Is it just me... or is Flying Circus MP enjoying a bit of a popularity boom?

[DakkaDakkaDakka]

Just want to say how utterly pleased I am to see what appears to be a boom in popularity of Flying Circus. I have been in the RoF / BoX community since 2011 (under a different nom de guerre) and for the past 2-3 years, Flying Circus seemed kind of dead in the water.

 

Now, suddenly (at least for me), it seems the servers are populated... quite populated!

 

Being based on the US West Coast, I'm almost always flying in the dead times (evening Pacific), but even now I'm finding reasonably good turnout, and Thursday nights really seem to be rocking. And the weekend? Holy cow, there were like 40-50 pilots in Flugpark yesterday mid-day. Wow!

 

The DM changes really bummed me out last year, and they still frequently do result in a true feelsbad. But other changes have been good (I'm really a fan of the reworked spotting, to be honest), and the newly-announced planes (Snipe & SS D.IV) are extremely exciting. The Nieup 28, while apparently suffering from some of the same problems that beset it in RoF, at least rounds out the Entente lineup a bit and gives some more diversity (as does the very fun Fokker D.VIII for Central).

 

Anyways... just wanted to acknowledge that there appear to be signs of life! I mean, Hellbender even shot me down yesterday... that's a name I've not heard in a long time, a looong time. Never been more happy to watch my control surfaces get jammed in full up elevator and left rudder.

 

S! All, and see you up there!

Edited June 15, 2021 by DakkaDakkaDakka

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

That's a new. Glad you  enjoy numbers,  but for me this alone without fixed wings and control surfaces DM  is not enough. 

[BMA_Hellbender]

4 hours ago, DakkaDakkaDakka said:

Anyways... just wanted to acknowledge that there appear to be signs of life! I mean, Hellbender even shot me down yesterday... that's a name I've not heard in a long time, a looong time. Never been more happy to watch my control surfaces get jammed in full up elevator and left rudder.

 

S! All, and see you up there!

 

Oh, that guy. I'm surprised he was even flying, all he does is complain about the control surfaces and post dissertations about the N28 FM. He alone is the reason I don't fly so much anymore. Plus the rest of his squadron are chute-shooting war criminals.

 

P.S. It's great to see you, and that you're having fun and it's still a fun multiplayer game to be enjoyed in moderation. The commitment to the historical simulation aspect of WWI has waned over time, mostly due to the engine being (re)designed around WWII.

 

S!

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by =IRFC=Hellbender

[J2_Drookasi]

Some of us have insisted on enjoying Flying Circus, finding the pleasures it provides over-weighting the deficiencies it has. If just more people think in the same tune, we will certainly be having more people in the multiplayer server (after all it is just one for heaven's name) and therefore make the game more enjoyable for all.

 

So, stop the whining and just FLY!

[BMA_Hellbender]

1 hour ago, J2_Drookasi said:

Some of us have insisted on enjoying Flying Circus, finding the pleasures it provides over-weighting the deficiencies it has. If just more people think in the same tune, we will certainly be having more people in the multiplayer server (after all it is just one for heaven's name) and therefore make the game more enjoyable for all.

 

So, stop the whining and just FLY!

If presenting objective verifiable data to the devs which they then choose to ignore is considered whining, then I will continue to whine and fly.

 

I will even buy the new collector planes, because at least there is something new and meaningful being added to the game beyond visual improvements, questionable parachutes and WWII damage behaviour. And I take it they will spend some time doing FM research beyond the straight porting from early development planes (circa 2009 — that’s 12 years ago — yes I know we’re getting old) which has happened now.

 

Buying FC3? We’ll see.

[1PL-Husar-1Esk]

1 hour ago, J2_Drookasi said:

Some of us have insisted on enjoying Flying Circus, finding the pleasures it provides over-weighting the deficiencies it has. If just more people think in the same tune, we will certainly be having more people in the multiplayer server (after all it is just one for heaven's name) and therefore make the game more enjoyable for all.

 

So, stop the whining and just FLY!

