I've got to be honest here, while it is definetely true that free exchange of information can only improve the game ( thats what it is, by the way, a GAME) it is also true that too much of an exchange can only cause conflict and aggravation. In the last few days of looking at this forum I have waded through seemingly endless posts in all of which the posters, no doubt sincerely have asked for thier hearts desire or fix to be applied to the game. Some of those posts and debates have degenerated to name calling and such which as far as I can see help no-one.
Some months ago while visiting the DMW forums (an Anti-Cheat for MOHAA) I saw a debate over a setting in the game called 'force skins' this was a setting that was incorporated into the game that could be utilised if you had a lower spec machine and could not spare the power to render multiple uniforms on line.The switch was made obselete by progress made in computers as most players have a far higher spec of machine than is required to play MOHAA. The gist of the argument was that people wanted to allow this switch to be retained in game even though it allowed an unscrupulous player to inflict winter skins on the opposition German team while on a summer map. This as you can imagine was a huge advantage in game as the enemy stuck out like a sore thumb. Funnily enough, the same players who wanted a realism setting like 'Crow King Realism' ALSO wanted the switch to be enabled so they could then see who was who.Some kind of conflict here methinks.The debate over the switch and its settings was quite acrimonious at one stage.
While for different reasons, I am begining to see the same results here.The realism clans want one thing and for them it is the be all and end all. Tankies want quite another and for them the failure to secure it ruins the game. Infantry based clans want their own thing too and it seems that all these things while laudable are in some cases counterproductive and cannot be applied without tweaks or fixes being required to other areas.The most disappointing aspect in all this is the previously mentioned stooping to name calling and such.
My veiwpoint on all this is different though by no means unique: I have been to war twice for my country, I'm not saying that to make myself out to be the "Big I Am" as reading these forums has revealed that there are others who've done the same.
Notes on realism:
REALISTICALLY, I would not attack a position unless I had three times the number of troops they had (under ideal circumstances) or at least more and better materiel.Thats a military thing, not because I'm a chicken . Obviously circumstances dictate your actions before we have any corrections being added . How many servers out there restrict defenders to 1/3 the number of attackers?
Realistically I would conduct FIBUA ( fighting in a built up area) by blowing up walls etc with AT weapons to effect 'short cuts' to areas. The engine in this game won't allow it so I can live without it, and will not moan at the devs to fix something beyond their capabilities to fix.
Realistically I would expect the gun group in an infantry section to provide the bulk of the suppression fire when attacking an enemy. This has been touched on in previous debates and I'm sure is 'in hand'
Realistically If I asked a tank commander to take a village objective, he would ask for intimate support from infantry to prevent his tank being destroyed by dug in dismounts. Regardless of what weapon they used be it IED's, satchel charges, AT weapons etc. Yes the PTRD is puny by comparison with the P'Faust but P'Fausts are freely availiable to all to BALANCE the game.
Realistically TK's happen. Its regrettable but its a fact of life.Blue on blues on Op Telic (Iraqi Freedom for Americans) are running at over 30 %, when you extropolate that to game terms, kicking someone for 1 or 2 TK's is excessive. On our own server when playing Stalingrad Kessel my guys will tell you that I am "by the book" as an engineer. I plant the charge and then say clearly on team VOIP "charge planted at ****** stand clear, stand clear", I still get kicked occaisionally as peeps may not have heard, or listened or may have their VOIP turned off. Accidents happen....LOL I get kicked
The whole G41 debate has seemed to miss the point. Yes the weapon has been included to add BALANCE. When a n00by RO player joins the server and joins the Axis team to add balance, he finds the only weapon he can choose is the KAR 98, its a great weapon but he still finds himself being 'pwned' (that is such a sad word) by Oberfeldwebel N00bkiller and his svt. Result he leaves the game and decides to find another game thats easier to get into, like COD2 etc. All in all, it appears that the victory Oberfeldwebel N00bkiller is a pyrric one, hes got his kill, but COD2 got their man. If you want weapons load outs to be realistic then what is needed is a realism mutator to fulfil the same function that CKR did in MOHAA. Then you can add the mutator to your server and make sure you POST CLEARLY in you server address that its for realism/experts only. That way n00bies can avoid it while like minded individuals can come in and join the party.
In numerous threads on these forums I have seen people post how friendly the community is, broadly speaking on a clan basis that is correct, I have had help from other clans given to =IcM= and on a personal level. On public servers however what I've noticed is bad behaviour both snobbish and elitest from many players. We don't tolerate it on our server, it results in a warning, then a ban. Others need to do the same.
