Forum for Members Only

[Traveler]

So when I cancel my account tomorrow,  I should not be able to post my AH stats for the community any more? Ex-members currently not paying for AH for any reason are not meant to stay in contact with the rest of the community, thus increasing the chance of a comeback? Doesn't sound exactly like a good idea for the business.

What would be the benefits of "members only" that would offset this?

Wanted to get this right so here goes:

So when I cancel my account tomorrow,  I should not be able to post my AH stats for the community any more?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, if you chose to not continue your subscription, you would not have access to post on the forum.  You would be able to read and look at anything, just not post.  Only members with active accounts would be able to post.

Ex-members currently not paying for AH for any reason are not meant to stay in contact with the rest of the community, thus increasing the chance of a comeback?

Both active and inactive members of my Squad use Email to stay in touch.  You could try that.   I've never seen any stats of how many former members come back to an active status because of the BBS.  Most that I know of say they miss the flying.  

Doesn't sound exactly like a good idea for the business.

Are you kidding, HTC would have a clear line of communication to the paid membership, A clear picture of what direction the paid membership would like to see the game progress.  A much better barometer of what the actual bill payers want and are looking for , then currently exists.

What would be the benefits of "members only" that would offset this?

Not sure what you are asking here, what do you mean by "this", are you referring to the existing BBS, Open to everyone and anyone including the HTC haters?
You don't see the benefit of a members only BBS that just about every other Online game has adopted?

[Traveler]

There may be mountains but there ain't no picks and shovels. Some of the info on the website is out of date and frankly it is not always that easy to come by. It would be ideal if there were an index and a truly searchable info source but there really isn't.  The same questions get asked again and again but what's the harm?

More to the point what exactly is the problem that making the forum exclusive would fix?

I didn't say there was a problem.  But tell me this, what's wrong with an actual perk for being a paid member and that paid membership granting access to and the ability to Post in the BBS.

The rest of the world can read everything in the forums, but only current active members have the ability to post.  Perhaps that might lure non paying visitors to the forum to join up. Because a benefit of a subscription is the ability to post in the BBS.

[Traveler]

htc has had the fourm the way it is for a long time from i have seen so why change it now

and because it's always been this way it can never change, never.   After all I hate change.  Change is never good. I'll hold my breath if it changes, I'll turn blue and die.

[Traveler]

There may be mountains but there ain't no picks and shovels. Some of the info on the website is out of date and frankly it is not always that easy to come by. It would be ideal if there were an index and a truly searchable info source but there really isn't.  The same questions get asked again and again but what's the harm?

More to the point what exactly is the problem that making the forum exclusive would fix?

As I've said, a FAQ section for the web site would go a long way to answering 90% of the questions.  When I was new here a long long time ago, I read what was available on the web site for new players , I read all of it, different generation.  Granted you have a point about the organization  and currency of the information. I read what was in the web site, not the forum.  I didn't post in the forum for a very  long time.  I was also surprised to see that people that never flew in AH were posting in the forum.  Providing miss-information to some of the newbi questions.

[Karnak]

Why would you state that the staff of HTC can not provide a reliable answer to a question?

As I've said before, Most questions Asked by now-paying browsers of the forum could be answered by a Frequently Asked Questions page on the HTC website or by the mountains of information already contained within the web site.

You misunderstand me.  I don't mean their answer would be inaccurate.  I mean the answer might not happen at all due to their other tasks taking precedence.  Further, it would require the prospective player to find the way to pose their question without being able to pose it on the forums.

Seriously, this is a bad idea.  I understand where it is coming from, but it is a bad idea.  Subscriber only forums are fine for a monolithic company like EA or Activision-Blizzard, but they would harm a small company like HTC.

[Traveler]

You misunderstand me.  I don't mean their answer would be inaccurate.  I mean the answer might not happen at all due to their other tasks taking precedence.  Further, it would require the prospective player to find the way to pose their question without being able to pose it on the forums.

Seriously, this is a bad idea.  I understand where it is coming from, but it is a bad idea.  Subscriber only forums are fine for a monolithic company like EA or Activision-Blizzard, but they would harm a small company like HTC.

I read what you wrote, I didn't miss-understand, perhaps, you stated it incorrectly.  I don't follow your logic with the following:

it would require the prospective player to find the way to pose their question without being able to pose it on the forums.

I have no idea what that means? 

Yes, I'm saying that one forum page for questions to HTC would be available to non-subscribers as well as subscribers to post on.  The Help and Training Forum, available to everyone, to post in.   But all the other forum pages would only be available to post in by subscribers all other's read only.

