Opinion on Pickup Missions.

[Trev95]

Good morning everyone,

I am looking for input and opinions on Staged Missions.  Last night I threw together a strat run mission in the MA.  The 2000 mission had 7 participants, the 2200 had I want to say 14 in mission +5 or so that flew alongside (19 total give or take).  First if you flew under me how did you feel things went, and what suggestions do you have?  I am looking to start running these at least once a week in the MA, and would like to guage what people are looking for and what we might add or change.  Here are a few of my take aways from the mission.

Pros:
1. Player numbers were really great.
2. Bombers did a good job keeping a nice close formation until towards the end.
3. Lots of randoms upped and flew with us after launch.

Cons:
1. Fighter escort was lacking (we launched with x2).  Next time I will try to get a squad or two (ULs, or 325th possibly) to fly escort for us.  Either together or hand us off at a rendezvous point.
2. Launch from a safer base even if its at a lower altitude.  The Bishops porked the ords at A2 just before mission launch, some people were still getting told they were in the old mission when I created a new one to start from A5 that had ord.  Caused a little bit on confusion and ended up extending our launch time quite significantly.
3. More notice, I posted the mission the morning of, next time I will post it on the forums Thursday night.

Question for my Bishops.  How did you guys enjoy the interception side of things, I am sure some of you saw the forum post and were ready for us to launch (totally fine, you couldn't miss the dar bar anyways) what was your experience like?
Staged mission have the unique ability to bring at least some semblance of FSO to the MA, I for one think the bombing run was way more fun then just trying to cap base after base. (I am not saying caping bases isn't fun or important, just giving more FSO minded players a reason to come fly in the MA thus boosting numbers).

I am just looking for your thoughts, please don't argue with others over their opinions that's the reason this post is here.

Thanks for you time and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.



<S>FBTrev95

[hitech]

Are you speaking of stage missions or pick up missions.

[The Fugitive]

Hi Trev, I did stumble on to your mission and helped pull a number of attackers away. I think missions in the MA is a great thing. The more organised the better. I think they need to be more flexible however. A strat run last night was useless other than getting a bunch of players together. I would have liked seeing a base flattened and as the bombers continued on to the next base a crew could stay behind and capture the base. The Bish had 100% of their bases, 32% of the rooks and the Knights were next on the list for their run to the win of the map. The situation called for base captures, not a strat run.

While many seem to give "Generals" a bad name, I think its one of the things missing in the game these days. You running missions gives the bomber guys something to do, fighter guys something to do whether it is attacking OR defending, and could give the GV guys something to do in cleaning up a base and getting the capture.

[Trev95]

Are you speaking of stage missions or pick up missions.

Opps, Pick up is what I was going for.  Thanks Hitech.

[Trev95]

Hi Trev, I did stumble on to your mission and helped pull a number of attackers away. I think missions in the MA is a great thing. The more organised the better. I think they need to be more flexible however. A strat run last night was useless other than getting a bunch of players together. I would have liked seeing a base flattened and as the bombers continued on to the next base a crew could stay behind and capture the base. The Bish had 100% of their bases, 32% of the rooks and the Knights were next on the list for their run to the win of the map. The situation called for base captures, not a strat run.

While many seem to give "Generals" a bad name, I think its one of the things missing in the game these days. You running missions gives the bomber guys something to do, fighter guys something to do whether it is attacking OR defending, and could give the GV guys something to do in cleaning up a base and getting the capture.

I never thought of doing that, so your suggesting a structured base cap mission?  Basically what the swarm does but in a nice organized package?  That might be fun to have a GV detachment on the ground for base capture designated M3s, M4 tank columns etc.  Not sure the knights are capable of operating on that level but hey its worth a shot.  Good idea Fugitive. 

[toasted]

(<<Bish)This was awesome fun, even if we did have to climb up past 20k.
more of this please.

maybe we need some method that incentives missions.

[Trev95]

(<<Bish)This was awesome fun, even if we did have to climb up past 20k.
more of this please.

maybe we need some method that incentives missions.

(Image removed from quote.)

Toasted, i'm glad you had fun!  You guys spooked us up and up, every grid around us was filling up with red dars.
When you say we need something that incentivizes missions are you thinking something we as players can do or a new game mechanic?.

[turt21]

Nothing but Kudo's here all around. Once a night be great !!!  Its what the game needs for sure. Well done Trev

[Trev95]

Nothing but Kudo's here all around. Once a night be great !!!  Its what the game needs for sure. Well done Trev

Glad you had fun Turt!  I know the bombers did.

[Shuffler]

I signed on just before time and never saw the mission and no one knew anything about it on Knights. I was going to fly escort.

[toasted]

Toasted, i'm glad you had fun!  You guys spooked us up and up, every grid around us was filling up with red dars.
When you say we need something that incentivizes missions are you thinking something we as players can do or a new game mechanic?.

A new game mechanic of some sort would probably be the ideal solution. and in my mind would be a great addition. though im unsure exactly how it should be implemented.

But, even players going out of there way to set it up, or show appreciation for it happening goes a long way to making the experience enjoyable for a lot of people.

so kudos on that!

also maybe if we could join a mission while still in flight, then as soon as we landed and ended flight it automatically stuck us back on the appropriate runway in our mission plane. would make it a bit easier for guys to join up even a bit late.

I'd love to see people running constant missions, even if it ends up two guys on a lone cap patrol. i think it just adds to the game all the way around.

[Trev95]

I signed on just before time and never saw the mission and no one knew anything about it on Knights. I was going to fly escort.

Sorry you didn't see the mission, I announced it sever time in the 30 minutes leading up to it.  Hopefully you can make it this Saturday 2000est, or 2200est.

[Trev95]

A new game mechanic of some sort would probably be the ideal solution. and in my mind would be a great addition. though im unsure exactly how it should be implemented.

But, even players going out of there way to set it up, or show appreciation for it happening goes a long way to making the experience enjoyable for a lot of people.

so kudos on that!

also maybe if we could join a mission while still in flight, then as soon as we landed and ended flight it automatically stuck us back on the appropriate runway in our mission plane. would make it a bit easier for guys to join up even a bit late.

I'd love to see people running constant missions, even if it ends up two guys on a lone cap patrol. i think it just adds to the game all the way around.

Thanks bud, and I agree i'm not sure what the proper way to implement some system to motivate players to partake in missions.  Maybe a base amount of perks awarded depending or perk multiplier depending on damage dealt/kill etc...
I will look into seeing if I can set the Pick Up missions to allow people to join even after the initial start time.  I suppose I could always just have a cop of the original mission set up to launch x amount of time after the first.

[svaalbar]

(<<Bish)This was awesome fun, even if we did have to climb up past 20k.
more of this please.

maybe we need some method that incentives missions.

(Image removed from quote.)

Meanwhile the Blue THunder guys climbed up to 30k+ the other day, was just the 3 to 4 of them though lol. Fighting at that altitude is a joke.

[Trev95]

Meanwhile the Blue THunder guys climbed up to 30k+ the other day, was just the 3 to 4 of them though lol. Fighting at that altitude is a joke.

Altitude is a bombers best friend.