Couple of things here Ares;
1. I wasn't around for v2.2 in it's prime-time. I came around when 2.3 was being distributed but I think my CD's were old because it seems like not long after I got them, I heard about v2.6 being released. But I played a mix of 2.3 and 2.6 for quite a long time. I was never part of the "competitive" community mostly because I never cared to be. I've always thought it to be silly to take games seriously. Back in these days, I enjoyed AA very much, pulling all-nighters was a frequent occasion. It's hard to figure but v2.3 is probably my 2nd most played game if not the first. I knew all the whoring, all the tactics, what players did and didn't like.
2. Changing the original game is a very controversial topic and one we're trying to handle delicately. We want to progress this game forward but we don't want to alter classic gameplay. Personally, I deem "classic" gameplay as that of the overall game feel, it's mechanics, if you will. I'm undecided whether or not it's a good thing to edit original maps. It's one of those things where a lot of people want to remember the classic maps as they were but it also stagnates gameplay very quickly. Random spawns wouldn't change the gameplay or the map but rather the tactics and behavior of the players on the map.
Nobody would play the new ones. That's been proven. mAAp Pipeline and Urban Assault SE are superior versions of the original maps but nobody bothers with them. The changes would have to occur on the original maps or players get sneaky and figure out ways around just like the 82nd guys and playing SF Pipeline once we told them forceclassing SF wasn't allowed.
Sure, we can do whatever we want to the maps but ultimately we want to take this game in a direction that will be favorable for the majority of users. What we should do is go through each original map and completely overhaul it. Fix bugs, improve graphics, add features that users want and discuss things like weapon loadout, spawn position and random spawns. The devs WOULD have done this if they had more time to refine the game rather than be pushed for more features in short deadlines.
Good answer spanky.
I can't be sure what version the changes were made, but the outcome was devestating, both to pubbing and to competitive.
I totally respect you, and many others, which are obviously the majority of the community for not liking the idea of taking a online game seriously. With this being said, can you honestly say you would wonder off in the same directions regarding random spawns on, will you "our" maps (looking at it from a competitive viewpoint)? It's a difficult question, and a hard one for you to answer since you don't know what that partion of the community is like, what the excitement is, the group, your friends and the tactics. We enjoy winning, we love it, being a solitare game, trivial prisiut or in this case AA. Having someone change it, looking at it from our viewpoint; for no apparent reason other than in the ones making the changes eyes "moving forward" and "improving the game"?
Christ we stuck with the game for over 10 years now, 11 even. If we wanted a change, we would have gone to another game.
I for one does not only deem "orignal gameplay" what you stated above, but also knowing them angles, knowing what time to spam, time under preassure and practice. This is something you barely would, or could implement into a public server because of the total chaos that rules on a pub server compared to a controlled match in whatever leauge you deem fit.
What i was trrying to point out, but felt i didn't really put forward to you in a manner suitable for this discussion is as follows: If you, and perhaps, and obviously many others feels that the gameplay is stagnant, my initial response was, and still is. You need to change your way of playing, how you think when you play, and not get stuck in the "this is how i play it" that you so badly want to get away from, you might think you play it diffrent, but really you arent't. I ofcourse don't know this, because I am not you. I am meerly speaking out of my own experience I've had, I too felt this, and started playing ridiculusly agressive, anyone who has scrimmed, pubbed or had a tactic chat with me can tell you this. It isn't always for the better of the team, nor me. But it makes it fun for me. I do, and try shit you won't belive to enhance the fun. My point being, I feel you don't need to change the game itself, just your own style playing it. And frankly, peoples style, and manner of playing AA has drastically changed over the years. The amount of camping and bitching with flashes in hand leaning around whatever corner on whatever map is HUGE. I can understand people find it boring, and i understand how frustrating it must feel getting shot whilst doing so, but people. Change.
I apologize if i get abit out of hand at times with my ranting, I'm just tired of all the fucking "let's all be friends" People will disagree, and when I do, I don't like being met with "leave if you don't like it" It's a terrible argument and it undermines your opinion beyond all. And this is not directed to anyone in particular, more to the overall feeling i get in here sometimes. And if everyone in here agrees that we're here to improve the game, opinons that differ from time to time needs to be looked upon with open eyes.