Author Topic: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players  (Read 1260 times)

Offline nrshida

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A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« on: August 29, 2014, 04:02:05 PM »
I think with Aces High there is a big gulf between new players and experienced ones which I was thinking might be partially bridged by making the TA a more attractive place to hang round in for both. The TA should ideally be the first point of contact for new players and facilitate learning which it does to an extent, but then there's no real reason for experienced sticks to go there for themselves. I have a few suggestions I thought I'd just lob out there to start some discussion:


Aerial firing range - have drones of various aircraft types flying round in a set pattern like a long-sided oval. This would be better than the gentle circle offline drones fly in. This way you can pop in anytime you feel like and practice your gunnery from every aspect or just to warm up. You can also get help or share advice with those similarly practicing - you can't do that offline.

A permanent target area - I don't think many new players know about the dot commands. Why not hang some targets out there permanently with their own icons to show distance.

A Parcour zone - my Brother had a game on his Nintendo once called Pilot Wings. One of the activities was flying through coloured virtual loops or blobs in the sky which formed a sort of aerial course. If arranged nicely then BFM could be practiced without lengthy reading or studying or even being aware you are doing that. An increasingly difficult course might attract experienced sticks even if they just wanted to check out a new aircraft or challenge themselves for fun. Perhaps a ghost plane of the last person through could encourage innovative routes and manoeuvres.

A Redbull racing area - A lake or an area next to a port which has the pylons as used in the Redbull races. So players can practice racing / flying hard. You could even have a timer system and a scoreboard on a permanent arena page.

Pod Racing course - Some desert terrain with a twisting valley and maybe even the odd cave to fly through.

Batfink Town - Incorporate some chains of hangers, ships and obstactles from Batfink's excellent terrain. This is really fun and challenging.

A BFM Bot - Which could be set to demonstrate manoeuvres and left running so players could follow and learn. Would also help with the different consequences of pursuit curves.

A Gliding School. An Alpine-like bit of terrain with an airspawning modern glider or even a period open wooden and canvas one. Germany used gliders to train a shed-load of pilots when they were forbidden to use powered trainers and as stick and rudder is so fundamental to flight this would be a good training tool, even for experienced pilots. The core of energy conservation habbits could be formed or revised here. Could have a feature which modeled a thermal column to increase endurance. Might be a good way to hook new subscribing players if this was only available in the TA.

A question pin board - On a similar tab to the Arena message, where players can leave questions and whoever happens along can answer. Not many new players have a forum account this might be more convenient.

Three month free subscription - yeah baby, three free months but for the first two you are only allowed in the TA - think about it!

A squadron notice board - as players approach being let loose in the main arenas, they might request a trainee position in an established squadron. Similarly squadrons could offer positions for those wanting to learn. Hopefully this would buffer some of the noobshock when you start fighting in the MA. I bet a lot of potential long-term players are lost to that.


Perhaps some of these ideas would help to streamline new players into the game and at the same time offering some variety of flying activities for established players too. That way the one can meet the other on friendly terms instead of getting frustrated at being pwned twelve times in a row then quitting. Has to be better than the old alt f4 tradition. Some of these suggestions wouldn't take so much work. Perhaps some of the terrain ideas could even be implemented by one of the players who build these things.

Well just some creative ideas for what they are worth.


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Offline DmonSlyr

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2014, 04:15:06 PM »
Very nice suggestions!! I think this would really be great and add some new fun deminsions to the game   :aok
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Offline jimson

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2014, 04:15:53 PM »
Good idea.

Offline Puma44

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2014, 04:22:48 PM »
Now, that's some coloring outside the lines.  Good idea!



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Offline morfiend

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2014, 04:32:51 PM »
 Great ideas but the first 2 are already there,they call him Morf!...... :devil


  I would like to see a BFM drone that a player could launch and follow,instead of an icon to tell the plane type maybe the icon could display the BFM,suck as "break turn" then change to Immelman,etc.  This way a player could get some training in even if there's not a trainer available.

 While it's not my game I think the free to play could be extended for the TA only,not sure of the length but maybe and extra 2 weeks of just TA time. I think a new player shoild be warned that the 2 weeks free start the moment they go online but if the only fly in the TA it will be extended an extra 2 weeks...or something of that nature.


