I think inevitably almost everyone who starts playing Ingress thinks about how they would build a giant field. I know I imagined one that spanned states (how silly I was at lvl 1). After all it is a game and you're supposed to make the biggest field possible, right?
WRONG!
As a matter of fact you should not be trying for the largest field possible because that will actually hurt you just as much as it hurts the other team. Let's look at the reasons why large fields are a problem:
1) Whether it's a 10K MU field or a 2 MU field you still only get 1250 AP for it, so going for the small field is easier and probably more cost effective.
2) Once you create a large field especially over a populated area than neither the enemy or your team can create fields underneath it. There are some exceptions that involve edge portals but it still leaves anyone under the field with little to do.
3) Rebuilding a few small fields is easier than rebuilding one large field especially when you have to drive a long distance to create it.
4) We're still in Beta so things glitch and if something glitches a lot of people could be affected*
* Number 4 comes from an experience we had in Seattle a few weeks back. Some industrious individuals created an extremely large field that covered all of Seattle and significant portions of the surrounding area (we're talking several hundred portals affecting at least 100 active players). The field was only up for a few hours before the other team took down one of the portals but unfortunately there was a bug and the field didn't come down. As a result both factions were left with almost nothing they could do for 4 days. And yes the bug was reported numerous times.
I know the idea of a big field is awesome because you want your faction to dominate, but it is a global battle after all and 10x100 MU fields are probably helping your team a lot more than a single 10,000 MU field. Of course if you're in a rural area and you're covering 5 other portals than I say all bets are off and have fun!
When you're thinking about creating that massive field please just remember your fellow players and consider whether the field you're about to create is strategically useful or just an ego thing.
WRONG!
As a matter of fact you should not be trying for the largest field possible because that will actually hurt you just as much as it hurts the other team. Let's look at the reasons why large fields are a problem:
1) Whether it's a 10K MU field or a 2 MU field you still only get 1250 AP for it, so going for the small field is easier and probably more cost effective.
2) Once you create a large field especially over a populated area than neither the enemy or your team can create fields underneath it. There are some exceptions that involve edge portals but it still leaves anyone under the field with little to do.
3) Rebuilding a few small fields is easier than rebuilding one large field especially when you have to drive a long distance to create it.
4) We're still in Beta so things glitch and if something glitches a lot of people could be affected*
* Number 4 comes from an experience we had in Seattle a few weeks back. Some industrious individuals created an extremely large field that covered all of Seattle and significant portions of the surrounding area (we're talking several hundred portals affecting at least 100 active players). The field was only up for a few hours before the other team took down one of the portals but unfortunately there was a bug and the field didn't come down. As a result both factions were left with almost nothing they could do for 4 days. And yes the bug was reported numerous times.
I know the idea of a big field is awesome because you want your faction to dominate, but it is a global battle after all and 10x100 MU fields are probably helping your team a lot more than a single 10,000 MU field. Of course if you're in a rural area and you're covering 5 other portals than I say all bets are off and have fun!
When you're thinking about creating that massive field please just remember your fellow players and consider whether the field you're about to create is strategically useful or just an ego thing.
