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  1. #1
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    zzzzzz

    So, regarding the thread, how to get more people to play Clod...

    The first that comes to mind is that people need to reliably find combat. I just had my first little sojourn on the ATAG server in a couple months and despite there being 30 players, it was a real snoozefest. In the past I have found combat here and there, but today it was bad. I never fired my guns, and wasn't even shot at until I was parked on the ground trying to remember how not to "abandon" my aircraft when I was vulched. I had forgotten how people are so starved for action on the ATAG server they circle around runways at low altitude waiting for something to shoot at. Lesson learned.

    Fortunately, people were in one of the dogfight servers, and that was good fun. But the ATAG server is the only reliably populated server for Clod, so that's where people are going to end up frequently. I like the big-sandbox concept you guys have, but please, please consider some adjustments that might make it more exciting when there are so few people online. Here are some things I can think of:

    1. The contact positions that name a geographical location instead of a map coordinate are bewildering. Algebraic coordinates are more user friendly.

    2. The AI bomber streams could be sent down a predictable pipeline to concentrate combat. At the moment they seem to spread out the action by 30-40 miles North to South along the channel.

    3. Until TF releases the LOD fix, seriously consider some kind of minimalistic icon for the range/fov where aircraft disappear. Even if it's only black with no range information, it would help. I am spoiled by RoF and Falcon BMS where aircraft are still readily visible in a no-icon environment. In Clod they are not, and there have to be others who have equally cursed and moaned when a dot they saw a moment ago suddenly turned invisible.

    Well, those are some of my suggestions for improving attendance. A lot of the suggestions focus on people who are new to the game and haven't experienced much of what you have to offer. But there are many who have experienced it and just didn't see much reason to come back, and some of the above suggestions might change that.

    Thanks!

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    Team Fusion Salmo's Avatar
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    Re: zzzzzz

    * Lack of localised 'action' - Many players have commented on this same experience (lack of contact/action even when several player online). It's a turnoff. To the above suggestions I would add Dynamic Ai spawning ie. More Ai spawn-in when there are fewer players, & progressively fewer Ai spawn-in as online player numbers increase. This keeps the action going even when player numbers are low. See http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...ead.php?t=4973

    * Target locations - I agree with the observation that the 'action' in most missions is too spread out. A mission with (say) 3 widely seperated targets means that 1/3 of players will be going to each target. This can only reduce the liklihood of air-to-air encounters. Not what you want to create an action-packed mission. Can I suggest that target numbers be reduce to (say) just ONE, or perhaps TWO but close together. Of course, some adjustment will be needed for the win objectives (say by increasing the number of object needed to be destroyed) so the mission is not completed too fast.

    * Mission length - There's probably no good reason why each ATAG mission should last for 5 hrs or so. This too is a turn-off for some players who log-on to find that a battle they don't favour is running. Perhaps consideration can be given to making battles (say) 2-3 hrs in length before the next rotation.

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by Salmo View Post
    * Lack of localised 'action' - Many players have commented on this same experience (lack of contact/action even when several player online). It's a turnoff. To the above suggestions I would add Dynamic Ai spawning ie. More Ai spawn-in when there are fewer players, & progressively fewer Ai spawn-in as online player numbers increase. This keeps the action going even when player numbers are low. See http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...ead.php?t=4973
    I give a big thumbs up to this! As a North American player, there is often 2-12 people on during the North American "Peak Hours". This can lead to some really boring game play, as it becomes more of a sight seeing flight than a combat sortie. I would love to see this implemented.

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Thanks Salmo, you said it better than I did!

    Roblex, I'm talking about the orange messages that ask you to rendezvous with bombers for escort, etc. They use location names and not map coordinates. Sometimes I have really wanted to escort bombers but couldn't find the name on the map!
    Last edited by gavagai; Jul-27-2013 at 09:14.

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Is there any reason that this thread has been started seperately....Folks following the 'How can we make more people play CLOD' thread won't find this one easily (I didn't) and there is some interesting points here..
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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by FS~Lewis View Post
    Is there any reason that this thread has been started seperately....Folks following the 'How can we make more people play CLOD' thread won't find this one easily (I didn't) and there is some interesting points here..
    I'll move my suggestions to the other thread if you think it would help.

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by gavagai View Post
    Thanks Salmo, you said it better than I did!