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Offline Volron

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2014, 04:49:24 PM »
If you stick them in the TA for 2 months, they won't stay.  I know I wouldn't.  1 month free trial, with 1 week in the TA.  This seems more feasible.


And I heard Pilot Wings mentioned. :x  This gets and instant win from me! :rock



I really like this though.  I'd definitely do the Pilot Wings course, that's for sure. :D  Followed by the Pod Racing course. :x  So I'd be in the TA for more than to touch up on my Manual Calibration. :aok
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Offline The Fugitive

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2014, 08:32:52 PM »
Heck give them unlimited time in the TA and the free two weeks starts the first time they log into any of the other arenas. This way the player can decide when to jump into the pool. Ta while limited is a great place to learn WITHOUT the pressure of having to do well.... what ever their expectations are.

Offline Lab Rat 3947

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2014, 09:11:33 PM »
Quote
Heck give them unlimited time in the TA and the free two weeks starts the first time they log into any of the other arenas. This way the player can decide when to jump into the pool. Ta while limited is a great place to learn WITHOUT the pressure of having to do well.... what ever their expectations are.

worth considering  :old:

+1

Quote
And I heard Pilot Wings mentioned.   This gets and instant win from me!

in the achievements, you become a 2nd Lt. with one kill in an USAAF plane. Ergo; you have your pilot's wings.

Unless the poster means a separate award/achievement; or something that would be optional to show, like the stars, on the chat line or be allowed to use in your BBS avatar


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« Last Edit: August 29, 2014, 09:21:33 PM by Lab Rat 3947 »
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Offline Triton28

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2014, 09:25:31 PM »
I hope these ideas get looked at.   

Big +1
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Offline 68Raptor

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2014, 10:22:12 PM »
Great ideas.. I like the unlimited time with the 2 weeks period starting on the initial MA/SEA login. Maybe even with a BIG in your face warning the first time you goto connect to an arena other then the TA.

At some point someone mentioned so many hour spent in the air in the TA before even being able to go to another arena. I liked that one also. Maybe the first 40 hours can only be in the TA.
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Offline Tinkles

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2014, 01:14:20 AM »
+1 for all nice post.
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Offline Someguy63

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2014, 01:21:23 AM »
Huge +1
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Offline Latrobe

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2014, 02:09:14 AM »
Great ideas.. I like the unlimited time with the 2 weeks period starting on the initial MA/SEA login. Maybe even with a BIG in your face warning the first time you goto connect to an arena other then the TA.

At some point someone mentioned so many hour spent in the air in the TA before even being able to go to another arena. I liked that one also. Maybe the first 40 hours can only be in the TA.

I like the idea of the big "in your face" warning for new players who go straight to the MA. Just a pop up that says something like "Caution: Aces High 2 is a very difficult game with a steep learning curve. We highly recommend you spend some time in the Training Arena before jumping into combat so as to learn the controls of the planes and vehicles and set up your preferred keybindings." and then give them the option to either click "Yes, take me to the TA" which, if clicked, will load them into the TA, or "No thanks" and allow them into the MA.

I also like the idea that your 2 week free trial doesn't start until you log into the MA and you get unlimited free time in the TA. If this was the way it worked then if they clicked "No Thanks" and tried to go into the MA anyways maybe give them one more warning pop up saying "Warning: Your 2 week free trial time will not start until you enter the Main Arena. Are you sure you would like to skip the Training Arena? Time spent in the Training Arena will not be counted towards your 2 week free trial."






+1 for shida's post! TA could use a little overhaul to help new players out when no one is in there.  :aok

Offline Rogue9Volt

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2014, 10:11:41 AM »
I dig it!

Lots of those are awesome ideas.  I'd love to see some drones for both gunnery and BFM and even ACM practice, for sure.  A course or two would be awesome as well!  Those things could be incorporated into BigRat's tag game!
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Offline Dichotomy

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Re: A More Interesting TA as a Bridge Between Old and New Players
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2014, 10:27:01 AM »
 :aok
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