Lock-On's Current Multiplayer State

[Grimes]

While I believe some of what was said needed to be said. I suppose the arguments in it were for another time and another place. I understand why you deleted it. I hope its a sign that ED has taken an interest in the thread and all the great opinions brought up by forum members.

 

In my opinion, most of what was needed to be said has been said, in terms of the "problem" which at best is or isn't a problem depending on who you ask. We all have our personal preferences toward these types of things, and its not my right to try and convince another otherwise.

 

I started off comparing LO with that of First Person Shooters. Upon further review I've realize that while our multiplayer compares to it easier, the psychology of a player is more similar to that of someone who plays a Role Playing Game. I say that because our game world defines what we can and we can't, yet we have great control over our own level of involvement. Sometimes it effects other players, sometimes it doesn't. The issue with that is it currently doesn't translate well into the typical hyperlobby server.

 

 

There still is a question of how to change this overall. Which is no easy task itself, and there isn't going to be a "hey look, picks up an instuction booklet, I figured it out!" solution to it either. The decision to fix the problem (again one that may or may not exist in your eyes) rests on the square shoulders of those hosting servers.

[PoleCat]

Honestly I still don't see "the problem". You go to HL you look at which servers are doing well, if you pay 100USD per month to host a fast server you can either put alot of effort into trying to get many people to fly on it or not. The "air quake" term is lost on me. All I see are a bunch of people, all different ages who all like to fly LockOn. New guys tend to do silly things like get kill lock or throw themselves into the frey with reckless disregard because they are new. People who have been flying a lot longer tend to think a bit deeeper and work together and squads are another matter entirely.

 

I don't think it is about the mission IMHO so much as the people. Any map can be flown seriously with an eye towards realism, tactics, and cooperation and survivability or not. It is an individual choice. Those of us that have been flying LO for a long time tend to forget that. I suggest you put up missions that you would not call "air quake" and see how they do in HL.

Who knows?

 

Out

[cool_t]

Honestly I still don't see "the problem". You go to HL you look at which servers are doing well, if you pay 100USD per month to host a fast server you can either put alot of effort into trying to get many people to fly on it or not. The "air quake" term is lost on me. All I see are a bunch of people, all different ages who all like to fly LockOn. New guys tend to do silly things like get kill lock or throw themselves into the frey with reckless disregard because they are new. People who have been flying a lot longer tend to think a bit deeeper and work together and squads are another matter entirely.

 

I don't think it is about the mission IMHO so much as the people. Any map can be flown seriously with an eye towards realism, tactics, and cooperation and survivability or not. It is an individual choice. Those of us that have been flying LO for a long time tend to forget that. I suggest you put up missions that you would not call "air quake" and see how they do in HL.

Who knows?

 

Out

 

I agree. Also to everyone in mind, if I spend 20+ minuets to get to the bandits air field also with all of the threats in mind, im vulching, end of story no more free bees.

[Frostie]

For some people all that matters is their score no matter what the cost. Did someone say whats makes an airquake?

[RvEYoda]

let them have their airquake. If sent up in a coordinated the environment there are

very few airquakers that acomplish their objectives without dying :P.

[Sulman]

An interesting old thread. I've not tried MP in LOFC, but the story sounds familiar from other sims. Sub Command and Steel Beasts of old used to degenerate into unrealistic territory, if tasks and missions were not clearly defined. Basically, if a game makes this possible, it's going to happen.

 

Online play tends to homogenise players into a very particular style. I used to play Jane's FA18 and the online games were a real hoot, but they were miles from realistic. Basically two teams going at each other with a mix of heaters, then merge to gun range, rinse and repeat. I was never that great at it, and preferred coop to be honest. It doesn't surprise me that you get similar things in FC.

 

James

[Udat]

I can't beieve I haven't seen this thread before now. Very nice initiative, and very well written, Grimes. 3 yars old, and it seems things have changed for the worse lately. By that I mean less players.

 

I started flying online about a year ago, and I was very green. I saw the 169th server had lots of players, and thought "the more the merrier." It was good fun, allthough I had next to no idea what I was doing and how to do it. After a while I got invited to join Air Hawks, and things started to change for the better for me. I got air-to-air training from Flankerator, arguably one of the best a2a pilots in the community. And boy did it help! I also started working together with my squadmates on ventrilo, and attended every BSS. The best multiplayer experience ever for me was emerging. But after 6 months or so of this, I had to start experimenting on killing awacs, the SEAD role, flanking, etc, to keep myself amused to the same degree. Just going to waypoint 1 and kill 2 guys and rtb was getting old, and it all started feeling a bit pointless (unless I was on vent with my squad, that is always fun!) After a while, me and my squadmate sana..kan taught ourselves (and eachother) to fly the t-frog. Once, we got 2 fighters to escort us on a 20-minute flight from sukhumi and north trough the mountains, using the valleys to stay undetected until we reached the "backside" of maykop. When we got close, I popped up and quickly killed the s-300s searching and tracking radars, as well as the nearby buk (or kub) radars. Sana..kan hit the runway with 8 penetration bobs, perfectly spaced, and our escort overwhelmed the poor, confused player on rtb or takeoff. I managed to kill 3 or 4 spooling planes with my heaters before getting killed by an avenger or vulcan. sana got the same treatment, but our fighters kept supressing Maykop for maybe a full 10 minutes. This allowed blue to push trough bullseye and get really close to maykop. Too bad the runway busters don't work properly, because maykop was dead meat :)

 

If Yoda's LRM v 2 mod works well, and we start getting more players, I have hope that this sort of thing can be encouraged, and more common. I was certainly one of the best cumputergaming experiences for me EVER..