Screwing the player base is probably the last thing on the agenda of HTC. I usually doesn't bode well for the bottom line.
If some guys still have issues with the game, it's not quite yet the end of the world. I don't claim to know all the innermost secrets of HiTech's SOP or their business model, but the complaints/threats to close accounts are already getting a bit old.
I would wager total staff is less than 10. Pretty impressive for the most accurately modeled combat flight sim on the market. Especially for the average price of $00.50/day.
Sure, they could deliver us a super duper game, prepackaged like a fillet Mignon dinner without bugs, patches, and raring to go. They could slap some kind of logo feces on it like EA does, or have some famous WWII pilot narrate a fancy flash intro that wastes your time when you could be flying.
I bet it wouldn't be $14.95/month anymore. Development teams cost money. They also usually don't have such a diverse background and wide range of different equipment. Lots of times they are more educated than the common player and have better rigs.
Here's a clue....... Me? You? Us? The community?
WE are the development team
WE are the beta testers
WE are the feedback team, the skinners, the CM's, the arena staff members, the terrain makers, etc.
Nowhere else could HTC find such a diverse range of rigs that people play on, feedback, different skills levels with a computer, etc. That is how (I'm pretty sure, at least) that they can keep the cost to play, palatable.
What an awesome approach to running a business, and what an awesome community.
I know of no other game that lets its player base have such involvement in the development of it's product without shoving down your throat how "uber" their new game is. If your system can't run our "uber" game, then piss off, buy a better rig is how they will respond.
I doubt that HTC's intent is to drive off anyone. I'm am sure, however, that they are trying to make things better for us all. They DO have to keep evolving to be competitive. Show me another software company that works as closely with their player base as this one. How many others will respond, within minutes, to a tech issue on their forums? Do you think the #1 geek at EA will wake up out of a sound sleep, log into an arena, actually make his/her presence known, and ask questions to fix an issue like I have seen Skuzzy (and other HTC staff) do? Doubt it.
For you guys crying (yes I say crying, because most of the responses have been "I'll just cancel my account" ) how about an alternative if you REALLY need to upgrade.......
Most hobbies require some investment of time and/or money.
How much you are willing to invest all depends on how serious one is about their hobby.
Sometimes investing a little more time can be equal to money.
Use Craig's list, or hell, even post questions here.
I'm sure there are players in the community that have upgraded their equipment just to make their rig scream (not just to run this particular game) that may be willing to part with an older Video card that is better than the one you have for a modest fee. Hell, there may be guys whose wives are nagging them "Honey, when are you going to get rid of that pile of computer "junk" in the garage?"
My system is not "uber", nor is it "junk". It was, however, fairly inexpensive. The one I am running the game on, now is cobbled together from scavenged parts....
Tower, MoBo, CPU, Power Supply ------- Rescued from fire at my work a few years age (smoke stained but working)
HDD ------ 500 GB for < $100 online
Ram ------------ 2 GB ~ $100
Video Card ----------- Free, scavenged from a computer my uncle blew the MoBo on and he bought a new one (Here Dan, you want this for parts?)
As for my brewing hobby, most everything was free, from Craig's List, or cheap from the corkboard ads at the Homebrew shop
It IS possible that if you feel you really, really, absolutely MUST upgrade to make your hobby more enjoyable, there are alternatives to forking out big bucks.
Ask your squaddies, ask around on this BBS.
It is all about how important your hobby (in this case Aces High) is to you, and how resourceful you are.
You can't expect HTC to stay in the stone age and still make improvements on the game at the same time.