[pembquist]

I didn't say there was a problem.  But tell me this, what's wrong with an actual perk for being a paid member and that paid membership granting access to and the ability to Post in the BBS.

The rest of the world can read everything in the forums, but only current active members have the ability to post.  Perhaps that might lure non paying visitors to the forum to join up. Because a benefit of a subscription is the ability to post in the BBS.

I don't understand. Are you saying that there is no problem with the current system but that it should be changed to exclude people interested in AH so that a perk can be created? Doesn't that kind of alienate some members of the "community"? I would argue that if the thing is working leave it alone. Create perks by creating instead of removing capabilities.

[Traveler]

I don't understand. Are you saying that there is no problem with the current system but that it should be changed to exclude people interested in AH so that a perk can be created? Doesn't that kind of alienate some members of the "community"? I would argue that if the thing is working leave it alone. Create perks by creating instead of removing capabilities.

What is it that you don't understand, yes, there is no problem.   I'm asking for a change in the wishlist forum, just because someone wishes for something, that doesn't mean there is a problem.  My suggestion  doesn't exclude anyone, my suggestion is that everyone can read every page in the forum both members and now members. That everyone can post in the Help and Training forum, members and now members.  That only valid game ID's be allowed to post in all other forum pages. Please define what you believe is a member of the community? Is it someone that is paying for the game and by that extension this forum? No capabilities will be removed for a paying member.  I'm trying to create a perk for paying members.  That perk is the ability to post on any forum page.  By the way, can I borrow your buggy whip?

[SIK1]

Why, what would be gained?

[Traveler]

There may be mountains but there ain't no picks and shovels. Some of the info on the website is out of date and frankly it is not always that easy to come by. It would be ideal if there were an index and a truly searchable info source but there really isn't.  The same questions get asked again and again but what's the harm?

More to the point what exactly is the problem that making the forum exclusive would fix?

There is an index to sort out the information already available on the website, look at the Support tab, click on Help.  there is also a FAQ tab under Support already that does a very good job.  Of course the person would have to Read.  Not something that the younger generation does very well. 

[Guppy35]

If a requirement of playing AH was participation on the BBS then it might have some value.

My impression has never been that the BBS crowd determines much of anything.  I like that the powers that be participate and respond, but I do believe they have thier own plan for the game.

As near as I can tell the boards are the least active they've been since I've been around.  No need to make them even quieter.

[Traveler]

Why, what would be gained?

What would be gained would be a clearer voice for the subscribers, currently that voice is sometimes  drowned out, diminished by the non-subscribing public.
 

[Traveler]

If a requirement of playing AH was participation on the BBS then it might have some value.

My impression has never been that the BBS crowd determines much of anything.  I like that the powers that be participate and respond, but I do believe they have thier own plan for the game.

As near as I can tell the boards are the least active they've been since I've been around.  No need to make them even quieter.

Perhaps the powers that be discount the BBS crowd because they have no way to determine if the post is from a subscriber or not.
Why is it that you feel the boards would be quieter.  Don't you think the BBS should reflect the people that actually play the game?

[Guppy35]

Perhaps the powers that be discount the BBS crowd because they have no way to determine if the post is from a subscriber or not.
Why is it that you feel the boards would be quieter.  Don't you think the BBS should reflect the people that actually play the game?

I think they should reflect the people that have played the game and have a shared interest in WW2 aviation.  Many a former player has posted or still posts on the forums.  We have had any number of aviation history minded folks post in sections of the forum.  I'd hate to see them shut out just because they may not play the game.

It seems to me that when HTC wants input they ask and I believe they have the ability to take the responses they get and use them appropriately.

Also, it would be too bad if someone considering subscribing had to commit to it before they could ask questions or interact with current or former players via the BBS.

Seems to me HTC would lose far more than they would gain by limiting those who could participate on the BBS.

[pembquist]

What is it that you don't understand, yes, there is no problem.   I'm asking for a change in the wishlist forum, just because someone wishes for something, that doesn't mean there is a problem.  My suggestion  doesn't exclude anyone, my suggestion is that everyone can read every page in the forum both members and now members. That everyone can post in the Help and Training forum, members and now members.  That only valid game ID's be allowed to post in all other forum pages. Please define what you believe is a member of the community? Is it someone that is paying for the game and by that extension this forum? No capabilities will be removed for a paying member.  I'm trying to create a perk for paying members.  That perk is the ability to post on any forum page.  By the way, can I borrow your buggy whip?

That buggy whip quip just lost you any credibility. Since you can write in coherent sentences I am going to assume that the paradoxical language that you are not excluding anyone while excluding them from posting is deliberately provocative and that makes your posts consistent with trolling behavior. Maybe your not trying to troll but your doing a great job of it.