Where have all the players gone?

[Arlo]

wow!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but this thread (and all identical threads throughout the years) amazes me. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Although I suppose it's kind of a comfort to know the playerbase is still griping about the same crap as 2000, as 2001, 2, 3 etc... makes me feel all warm and fuzzy that I can hop back in after a huge hiatus and find things still in the same general order.

As for those of you with complaints regarding how others fly (hordes, maps, timid fighters, etc)... get over it. They have always been and they will always be... so shut up and fly.

You coming back? 

[Hajo]

Octavious and Saw used to sing duets.   Now that was an experience.

[uptown]

When I brought this topic up I was interested mainly in where all the old players went and why. Folks like Octavius, Murdr, Moot, SnapHook, SheGotya, Betty...so on and so forth. Most of us can all agree that the game play really hasn't changed, so why the decline then? It would seem to me that with all of the improvements made since 2005/2006 the numbers would go up instead of down.....especially since the cost has never gone up one cent in that time.
I read somewhere where HiTech said the average player stays about 5 years and moves on. <shrugs> Maybe the answer is as simple as that. Some folks may just simply move on for no other reason than to have something else to do. As for myself, I've been here going on 7 years I guess and am having more fun now than ever....mainly because I can finally hold my own in most fights. Heck I don't want to quit now  I reckon folks come and go for different reasons. Whether it be the game play, maps, boredom, the economy..whatever. But just as long as we have a big enough player base to keep this little hobby of ours in business, I'll be a happy camper.

[gpwurzel]

The only reason I'm not active at present is lack of time. Having to renovate a house, work a job, still play in a band, find time to sleep and mastur..........errrr sleep is enough. Maybe one day I'll get some time back lol.....

Wurz

[perdue3]

12 hour side switch took a lot of wind out of me. And still is.

[Brooke]

I can tell you from having done on-line flying since the start of it (Air Warrior in 1988) that very few people stay forever.  It's not anything that the game is doing or not doing, it is that people eventually drift off, enter different stages in their lives, get different hobbies, etc.

I've written this before, but all of these discussions -- nearly verbatim -- were things people said in 1993, 1995, 2000, and so on.  "Things aren't like they were in the good ol' days!"  But really, they are just as good as the good ol' days, and the style of play and the style of the community is not significantly different over the past 2 decades.

If things seem mundane to you, it's because you have done all of the things that were brand new to you when you first started.  You reached your plateau, leveled out, and didn't try for more.  Maybe for you, there is no more -- you're the best pilot you can ever be, have become as good as you will be in every plane and vehicle, have become expert in every special event.  My guess, though, is that most players complaining of burn out peaked out in their own particular ruts and haven't, for example, gotten a lot more involved in special events (which are immediately much different than the Main Arena and a whole new realm to explore).

Some of you guys are like the high-school kids who sit around during summer vacation and say, "I'm bored.  There's nothing to do."  What they mean is that they've gotten their fill of the mall --  but they haven't started reading any great books, playing basketball with their local pals, watching a collection of the greatest movies ever made, learning about computer programming, building some models, getting into gaming with their pals, learning about the stock market, or whatever (i.e., moving beyond their rut of just going to the mall).

This game has a lot of possibilities and can be what you make of it.

[Hajo]

I can tell you from having done on-line flying since the start of it (Air Warrior in 1988) that very few people stay forever.  It's not anything that the game is doing or not doing, it is that people eventually drift off, enter different stages in their lives, get different hobbies, etc.

I've written this before, but all of these discussions -- nearly verbatim -- were things people said in 1993, 1995, 2000, and so on.  "Things aren't like they were in the good ol' days!"  But really, they are just as good as the good ol' days, and the style of play and the style of the community is not significantly different over the past 2 decades.

If things seem mundane to you, it's because you have done all of the things that were brand new to you when you first started.  You reached your plateau, leveled out, and didn't try for more.  Maybe for you, there is no more -- you're the best pilot you can ever be, have become as good as you will be in every plane and vehicle, have become expert in every special event.  My guess, though, is that most players complaining of burn out peaked out in their own particular ruts and haven't, for example, gotten a lot more involved in special events (which are immediately much different than the Main Arena and a whole new realm to explore).

