Is HTC trying to reduce GV play?

[Randy1]

Eliminating m3 troops is the latest change but it really began when we switched to ah3 and the map changes.

Greebo's Crater map would such the air war dry with the huge tank battles in AH2.  Now in  ah3, nothing.

Then the changes in tank island eliminating  the GV bases.  Now it is common to enter prime time with one country controlling the island.  Tank battles happen but are rare during prime time.

The distance on average for a GV to travel in ah3 to a red base has increased.

[oboe]

Speaking only for myself, I almost never GV'd in AH2.  But with the new finer mesh terrain and trees in AH3, I find aspects of it enjoyable and always make time for a GV sortie or three when I log on now.

[Greebo]

Don't blame HTC for the changes to CraterMA in AH3, they were entirely my own idea. I hated the way TT turned the rest of the map into a gameplay desert. I also slightly reduced all the GV spawn point distances to towns and fields so your last point does not hold up for that map at least.

Considering the work involved in moving a large number of spawns one at a time I'd be very surprised if HTC had moved more than a handful of spawns in or out on other MA maps. I suspect if travel times have increased it is more likely to be down to the more detailed and cluttered AH3 terrain.

[Hajo]

for a long period of time in this game you could only bring troops with a goon.  This is nothing new.  Those of us playing then managed quite well.

[Becinhu]

Bases still fall with the same frequency as before. You now have to utilize a troop carrier that has only a slightly higher speed than the tanks it is with vs a 50mph race car. I haven't gotten a 251 capture yet but I have several goon grabs since the change. The hammerhead troop drop is an art form.


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[Lusche]

The Gv game took a big hit from new terrain and the partially redesigned map.

But so far I have no idea how using the SdKfz could "hurt" the GV game in any significant way.

[BigPun]

 Sure does look that way. Before the change CraterMA TT was a lot of fun now it's a waste of space.

[jimbo71]

Don't blame HTC for the changes to CraterMA in AH3, they were entirely my own idea. I hated the way TT turned the rest of the map into a gameplay desert. I also slightly reduced all the GV spawn point distances to towns and fields so your last point does not hold up for that map at least.

Considering the work involved in moving a large number of spawns one at a time I'd be very surprised if HTC had moved more than a handful of spawns in or out on other MA maps. I suspect if travel times have increased it is more likely to be down to the more detailed and cluttered AH3 terrain.

Your AH2 Crater had a great TT.  Was one of the only maps that gave GV'ers a place for instant tank action and we enjoyed it Greebo. 
I'd disagree with saying the rest of the map turning into a game play desert.  Had that been the case, it wouldn't have been routinely rolled in 1 - 2 days.

[bustr]

The conversion of AH2 to AH3 terrains showed a lack of testing by the group who took on the monumental job of touching up the conversion to the new tile sets. Greebo and I differ a bit on how we look at using the terrain to help or impact GVs. You can see this in my design of GV spawn area tile set choices and spawn distance to attack target on BowlMA.

Everyone involved in the AH2 to AH3 terrain conversions screwed up, but not willfully. Instead no one had been here before to understand the new terrain tiles. Greebo ran into a real problem like I did with these well packed tree and clutter tiles. It's hard to micro blend the none farmland\village tiles to give a good balance of long views to navigate and cover to hide in on the way to the attack target. When you look at the conversions from a GV point of view from under the trees, too many trees are laid down in almost every case except for the Mediterranean tile set that is desert and Savannah.

Waffle created farm land tiles that have a good balance of open spaces, trees and clutter for GV combat so that the terrain builder can slap that in quickly. I still end up adding open grass into the farm land tiles on my current terrain because I get down on the ground in a tank and drive what I create. If it feels closed in and I could be ambushed any moment, or just too long to travel 1 mile, I add a tiny bit of grass to open things up. GVers in AH want to see long distances while having enough cover to shoot down those long distances at each other. Not feel paranoid and lost trying to travel a mile.

[ACE]

Your AH2 Crater had a great TT.  Was one of the only maps that gave GV'ers a place for instant tank action and we enjoyed it Greebo. 
I'd disagree with saying the rest of the map turning into a game play desert.  Had that been the case, it wouldn't have been routinely rolled in 1 - 2 days.

The fact it didn't get rolled quicker is his point I believe.

[The Fugitive]

Your AH2 Crater had a great TT.  Was one of the only maps that gave GV'ers a place for instant tank action and we enjoyed it Greebo. 
I'd disagree with saying the rest of the map turning into a game play desert.  Had that been the case, it wouldn't have been routinely rolled in 1 - 2 days.

the rolling of the map was a symptom of the issues as Greebo stated them. With most players in TT is was easy for small groups to just roll base after base.

As a guy who likes flying, the Crater map was the only one I did gv on.  with all the players there I could last a bit longer and so get a few kills in. Now, I almost never gv. There are very few fights that spring up where a poor gver like myself can last long enough  to spot an enemy gv. With the directional sound not working it makes 5hings even harder.

While AH3 is beautiful from the ground I think it was a big step backward for playability.

[Copprhed]

I'm primarily a fighter/attack player, but there have been a LOT of times when I've had an absolute blast tanking in AH3. The added trees makes for a more cat and mouse type fight. There are times when I long for TT to get into that big rolling long distance fight that would sometimes erupt. My attitude is that while I was comfortable with the M3 and troops, it's not a deal breaker, and I will learn something else.

[jimbo71]

I think Bustr made a very good go at giving his map center that Tank Town feel in spite of the challenges with the new terrain tiles. 
HTC'S call to change the regular V bases to pig pens seems to more encourage base sneaks rather than promote the TT battles Bustr intended.

And Fugitive, I agree with your assessment.

[Randy1]

Don't blame HTC for the changes to CraterMA in AH3, they were entirely my own idea. I hated the way TT turned the rest of the map into a gameplay desert. I also slightly reduced all the GV spawn point distances to towns and fields so your last point does not hold up for that map at least.

Considering the work involved in moving a large number of spawns one at a time I'd be very surprised if HTC had moved more than a handful of spawns in or out on other MA maps. I suspect if travel times have increased it is more likely to be down to the more detailed and cluttered AH3 terrain.

First, no matter what, you are held in high regards across AH for your beautiful work and the effort you put forward. 

Yes the ah2 map drained the skies but the tank action was intense.  The stuff legends are made of in AH.

There are many bases where just the climb seems forever then there is the slippery rocks that every GV'er hates.

I should have mentioned in orginal post the plus side HTC's fixing of the trees so they do not grab a tank like they use too.

[bustr]

HTC'S call to change the regular V bases to pig pens seems to more encourage base sneaks rather than promote the TT battles Bustr intended.


I changed them to that because I had a sense Hitech would not allow them to stay tagged un-captureable like I initial set them to be. I didn't want to put a 1x1mile base object in that small of a location because it would promote hiding on the base and using manned ack rather than moving out into the pit to fight. As for the easy capture, ever wondered why I placed a GV spawn form the main island on the doorstep of each of those tiny vBases? Most of the time those tiny bases are captured by a single guy in an M3 who de-acks with the duce, then runs in the troops. If you want to keep it, you have to get out of the tower and fight for it in a GV.

I've watched the use of that TT drop to zilch as the Gvers choose to follow combat paths with the air combat initiatives. I setup the GV game on that terrain so they could revert to doing what they did with the AH2 CraterMA TT or be part of the flow of combat around the terrain. The spawn paths ensure Gvers can find combat, or play in TT, after that, it's up to them.