[Corn]

I think the list of pilots on jossh should be removed from game, this is a big detterent to log in, i see it all the time. If 1-3 pilots log on from my squad the next minute everyone is popping on and we have a gank fleet, but then the sols and octs are looking at online pilots and saying theres a quant gank no point in loggin on theres only 1 other oct/sol Mil on. But if everyone logged in we'd have 7-8 fighters per side, but once 1 side gets to big the other wont log in.

[Lordopic]

I still think some indication of player numbers on line should be shown some where.

[Startac]

/Agree
I ever thaught it's bad that everybody can see who is playing. It would be enought to see how many pilots of each fraktion are online.

[Aphelion]

I'm even skeptical about showing the total online pilots.

"Oh, look, only 150 pilots online tonight so I won't bother to log in."

Or.

"Oh look, 500 pilots online so it's just one big gank-fest and I won't get any kills because they'll all be stolen."

Or.

"Oh look, 500 pilots online so I can't go mine because pirates will PoD me."

I definitely think that you shouldn't show the individual online pilots, but if you show individual pilots status, someone will just make a 3rd party website indexing app to give people the numbers anyway. Even if you just show the total online pilots, there's still other problems with that. Taking it away doesn't seem like an option since MMO's pride themselves on the number online at any given point and use that to sell their game.

So in theory I think it should be left the same because of 3rd party software (Anyone remember Bounty Tracker?) and because the Total Online Pilots number on the main JOSSH site obviously isn't going anywhere.

[Tim]

I guess I never looked at it from that side... you PvP folks sure do worry about an awfully big pile of stuff.

I like seeing who is logged in.. though i'll certainly admit i'm not thinking about my kill stats when i look at the online pilot numbers.

[daslog]

Originally Posted by Tim

I guess I never looked at it from that side... you PvP folks sure do worry about an awfully big pile of stuff.

Yes, at least for me. Alot of the PvE stuff in Jumpgate can be done solo, but it's difficult to have a PvP battle without finding 5+ pilots who are 1) willing to fight 2) all in the same sector.

[Tim]

The funny thing is that a lot of your carebear types will look for the opposite.. just a couple of pvp folks = good night for moving commods.

generally speaking, of course.

[daslog]

Originally Posted by Tim

The funny thing is that a lot of your carebear types will look for the opposite.. just a couple of pvp folks = good night for moving commods.

generally speaking, of course.

I call this "the World of Warcraft effect"

It used to be that all these online games had what was commonly known as "forced grouping." Everquest was a prime example. You could solo in EQ, but it was beyond painfull. When you see people on this board type "Get an escort" what they are really saying is "Jumpgate is a forced grouping game. Get a group."

At the time Jumpgate came out, most of the mmogs (massively multiplayer online games) had forced grouping. If you didn't group in Jumpgate, you were easy prey to civ rippers.

WoW changed the whole genre. Blizzard (wow's developer) had figured out that most players of mmo's actually want to solo while playing online games. They do want to interact with other players, but only when they decide to do so. They don't want to be forced into grouping. so Bilzzard put in lots and lots of content that could be soloed, and lots that required grouping. Both camps were happy. As we all know, WoW sold 10 gazillion copies.

[wiget]

i think it is at 12 gazillion now .

[Lordopic]

TBO 4 pilots or 4000 pilots i log in any way and just get on with what i wanted to do.

[Jump]

I can't agree with this. I think the stats are part of what make Jumpgate unique.

[Aphelion]

So back to the topic, although that aside with WoW was very insightful and funny, is having the ability for a PvPer to look on JOSSH and think, "There's only 2 enemies online to kill, I won't log in today." or a Hauler to think, "None of my squad is online to chat with so I'll haul later when they get on." a good thing or a bad thing? When I put it that way, how can you argue?

Someone come up with a counter example to my one sided post.

[Corn]

Hey aphelion hows it going bud, but anyways to the matter at hand. Still show stats just do not update players stats untill they log out. You should be able to view your current stats in Jumpgate. I am even open to the idea of being able to view actives in your squad or atleast a number for how many players of your squad are logged in. But honestly i'd perfer for the information to be held in game instead, once you log in it tells you who is logged in from your squad.

MY big reason for not showing online pilots is this, first if there are 6-8 pirates online no haulers log in, witch in return means nothing for pirates to do, if theres too many millitary octs online no mil octs or sols log in. as far as im concerned knowing who is online is a detterent to certain pilots to log in, just get rid of it and the detterent is no longer there.

Would anyone be crushed or no longer play jumpgate if online pilot list was removed???