The Problem With Some Events ..

The problem with some events .. is not the event itself ..its the players!!

No matter how well a game is designed, if the players don't play it by the rules .. or don't really understand the game .. they will most likely loose, and not have fun. Imagin two players and the game of chess. One player "knows strategy".. the other players knows the moves. A player can loose the game but have more captured peices and appear at first to be 'winning' only to find he's checkmated by pawns. As spectators at a team event we don't enjoy the game when one side crushes the other, even when we are routing for that team. When the Teams play each other hard, with good plays and moves, we really enjoy the game better .. win or loose. Of course we savor the victory even more so .. if our team wins a hard fought and down to the wire game.

In all the events I have been involved within AA my observation is that the players 'play' as if the event was FFA or Teams ... i.e. they play as "individual" and not as a 'team'. They play as if their own score and 'stars' mean something .. when in fact in a team play event that means 'nothing' (particualarly when ranking is turned off). What counts is the bottom line .. did you team win or not?

Notice that in these 'team' driven events such as LTS, Equal Power and all the Bomber Events is that a clear "leader" or one that 'takes command' does not develop often, or at all. Note also that when one does try to step up as the 'leader' other pilots of ignorance slam him on the coms with such comments as 'who died and left you in charge?!'.

Can you imagine how much more intense and competitive the events would be if the players understood .. I mean really understood what constitutes winning and loosing? Of course the main objective is to supply all the pilots with 'something interesting to do' as well as Fun Times. Fun, after all is said and done, is what really matters: I suspect all would have much more fun .. even on the loosing side .. if all the players understood the objective and worked together. A leader or two on both sides would really help in co-ordinating to obtain the objective (objective is event game defined). Most Fun Events were disigned for a 'group' effort, and to be fun filled. The problem here is that it is expected the players on each side work as a team .. but alas .. they do not for several reason.

It must be mentioned that many players 'do not read' the instructions .. thus they can't possible know what the 'team objective' is. Keep in mind we are talking about 'team' type events. Recently we have started to see the entire 'event rule set' show up when you click to join an event. Does this help, do folks read the instructions? Some do .. most don't .. and its ez to tell who did not by their questions and behavior during the event. Note this yourself at the next event. (Lets quiz ourself on the rules before we start?).

Working as a team does not take all that much experience as one might think. It does mean the players need to know what the game is, and what the objective of the game is.. then It simply takes a clear lines of communications .. as well as someone(s) stepping up and giving direction. Will they all listen? Of course not. The 'hotdogs' will still do their hotdog thing .. but over time I suspect the 'hotdogs' won't have as much fun as the 'team' is and will eventually 'get it'.

The Line of communication? We have in-game chat .. and frequently that is missed for a host of reasons. Another main communication tool is Team Speak. Note that when the majority of the team is on a mutual team speak and actually working as a team .. the results are awesome. Yet another means of communication is the actual game rules. Yes the rules, read them and much is communicated to you in order to help your team meet the objectives and win the hand. One might also argue that the various Community and Squad Forums are also a means of communication. Forums of course are not in-game and at time-of-action .. but they can relay to players a 'thoght' as well as 'how to' and possible lead them to be better team players. Players might also author "how to win at LTS, etc". These types of strategy discussion bennifit all and make the game a lot more fun I feel.

One could write a book on all this I'm sure, but with AA down right now .. I thought .. 'What the heck' .. lets talk about it. There must be a ton of things I've missed that deserve mention .. other considerations .. other viewpoints.

Well Put Tbar;

Even though I'm new at this game, some might speculate and say, he hasn't

been flying that long, So why is he adding his 2 cents! Why???? Cause Tbar is 100%

right in his observation! And I think they will all agree with you too Tbar, with maybe

an exception to a few! I'm an avid chess player with the USCF online play and my rating

is ranked high, your analysis is right on the money!

