Great Graphics,older computers..tough balance

[Crash Orange]

artificial demand, just like automobiles, houses, and electricity... 

First of all, to be clear, this is way beyond the immediate context of this update, it's more about what I'd hate to see AH become part of (but don't really expect it will with the current ownership/management). EA killed Air Warrior, just like Hasbro killed every Avalon Hill title, because it didn't fit into their rat race market model.

Second, yeah, you need a house, a car, electricity, and a computer. What you don't need is a 5,000 sq. foot house for a family of three, a shiny new car as soon as you've paid off the last one, and $20,000 worth of consumer electronics including a new computer every 2-3 years on which most of the performance boost is wasted on software bloat. That's manufactured demand: no one needs it, but people feel like they need it because a whole industry is devoted to making them feel like their manhood is dependant on how much Stuff they own. If you're wealthy enough that those things don't impact your finances significantly, great, but for the other 95% of us it's silly to work full time + and have nothing to show for it but a pile of debt and a lot of luxuries that will be worth nothing in 10 years. What's the average American family's credit card debt these days, $10k?

The last computer upgrade that was really worthwhile to me was in 1997. Every machine I've bought since then didn't really do anything important that the previous one didn't do, it was just necessary because Microsoft has everybody by the yarbles with planned obsolescence. In that same time period I've bought one car, because Exxon and Toyota don't team up to force me to buy new ones by changing the type of fuel (incompatible with last year's model, natch) that's available every 3-5 years.

[Agent360]

What EXACTLY are the NEW min requirments to play the new version of AH2 (the beta)? Are these specs listed yet?

Last year I bought a game for my daughter called "Oblivion" (at Best Buy). I did not realize the specs required to run this game. Turns out the game was being returned by almost every customer. Parents were not going to upgrade or buy a $2500 computer for thier kids to play a game.

Currently this game has a very small following. It never made it because the makers did not consider the min specs and what that meant to the customers base ( kids) who would be playing this game.

If the new AH2 can not be played on a "mid range" spec computer it will fail. If it can then all is good.

If you go look at new computer systems they are graded like this....Gaming system, office system, graphic design system...etc. They are graded by what you intend to use the computer for. A simple analgy is tools. You can buy a cheap cordless drill for the wife to hang pictures or you can buy a heavy duty commercial drill that you can use every day all day long and drop it all you want.

It all depends on what you are going to use it for.

All I can say if a game is desinged for high end systems it will fail. If it is designed to work on a mid range system it will succeed.

So, will AH2 succeed in making the game better in some way (see all the posts on the wish list forum) or will it just be a game that added eye candy with no real improvement in game play.

I vote for game play over eye candy.

[BnZs]

Quit ranting about stuff that doesn't have anything to do with AHII. You are not talking about some giant faceless corporation here, they are not getting kickbacks for every new graphics card that gets sold. HTC has bent over backwards for years to make their game playable on very low end systems. It is fairly freaking amazing how well AHII has made a massively multi-player game that has pretty good graphics, and oh yeah, a very complex flight model calculating the aerodynamics many times per second work on low end systems. It has reached the point where they match the competition or get left behind. You and I know why AHII is clearly the best...the flight model, the view system, the coms, the instrumentation, and the careful thought that has gone into nearly every other detail. But, facts are facts, the average prospective player is more likely to make his choice based on a screen-shot showing sh*t hot graphics.

First of all, to be clear, this is way beyond the immediate context of this update, it's more about what I'd hate to see AH become part of (but don't really expect it will with the current ownership/management). EA killed Air Warrior, just like Hasbro killed every Avalon Hill title, because it didn't fit into their rat race market model.

Second, yeah, you need a house, a car, electricity, and a computer. What you don't need is a 5,000 sq. foot house for a family of three, a shiny new car as soon as you've paid off the last one, and $20,000 worth of consumer electronics including a new computer every 2-3 years on which most of the performance boost is wasted on software bloat. That's manufactured demand: no one needs it, but people feel like they need it because a whole industry is devoted to making them feel like their manhood is dependant on how much Stuff they own. If you're wealthy enough that those things don't impact your finances significantly, great, but for the other 95% of us it's silly to work full time + and have nothing to show for it but a pile of debt and a lot of luxuries that will be worth nothing in 10 years. What's the average American family's credit card debt these days, $10k?