Are we whining?  nah we are using adult  arguments. I will fly and support ROF and FC during organized events, sometime showup at Flugpark with crew. For any other time I prefer flying ww2 part of GB. More fun, less frustration,  bigger competition. Still huge fan of ww1 genre but disappointed about current DM implementation.  Go with fun I say.

[J2_Trupobaw]

3 hours ago, =IRFC=Hellbender said:

If presenting objective verifiable data to the devs which they then choose to ignore is considered whining, then I will continue to whine and fly.

 

- Spending more time and energy on informing other players why you are not flying than on flying is absolutely whining in my book.
- Keeping devs supplied with data and flying are not mutually exclusive activities, doing one has nothing to do with other.
- Keeping devs supplied with data and announcing your flying not-choices in every community discussion are not related; doing one  does not require you to do other.
- You can, in fact, keep devs informed without making anyone notice a change your flying habits, let alone advertise it. It can even help you base your info on solid repeated  observations made over long period of time. 

This is the same nonsense as people that kept coming to each RoF career mode thread to complain on perceived shortcomings on Beta career (most of which fixed years earlier) and try to push PWCG. Or, the same as BSR or Serpent gracing RoF forums to inform locals how they had moved on.


https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HaveIMentionedIAmSexuallyActiveToday

Edited June 15, 2021 by J2_Trupobaw

[BMA_Hellbender]

Trupo, stop whining, @DakkaDakkaDakka mentioned me specifically by name or else I would not have posted, as I really have nothing to add that hasn’t been said a thousand times already.

 

It’s still a fun game and it’s great to see people flying, and even I still fly from time to time, but that doesn’t change anything about the DM issues or N28, which the OP also mentioned.

[Cynic_Al]

5 hours ago, =IRFC=Hellbender said:

I take it they will spend some time doing FM research beyond the straight porting from early development planes 

 

So faced with the choice of either fixing fundamental issues or churning-out new content, which do you think will win?

[BMA_Hellbender]

1 hour ago, Cynic_Al said:

 

So faced with the choice of either fixing fundamental issues or churning-out new content, which do you think will win?

The optimist in me thinks both will happen, eventually. New content is absolutely needed if the game is to remain fresh and attract new players coming from WWII or still holding out since RoF. It will put the devteam back in direct contact with developing for WWI beyond just porting, so there might come a renewed interest to fix existing issues.

[No.23_Starling]

Listening to the concerns of your customers is an essential part of running a business, and when your customers start walking away and telling you why (provided there’s critical mass and relative objectivism in their reasoning) that’ll save you a fortune on Qualtrics licensing, and potentially help you to sell more of your product in the future. It’s also why choice is good for the consumer as it can drive change - right now I don’t know if any other ww1 sim with VR support.

 

Is repeatedly pushing for the AU engine whining or constructive feedback?

 

DakkaDakka - great to fly with you. Come back next weekend!

[Cynic_Al]

12 minutes ago, =IRFC=Hellbender said:

The optimist in me thinks both will happen, eventually. New content is absolutely needed if the game is to remain fresh and attract new players coming from WWII or still holding out since RoF. It will put the devteam back in direct contact with developing for WWI beyond just porting, so there might come a renewed interest to fix existing issues.

 

This game could feature every aircraft in all their variants known to have participated in WW1, all of them emulated totally realistically in every respect.  Even then I'm not sure it would change much.

[Guest deleted@83466]

6 hours ago, J2_Trupobaw said:

 Or, the same as BSR or Serpent gracing RoF forums to inform locals how they had moved on.


