As you know, teams form rather evenly these days and it is rare to get outnumbered or heavily outnumbered. This means that is you have a player who is clogging the runway, or is just sitting here or there, not flying, not fighting, not doing anything (this happens with new guys more often, but even seasoned players sometimes do it) then it is better that that person should leave the game and join another, later. But they just sit there hogging capacity which if vacated could be filled by a valuable player.

My suggestion is that there should be a time limit for such players who do nothing for extended periods of time and they should be warned a couple of times and if still they don't move, should be kicked out of the game.

People may try to trick the system by making token movements on receiving warnings and then go back to idling, in such cases, there should be no subsequent warning and the next time the threshold expires, they should be kicked without warning.

You know, this is a pretty good idea.
And, I am guilty of this. Just today I had to answer the doorbell, so I pulled to the side of the runway and said "brb".
I never condsidered that I was hogging capacity and possibly hurting my team by keeping another player from joining.

Regards, Kimber

Absolutely maybe zup could implement the same count down clock on runways and bases...like in a CTC mission good idea armament

one night i was on the chat and plur said he had to go his show was on tv my family watch said show (walking dead )i have no interest so i played dogfight and low and behold when the show started plur joins the game goes down and sits there the whole game preventing his team from winning and taking a spot in the game that a willing and able player could be flying
pretty sad conduct hes just harvesting points good topic this and hope ZUP reads it

(I'm probably going to get trolled again for saying this...Lol!)

Some players have mentioned that since it is difficult to switch sides now, they may choose to fly away from the fight or to sit idle until the game is over so they don't have to fight against their own squad mates. Do you happen to notice it being more common with certain players while facing their own squad as reds? I really hope they would just leave the game instead of taking up a spot.

I gotta say, Plur is the only one that does that through out the whole game that I know off. I do know some will set there while the use the restroom, get a drink, or plug in, then they are back up. This must be a New thing going on. Hmmm maybe the caught the Plur disease.

I've seen a pilot by the name of Fire Truck do this the other day.

But, I have to say that I don't mind it at all. If I want to land on a mountain top and watch, I think I should be able to. If I want to park my tank by the water and stare at the moon, I think I should be able to. So, I'm advocating for the freedom to not fight.

Also, I often enjoy Plur's commentary of the game. It cracks me up - like Eeyore calling a hockey match. He even antagonizes some of the players. In fact, one player during a match leveled this same argument against Plur the other day. I argued that Plur was playing the game, but in his own way.

I say let Plur be - and Fire Truck - and all those like 'em.

Besides, Pluribus is an institution and a tradition.

In a match where we out numbered the Reds, I have seen a MORAF park to let us lower ranks duke it out....

Of course I had mixed feelings about that move at the time but have the greatest respect for that pilot for not just going thru and cleaning house for the easy points!!

i think a 90 seconds or 2 minutes timer that starts when you land is a good idea. it would be very similar to the CTC timer and we are all very used to that.

reloading on a bomb the hangar mission doesnt take anywhere near 2 full minutes to complete. and when you think of it, 2 minutes is enough time to run to the bathroom if need be. many of the games get quite long so i can understand the need to be idle for a few moments.

also, if someone is interested in not participating they can still fly up to 3 or 4 thousand meters and have fun in the clouds. they will just need to actively fly in circles instead of just parking.

It's only a game, not to be taken seriously. Too many rules already, just go out and enjoy. If somebody has to answer the door and sits out just take it as a challenge. Zup must think we're a bunch of kids..........oh we are.

didn't think u considered yourself lower rank...just someone that created a new account....lol TY MEAN FOKKER

Nebulas wrote: In a match where we out numbered the Reds, I have seen a MORAF park to let us lower ranks duke it out....

Of course I had mixed feelings about that move at the time but have the greatest respect for that pilot for not just going thru and cleaning house for the easy points!!

MEAN FOKKER wrote: didn't think u considered yourself lower rank...just someone that created a new account....lol TY MEAN FOKKER

22/31 is a lower rank to me.... only this account, no others

Nebulas wrote:

MEAN FOKKER wrote: didn't think u considered yourself lower rank...just someone that created a new account....lol TY MEAN FOKKER

22/31 is a lower rank to me.... only this account, no others

As far as points are concerned 1/2 way to MORAF is somewhere in level 27.

I'm too of the opinion if you can come back within 3-5 minutes you may park plane outside the runway (Players park the plane on the runway) and inform your team that you will be right back. If it is going to take long, one should quit.

horriblebreast wrote: i think a 90 seconds or 2 minutes timer that starts when you land is a good idea. it would be very similar to the CTC timer and we are all very used to that.

reloading on a bomb the hangar mission doesnt take anywhere near 2 full minutes to complete. and when you think of it, 2 minutes is enough time to run to the bathroom if need be. many of the games get quite long so i can understand the need to be idle for a few moments.

also, if someone is interested in not participating they can still fly up to 3 or 4 thousand meters and have fun in the clouds. they will just need to actively fly in circles instead of just parking.

Apparently you don't know my circumstances........

Rudolf Rednose wrote:
Apparently you don't know my circumstances........

Nice one Rudolf. To avoid this I change my view to allow players to take as much time as they want.

I really would like a vote kick system, which can be opened by any player and wins most of the option, but Zup already declared bankruptcy the dogfight, so.......

