The Marketing of AH - Ideas on how to increase player base

[oboe]

I think there is a terrific opportunity coming up for AH with the opening of the movie "Red Tails".    How could AH capitalize on that?

First thing, I'd have Cactuskooler use his excellent P-51 and P-40 skin bases and have him skin the planes used by the Red Tails group in the movie.  Then I'd enlist LePape or Niros to use these skins in a short AH film with soundtrack and combat scenes similar to what's seen in the movie trailers, and get it out on YouTube as soon as possble.

I think Raptor has a gorgeous Italy terrain too.   Would definitely want to use that in the film.

History Channel will no doubt be running some Red Tails related shows this February, and I think some spots purchased right around those episodes would be well-placed also.

My opinion is completely biased but I dunno how anyone could see the movie, look at the AH film, and not sign up to try it free for 2 weeks.



 
    

[MAINER]

Good idea! 

[pervert]

First up the majority of them guys will go to World of Planes, a lot of people equate realism or a realistic flight model to how a game looks, take IL2 for an example I'd describe it as an immersion game not a combat simulator. World of Planes looks pretty but not real in the same way IL2 does, it looks like your watching a painting of the scene, even watching the cgi in red tails trailers it also looks like a painting.

A lot of these people simply won't want to wait maybe a year or 2 or more to get reasonably compotent in a game. They want some success within at least the first few hours. In Aces High that won't happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBHQMizctgY

Funny reading up on this people are whining about how they hope this game will take skill rather than upgrades, you'd have to wonder why they didn't just go play Aces High, probably because they are full of it  

I was thinking back to the first time I played this game I actually logged off after an hour or so and forgot about it for about 4-5 weeks when I came back my trial had expired but there was still H2H free 8 player.

Gradually after about 10 or so new ids over the course of maybe 2 years I was hooked, when H2H went I found I had to subscribe to get my fix. Point being it was the fact that H2H was free that got me hooked, if I had been straight up asked for payment I would have forgotten all about Aces High and deleted it.

I'm working from memory here but I think H2H would have went in 2007 sometime?? I remember looking at one of Lusche's pie charts the peak of players was in 2008. Just saying free H2H might be the reason the numbers have declined.

[Tilt]

Allow free accounts with (restricted) access to the MA (only)

Restriction limits rides to the following

P40E + Options
B25C + Options
M3 + Options


Free players do not get

Points
Perks
Attaboys
Polled
Radio
Squad membership.
Mission access.
Task group course access

Should arena limits ever return Free Players are dumped to lobby if arena is within 10% of its limit.

When ever a free player tries to access something he/she is not entitled to he/she gets a promotional message advising he/she can get all this and more by opening a full account.

[Lusche]

I remember looking at one of Lusche's pie charts the peak of players was in 2008. Just saying free H2H might be the reason the numbers have declined.

Personally, I find that explanation highly improbable.

[EskimoJoe]

Allow free accounts with (restricted) access to the MA (only)

Restriction limits rides to the following

P40E + Options
B25C + Options
M3 + Options


Free players do not get

Points
Perks
Attaboys
Polled
Radio
Squad membership.
Mission access.
Task group course access

Should arena limits ever return Free Players are dumped to lobby if arena is within 10% of its limit.

When ever a free player tries to access something he/she is not entitled to he/she gets a promotional message advising he/she can get all this and more by opening a full account.

Or they get a free 2weeks like everybody else 

[pervert]

Personally, I find that explanation highly improbable. (Image removed from quote.)

Thanks for the pm true there is a lot more than 1 variable at work Lusche, was just saying from what I heard other peoples stories they always had a big interest in planes until Aces High, I am the type who dabbled in various sims over the years but never committed. Something as big a fail as the WW1 arena is now would be perfect for free play.

What has HTC got lose? Absolutely nothing.

[MK-84]

Alot to lose.  Allowing limited free play might give the wrong impression about the game.

You mentioned possibly allowing free play for the WW1 arena for example, if we dont use it, why would anyone else want to.

[oboe]

Another thing I think AH could benefit from is a presence at air shows.   What if somebody with a couple of simpits pitched a tent OshKosh and let people pay to try out the sim?  

Or at the least, get space on a merchant's table at a smaller airshow and stack a couple hundred free AH CDs to give out; have a laptop running a big screen looping the best AH movies on YouTube.

Or, how about sponsoring a real Warbird pilot (somebody like Steve Hinton?) and using his testimonal of the fidelity of AH's flight model and air combat experience?   I think an older face associated with AH might encourage a broader range of ages to try the sim out.   Could be we're missing bringing older guys into the game because they think its all for younger folks.

 

[alpini13]

  Would it be a benefit to new players if they were "placed" into a participating squad,that would then give them pointers or tips on how to fly the planes,gvs,etc...and set views and how to engage.   this would only help the new player have a GOOD experience.......instead of  the noob asking a question and somebody saying..."yeah alt f4 will help you"....and BAM! hes on his desktop and chalk up a bad experience.  he gets a few of those ,finds it difficult to play because it is not his arcade style playstation or world of warcraft game....and hes gone....never to return...a lost oportunity for AH.

[oboe]

I've always liked the newbie squad idea.

Here's an off the wall one - how about everybody who reads this board goes to "How Its Made" website and makes a suggestion for a segment on how MMOL flight sims are made.  AH could serve as the example - it could discuss the mechanics of the sim, 3D modelling, software, interview players and developers, show how accurate the flight model is, etc, describe special events involving players worldwide.

Could be a thorough introduction to the technology of AH but also (hopefully) display the excitement and comaraderie that can be found in our sim.

I'd watch it!

[pervert]

Alot to lose.  Allowing limited free play might give the wrong impression about the game.

You mentioned possibly allowing free play for the WW1 arena for example, if we dont use it, why would anyone else want to.

If you have nothing to lose, what harm would there be in finding out. The people in here don't use it because they don't like the fact they have to have an evenly matched fight 

[321BAR]

If you have nothing to lose, what harm would there be in finding out. The people in here don't use it because they don't like the fact they have to have an evenly matched fight 

or because it got really boring... really fast...

[pervert]

or because it got really boring... really fast...

Maybe you could have organized a 'zany' mission in WW1 to liven things up since your such an imaginative guy reviving quah daily?

[Raptor05121]

No matter how many you people you get into this game, I see Aces High taking a major dump once World of Planes comes online. Basic economics- when demand goes down, prices must go down. Over the years I've noticed less and less people and the combination of Blue and Orange arenas only confirms this. I've shown AH2 to 6 of my airplane-saavy friends. All did their two weeks and loved it but all refused to pay the $15/mo. Quoting one of the: "paying $180 a year to play a game with sub-par graphics isn't much of a deal. I'll just wait for World of Planes to come out for free."