V+ Open Discussion

[Pr3sario]

dancemoox and I have been busy working behind the scenes getting V+ up and running again. It has been six weeks now and we are really enjoying it.

At the moment the V+ sessions are attended by a core group of people who really seem to enjoy it; however in the weeks ahead we are really going to try to increase attendance to the sessions. This thread has been put in place to act as a place for open discussion within the community.

If you have any suggestions for V+ and how to make it more accessible for people please let us know here. Some questions think about:

• If you already attend - what do you enjoy about V+?
  
• What would make you more likely to attend?
  
• If you don't currently attend - why?

While all suggestions will be considered not all will be possible, but we welcome your thoughts.

Pr3sario and dancemoox

[Homercleese]

While I really enjoy the sessions AND really like the idea of ACRE, at the moment the numbers are too low (10 or so) for it to come into it's own so it's only the extra variety offered by the additional maps and mods. In fact, if I'm being really honest, I don't think ACRE as it's used at the moment is really worthwhile as I would guess it really only comes into it's own with high numbers (maybe the levels of a decent Sunday session) and because it's not worth the time it would take to set up properly, i.e. squads on different frequencies, it amounts to pretty much all chatter taking place over the equivalent of a vanilla session's teamspeak channel.

That said, I COed my first mission tonight and it went Amazingly well, and wasn't much trouble to keep a loose control of because of good radio use by the FTLs and mininal crowding by everyone else thanks to low numbers and responsible use.

Setting up the V+ bundle was the biggest hurdle. The Six Installer method was a bit convoluted and tiresome, like the program itself, but just an exercise in time really. An hour and it was done. I know Gaius has had trouble setting it up manually so that might not be the best way to attempt it considering the number of mods to account for (and whether order counts?). If a single package could be put together for Play with Six, that'd probably be the most straightforward way.

All that said, it doesn't even come close to spoiling my enjoyment of the session. Because it's small it's very informal at the moment, and just a good way to have a laugh and get to know folks a bit better. I'd definately like higher numbers so the the V+ session could fully exploit more of the features of it's mods but if that happened I think I'd look for a way to get a current V+-style session running on another night.

Thanks for the hard work Pr3sario and Dancemoox!

[Satire]

Whenever I can get the chance to attend (working late Fridays means I can't usually get on before around 9pm if that) V+ is definitely something I look forward to. ACRE gives great immersion and it's a huge improvement on Arma's regular VON system, and the new maps are a welcome change of scenery. It's nice to play missions on a smaller scale, especially co-op's.

As for setting up the modpack, I already sort of knew my way around six updater but I can understand how other might find it difficult. For the next session I'm planning to try and launch off of PlayWithSix using a command line launch for the modpack, which IMO is easier to use. PlayWithSix also makes it easier to add extra clientside mods like JSRS or Tao_Foldmap.

Personally I would be interested in looking at using ACE, since with the ACEX sub-mods it gives a much bigger toolbox to mission designers. If that were the case, I'd happily volunteer myself to make up some new missions using it. Perhaps since the attendance numbers are currently low it's be a bigger draw for new attendees than ACRE, I'd always found the radio system of ACRE more of a daunting task than the extra systems of ACE. On top of this, ACE has an easy install through PlayWithSix. Another option might be mixing things up with other bigger mods like Invasion 44 or Cold War Rearmed perhaps once a month with advance warning. Could be a nice way to draw in new recruits.

Either way, I'm very happy with the V+ sessions, everything is well run, exciting and most of all fun!

[Terminal Boy]

If you don't currently attend - why?


Currently, there's no way that I can join weeknight FA sessions.

Now, if the timing of the V+ session wasn't an issue, I would probably still give it a miss unless it was very well attended due to the hassle of manually adding the Modset.

I once spent most of a Saturday afternoon getting set up for a Mod Saturday session that only 4 other comrades joined. Which would have been annoying enough if installing the A2 OA beta required didn't break my DayZ setup.

Unless I can chose exactly what PW6 updates, I won't be having that POS on my PC as I haven't got time to rebuild my working FA A2 config on a weekly basis.

[dancemoox]

Currently, there's no way that I can join weeknight FA sessions.

Would a change to Saturday bring in a higher attendance, or what night are most people free - this question for yourself Terminal Boy and others.

Now, if the timing of the V+ session wasn't an issue, I would probably still give it a miss unless it was very well attended due to the hassle of manually adding the Modset.

I once spent most of a Saturday afternoon getting set up for a Mod Saturday session that only 4 other comrades joined. Which would have been annoying enough if installing the A2 OA beta required didn't break my DayZ setup.

Unless I can chose exactly what PW6 updates, I won't be having that POS on my PC as I haven't got time to rebuild my working FA A2 config on a weekly basis.

With PW6 you can, disable the beta in options and it won't force beta. For presets you create yourself manually just add expansion/beta to the preset and it'll launch that preset with beta on. Also you can download the @FA_V+ manually and place it in the PW6 mod folder, adding it locally to PW6.

For those put off by Six Updater (SU) I'd reccomend Play With Six (PW6) as an alternative. It's still nasty but not as nasty. (Other launchers are available)

[Nothun]

If the Session would be on Saturdays, I would attend at least every second weekend,
I still have my problems with handling ACRE, since my PTT buttons aren't standard.

Thus maybe Workshops!

[thekev506]

I've only been to the one V+ session, would've been there again last night but I forgot all about it.

There's an irony of sorts in that the biggest strengths of V+ IMO contradict each other. The degree of informality and silliness is great, works well with the current numbers, and reminds me a little of throwback Thursdays when they were still running, but ACRE is suited for super serious large headcount sessions. Yet somehow, the two go together and work pretty well!

One way to turn that lower turnout into a positive could be to encourage people to use it as a place for trying out new roles. Fewer people (who, not including myself, are generally pretty good at ArmA) and a more casual environment = a good place to try being in a command positition for the first time, seeing what it's like playing as an MMG team, or an opportunity to take a vehicle or pilot role without the pressure of 40+ people relying on you.

[Kefirz]

Maybe you can advertise it more in different places than FA forums?

[Mr-Link]

Would a change to Saturday bring in a higher attendance, or what night are most people free - this question for yourself Terminal Boy and others.

For me as a person on the other side of the pond, yes. I have never played with ACRE before and I would love to try it. I cannot attend on Fridays. Even on Saturday, I am not sure that I would be able to attend every week like I do on Sunday, but it is certainly much better than Friday.

[Homercleese]

For me, Friday is better than Saturday. I'd likely end up missing a lot more Sat session as that's usually when I gets my grooves on, put the moves on the Ladies.

And usually go home full of fresh rejection. So a Saturday night Lonely Hearts 3am Club session might be an idea......