I probably have more unknowns/questions than answers, but...
Some balancing changes to the map could be done for sure. I guess for myself though, as much as I want to get honor points like the next guy, I really miss the big epic battles of AV of yesteryear, which were not a PvE race. Ones where the elementals get summoned, when you released the cavalry or commmandos and somehow manage to turn the tide. Yes, those fights can get drawn out for a long time... hours and hours... and not everyone's going to be able to stay for the entire duration. To try to manage both the long games and honor gain though, would require some major reworking of how honor points are rewarded, so that those who are fighting do get points for fighting, even if they can't stay to the end of the battle.
Off the top of my head I can't think of a good method to do this though. Basing it on the amount of map controlled wouldn't be fair, especially for the poor soul who joins 5 hours into a losing battle (which may yet take another 2 hours before it ends). Some kind of measure of effort would have to be put in... with certain bonuses if you managed to push the opposing side to certain points, perhaps. Something that would allow a player to join at their leisure, put in some fighting time for some reward still, and then if they have to run, they can leave and still have gained some points or whatever even though they didn't stay for the conclusion of the battleground. And if they happened to help push them back and take over a tower or whatever, bonus points would be in order. How to manage the in-progress point gains though, is the real trick though...
As to AFK'ers, whether in the cave or elsewhere... my preliminary thoughts were to track whether a player had engaged in combat with an opposing player/NPC/quest mob (but not creep mobs) or achieved any quest objectives, and if none of that has occured within a given timeframe (something like the 'honorless target' countdown, which gets reset by combat actions), deal a penalty (whether loss of BG bonus honor, etc.). However, how would you account for those who had perhaps a legitimate reason to be 'idle' for some time defending a particular location? An appropriate timeframe would have to be established (eg. if you're waiting on the other side of the map for reinforcements to stealth over, you're going to be sitting still for a while)...
Argh, this is getting too complicated
/headspin
In hindsight, the old honor gain system (which unfortunately favoured the fastest looters though), did at least give more incentive for people to actually be involved in the battle...
Some balancing changes to the map could be done for sure. I guess for myself though, as much as I want to get honor points like the next guy, I really miss the big epic battles of AV of yesteryear, which were not a PvE race. Ones where the elementals get summoned, when you released the cavalry or commmandos and somehow manage to turn the tide. Yes, those fights can get drawn out for a long time... hours and hours... and not everyone's going to be able to stay for the entire duration. To try to manage both the long games and honor gain though, would require some major reworking of how honor points are rewarded, so that those who are fighting do get points for fighting, even if they can't stay to the end of the battle.
Off the top of my head I can't think of a good method to do this though. Basing it on the amount of map controlled wouldn't be fair, especially for the poor soul who joins 5 hours into a losing battle (which may yet take another 2 hours before it ends). Some kind of measure of effort would have to be put in... with certain bonuses if you managed to push the opposing side to certain points, perhaps. Something that would allow a player to join at their leisure, put in some fighting time for some reward still, and then if they have to run, they can leave and still have gained some points or whatever even though they didn't stay for the conclusion of the battleground. And if they happened to help push them back and take over a tower or whatever, bonus points would be in order. How to manage the in-progress point gains though, is the real trick though...
As to AFK'ers, whether in the cave or elsewhere... my preliminary thoughts were to track whether a player had engaged in combat with an opposing player/NPC/quest mob (but not creep mobs) or achieved any quest objectives, and if none of that has occured within a given timeframe (something like the 'honorless target' countdown, which gets reset by combat actions), deal a penalty (whether loss of BG bonus honor, etc.). However, how would you account for those who had perhaps a legitimate reason to be 'idle' for some time defending a particular location? An appropriate timeframe would have to be established (eg. if you're waiting on the other side of the map for reinforcements to stealth over, you're going to be sitting still for a while)...
Argh, this is getting too complicated
/headspin
In hindsight, the old honor gain system (which unfortunately favoured the fastest looters though), did at least give more incentive for people to actually be involved in the battle...
Onyxia:
Kichebo - 85 NE Druid
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
Kichebo - 85 NE Druid
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.