    Roblex, I'm talking about the orange messages that ask you to rendezvous with bombers for escort, etc. They use location names and not map coordinates. Sometimes I have really wanted to escort bombers but couldn't find the name on the map!
    Oh I see. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe there are only two places where bombers spawn and need an escort. For the Brits it is St Marys Bay, which is the area North of Dungeness aka English point, and for the Germans it is Coquelles, just inland of CapGriz Nez aka French Point. No real need to rewrite the code when there are only two places to learn
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    Re: zzzzzz

    I still don't know where either of those places are. Pulling up google maps in flight is not very convenient.

    This is how people are pushed away from Clod.

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by gavagai View Post
    Thanks Salmo, you said it better than I did!

    Roblex, I'm talking about the orange messages that ask you to rendezvous with bombers for escort, etc. They use location names and not map coordinates. Sometimes I have really wanted to escort bombers but couldn't find the name on the map!
    I understand what you mean but one of the first things anyone posted to a region had to do was area familiarisation. Believe me if you are on ATAG Teamspeak with the allies guys you'll soon get that 'training' and know where these places are. If you are flying alone you will be in the dark.
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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by Salmo View Post
    * Lack of localised 'action' - Many players have commented on this same experience (lack of contact/action even when several player online). It's a turnoff. To the above suggestions I would add Dynamic Ai spawning ie. More Ai spawn-in when there are fewer players, & progressively fewer Ai spawn-in as online player numbers increase. This keeps the action going even when player numbers are low. See http://theairtacticalassaultgroup.co...ead.php?t=4973

    * Target locations - I agree with the observation that the 'action' in most missions is too spread out. A mission with (say) 3 widely seperated targets means that 1/3 of players will be going to each target. This can only reduce the liklihood of air-to-air encounters. Not what you want to create an action-packed mission. Can I suggest that target numbers be reduce to (say) just ONE, or perhaps TWO but close together. Of course, some adjustment will be needed for the win objectives (say by increasing the number of object needed to be destroyed) so the mission is not completed too fast.

    * Mission length - There's probably no good reason why each ATAG mission should last for 5 hrs or so. This too is a turn-off for some players who log-on to find that a battle they don't favour is running. Perhaps consideration can be given to making battles (say) 2-3 hrs in length before the next rotation.
    Regarding your second point I think it would be better if only one side had AI bombers and targets per mission. Sometimes you can be escorting a flight of LW bombers back to France and as you arrive at Dungeness you see RAF bombers on their way out. Also it spreads out the fighting a lot. So on any given map there are multiple missions going on with both sides attacking/defending (on top of the low level scraps) and it is rare to ever see more than 2 or 3 RAF attacking a bomber formation which doesn't encourage people to group up and escort them. Maybe shorter missions which are simpler and diverse could be a good idea?

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    Re: zzzzzz

    Quote Originally Posted by gavagai View Post
    Here are some things I can think of:

    1. The contact positions that name a geographical location instead of a map coordinate are bewildering. Algebraic coordinates are more user friendly.

    2. The AI bomber streams could be sent down a predictable pipeline to concentrate combat. At the moment they seem to spread out the action by 30-40 miles North to South along the channel.

    3. Until TF releases the LOD fix, seriously consider some kind of minimalistic icon for the range/fov where aircraft disappear. Even if it's only black with no range information, it would help. I am spoiled by RoF and Falcon BMS where aircraft are still readily visible in a no-icon environment. In Clod they are not, and there have to be others who have equally cursed and moaned when a dot they saw a moment ago suddenly turned invisible.

    :
    1. Not sure what you are suggesting. The game *does* give map coordinates. The players themselves choose to use locations because that is what they prefer.

    2. You are being told where they were five minutes ago and what alt and bearing. Why dumb it down to aerial 'ducks in a row'? The SoW system where the controller gives you an intercept course is better and I am not sure why ATAG does not use it. It does not work perfectly all the time but neither does Tab-7.

    3. I kind of agree that some minimal aid could be put in place but I also get the impression the fix is very imminent so it is probably not worth the effort right now. It is silly to argue that icons are unrealistic when the LOD bug is also unrealistic. If possible the tag itself would just be a single grey character, maybe just a period, that does not even tell you what team the aircraft is and vanishes again when the target becomes visible; it just fills in that 'LOD gap'. The existing system allows you to switch to a better icon at closer range so needs to switch to 'no icon' instead. I suspect it does not allow that but if the aircraft is now close enough to see then I suppose a single pale grey dot above it would be hardly noticeable. If the dot could be positioned 'on' the aircraft instead of above it then it would be perfect but I am not sure how 'hackable' the icon system is.

    All three of Salmos ideas are good and I am looking forward to the day when he has the spare time to try them out.
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