game play

[Rich52]

This game has many, many strengths. The training resources, the gobs full of vehicles and planes, the comms are 1st rate, the controller support, the fine conditions for improving skill sets, the team play opportunities, the historical recreations.

But without better graphics and damage engines, new and better maps, and more dynamic gameplay rules, its going to end uo like Battleground Europe. Already AH has 1/2 the players it used to. Sadly I think the entire WW2 flight genre is suffering from the new wiz bang games, BF3/COD/IL2...ect, that are far behind a game like AH in many ways except for the graphics and damage models.

[Lusche]

Already AH has 1/2 the players it used to. .

I wonder where you got this number from?

[Easyscor]

I still believe that capturing the two week trial players is key. IMO The lobby needs a window on the tower at A1 in the training arena along with a button to direct them there so the new player is nudged into learning how to get off the ground.

And yes, I hear lots of comments about the dated eye candy, strat system and capture setup.

[Yeager]

I dont think this business has ever been about keeping customers.  Most People just burn out after a hardcore year and half to two years.  Where HTC has always been successful is in bringing fresh blood in on a pretty constant basis, replacing the old burned out and stale accounts with new ones. 

[caldera]

I wonder where you got this number from?

I remember some very high MA ranks of well over 5,000, several years back. 

[Lusche]

I remember some very high MA ranks of well over 5,000, several years back. 

Oh. there is no doubt the player numbers went down, but I was just wondering about the relatively precise and huge number of "50% less" which doesn't exactly match my tediously collected data. So I just wanted to know the source for that claim to compare it with my numbers and to correct them, if necessary

[ghi]

The maps are too big for late night. Small maps promote fights...well atleast some human contact. And Big maps promote sneaking and milking.
Also I think the game is just uninteresting at times. If they had some kind of strat/HQ capture objectives or something. Last night 3am, was flying over city and factories and thought to myself "what a waste of space". All those roads and buildings to hide around would make for some fun fights! But it just sits there  I miss the ack trains. I'd like to see those back and in some of the towns.
I'd like to see varied rebuild times on supplies and buildings, all dependant on factory status.
I liked the ability to pork fuel at a base to 25% too. I liked muli scattered factories instead of 1 glob seventeen sectors away.....sheep! i liked the sheep
Build it and they will come 

  I would like 1 day/week the MA arena split in 2 teams axis vs alies : chasing Spits in P51 is getting old.

[Lusche]

  I would like 1 day/week the MA arena split in 2 teams axis vs alies : chasing Spits in P51 is getting old.

AvA is open 7 days/week 

[Myg]

I think a good indication of the situation is to check the fighter/etc ranks for the past consecutive TODs. During the decline of HT's previous games (after IEN took over) it was quite common for the same people to be on top. It is usually a conclusive sign of that there has been little new blood, or that the quality of the new players in attitude and personality has declined.

Putting aside the unavoidable issues of a game that is really old (in the reality of the games industry), it is amazing that it has done so well for so long.

I think the biggest threat to AH is the community itself. There seems be a growing sense of intolerance among alot players and HTC has become an unwilling victim in the mess. An intolerance to Trash talk, to insulting someone in a challenging manner, intolerance of the younger players and a general festering judge-mental/control-freakish attitude that is growing among the older players that is toxifying the MA. The turning point in all this probably would of had to be when they changed channel 100 to 200 cut down perceived immaturity and allowed muting/reporting of other players on a whim, also as well; when they added the special salute channel (never understood that).

Basically its all about communication, and when an external body starts moderating people's ability to communicate, they stop moderating themselves and stop doing the things humans normally do (like practicing self-control). Instead of people being ostracised by groups and forcing to deal with their mistakes by social means, they simply become the victim of the functions of the system and deep down don't feel properly respected.

So, in giving people the power to *not* have to deal with others around them, HTC have actually started a downward spiral of social collapse in the community.

Want a fix?
- Make 100 default main channel again.
- Remove ability to mute/report.
- Only perform investigations into *EXTREME* cases of harassment, recommend people to log off/mentally ignore or tell others about bad apples.

Let the community start to assert itself again and it will grow, let the old control-freaks and the people with emotional problems feel powerless and have to deal with eachother again and things will get better.

People find each-other because of the game, but stay because of the people.

Peace out yo.

[68valu]

The drop in numbers is directly related to the economic downturn. No busuness is exempt from some form of loss of business, especially a recreation based business. That is one of the first things people begin to cut when the money supply gets reduced. The numbers will increase when the economy improves. Overall I think the game is the best of its kind, and comparing to the xbox types is like apples/oranges. different markets and different engines. the xbox types are great for those unwilling or unable to learn the complexities of a large number of control options, just to learn to fly, let alone avoid somebody trying to shoot you down , just for starters.

XBOX = instant gratification
ACES HIGH = long term learning process and enjoyment

         just my 2 cents

                                                                                          68valu

[james]

First person shooters (the popular titles) have moved on past WWII and it's obvious. We need to do the same a little. Korean war era maybe add some graphics and use the WWI damage model. World of planes is on the horizon, not going to play out like world of tanks. We going to lose more to the guys who want the eye candy and pc's that can run it.? Computers can handle alot more these days. Yes might mean some people need to get rid of the old clunker yes I know not everyone can get that. No I won't buy you a new one, but it's a matter of need to keep ahead of the xbox kid. Not saying trash the WWII Main arena. <--- READ THAT ONCE MORE BEFORE CONTINUING. Just thinking out loud. It doesn't take a lusche graph to tell that the numbers have decreased since last year. I'm sure hitech has things like true numbers in a much more accurate graph anyway though.

