Where's all the players?

[The Fugitive]

Watch how many players return after "The Big Update".  There will be many...

Coogan

I agree with Lusche, if the game play isn't "fixed" players aren't going to stay and play just because it looks pretty. Heck they have trouble keeping people with one of the best flight models in the genre. 

[Lusche]

Oh and just for the record: As we put all in or very personal reasons for elaving or staying in AH: My personal 'nail in the coffin', even when the numbers will rise again - The strats. The working central strats nothing less than 'saved' the game for me personally. Now with he new setup, I'm just staying a bit to see if some corrections will be made and we get a huge, meaningful centralized target again. If not, I'm gone.

This is not in any way a threat (such a thing wouldn't work anyway  ), just a little personal statement about my own sentiments. Just a sandgrain in the big overall picture.  

[Gman]

So far as the update, I too agree with Lusche, and have been posting so for the last year or so.  I'm hopeful that there will be enough change to not only bring many vets out of the woodwork, but interest new players as well.  A consolidated and more organized help/new player area would help greatly with this IMO, in addition to the new version and game itself.  I do have fears that others have mentioned, that for 2 weeks there will be a spike in numbers, but shortly after that, once the 2 week trial period is up, it'll drop back off to current numbers, IF more aggressive and progressive changes aren't implemented by HTC in a wide swath of issues regarding the game play mechanics.  

I'm in the precise position that Lusche is in, and I know many others are as well - pretty much marking time and waiting to see what comes.  There is opportunity out there IMO for the game to make great strides in both numbers of players and the quality of the product.  We'll know soon enough.

I'm positive enough to think that if a product which to me is crap compared to this one in terms of the actual plane vs plane combat, like WT, can attract SO many players, that there is interest in WW2 aviation and gaming out there, it just will take the right lure on the line to pull them over here.  It CAN be done, but action must be taken to do so - another 3 or 4 years of little to no gameplay adjustments just won't get it done IMO.  There is no better time than the release of a drastically improved graphics/visual update to implement overall changes and improvements to the game mechanics, at least IMO.

[100Coogn]

I agree with Lusche, if the game play isn't "fixed" players aren't going to stay and play just because it looks pretty. Heck they have trouble keeping people with one of the best flight models in the genre. 

That's may be true.  As far as game play goes, I try not to let too much bother me once I log in.  I know that a game like this can get people a little heated...   You know, make them say dumb toejam... 
Anywho, I won't leave due to sub-par graphics alone.  I do hope that this new update brings back a lot of people. 

Coogan

[potsNpans]

I'm not sure on the game mechanics, I usually fly solo in a fighter and mix it up. There is however options, FSO scenarios and the like along with the chaos in the main arenas. I never subscribed to anything like this online gaming before, but I was drawn to its uniqueness. I appreciate a small group of friends who made a business of quality from something they loved. If quality and dedication continue how can people not also be attracted by that. It represents an era of honor and endeavor against untenable odds which I'm drawn to like a moth to an irresistible light. There is always an ebb and flow, but somethings never change.
All the best friend and foe...   

[scott66]

Ok...I admit I'm a online gaming noob and this is my first online game I ever tried...but I must say considering we are all interacting with codes and what we see is all computer coding I Find myself impressed and excited by the graphics as they are now..I've seen the iL2 graphics and they are very Nice but the AH community here is what I enjoy most about the game..bish rook or knight I have player's I really enjoy seeing logged on..game or simulator I dont know..I'm staying...just my noob two cents.                     Question...with better and better graphics are people with older systems going to have to upgrade to play?

[Stampf]

I agree with Lusche, if the game play isn't "fixed" players aren't going to stay and play just because it looks pretty. Heck they have trouble keeping people with one of the best flight models in the genre. 

This is where I am at too.

[Oldman731]

If quality and dedication continue how can people not also be attracted by that.

Well said.

I'm glad the rest of you have found attractive alternatives.  I haven't.

- oldman

[Arlo]

Well, if things don't improve I'll just take my ball and ... stay and play! So there! 

[rvflyer]

We need to be helping new players not making fun of noobs as I see so often in the game. I see so much anger from certain people in the game if they get shot down, I see accusation of cheating and hacking, There are a couple of people that no matter the situation it is always the other guys fault and they are constantly saying the guy is a cheater or hacker. I see people saying that is impossible to do in a airplane and they are right it is impossible to do in a real airplane but these are cartoon airplanes and fly nothing like real airplanes. People just need to lighten up and have fun and help the players that are not so good, at least if the red guy is better it will give the better player a better fight.  I find if I get shot down or my tank blows up I get a brand new one and it only cost $14.95. I do get upset sometimes if I get shot down by a shot that I think should not have been possible but I don't go off on the guy in PM like some of the nasty ones I have received. I would hate to take the blood pressure of some of the players here while they are playing this game, probably through the ceiling.

[TW9]

I've been playing off and on since 2000 I think. I check in time to time because thanks to Aces High I've developed a genuine interest WWII and in particular the WWII air combat. But the things that kept me in the game back in the day seem to be a thing of the past now or at least the last time I've played over a year ago. We use to be able to attack a base with a handful of squaddies and meet some decent resistance. Now (please asterisk every time I say now because I have not played recently) because of automatic base defense it seems nearly impossible without a horde of players. And with the extremely large maps, the likely hood of meeting an evenly matched opponent is highly unlikely.

It use to be fun fighting teams like the Ak's, BKs, Bops, MWs, and Hornets for a base or being a able to attack a base with a small group in general. Now it seems that aspect of the game is gone. That coupled with the fact some of my favorite planes have been remodeled (SpitV and CHog) have pretty much kept me away from the game outside of checking the BB's time to time.

I'd like to come back but the maps would need to be smaller and the bases should revert back to early AHII format with strats and all.

[mthrockmor]

In realestate is is location, location, location.

This is online realestate. Like the band I've never heard of. How can anyone hear of you if you won't sign a label? If AH rolls out bells and whistles like its the year 2025 and no one is around to fly it....what happens then?

Insanity, expecting change with all the same inputs. I hope, I wish, I dream....whatever.

boo

[DmonSlyr]

I like the old strats and base capture myself.

And smaller maps would be great! It forces people to action. Even the medium size ones are cool because you can still sneak bases. Large maps are too strenuous, and frustrating to only find small bars, there is too much not going on in one place, so its hard to find action.

[Max]

We need to be helping new players not making fun of noobs as I see so often in the game. I see so much anger from certain people in the game if they get shot down, I see accusation of cheating and hacking, There are a couple of people that no matter the situation it is always the other guys fault and they are constantly saying the guy is a cheater or hacker. I see people saying that is impossible to do in a airplane and they are right it is impossible to do in a real airplane but these are cartoon airplanes and fly nothing like real airplanes. People just need to lighten up and have fun and help the players that are not so good, at least if the red guy is better it will give the better player a better fight.  I find if I get shot down or my tank blows up I get a brand new one and it only cost $14.95. I do get upset sometimes if I get shot down by a shot that I think should not have been possible but I don't go off on the guy in PM like some of the nasty ones I have received. I would hate to take the blood pressure of some of the players here while they are playing this game, probably through the ceiling.

QFT. Well said

[warhed]

Build them, and we will come...