Author Topic: Where have all the players gone?  (Read 14038 times)

Offline Bear76

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4144
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #90 on: July 17, 2013, 06:12:44 PM »

Offline titanic3

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4235
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #91 on: July 17, 2013, 06:19:09 PM »
Yup.  ;)

  the game is concentrated on combat, not on shaking the screen.

semp

Offline Arlo

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 24759
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #92 on: July 17, 2013, 06:24:08 PM »
Well hell, howdy Arlo  :salute

Well, hiyas Bear. Don't mind young Tite. He thought you were referring to the pic I posted.  :D

How ya been? Long time!  :cheers:

Offline Bear76

  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4144
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #93 on: July 17, 2013, 06:35:59 PM »
Well, hiyas Bear. Don't mind young Tite. He thought you were referring to the pic I posted.  :D

How ya been? Long time!  :cheers:

Yes, I was on a quest to find a life. I got lost and search and rescue had to find me. So here I am.  :D

Offline Arlo

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 24759
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #94 on: July 17, 2013, 06:41:39 PM »
Yes, I was on a quest to find a life. I got lost and search and rescue had to find me. So here I am.  :D

LOL. Sounds like it was a good quest. Glad to see ya. Will be gladder when I see ya online.  :D

Offline Plawranc

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2683
      • Youtube Channel
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #95 on: July 17, 2013, 06:49:54 PM »
Well Ive recently come back after a long break and have decided to only fly in DA for a while until I get the knack back. But more because I am guaranteed some form of combat.

Every time I go out in the MA, I get picked, HOed, ganged and usually all 3 at once. I have to fly conservatively and "tardish" in 450 MPH beast machines to remain competitive otherwise I get descended upon by Ponies and 190's in groups of 5. I am way out of practice but in the small 2 v 1 to 4 v 1 fights I've had, I have held my own and scored a few kills and had some decent fights, winning them the majority of the time. But sadly those remarkable and stimulating bouts of aerial marksmanship and pilot skill are few and far between. For the first time in 3 years I have dropped below a 1 to 1 KD in the middle of the month. I know score doesn't dictate pilot skill, but it shows just how often I get into situations where I am screwed so hard there is no escape. I know that the response I will get is "Well don't go in those situations". But these days, to avoid those situations is: to fly a Pony or 262. Do not engage. Or even join the horde.

Just yesterday I flew into an evenly balanced dogfight. Half and half each side. Every time we came in to the fight, the enemy were at 10 K+. So we got up to 10 K+ and then they are sitting at 20 K. What aircraft did I see?

Tempest, P38L, 109K, P51D, F4U1C, Spit 16. The only aircraft even slightly "non uber" was Dolby's 109F4 skulking around picking off the people who dived to get away from the guys BnZing up top. Who was in fact the guy that shot me down and the only fight I had that day. I lost trying to turn with it (my fault) but Dolby remarked to me "I had to finish you off quick because the other 5 guys were racing to you, they finally let me have one".

I just find it harder and harder every day to have fun. I know we always say "its always been this way" but I distinctly remember when there was more fun in it.  
DaPacman - 71 Squadron RAF

"There are only two things that make life worth living. Fornication and Aviation"

Offline The Fugitive

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 17631
      • Fugi's Aces Help
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #96 on: July 17, 2013, 06:52:07 PM »
that's not aircraft control, it's engine management...their flight models are arcade accurate so you don't need to be able to control the aircraft, everything fly's as easy as a spit5...and warthunder's control system is designed for keyboard/mouse or console game controller.

It really doesn't matter what YOU think of those games, what matters is that is where the people are going. The "why" is what we need to look for. Pal, and Pand are just pointing out some of the "why's" they think may be causing the shift.

Aces High is a great game, and us "core group" of players know that and so we stay.... many for years and years. The problem is getting new players to see it and so stay for years and years. If a new player gets bored in a week or two because the game play (horde base after base) is stale they will leave and never get to know the depth of the game. The same goes for those who look for eye candy. If they don't see it here, they will look for it some place else.

The core group of players is in the hundreds. Some have left recently, some only stop in now and then, some are returning after a year or so away. the point is this core group is still only a couple hundred. I know some guys who have been here for years and NEVER fly in the main arenas. The numbers are dropping and there is no getting around that. Call it the "economy", or call it "out dated game" the fact is the numbers are dropping.

