Proposed ESF nerf: Why? Will it improve revenue?

[phungus]

Reading the discussions here and on the main forum I'm continually struck with the same question. Why is ESF maneuverability getting nerfed?


I have only seen players who don't fly ESFs or who fly them poorly support the changes. As far as I can tell the idea is to limit ESF maneuverability to become more inline with traditional FW models that exist in every game with fighter aircraft. This seems nonsensical; PS2 doesn't have a physics engine to properly simulate a FW model anyway, and FW models have been played with for decades and are stale in comparison to what's there in PS2.

So why, what's the design goal here? The only thing I see this doing is making it more difficult to dodge in hoverduels, and I don't see how or why that would be a good thing - it only compresses the skill cap.


Is the intent behind this change simply to lower the skill ceiling? Why is that a good thing? How will this make things more engaging for the player?


I guess I just don't get it, I see no benefits. Everyone who plays ESFs enough to be effected by this are just going to be nerfed (which never feels good), they all pay money (most are members), and it's only going to help poor players (who don't pay nearly as much as dedicated ESF players) who mass in the air making it easier to gank ESFs with numbers instead of skill. If this change has the effect I assume it will, especially since it coincides with Star Citizen's hanger release, then all it will do is negatively effect players who actually spend money and encourage them to spend it elsewhere (Star Citizen).


Am I missing something here? Is there any reason to nerf Vthrust in ESFs other then to lower the skill ceiling and negatively impact the experience of dedicated players who actually spend decent $$$ on the game? If we looked at the posters who support nerfing ESF maneuverability vs those who oppose what does the revenue look like that comes from those voices? I've probably spend the least of those who fly ESFs yet I've still dropped over $100 (I think it's around $120, with another $50 planned for the ESF update that I will not be spending now with the proposed changes) and every other ESF player who's posted here is a straight up member - those who want the ESF nerfed run the gambit with most being non paying scrooges. I really don't get it, it's like the devs want to slap the hand that feeds them while coddling the casual that refuses to drop a dime. I could be wrong here though, maybe the scores of casual players who repeatedly demand ESF nerfs and a FW model will suddenly open their pockets the moment the hard core players have their favorite toys nerfed, but I don't see why this would happen.


Also why do people think a FW flight model would work with PS2 in the first place? With the lack of necessary physics effects (like a flight envelope, and proper energy management) a FW model will be a gutted poor man's simulation more simplified then even BF3. With rendering mechanics granting invisible god mode to players dynamically at ranges beyond 100m it would be outright impossible to acquire and engage targets with such a model. All I see FW model doing is reducing complexity and limiting player actions to create a more restricted and less engaging playing experience. I don't see a single benefit to FW models (or nerfing VTOL ability to be more FW like) and a full FW model would simply not work with the current engine at all...

So what's the deal here? What purpose does the proposed nerf serve, and how do the bean counters reckon it will increase revenue? I only see this change making the gameplay less engaging, and I don't see how it will increase revenue especially since those of us who likely would drop cash for the ESF update are significantly less likely to do so now that we know we are getting hit with a huge nerf to our favorite thing in the game.


What am I missing here? From a gameply experience or in terms of revenue please enlighten with arguments as to how this will benefit either.