Some of you guys are like the high-school kids who sit around during summer vacation and say, "I'm bored.  There's nothing to do."  What they mean is that they've gotten their fill of the mall --  but they haven't started reading any great books, playing basketball with their local pals, watching a collection of the greatest movies ever made, learning about computer programming, building some models, getting into gaming with their pals, learning about the stock market, or whatever (i.e., moving beyond their rut of just going to the mall).

This game has a lot of possibilities and can be what you make of it.

I agree with Brooke completely.  After doing this for 20 years plus people just evolve.  I stop in once in awhile often times for no more then 45 minutes or so to say high to longtime squad mates.
Since doing this for so long I don't get white knuckles when fighting.....the game has become familiar.  I've other things to do that take up more of my time.

I've met a lot of nice people in my years of flying Air Warrior and AH.....and some jerks too.  By far Aces High is the best venue for this genre WWII air combat etc.  The old Air Warrior community
seemed much tighter imho......that may because I'm just getting older and memory is becoming selective.  But by far Aces High is by far a better WWII Combat sim/game then Air Warrior ever was
or hoped to be.

[hitech]

If things seem mundane to you, it's because you have done all of the things.

My solution to the mundane of AW was to creation my own mundanedum.

HiTech

[USRanger]

FTW, end of story. 

[Ack-Ack]

When I brought this topic up I was interested mainly in where all the old players went and why. Folks like Octavius, Murdr, Moot, SnapHook, SheGotya, Betty...so on and so forth.

Murdr stopped playing because he's doing the rock star thing and has been touring the country the last few years with his band.

ack-ack

[Zacherof]

The only reason I'm not active at present is lack of time. Having to renovate a house, work a job, still play in a band, find time to sleep and mastur..........errrr sleep is enough. Maybe one day I'll get some time back lol.....

Wurz

you also spend alot of time slapping the young folks
 

Yes side switch tine needs to be taken down....pronto.
4-3 hours at least

[Traveler]

Economy is the main factor, for a new player the initial cost is more than fifteen dollars a month.  High speed internet access, Joy stick, and perhaps more, depending on how into the game people are.  That's an expense that many people just can't afford.  I’d also say a lack of interest and knowledge  in WWII.  I spoke to my niece,  a college student, home for the summer,  She was watching Jeopardy and one of the category’s was WWII, she had no idea what WWII stood for. 
When I explained it stood for World War two, I asked if she read about WWII in any of her  classes?   She said no.  She had no idea who fought in the conflict.  Very sad.  I explained to her that her Grandfather, my Dad, was a fighter pilot stationed in England and fought in a P47 and P51’s over Europe against Germany, before, during and after D-day.  She had no idea, not a clue. 

[Zacherof]

Economy is the main factor, for a new player the initial cost is more than fifteen dollars a month.  High speed internet access, Joy stick, and perhaps more, depending on how into the game people are.  That's an expense that many people just can't afford.  I’d also say a lack of interest and knowledge  in WWII.  I spoke to my niece,  a college student, home for the summer,  She was watching Jeopardy and one of the category’s was WWII, she had no idea what WWII stood for. 
When I explained it stood for World War two, I asked if she read about WWII in any of her  classes?   She said no.  She had no idea who fought in the conflict.  Very sad.  I explained to her that her Grandfather, my Dad, was a fighter pilot stationed in England and fought in a P47 and P51’s over Europe against Germany, before, during and after D-day.  She had no idea, not a clue. 

My high school has a WW2/holocaust class.
Easiest class ever, although I leaned alot about the holocaust. Not so much the war

When we went over ww2 in history, I always got all the bonus questions right along with the original test.
Along with betting the whole class 5 bucks I could do it without studying and get the highest grade in all periods.




I failed that history class tho
 

[Arlo]

My solution to the mundane of AW was to creation my own mundanedum.

HiTech

 

 

[RotBaron]

Brooke:

The only special event I've participated in was something like Road or Battle for Berlin. It required flying 5 sectors to get to the area of most likely engagement. I'm willing to try again, but only if they aren't all like that. If they are, they require much time and patience than I have.


As far as the HOs and all the other somewhat lame gameplay, I don't seem to recall during my '05ish stint as much, however there seems to be somewhat of a consensus that I'm wrong about that.

It does however seem like with the Yak-3 there may be a few less 51D's that runaway after they dive to the deck after they make a couple/few turns. At least that is what I noticed earlier; I don't think I saw a single Pony get to run away, at least not with the ease they are used to.