A smaller group of players is ok as long as it pays the bills at HTC, but they will have to get rid of all the medium and big maps. Not enough number to support them. Small maps drive the lower number of players closer together and so make more game action. Maybe add a few new small maps to fill in the spots of those removed. I know building maps is a major project, but I wonder (...and maybe a map maker could help here) but is there a way that 6-10 people could work on the same map to spread the project out? Instead of 6 months by a single player, a team could build one in a few weeks. Is this something that could be done? If so, could one of the map makers come up with an outline of how to split it up and spread out the work load? Just a thought.  

Offline Brooke

  • Aces High CM Staff
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 15462
      • http://www.electraforge.com/brooke/
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #97 on: July 17, 2013, 07:14:18 PM »
Yes, I was on a quest to find a life. I got lost and search and rescue had to find me. So here I am.  :D

Welcome back, Bear.  :aok

Offline Ack-Ack

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 25260
      • FlameWarriors
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #98 on: July 17, 2013, 07:24:14 PM »
Sony Computer Entertainment is basically grovelling to get more indie devs to make more games for PS4.

methinks HTC should also make this game for PS4 via Playstation Network to bring in some fresh blood.

New generations of consoles such as PS4 will have longer longevity.  In fact, Sony Computer Entertainment is projecting 10 support for PS4... and what's radically different compared to past Playstations is that PS4 will use PC architecture.

flight sims have historically not sold very well on consoles and there isn't much to show that Aces High will be any different.

ack-ack
« Last Edit: July 17, 2013, 07:30:46 PM by Ack-Ack »
"If Jesus came back as an airplane, he would be a P-38." - WW2 P-38 pilot
Elite Top Aces +1 Mexican Official Squadron Song

Offline Ack-Ack

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 25260
      • FlameWarriors
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #99 on: July 17, 2013, 07:30:15 PM »
How do you fly AH with a PS4 controller though? Unless they pull a Mechwarrior and issue a joystick with every purchase.

These are just a few of the flight controllers available for the PS3








ack-ack
"If Jesus came back as an airplane, he would be a P-38." - WW2 P-38 pilot
Elite Top Aces +1 Mexican Official Squadron Song

Offline Perrine

  • Nickel Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 654
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #100 on: July 17, 2013, 08:31:21 PM »
flight sims have historically not sold very well on consoles and there isn't much to show that Aces High will be any different.

ack-ack

They don't need to sell a boxed game.

Make the game as a free DLC via Playstation Network with 2-week trial and let fresh new blood fill in.


Offline scott66

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2142
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #101 on: July 17, 2013, 08:45:00 PM »
I'm still here for your killing enjoyment :aok :cheers:
"scott66"        
 XO ThunderHorse Squadron.    
                           
"This place is a psychologist's wet dream".... FishBait

Offline Ack-Ack

  • Radioactive Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 25260
      • FlameWarriors
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #102 on: July 17, 2013, 09:04:46 PM »
They don't need to sell a boxed game.

Make the game as a free DLC via Playstation Network with 2-week trial and let fresh new blood fill in.



Some games aren't suited to a F2P business model, AH being one of these types of games.  Just because you market a game for free, doesn't always equate with increased revenue.

ack-ack
"If Jesus came back as an airplane, he would be a P-38." - WW2 P-38 pilot
Elite Top Aces +1 Mexican Official Squadron Song

Offline gyrene81

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 11629
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #103 on: July 17, 2013, 10:00:21 PM »
It really doesn't matter what YOU think of those games, what matters is that is where the people are going. The "why" is what we need to look for. Pal, and Pand are just pointing out some of the "why's" they think may be causing the shift.
it's not what i "think", it's a fact. i've been trying both warthunder and world of warplanes, and they are arcade like. just like every other arcade flight sim that has come and gone, you don't need a joystick or even develop any skills to survive, and just participating in a battle gets you brownie points. there is very little thinking needed, just react. that and the fact that they are free to play (or pay to win) are the reasons "why" people are playing them.
jarhed  
Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. - Terry Pratchett

Offline Pand

  • Silver Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 901
      • Pand's Fighter Wing
Re: Where have all the players gone?
« Reply #104 on: July 17, 2013, 10:43:35 PM »
it's not what i "think", it's a fact. i've been trying both warthunder and world of warplanes, and they are arcade like. just like every other arcade flight sim that has come and gone, you don't need a joystick or even develop any skills to survive, and just participating in a battle gets you brownie points. there is very little thinking needed, just react. that and the fact that they are free to play (or pay to win) are the reasons "why" people are playing them.
You obviously haven't flown in the FRB (Full Real Battles) arenas recently.  A year ago I would have agreed.

Regards,

Pandemonium
"HORDE not HOARD. Unless someone has a dragon sitting on top of a bunch of La7s somewhere." -80hd