is forced to shoehorn a setup into a format which it does not necessarily fit. In my opinion, the 12 hour scenario should be reserved for representing a specific day from WW2: Alder Tag, Operation Cerberus, D-Day, Marianas Turkeyshoot, etc. By doing so, a 12 hour scenario can better connect with the players who enjoy the history by focusing on these pivotal days and leaving the multiple frame events to cover the flow of a campaign.
Of course, scenarios would probably benefit greatly from incorporating both into a setup. I can't see a situation where the scoring that works for a 12 hour event not being adequate for shorter frames as well. The pros and cons for each format don't contradict each other and a mixed format maintains all the traditional qualities while being accessible to a broader player base.
