Pay once for the ability to host directly.

[Benny Moore]

I respectfully propose that Hitech consider offerring the ability to pay a one-time fee, like that for standard games, for a key to unlock the ability for players to directly host an eight player (or perhaps sixteen player) server.  Other players could join directly by I.P.

No bandwidth, policing, or any other regular effort (other than selling the keys) would be required on Hitech's part.  There wouldn't even be a matchmaking system.  The only effort needed at all would be to slightly retool the G.U.I. to include the options of joining by I.P. and entering the key.

This would replace the defunct free head-to-head feature; Hitech would no longer have to host the matchmaking service or police the free multiplayer section, and would also gain revenue from people who would otherwise not pay at all.

[sunfan1121]

the DA furball area is the new 8player

[Benny Moore]

It's neither free nor is there a one-time fee for it.  It requires the same monthly fee as the other massive servers which Hitech hosts.  And players cannot host it.

[Clifra Jones]

Originally posted by Benny Moore
... And players cannot host it.

And there lies the reason you will not see this. That was the root of the whole problem.

LAN play still exists. Buy yourself a VPN capable router (there is your one-time fee) configure it for incomming VPN and tell your friends how to connect. Most routers can use the Microsoft VPN configuration to connect. Now you have your 8 player back.

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by Clifra Jones
And there lies the reason you will not see this. That was the root of the whole problem.

No, it wasn't.  That was a different scenario; while players did host the actual servers, they were public servers on Hitech's matchmaking system.  The problem was that Hitech felt responsible for what happened on these servers because they used Hitech's matchmaking service and relied on Hitech for policing.  Also, part of the problem was that no one paid anything.

My suggestion is for private servers where the players only can connect if you give them your I.P. address.  Since people would pay a one-time fee for this, this negates entirely the previous problem.  It would, in short, offer the option of making Aces High II work exactly like the average boxed game with multiplayer.

[Krusty]

Er, no... The problem is not that HTC "felt responsible" but that the HTH system as a WHOLE was being used for a breeding ground of discontent and a hacker testing ground.

For that reason alone you will not see it come back. Forget all the other nonsense. Hackers would pay a 1-time fee gladly to keep testing their latest versions, just like you would to avoid paying a subscription.

I didn't used to sound so harsh, but "just pay the sub!" and have done with it. It's $15 a month, and for anybody with a part-time job it's doable, even under the heaviest stack of bills.

[TwentyFo]

Rich46yo mentioned that he would pay for all of our accounts for the 2008 gaming year. Thanks Rich46yo....we appreciate  your generosity:aok

[ROC]

Need for speed is an entire series of race car games that are hacked beyond belief, and you can play them online with friends and on dedicated servers just like AH.

MCO was one version of that game which did not have the ability to host your own games and was only available online.

Didn't get hacked.

Oddly enough, a dedicated system like that had important files that were on the server alone that could not be modified.

H2H can be modified, therefore invited all kinds of people to mess with things.

Can't do that in the mains as it's a different ball game in there.  You aren't going to be told how it's different, or why it works the way it does.

The single best thing HTC did to protect their system is to keep the ability to modify the primary game out of the hands of the little tinker twits.  

Why on earth would they open up their system to these kiddies for a few extra bucks a month?  It's not about the pay, it's about security of their system.

Benny, you seem like a nice enough guy, but you don't know what you are talking about.  Go download a free virtual lan program, host the game yourself and you charge people to access it.  Then, when you get your system fried feel free to come back and tell HTC all about how to protect it  

You can host a lan, HTC doesn't need to.  You can do it for free.  Go do it.

in short, offer the option of making Aces High II work exactly like the average boxed game with multiplayer.

To my original point, this is Exactly, Specifically and without a doubt what needs to be avoided.  Sorry, Quake is 2 doors down on the left.

[waystin2]

Originally posted by ROC
Need for speed is an entire series of race car games that are hacked beyond belief, and you can play them online with friends and on dedicated servers just like AH.