[NLR] Finn wrote: Also, I often enjoy Plur's commentary of the game. It cracks me up - like Eeyore calling a hockey match. He even antagonizes some of the players. In fact, one player during a match leveled this same argument against Plur the other day. I argued that Plur was playing the game, but in his own way

Besides, Pluribus is an institution and a tradition.

I'm going a little off topic here, but this is well said about Plur.
For me personally, he is an exception.
I've seen people get down right pissed at him, but he just cracks me up. I likened him to "Glum" on the old Guliver's Travels, but the Eeyore analogy is the best.
Even though I agree with kicking idle players, there has to be a well thought out way to do it without neutralizing the "Plur" commentary.

Regards, Kimber

well maybe i will give points farming a try. it doesnt involve flying so no worries about lag or plane performance. i think the secret will be parking in the right place to enjoy the scenery.

I thinks it's a great idea

As a community, it might be best to refrain from making arguments based on what tactics we like and don't like.

For example, if we had a "vote-kick" system - based on what players like and don't like only, I'd use it to vote out the player shooting me down the most - I don't like the player who shoots me down the most.

Maybe I'm odd in that the player sitting on the terrain doesn't bother me a bit.

"Point-farming," although the phrase itself is a snappy albeit derogatory label, is a tactic by definition. And, it's kinda brilliant, if that is what players are actually doing - parking and racking up non-participation points, which sadly, is what many of my students try to do every day.

In conclusion (for those of you who still use this in your essays), "I don't like it when..." isn't suitable argument - nor has it been since grade school, and if what we don't like is a participant not participating, then we might reconsider how we most likely graduated high school. Ask to have our credits recanted.

Of course who would do such nonsense - school is real life after all. But in a game - Lord! Don't try to fail to participate in a game and receive credits for it!

Lmao!

Thanks for the laugh Finn!

You're absolutely right. Being able to kick players by popular vote would be very bad.

kick players by popular vote? Say for example voted for 100 idle players to be kicked out. they paid for the game. Bad idea and bad business for zuperman.

About kicking players, I never meant that they be kicked out of the game and barred form playing altogether!

What I meant was that now that team formations are rather even and it is difficult for either side to outnumber or get outnumbered, in that case if a player is idling for a given amount of time then that player should be kicked from *that particular game* he can join the next available game for all I care.

Since teams are more or less even these days, an idling player is a distinct disadvantage.

Removing someone by voting is a bad idea. I like what horribelbreast said, that once you land or stop moving after being shot down instead of hitting the 'retry' option than a timer like the one in CTC mission must start (of course with reasonable time in case someone needs to take a bathroom break ) at the end of which you will be kicked form the game and another, more useful player might join.

I like the timer idea!

How about after 30 seconds of no input a 90second timer starts? As soon as you move the controls or touch a button the timer would go away until another 30 seconds of nothing.


Good old Plur. A timer would probably not affect him. This is from 2 years ago; back when there were in-game moderators, in fact I'm pretty sure this incident is what prompted Manfred to step down and become "Just Manfred" instead of Manfred the moderator:

Why did I kick Pluribus from that game (A case study in game moderator ethics)

[NLR] McFate wrote: Good old Plur. A timer would probably not affect him. This is from 2 years ago; back when there were in-game moderators, in fact I'm pretty sure this incident is what prompted Manfred to step down and become "Just Manfred" instead of Manfred the moderator:

Why did I kick Pluribus from that game (A case study in game moderator ethics)

Omg, that comentary about Plur had me rolling. What a character - he's a legend.
I too was in a game where I was attempting to hold off an assult, an Plur was sitting there doing his thing.
I was trying everything to get him in the air - from encouragement to berating. I was frustrated.
I finally asked, "How the heck did you ever make MORAF!?". He replies with one word, "Persistance!".

I lmao. From then on I was cool with Plur.

[NLR] McFate wrote: (I'm probably going to get trolled again for saying this...Lol!)

Some players have mentioned that since it is difficult to switch sides now, they may choose to fly away from the fight or to sit idle until the game is over so they don't have to fight against their own squad mates. Do you happen to notice it being more common with certain players while facing their own squad as reds? I really hope they would just leave the game instead of taking up a spot.

Better still , give us back the option of switching. Not sure how taking that away benefitted the enjoyment of being a squad player. In my opinion the game was much better when we had the choice it's what being in a squad is all about, flying with friends you choose to be with.

[M]Pagan Avenger wrote:
Better still , give us back the option of switching. Not sure how taking that away benefitted the enjoyment of being a squad player. In my opinion the game was much better when we had the choice it's what being in a squad is all about, flying with friends you choose to be with.

I agree with Pagan Avenger, to return the original option of switching. Also HB's suggestion works. I've had to move past many players recently.

I tire of Plur sitting, watching and running a commentary of the ongoing game. It's not a spectator sport and yesterday he told everyone in game I was cheating as I am on Win. Seriously!? lol

DireWolf {WP} wrote:

[M]Pagan Avenger wrote: yesterday he told everyone in game I was cheating as I am on Win. Seriously!? lol

Ok, as much as I amuse his harmless comentary, the "cheating" accusation is BS.
Guess I haven't been around here long enough to see the whole picture.

The only reason I ever do it is to get the points for winning the game.
For instance if i leave the room then when i come back i still get the points for the win/loss.