The last computer upgrade that was really worthwhile to me was in 1997. Every machine I've bought since then didn't really do anything important that the previous one didn't do, it was just necessary because Microsoft has everybody by the yarbles with planned obsolescence. In that same time period I've bought one car, because Exxon and Toyota don't team up to force me to buy new ones by changing the type of fuel (incompatible with last year's model, natch) that's available every 3-5 years.

[mechanic]

gameplay and eyecandy are not really related are they? You can change the gameplay without adjusting the graphics and visa versa. Each fuction independantly and need seperate work. Both are also vital to a good gaming experience. Gameplay is a constant formula through the ages, eye candy is fluid with each new technology and cpu advance.

[StokesAk]

I vote for game play over eye candy.

+1 I like the game as it is now.

[Wingnutt]

+1 I like the game as it is now.

yea, im sure you would still play it if it were just wire frame and 5 colors as long as the FM was correct, problem is, you would have little else but sheep to shoot at because there would be very few customers paying.. on a monthly basis, to play something light years behind the times.


If you dont like improved visual representation of land sea and earth, well that's you... I dont like gangtards.. thats me..

but guess what..  improved graphics will bring in more people.. who will gangtard me..  so its a win win.. wait.. crap.

[Madkow]

 
Computer upgrades are a part of life...

[LYNX]

For my system to use beta this is what the game looks like to for me when flying



and it's playable.  What folk seem to be PANICING about is the FACT the LOW RES isn't enabled or fixed in the BETA....read Pyro's posts. 

Second guessing which isn't the ideal thing to do, HTC is working things out on 2 levels.  They are obviously looking to the future when systems like mine wear out / become obsolete and inevitable upgrades are needed.  They seem also to be looking at the NOW...hence the low res for weaker systems like mine.

All I can say is the fat lady ain't singing so do not panic.

[mechanic]

well said lynx!

[dentin]

For my system to use beta this is what the game looks like to for me when flying

(Image removed from quote.)

and it's playable.  What folk seem to be PANICING about is the FACT the LOW RES isn't enabled or fixed in the BETA....read Pyro's posts. 

Second guessing which isn't the ideal thing to do, HTC is working things out on 2 levels.  They are obviously looking to the future when systems like mine wear out / become obsolete and inevitable upgrades are needed.  They seem also to be looking at the NOW...hence the low res for weaker systems like mine.

All I can say is the fat lady ain't singing so do not panic.

Well said.  Oh, BTW, the "fat lady" is in the wings with a box of doughnuts..don't think she'll be singing anytime soon. 

[angels10]

 This is an on-line community we all want one thing to " Play Aces High".  Maybe if needed we could set aside a part in the forums for selling, trading, or giving old parts to our fellow gamers instead of tossing them. 

  I gave one of my old squad mates some RAM i had lying around from my old system fixed him up only $1.80 US Mail.

             "If your not on board and helping row your swimming behind". 

[5PointOh]

Like HT said, the "gv advantage" has been gone for a long time. 

Anyway, graphics are nice and all but I'm not playing for the pretty pictures of the water and the ground.  It's just eye candy and really has little to do for me regarding flying and fighting.

I do plan on upgrading in the future anyway, not because of the new graphics.  If it did come down to being able to play a new version that looked pretty and I was unable to upgrade then I would be reluctantly gone.


wrongway

I agree. Eye candy is nice but I wish HTC would have added 10-15 different planes and left us with the same graphics.  But just my .02 cents.

[Wingnutt]

I agree. Eye candy is nice but I wish HTC would have added 10-15 different planes and left us with the same graphics.  But just my .02 cents.

that statement could roll over and over indefinitely..

kinda like, "1 more sortie, then Ill mow the lawn"

the lawn is 5 feet high, I cant find my dog, and I hear a Lion.

[usvi]

that statement could roll over and over indefinitely..

kinda like, "1 more sortie, then Ill mow the lawn"

the lawn is 5 feet high, I cant find my dog, and I hear a Lion.

"In the jungle,the mighty jungle..."

[kamori]

Just to get back on track...Th GV advantage is still there...although its better we still can see if a tank is behind a hill or not...

KAM