 

 

Well Trupobaw, since you invoke my name, let me do it again.  I moved on from Rise of Flight mainly because of disenchantment with the RoF community + monotony with low performance WW1 airplanes.  In the time between uninstalling RoF and then dipping my toe into Flying Circus earlier this year, I probably accumulated over 2000 multiplayer hours in other modules of IL-2 (BoX) or other sims like DCS.  I came into FC with a different and wider perspective, ready to take a fresh look at World War One air combat again, and eager to fly with both old and new wingmen.  I had fun for maybe the first two weeks of playing, but then after that, it started to feel a lot like RoF in its waning days all over again.  And I'm not talking about simulation technicals like FM/DM, I mean my experience interacting with the community in-depth, more than the occasional forum post.  I'm convinced that Flying Circus could be technically perfect, but that certain attitudes, personalities, and squadron fiefdoms over there in the multiplayer arena (mostly inherited from Rise of Flight), are going to always act as a brake on the number of flyers willing to really jump in to the game, heart and soul, to give it the critical mass it needs to truly be called "popular".   So there Trupobaw, maybe I'm overly forthright, but it is what it is. ?

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by SeaSerpent

[DakkaDakkaDakka]

When my control surfaces started locking up due to what felt like "scant" damage, I myself took a long break from FC, checking in every so often here and in the Flugpark Discord to see if anything had gotten better. I scratched my flight sim itch with other titles, and my broader gaming interests with entirely different genres.

 

However, something about WWI air combat will always call me back.

 

I haven't got the thousands of hours in FC that some of you all probably have, but I've flown enough that it feels pretty similar to RoF, though there are some obvious differences. I've learned to just stop caring, honestly?

 

The visibility changes are a true godsend for me. Spotting - despite quite a lot of effort to improve - has always been my biggest problem in these games, and I feel like where it's at right now is pretty good. Is it perfect? Maybe not. But it's eminently playable, and for me, a person who has been adjacent and sometimes directly involved in IRL aviation my whole life, much closer to the experience I have in reality than before. And it's so much more fun this way, and enjoyable.

 

The other stuff... the way the DM has played out so differently for different planes, the way wings rip off, and control jam... it's a mixed bag and a bummer, to be sure. But there too, I've just decided that the Arras map and the high resolutions and improved spotting make FC the best WWI experience I've had to date. It's still not perfect, and I doubt any desktop flight sim ever will be, but we've got a very good experience available to us, for those who love the WWI combat style, and I just enjoy it.

 

And much moreso with friends to fly with and against. Which is why I'm so delighted to see the current uptick in interest, and hope it continues to grow going forward. After all, more people playing and engaging with FC will mean at least in theory the great possibility of tweaks and adjustment to the DM and related. So that's a nice possibility, maybe, but anyways: we have planes to fly and people to fight with, and it's great fun.

[ST_Catchov]

What's RoF got to do, got to do with it? What's RoF, but a second hand emotion.

 

Nice try Dakka. But you see what becomes of the broken hearted.

[Feathered_IV]

I’ve been to Rise of Flight.  But I’ve never been to FC. 

[Zooropa_Fly]

In spite of MP numbers, FC1 sales did well enough for the Dev's to embark on FC2.

FC2 must be selling to some agreeable level for them to announce the long awaited 'Snipe' as a collector plane.

I now fully expect FC3 and FC4 to be completed, barring half the population dieing or electricity shutdowns.

 

But server numbers are still prohibitive for me.

I've been on The Flug a couple of times recently during Euro daytime - usually with 0-4 other pilots.

I'm more into ground pounding to 'win' the map these days but I'm finding the targets a bit monotonous.

I've yet to see a train or vehicle column to attack, which might just be me missing certain maps.

I usually end up going for Arty, but it's a 45 min round trip to have a go at a few MG'ers - might as well fly Career !

 

I'm hoping the arrival of the heavie's - probably marking the completion of FC2, will see MP numbers go up a bit.

For now, I'm still more inclined towards ww2.

 

S!

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Feathered_IV said:

I’ve been to Rise of Flight.  But I’ve never been to FC. 

 

But have you ever been to Europe ? !!

Edited June 16, 2021 by Zooropa_Fly

[RNAS10_Oliver]

1 hour ago, Zooropa_Fly said:

I've yet to see a train or vehicle column to attack, which might just be me missing certain maps.

The missions have trains. But they are not objectives anymore. Just eye candy and something else to shoot. There are no road convoys anymore I believe. Due to server resources assuming I’m remembering correctly.

