Roster varies. Attendance varies. One thing is uncertain: How many people load FHLauncher, and see nobody on, and close FHLauncher. If exec thinks we'll lose people because some odd-balls cannot close and capture fields by themselves, then we should look more closely at people who don't enter the arena to join in the first place. As far as we know, there may be 5, 7, 10, 15 people randomly loading FHLauncher, see nobody on, and close the launcher. If people loaded FHLauncher, and found 6, 10, or 12 people sitting in a chat area, but not entered into any arenas, we would have a better chance of attendance! Plus, it would be a fun place for folks to chat, and for others who cannot get WBFH to work, they can chat with someone and work out any problems there.
Another thing concerning arenas. We need an "easy mode" arena. This is something I've been pondering for quite a while, since noticing arena attendance fluctuate between 0 to 15 to 25, and meeting new people that never come back again. I think the difficulty level for new users is too much with current modeling. It would be nice to have an arena set aside that has "easy mode" enabled so we can entice new users into staying for a while! A fun, relaxed arena. This would be some kind of map that has maybe 5 fields for each side, spaced out at least 2 sectors apart from each other, on a land ring, with water in the middle, and 5 cvs for each side, wandering around at random, with 2 fighter town fields, Red and Gold, Medium Field size, at the center of this map, on plateaus, elevation of 5k ft. These two fields cannot be damaged or captured, and bombs or rockets not available. Easy Mode Arena: 1. Rolling Plane Set: Same as Main Arena, in sync. 2. Axis vs Allies: Like Main Arena 3. Spins/stalls/blackouts/redouts disabled 4. Pilot kill and collision death disabled: Damaged/disabled aircraft is good enough, no need to make people more frustrated. Many people get really frustrated and leave when they get PK'd. 5. External view disabled: Just a lame feature, really. Only teaches laziness. 6. On-board radar for all aircraft: Functions just like in tower 7. Attach enabled: Very good feature/option. 8. Smoke enabled: A fun aspect 9. Two fighter town fields for Gold and Red, with the following criteria: __A: One Medium field each, Gold and Red, separated by one sector __B. Placed on 5k ft. elevation plateaus just large enough for the field, separated by water __C. Fields cannot be damaged or captured __D. Acks are enabled __E. Bombs/Rockets/Paratroopers/Commandos disabled __F. CV aircraft available as well per RPS. 10. Disable time restrict for early deaths for all fields 11. Disable ability to damage one's own country field 12. Disable self kill 13. Enable random lazy drones There may be other options that I cannot remember to address here but, can be added later I suppose. What do you guys think? If we have a large group of folks in this "easy mode" arena, that's great! If those folks in there want a challenge, they can change to the Main Arena. Would be an interesting choice for new people who know nothing about air combat or know everything about it.
Certainly it's wrong when squads ignore "others" or pick on n00bs (is this common?); however, it's also problematic when there are 3 - 10 non-affiliated guys flying for a side, and they're not coordinated. Yeah, then some lone guy may come along and begin berating others because some don't do this or that, but in such cases I'd prefer to have at least one well organized group to follow (if only as an excuse to escape the possible vitriol from some casual Napolean). OK, if there were more concentration on supporting one's current color -- and higher numbers -- we'd need fewer squads. But as it is, I'd rather follow a great squad leader than a Napolean. Let the natural reaction be that, if a squad comes on and rules, a squad is formed to counter. Further, coordination = complexity. From complexity to interest and challenge. That would be cool, as Beavis said. Oh well
OK, OK, Brad I remember a time or two over the years when you asked me if I wanted fighter cover for my bomber, so I know your heart's in the right place
I have had a coupla issues pop up that I've been meaning to address. First is some of the .(dot) commands don't work for me the same way they used to while I'm in the tower. For instance, if I check the roster using the .ros command, I get the usual list of number of pilots in arena(number of pilots in air) in the text buffer, but no detail in the popup window (or whatever you call that thing). What I get, instead, is the welcome screen announcing 1.69 beta is available etc. Same thing with .field command. If I'm in WBChat, however, it works as it should. Simple setting somewhere? Also, I seem to have lost elevator trim control in the last day or so. Online, offline, joystick & keyboard. I've done everything except completely re-install the software, and made no changes prior to it happening. Any insight to either/both of these issues would be appreciated. Thanks.
When I get some time I'll uninstall/re-install. I'm actually more worried about the elevator trim control. That's just bizarre.
you mean i-153? it was used in 1944 and by 1945 it was completely written off. and who used 109 e and ki-27 in 1945?
It's not about history , it is about having different experience I personally never had one plane that i liked the most. But some people like specific model, i153, 109 f4, p40, and have great fun using it. Fh was great because it gave us so many different perspectives Better than all in ki84s versus all in tempests don't you agree ?
yup, i agree. i even discussed "exit date = end or tour for all" idea. but some other players/developers have opinion that outdated planes are irritating.