If any of what I said has provided food for thought or stimulated debate, that can only be good. All HEALTHY debate is encouraged.
Finally, thanks TW peeps, its a great game, it has its faults but then so do I!!
Some months ago while visiting the DMW forums (an Anti-Cheat for MOHAA) I saw a debate over a setting in the game called 'force skins' this was a setting that was incorporated into the game that could be utilised if you had a lower spec machine and could not spare the power to render multiple uniforms on line.The switch was made obselete by progress made in computers as most players have a far higher spec of machine than is required to play MOHAA. The gist of the argument was that people wanted to allow this switch to be retained in game even though it allowed an unscrupulous player to inflict winter skins on the opposition German team while on a summer map. This as you can imagine was a huge advantage in game as the enemy stuck out like a sore thumb. Funnily enough, the same players who wanted a realism setting like 'Crow King Realism' ALSO wanted the switch to be enabled so they could then see who was who.Some kind of conflict here methinks.The debate over the switch and its settings was quite acrimonious at one stage.
While for different reasons, I am begining to see the same results here.The realism clans want one thing and for them it is the be all and end all. Tankies want quite another and for them the failure to secure it ruins the game. Infantry based clans want their own thing too and it seems that all these things while laudable are in some cases counterproductive and cannot be applied without tweaks or fixes being required to other areas.The most disappointing aspect in all this is the previously mentioned stooping to name calling and such.
My veiwpoint on all this is different though by no means unique: I have been to war twice for my country, I'm not saying that to make myself out to be the "Big I Am" as reading these forums has revealed that there are others who've done the same.
Notes on realism:
REALISTICALLY, I would not attack a position unless I had three times the number of troops they had (under ideal circumstances) or at least more and better materiel.Thats a military thing, not because I'm a chicken . Obviously circumstances dictate your actions before we have any corrections being added . How many servers out there restrict defenders to 1/3 the number of attackers?
Realistically I would conduct FIBUA ( fighting in a built up area) by blowing up walls etc with AT weapons to effect 'short cuts' to areas. The engine in this game won't allow it so I can live without it, and will not moan at the devs to fix something beyond their capabilities to fix.
Realistically I would expect the gun group in an infantry section to provide the bulk of the suppression fire when attacking an enemy. This has been touched on in previous debates and I'm sure is 'in hand'
Realistically If I asked a tank commander to take a village objective, he would ask for intimate support from infantry to prevent his tank being destroyed by dug in dismounts. Regardless of what weapon they used be it IED's, satchel charges, AT weapons etc. Yes the PTRD is puny by comparison with the P'Faust but P'Fausts are freely availiable to all to BALANCE the game.
Realistically TK's happen. Its regrettable but its a fact of life.Blue on blues on Op Telic (Iraqi Freedom for Americans) are running at over 30 %, when you extropolate that to game terms, kicking someone for 1 or 2 TK's is excessive. On our own server when playing Stalingrad Kessel my guys will tell you that I am "by the book" as an engineer. I plant the charge and then say clearly on team VOIP "charge planted at ****** stand clear, stand clear", I still get kicked occaisionally as peeps may not have heard, or listened or may have their VOIP turned off. Accidents happen....LOL I get kicked
The whole G41 debate has seemed to miss the point. Yes the weapon has been included to add BALANCE. When a n00by RO player joins the server and joins the Axis team to add balance, he finds the only weapon he can choose is the KAR 98, its a great weapon but he still finds himself being 'pwned' (that is such a sad word) by Oberfeldwebel N00bkiller and his svt. Result he leaves the game and decides to find another game thats easier to get into, like COD2 etc. All in all, it appears that the victory Oberfeldwebel N00bkiller is a pyrric one, hes got his kill, but COD2 got their man. If you want weapons load outs to be realistic then what is needed is a realism mutator to fulfil the same function that CKR did in MOHAA. Then you can add the mutator to your server and make sure you POST CLEARLY in you server address that its for realism/experts only. That way n00bies can avoid it while like minded individuals can come in and join the party.
In numerous threads on these forums I have seen people post how friendly the community is, broadly speaking on a clan basis that is correct, I have had help from other clans given to =IcM= and on a personal level. On public servers however what I've noticed is bad behaviour both snobbish and elitest from many players. We don't tolerate it on our server, it results in a warning, then a ban. Others need to do the same.
If any of what I said has provided food for thought or stimulated debate, that can only be good. All HEALTHY debate is encouraged.
Finally, thanks TW peeps, its a great game, it has its faults but then so do I!!