Is Aces High II soon to become just a memory of good times past?

[shotgunneeley]

Fairly certain I saw something like 230 players in the LW main and 250 in an SEA (FSO i guess) last night around 9pm CST. Was impressed to see those numbers again.

[Lusche]

the strategy for me is in the fight....how can I best him....kill him as quick as possible with out giving him a chance to kill me....

and every fight is different...every player is different so there is NO end to mastering the "strategy" of the dog fight.

But that's not the strategy GHI is talking about.
I think what you describe are actually tactics...

And yes, I do wish there was more "true strategy" in AH... but seeing day in day out how many players fail even at basic darbar interpretation, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea 

[bozon]

midwar is there waiting with smaller maps, just need more players. Nice tank towns waiting also.

I love the midwar plane setup. The problem is that splitting the small population into multiple arenas will make the problem even worse. Some maps simply need to be taken out of the rotation, like all those with 255 bases (yes Compello, I am looking at you!).

[pipz]

We need bigger maps!   

[flatiron1]

I was in MW for a change today. Reminded me of the EW of old - 0 players on Rooks (I was the first rook to enter), 3 on Bish and 6 on Knight.
Now guess where Bish and Knights were "fighting"...  


But more seriously, the fewer players AH has overall, the smaller the chance you get any players to the minor arenas at all.

I still remember 100 players in MW at peak times  

if all the large map  whiners would come to MW it would be good.

[The Fugitive]

I logged in for few min, first time in a week,  same large boring maps over the weekend  200+bases and 100 players; The game goal is set like in first person shooter not for MMO, rewarding players not teams;   strategy was slowly eliminated from this game with huge maps, towns and bases more and more difficult/ impossible  to capture, there's nothing left to win as a team, even the achievements are computer generated ;
 What for to play? strategy was eliminated and can't find a furball on this endless maps, the only think left is this abused childish selfish score system posted on front page;

The "strategy" is still there, it is up to the player to USE strategy.

You have 30 players looking to join your mission as everyone know GHI runs missions. As the leader you have a choice, heavy fighter for everyone and try to hit one base with your horde, OR use strategy to fake, mislead, prep and/or take multiple bases.

Send out 2, 3 man teams to the north to de-ack two different fields. At the same time launch 2-3 buffs to hit the chosen base in the north (one of the two that will be de-acked), at the same time launch a goon to mirror the Buffs trail but staying low. The other 20 player up heavy fighters to hit a 3rd base AWAY from the other 2 in the plan. As your wave loses planes have them wait in the tower until you have 10 and then launch 5 heavy fighter and 5 lite fighters to head to the chosen field in the north. They will arrive about the same time as the buffs hit the town and VH. heavy fighter clean up to WF, all fighters cap as goon makes his run.

The first choice is no strategy and is just another horde mission. The second uses more strategy drawing the enemy in 3 directions. It should also result in a base capture while providing a challenge to players on both sides. More challenge = more fun.

 

the strategy for me is in the fight....how can I best him....kill him as quick as possible with out giving him a chance to kill me....

and every fight is different...every player is different so there is NO end to mastering the "strategy" of the dog fight.

if they tried capturing bases as outlined above, wouldn't that make more opportunities for players like you to fight?

[NatCigg]

But that's not the strategy GHI is talking about.
I think what you describe are actually tactics...

And yes, I do wish there was more "true strategy" in AH... but seeing day in day out how many players fail even at basic darbar interpretation, I'm not sure if it would be a good idea  

there should also be strong consideration to the fact that many players play independently.  waiting ten to twenty minutes or bailing to join a defence or attack is almost non existant in game. then when strategy is used the greedy soloists complain of spoiling the fun.  Frustration ensues from a lack of cooperation, attempts at using strategy with out the required numbers and timing leads to failure,  and the comunity degrades from a lack of "fun".  This is especially true for newbs and poor skill players.

Simply put, a lack of missions to make the game more immersive.  but also, the shear size of the maps in our one and only late war arena.  With low numbers i still cant be everywhere, and can only do one fight at a time.  I would like to see more LW arenas to allow each room to develop a different culture, and give each team more freedom to implement their own strategy.  Remember, nobody likes getting shot down, and nobody likes loosing.  The selfish one who care less and just kills are simply bonus cash in the bank.  If we want to have a LARGE comunity there must be a good chance for everyone to have fun.  Lets not forget whats awesome, not just being the top ace, but playing a kick butt video game with lots of other dweebs.

 

[68ZooM]

like another person said it's summertime man people are out hiking camping fishing, its 9 a.m. Where I'm at on a Sunday morning not a cloud in the sky and it's supposed to be the upper 80's I'm loading up the Mastercraft then heading up to the water for a day of wakeboarding and babes in bikini's tops and daisy dukes 

[Lusche]

like another person said it's summertime man people are out hiking camping fishing, its 9 a.m. Where I'm at on a Sunday morning not a cloud in the sky and it's supposed to be the upper 80's I'm loading up the Mastercraft then heading up to the water for a day of wakeboarding and babes in bikini's tops and daisy dukes 

We didn't have summers before?

[uptown]

Speaking on the strategy thing....I did notice since my return to the game a couple days ago, that the map we currently have up in Late War, that the strat factories are spread out now and not clumped into one small area. Have they did the same with the rest of the maps or just this current one? I like the spread out factory layout and think it adds to the strategy of the game somewhat. Certainly more than having everything in one spot.




and Pipz you're a funny guy.....bigger maps                     

[muzik]

Is Aces High II soon to become just a memory of good times past?

Yes.

It may lie in death throws for years to come. It may even grow again, but if the only "improvements" to the game are to be graphics and a couple new a/c a year, then it will be like the tictactoe or checkers of the mmo industry...  It was fun until you learned the strategy never changes and it never gets any better.

[Erkel]

Well since Aces High II hasn't been around in years I'd say yes.  

I don't understand what you're saying here.  I've been playing Aces High II for close to 7 years.  Know of others who've claimed to have played for 10 or more.  I don't know exactly when AHII appeared but it HAS been around for years...

There never was much strategy in AH at all.

I don't agree.  Strategy lies within the PLAYERS and the game's IMMENSE content ALLOWS for TRUE battle strategy.  Hording is one form of strategy to win a capture.  Utilizing strategy that comes with the wisdom of age, a SINGLE player, in a SINGLE sortie, can change the course of an all day battle into a quick conquest.  I KNOW this to be true.  I'm 62 years old and MANY times have flown a single sortie that has resulted in the quick capture of a base where a battle has raged for hours, even days.

Flying around your own base, shooting down enemy planes is an effective but, more often than not, short-lived defense.  REAL defense is to take the battle to the enemy through offensive action.

"Youth and strength are no match for old age and treachery"

There HAS been a disadvantage using an offensive action as a defensive strategy though.  Often times, even though the enemy has been seriously compromised to where a capture could be easy, MANY players will ignore the potential for capture and leave that fight because there aren't enough enemy planes flying around for them to shoot at...

[FLOOB]

Im not sure which year aces high stopped calling itself aces high II but its been a few.

[Erkel]

Im not sure which year aces high stopped calling itself aces high II but its been a few.

OK, you win, if quibbling over a detail like that is important. 
Aces High II - Aces High...same game...different name.

[FLOOB]

You learned what I taught you. That makes us both winners.