I joined last night (Friday) at 1/2 time and that was the US team vs GB, as I was

sitting on the runway and observing US & GB by my map, I saw similar things as you, "No"

Team Work or Strategy! Hell you had 2 or 3 US veering off somewhere in no man's land

over SU base near that big Mt., and 3 or 4 around GE, while 3 or 4 hovering around US, and

2 or 3 headed in the right direction: "GB" that is where the "King" is in chess! Go for the King,

knocking off a few peons, (pilots) they might be ranked high, similar to Excaliber will call

him the Queen (No offense Ex) and popun a Knight, it does not take 5 US to bring down 1

good pilot!, How do I know this, My tag was "Shotgun" rank Sgt, as soon as the 2nd

half started, I alone nailed Excaliber bringing him down alone and damaged popgun heavily

prior to being shot down, As I was manuvering to get popgun to finish off, prior to being

shot down I saw 2 US fly right by & through us, but I had no help!

Since I was the new kid on the block, and I do not have a mic or headset for instructions

by the Squad leader or WCO, I would wait and lift off and follow 2 or 3 other US to join in their

formation, this was for my protection, their's and more firepower against the enemy, it takes

more than a Queen to check mate the king! Any way I read the rules, "Total destruction" of

the enemy & his base! I did several low attack base & planes as they were trying to lift off,

also damaging GB's WCO plane and Co-hort beside his! I'm not a "Hot Dog", But it was

better seeing on my screen in green "you hit AMa or Excalibre high percentages of damage,

and especially in "Blue" Shotgun destroyed or downed whomever"

So the only strategy I found was, That it was exactly as Tbar said, "No different" as

if we were in the FFA arena Everyone for himself!, But most importantly, I found as Tbar said,

No matter how good a player might be on here, you can not take on the whole base on your

own, unless your US Kamakazi pilot,(No offense Hari Kari) And I have to admit, GB was out

numbered, but they held their own, they fought in heavy groups and in the same area! I was

about to change sides, untill old popgun did to me what I did to them, and that is, him and Ex-

caliber, swooped in to the US base and took out alot of US including me Taxing on the runway!

This p----- me off, so I stayed where I was, but US was very close to being checkmated!

In Closing, hope to be in another event soon, and since I'm limited in voice communication

by mic & headset, it would be challenging for me to figure out what ever strategy the team has

come up with that I join in on! So until I get a mic & headset, the only team contribution I can

make at this time, is one more fire power pilot, with the skill to anticipate after a successful or

failed attempt on engaging the enemy, what new tactical maneuvers & strategy would be best, and

study the enemies tactics and their strategy, what success they have and failures on their part,

Exactly the same as chess, 'Know your opponents' strength & weakness!, In chess a novice as

Tbar pointed out, Knows the pieces & how they move, their strengths & limitations, even a "pawn"

the weakest can checkmate the King, and the pawn is the only piece that can be promoted to a Queen or any other piece with exception to the King, In chess, a novice only sees ahead 1 move, his opponent's move and how he will respond(move)., an advanced player sees ahead 4 moves, I moved here, "Why" cause my opponent should respond with this piece, but he will probably move

this piece, and if he does, I will react with this piece!, and an Expert sees 6 moves ahead and the master sees unlimited! I rank 1980 with the USCF (expert) 20 shy of being a master chess player,

but with my heart attack in 2001, limited my chess ability to see ahead more than 6 moves, called

short term memory loss. So like Tbar says: You got to be a team, think like a team and play like a

team! As usual I have a bad habit of running my mouth, but you all know Tbar has a good point!

Now, Make me a WCO! lol, Gunny / Semper Fi

wat would really help with events if ppl were on team speak more... and some would be better as squad events instead ...... just my thoughts.........and GUNSLINGER plz shorten up your posts and only put wat NEEDS to be put.... plz and ty

Gunny, if you have PC speakers you can still use Teamspeak and listen to commands being given, if any are actually being given lol. The Funevents are pretty fast and loose, and some players just jump in and play without regard to teamwork. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just a funevent and to each his own.

If you or anyone else are having problems with rulebreakers, record the offenses and upload them. Nothing can be done without proof.

ya but fun events are supposed to be fun... hearing pl being yelled at for missbehaving doesnt make it really fun...

ya but fun events are supposed to be fun... hearing pl being yelled at for missbehaving doesnt make it really fun...

Are you saying to just let them misbehave??

no im saying....... i dont no how to put it i guess......