No more trial weeks

[Karnak]

I'm confused about why this is even an issue.

The free two week trial is an extremely good thing, although not perfect.  The two people I got to try AH didn't get a free two week trial because they signed up from my house, where I have a fixed IP and had already flown a free two week trial.  In the end neither of them stayed for more than two months, but that is the way it goes.  It also goes to show you that customer referals aren't going to create the required growth in the customer base that HTC requires.

I also post info about AH whenever somebody enquires about flightsims, including mention of the 2 week trial, and a link on various boards.

Ask yourself this, how many of the 2 week trial accounts are by people abusing the system or here to hack AH?  Very few I would guess.

Without the free 2 week trial AH will almost certainly be doomed.  And I mean a full access trial, not some useless watered down version, even extending to perks if they earn them.

BTW, my roommate says he might come back if the Me410 is added.

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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother

Bring the Spitfire F.MkXIVc to Aces High!!!

Sisu
-Karnak

[Revvin]

Hmm well I checked the date so I figure its not an April fool so I have to question the logic behind this post.

Since Aces High appeared its taken players from other sims and first time flyers BECAUSE of the free two week trail, personally I think HTC might have been a bit generous giving two weeks but appreciate not everyone can get online long enough within a week to evaluate the sim. iEN is really missing the boat by not tempting players into their sim by offering a free trial.

By only allowing you to play if you give CC details first puts a hell of alot of people off trying the sim even if they are confident of paying for things across  the net, but there are so many people who dare not use their credit cards online although it is alot safer these days. To make and restrictions on freetrials would be a suicide move by HTC IMO but I do believe that stronger steps should be taken to stop people repeatedly signing up for free accounts and abusing the system.

[Westy]

 Actually, I never gave iEN my credit card to try out WB's online because of all the iEN billing fubars. I did not trust THEM to handle my information with care.

 I think the two week trial is great. It just let's in the cockroaches along with the good people.

 Maybe the best route is also the easiest? Folks should learn the .squelch command and  also it's about time HTC to finally let us have it be a permanent list till changed by ourselves.

 -Westy

[Fatty]

I'm all for more players, and I don't see how making it harder for people trying it out is going to help that in any way.  I'd not have subscribed had I not been able to mess around for free, no one I get to sign up does so without being able to play (yes play, not just ride around in an observer) first.

Not sure exactly what harm they are causing either, unless they're actually better than you.

[Kieran]

If you don't feel comfortable giving your CC info over the net you can always call direct and do it over the phone. Sure, it costs long distance, but it is an option.

[LePaul]

What's the use in a trial period, if they can't try out the game and its full features?

Further, I would like to see PAYING members be able to host LARGER games in H2H. The system already checks your name and password, how about having paying memebers be able to host their own 16 (or maybe 32?) player games?

Eight is just not enough, I mean with 4 on 4, and some of the large maps we have, you really can't have a cool, strategic fight.  Oh sure, if you want a Free For All (FFA), it excels in that (as does the Training Room).  Heck, I'd love to have my Squaddies take on another Squad on one of the maps I'm working on.  But we can't.  Only 8 players allowed.  And not all the guys I'd like to invite are paying members of Aces High yet, due to other financial responsibilites.

I dunno, I have no problem with the trial time, and yes, we know people abuse that.  That's a given with any free trial.

But what do you think of the H2H suggestions?  They seem to fall on deaf ears whenever I mention them in a seperate thread.  Comments?



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Paul J. Busiere

Aces High Arena handle:  BD5Pilot
 http://bd5.checksix.net
BD-5 "T" (TurboProp) 90% complete, first flight in 2001 (We hope!)

[DMax]

Having just fled the skies of AW'S, I'll be flying AH "live" this weekend mainly due to the 2 week trial. I'm not looking for a "freebie" or to become a predator...I just want to check out the game, arenas and players.

I say keep the trial weeks and don't impose restrictions. AH will get more players and more players make for a better product and gaming experience...IMO

DMax

[MANDOBLE]

!!?!?!?!?! ... Definitively it should be my english ...

I'm "flipando en colorines con las orejas atadas a la coronilla".

Sorry, I see no possible way to translate the previous sentece, so, no possible way to misunderstand it  

[This message has been edited by MANDOBLE (edited 04-05-2001).]

[lazs]

Lazs, the following is a list of basic predators (there are much more sofisticated ones):

                    1 - People that, while liking the game, will never pay for it. They'll be changing nicknames
                    and accounts over'n over.
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Well... I'm sure that those people are a minority and they really don't affect me in any case.   seems like more trouble than it's worth to me.
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                    2 - People that live to game the games. As the use to do with their, probably, preferred
                    online games: quake, UT, etc.
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Well... seems to me that we have plenty of paying customers that do that.  I don't think it is more of a free trial kinda thing.
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                    3 - People that do not respect the community at all. In fact, they are not customers and
                    have no compromise with the game neither the comunity.
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Hmm.. that's a little hard to get a grip on.  Someone just got banned who was here from beta and had very little respect for the "community".  Again... seems harsh to throw out all the prospective new "community" simply because maybe a few of the new guys are imature.
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                    4 - People that lives with the only purpose of hack and crack software.
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don't know much about this one.  Are u saying that only free two week trial guys hack?
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                    5 - People that lives to harm everything.
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oddly.... even sensitive, caring "vets" like myself have been accussed of that one.
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                    you can combine various predator types into a single one with as many combinations as
                    you want. But, the common charasteristic is that none of them want to pay for anything.
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like I said... seems like more trouble than just paying but....  I don't want to take the chance of losing the good ones along with the bad.  We could use some new blood IMO.
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lazs

[Lizard3]

Peoplen abusing the free two week trial are caught on a regular basis. Some dope posted in the bug forum a long while back asking for help as he could no longer get the game to work. Someone from the staff posted a reply telling him that his 3 or 5 (I can't recal exactly) free trial periods were over and that he needed to pony up some cash to play this game. They went further and named the handles this person used over the time period. If someone has some information as to who or how someone may be getting away with cheating the owners out of the money they are due, I suggest they email them pronto as NOT to do so would be aiding and abbetting criminal behaviour.
My 2centavos,
Lizrd

[AKDejaVu]

I feel that the free two week trial to AH is one of its biggest hooks for new customers.  I think it is totally necessary because of that, no matter how many newbies are in the sky as a result of it.  Virtually everyone here flew at least two weeks for free at some point.

That said, I can't stand abuse of the two week trial.  Those people are easy to spot though, due to their disruptive nature or clever stepping to a different number behind their ID every two weeks (Eh VicS18?)

AKDejaVu

[hblair]

Vics is abusing the free two week trial??

[AKDejaVu]

Well HBlair,

vics12,vics13,vics14,vics15,vics16,vics17 and vics18 have all played in the last 4 months, evenly spaced out and usually flying the same type of planes.

I suppose it could be a coincidence... and the FDBs migh actually be a sober cleancut group of guys who all know their fathers.

AKDejaVu

[tofri]

AH was and is my first online flight sim. I experienced the game and thrill of real tough  enemy fighters. As far as I remember, I was never bothered with landing on a runway  . But I liked the challenge.

Without the 2 trial weeks I wouldn't have thought about joining the game and pay a monthly fee.

TMO it is the only way for HTC to gather new player. Aces High is more than a refugee camp of dissapointed WarBirdies.