[NO.20_Krispy_Duck]

FC in very small doses only these days for me. I'm a big fan of the WW1 setting, but I fly mostly the WW2 modules currently, and our squadron in general is much more active in the WW2 setting these days. The WW2 modules are generally well done in BoX, and though there are always some issues, the problems there are not as severe or pervasive as the problems with FC right now. But with time and patience, perhaps it will all find a resolution in FC and things will look up.

Edited June 16, 2021 by NO.20_Krispy_Duck

[ST_Catchov]

19 hours ago, Zooropa_Fly said:

I've been on The Flug a couple of times recently during Euro daytime - usually with 0-4 other pilots.

 

Yeah if you don't live in the U.S. it's hard to participate in the populated events 'cause of time zones and RL availability. And if you're a real long way away, there's ping issues and stuff. It's frustrating for me but that's the way it is.

 

17 hours ago, NO.20_Krispy_Duck said:

The WW2 modules are generally well done in BoX, and though there are always some issues, the problems there are not as severe or pervasive as the problems with FC right now. But with time and patience ....

 

I'm hoping the devs really do want to fix the DM and FM issues along with decoupling FC from WWII (maybe possible [or easier] with a new engine?). But as vocal as the relatively small MP crowd may be, I can't see it happening (if at all) until the SP career is implemented which in theory should be a pretty good sales booster. There's a lotta SP'ers out there. But that's way down the track. So yeah, time and patience. Probably a long time though.

[J2_Bidu]

23 hours ago, Zooropa_Fly said:

But server numbers are still prohibitive for me.

I've been on The Flug a couple of times recently during Euro daytime - usually with 0-4 other pilots.

 

It's usually around 19:00 GMT that it picks up, from my experience. Check the history of Mission numbers at http://stats.jasta5.org:8000/en/online/

 

But, as always, it's in our hands. I usually log in at least to "seed" the server, show my interest. Then I either actually fly even with low numbers or wait a bit until more connect before I start. But don't just check the site and don't connect... everyone may do the same.

Edited June 17, 2021 by J2_Bidu

[Diggun]

10 minutes ago, Eeafanas said:

higher salaries

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

 

ahem.

[ST_Catchov]

Higher salaries! Could you imagine the chaos if that happened. No, it's best they stay low for our own good. Remember, the increasing profits of big business trickle down to fund better services and world harmony. It doesn't go into their hip pockets. We live in Utopia. That's what they tell me.

[Zooropa_Fly]

37 minutes ago, ST_Catchov said:

Higher salaries! Could you imagine the chaos if that happened. No, it's best they stay low for our own good. Remember, the increasing profits of big business trickle down to fund better services and world harmony. It doesn't go into their hip pockets. We live in Utopia. That's what they tell me.

 

 

[BMA_Hellbender]

I absolutely love where this thread is going. In fact I’ve ordered extra popcorn from Amazon, with same day delivery by bio-drone. We prefer not to humanise them too much.

[ST_Catchov]

Does Jeff do that? Hasn't he heard of waffles? And why would .... anyway, stop changing the subject bender.

 

We're here to talk about how MP is enjoying a boom in popularity. It's about enjoying it for what it is, that's what. Who cares about virtual lives or kill/death ratios. It's not about that. It's about love for the game, for your enemy and respect to all players who gather from all corners of the globe to participate and enjoy the camaraderie.

Edited June 19, 2021 by ST_Catchov

[BMA_Hellbender]

4 hours ago, ST_Catchov said:

Does Jeff do that? Hasn't he heard of waffles? And why would .... anyway, stop changing the subject bender.

 

We're here to talk about how MP is enjoying a boom in popularity. It's about enjoying it for what it is, that's what. Who cares about virtual lives or kill/death ratios. It's not about that. It's about love for the game, for your enemy and respect to all players who gather from all corners of the globe to participate and enjoy the camaraderie.

It is what it is, I can’t argue with that.

 

As for the camaraderie DLC, I’d wait for it go on sale before buying.