We as a community could at least knock it off with things like the ALT+F4 jokes and maybe help the new guys along a little better instead of berating them every chance we get. Let them at least get used to us before we start kicking them around in here as well as in the game.

 If you have been here for a long time playing and it annoys you that new ideas might put a chip on your shoulder please remember it is a game and no one owes you anything. You are simply one more person who pays to play a game like everyone else because the new guy doesn't know who you are and people like me can care less who you are, it's a game. The chest thumping of some of the grown ups in the game or in here (the bbs) makes my 11 year old seem more mature some times. When it comes to our two weekers knock off the BS with them. The playnet WWII online crowd treats their new guys great most of the time. There's nothing but help pouring out of most of the players with a big fat welcome! That sucks because i'd think we would be better since the community here likes to think of itself as tighter knit no? Where do some of you guys think their first stop was? Right here.  Let's try and keep some of them around so we can at least get them to subscribe and shoot them down repeatedly the following month? I shall now go back to my corner and don my super secret flame proof suit. Flame on, and see you later if i'm not png'd.  

P.s. http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,322983.0.html <----- This was not a HO
 

[Chilli]

One good point to add about the all channel, no one can be certain that another player from another country can hear you (see your text).  Yesterday morning I saw a new name when I shot that player down with very little resistance, I saluted the player and then sent a personal message to offer some assistance if they were new.  The problem with all this channel 200 and personal text, how would a new person even know how to answer me?  On top of the "must tune to 200" cross channel "club", we assume that the player is fluent in English. 

Didn't get a reply..... nada

[coombz]

Lots of good, relevant stuff in this thread that I wholeheartedly agree with

The gameplay, on the other hand, could be improved.   It is asinine to say "I can't wait to see his uber sim...", as though his opinion doesn't count and AH2 is beyond criticism.

It is asinine, but sadly it's a pretty typical example of the weak minded bandwagonning and backslapping that we see so much of on these forums (especially in Midway threads ). Now, on to the constructive criticism stuff...

It's pretty obvious that the game is dieing slowly...AH gameplay (which  was built around Main Arena) was not improved enough to keep customer base growing.

Small maps promote fights...well atleast some human contact. And Big maps promote sneaking and milking. ...I think the game is just uninteresting at times. If they had some kind of strat/HQ capture objectives or something. Last night 3am, was flying over city and factories and thought to myself "what a waste of space". All those roads and buildings to hide around would make for some fun fights! But it just sits there   I miss the ack trains. I'd like to see those back and in some of the towns.

Build it and they will come

many players don't WANT to fight. A big map just makes it easier for them to avoid it.

The perfect example at the moment seems to be the large squads that work together to win.  They do what the game is designed for them to do.  

 Yes, unfortunately the way the game works promotes hordeing, running away, avoiding the opposition entirely to take undefended bases while they do they same to your undefended bases (!!!!) and spawn camping (in the case of GVs).

Don't blame the players for their lame behaviour (although I agree, it IS lame), the majority of people will always behave as badly as they can possibly get away with. The fault is with the game design that encourages and rewards these playstyles.  

With all these excellently modelled planes and tanks in the game, it's a real shame that we (currently) don't have a more interesting, exciting playground to use them in.

without better graphics...new and better maps, and more dynamic gameplay rules, its going to end up like Battleground Europe. Already AH has 1/2 the players it used to.

I hear lots of comments about the dated eye candy, strat system and capture setup.

Indeed, I've only been playing for a relatively short amount of time and it's already a bit stale...and I imagine there are many other squads in the game that have a similar proportion of totally inactive members who are just plain bored with the game (not with flight sims, with AH), as we do

Flying around with squad mates, and chewing the fat seems to go a long way.

Absolutely agree, I am convinced I would not have enjoyed the game enough to subscribe if I hadn't been taken under the wing of a squad when I was completely green.

I think the biggest threat to AH is the community itself. There seems be a growing sense of intolerance among alot players...

The bottom line is don't look for any big bump in new subscriptions, until the player base is ready to be more welcoming and not just for cannon fodder.  

[Rich52]

I wonder where you got this number from?

Look at the K/Ds from the game at its height and look at them now. Not scientific but one gets the idea, and I doubt anyone from HiTec is going to give the official amount.

And I'll ask does anyone here really think there has not been a large reduction in both memberships AND flight time by those who have chosen to stay? And there are reasons to stay, plenty of them. Im not bashing here simply stating the obvious. Thats what struck me first when I came back after a year. The lack of numbers. That and it was tougher to find quality fights.

AH went above and beyond introducing new planes and vehicles but they need a huge graphics engine update, new maps, new gameplay rules.

[guncrasher]

somebody forgets that lots of people who quit, quit because they lost their jobs.  economy went to crap a few years back and still hasnt recovered.  so for some people having money to play is still tough.

I mostly play at night and even when we had 2 arenas back in the day, there would be less than 100 after 12 am pst.  normally would be one with about 20 and another with around 60.  which is what we have now, except for the weekends when there's a couple of hundred people playing till morning.  log in on Thursdays and it is normally dead as dead.  but what do you really expect at 12 am or later pst.

semp