MCO was one version of that game which did not have the ability to host your own games and was only available online.

Didn't get hacked.

Oddly enough, a dedicated system like that had important files that were on the server alone that could not be modified.

H2H can be modified, therefore invited all kinds of people to mess with things.

Can't do that in the mains as it's a different ball game in there.  You aren't going to be told how it's different, or why it works the way it does.

The single best thing HTC did to protect their system is to keep the ability to modify the primary game out of the hands of the little tinker twits.  

Why on earth would they open up their system to these kiddies for a few extra bucks a month?  It's not about the pay, it's about security of their system.

Benny, you seem like a nice enough guy, but you don't know what you are talking about.  Go download a free virtual lan program, host the game yourself and you charge people to access it.  Then, when you get your system fried feel free to come back and tell HTC all about how to protect it  

You can host a lan, HTC doesn't need to.  You can do it for free.  Go do it.

 

To my original point, this is Exactly, Specifically and without a doubt what needs to be avoided.  Sorry, Quake is 2 doors down on the left.

I agree with ROC.  This is why I gave up Delta force 1, 2, Landwarrior, Halo 1 & 2, and quite a few other games online.  Cheats! I say do not open up one of the cheatingest-free (new word) games out there to folks who will rework code and screw with the play in the MA's.  

Oink

[Benny Moore]

I'm not asking for Hitech to host anything.  I'm slightly confused here.  It's like some people are skimming my posts.

Originally posted by ROC
Go download a free virtual lan program, host the game yourself [...]  You can host a lan, HTC doesn't need to.  You can do it for free.  Go do it.

First, I have no clue how to do that.  Second, I highly doubt if it's allowed.  I don't remember what exactly was in the E.U.L.A. but I'll bet there's something about it in there.

[Spazzter]

Benny,

If you enjoy the game so much then just pony up the $15 a month.  We would love to fly aginst you in the MA's

<>
Spazz

[hubsonfire]

"Will you please give me your sole source of income, and accept only a token fee from me, instead of the $180 a year that everyone else pays? I like your product, but I don't want to pay you for it, especially if you're stupid enough to give it to us for next to nothing."

[Clifra Jones]

Originally posted by Benny Moore
First, I have no clue how to do that.  Second, I highly doubt if it's allowed.  I don't remember what exactly was in the E.U.L.A. but I'll bet there's something about it in there.

R.T.F.M. Hey, you just might learn something useful.

TOS:

This is the only thing I could find that might cover this.

--snip--
Authorized Hosts.  For host-based multiplayer services, the SOFTWARE must be used only to connect to authorized hosts.  You are not permitted to use the SOFTWARE to connect to hosts that have not been authorized by HiTech Creations.
--/snip--

If you are running it on a private VPN then it's private. Only those you invite can use it. No different than inviting them into your home to play over  a LAN.

If you like I will charge you a 1 time fee to set this up for you. I estimate that with initial setup and testing it will take about 3 hours to setup. At my usual rate of $120.00/hr this will only cost you $360.00.

[Benny Moore]

Originally posted by hubsonfire
"Will you please give me your sole source of income, and accept only a token fee from me, instead of the $180 a year that everyone else pays? I like your product, but I don't want to pay you for it, especially if you're stupid enough to give it to us for next to nothing."

That's hardly fair to me.  It's far from a "token fee;" it's the standard price of a game today.  And I'm only asking for a limited version of the game which will cost Hitech nothing other than the time it took to create the game.  In other words, just like normal games.  Frankly, pay-to-play is nigh robbery.  It's like an author demanding payment for his book every time you read it.  The only thing that can come close to justifying pay-to-play is server costs, which would be negated if my idea were implemented.  But it's clear that it won't be, so I guess I'm wasting my time here.

[Helm]

What do you need 8 player mode so badly? ....geez the whole game is $15 a month? .....if you cant afford it get a part time job .....8 player mode is joke.  I would be bored out of my mind fighting the same 7 people all the time.