Realistic

[oboe]

I'm not sure how many planes have had their damage model graphics updated, but I remember flying the P-39 often, and when your control surfaces were hit, the image was replaced with  the image of a damaged one - skin peeled off, ribs showing through, etc.   It looked good, much better than just removing the damaged control surface from the model.

[Motherland]

See Rule #4

[Zoney]

Motherland, do you have an active account and currently play Aces High?

[Motherland]

Last time I have record of playing online was 2012, but I may have tried a month or two since then. The game looks exactly the same as it did then, two and a half years ago, save that a few more of the AHI models have been updated and planes have been added. Only three versions have come out since I last played online. I do install and fly new planes when they come out so I guess the last time I 'saw' Aces High on my own computer was when the Tu-2 came out however many months ago. (I also updated a couple of my skins when bump and spec mapping came out)
I can see that the game still invokes 90s nostalgia. I can see that, even as a former subscriber with a huge interest in WWII aviation, even a former content creator, the barriers of dated appearance and feel of the game which drives away new players. Maybe Aces High will never look as good as a high fidelity sim or an arcade game, but it has to at least look like it's from this decade.

The online gameplay is moot. I can't even get to that point to be disappointed or not.

For the record, I don't think HTC is incompetent at game creation, they made a game that I loved for a long, long time and invested hundreds of dollars and hours into. I do think it's clear that the staff is too small for the specialization and volume of new content that's needed to bring the game back. At least to get people to feel like trying to learn how to play it once they've downloaded it instead of being put off.

[The Fugitive]

Last time I have record of playing online was 2012, but I may have tried a month or two since then. The game looks exactly the same as it did then, two and a half years ago, save that a few more of the 1999 models have been updated and planes have been added. Only three versions have come out since I last played online. I do install and fly new planes when they come out so I guess the last time I 'saw' Aces High on my own computer was when the Tu-2 came out however many months ago.
I can see that the game still invokes 90s nostalgia. I can see that, even as a former subscriber with a huge interest in WWII aviation, even a former content creator, the barriers of dated appearance and feel of the game which drives away new players. Maybe Aces High will never look as good as a high fidelity sim or an arcade game, but it has to at least look like it's from this decade.

The online gameplay is moot. I can't even get to that point to be disappointed or not.

For the record, I don't think HTC is incompetent at game creation, they made a game that I loved for a long, long time and invested hundreds of dollars and hours into. I do think it's clear that the staff is too small for the specialization and volume of new content that's needed to bring the game back. At least to get people to feel like trying to learn how to play it once they've downloaded it instead of being put off.

...or just to keep up. I think this is the biggest issue. It shows how much work goes into updating the game as this last update has been going on for what, a year? I think the dream of keeping a small crew must be rethought. The updates have to come quicker to keep the "eye candy" crowd happy. Waiting a year is too much and so players leave. While some of us are more than happy to get a new plane/vehicle every 3-4 months, it isn't enough for many others. 

[Zoney]

Motherland, I'm sorry to hear that you do not currently play.  I could give you many reasons to come back but you will need your own, but if I may sir, <S> Please, come back and play.

[Motherland]

...or just to keep up. I think this is the biggest issue. It shows how much work goes into updating the game as this last update has been going on for what, a year? I think the dream of keeping a small crew must be rethought. The updates have to come quicker to keep the "eye candy" crowd happy. Waiting a year is too much and so players leave. While some of us are more than happy to get a new plane/vehicle every 3-4 months, it isn't enough for many others. 

I don't think new vehicles or planes is the issue. Honestly 6 months or so is a fine pace.  Features, artwork that keeps the game feeling contemporary, updates to things like the damage model to keep the game on the cutting edge (or, again, at lease contemporary) in fidelity are necessary. Keeping pace with studios like Gaijin which are, what, 10, 20, 40 times the size of HTC is a monumental, likely impossible task.

Motherland, I'm sorry to hear that you do not currently play.  I could give you many reasons to come back but you will need your own, but if I may sir, <S> Please, come back and play.

I'll at least try when the update comes out, I remain hopeful.

[Stampf]

I'll at least try when the update comes out, I remain hopeful.

The dust on your crate is exceedingly thick, Sir.

Better days  - they are a coming.

[oboe]

Bigger studios would have a bigger budget too, and they still have to make money.  So how does Gaijin do it with no monthly subscription fee?   Are the starter/action packs for $17-$23 a pop enough?   That's less than two months of an AH subscription.    So AH would make much more $ off me than Gaijin would, even if I kept buying all the packs.

Or do they save costs by not having to support arenas with 200-300 players in them?

[Motherland]

The dust on your crate is exceedingly thick, Sir.

Better days  - they are a coming.

Hopefully
Hope hope hope

Bigger studios would have a bigger budget too, and they still have to make money.  So how does Gaijin do it with no monthly subscription fee?   Are the starter/action packs for $17-$23 a pop enough?   That's less than two months of an AH subscription.    So AH would make much more $ off me than Gaijin would, even if I kept buying all the packs.

Or do they save costs by not having to support arenas with 200-300 players in them?

Steam publishes statistics of people playing games through their interface

http://steamcharts.com/app/236390

There are currently almost 8,000 people playing War Thunder through steam. Probably has something to do with it.

(it's funny that Gaijin is also considered an 'indie' game studio)

[guncrasher]

Bigger studios would have a bigger budget too, and they still have to make money.  So how does Gaijin do it with no monthly subscription fee?   Are the starter/action packs for $17-$23 a pop enough?   That's less than two months of an AH subscription.    So AH would make much more $ off me than Gaijin would, even if I kept buying all the packs.

Or do they save costs by not having to support arenas with 200-300 players in them?

because some people do pay a monthly subscription fee.  that and buying "extras".


semp

[Scca]

More objects in the environment will take up more memory/FPS.

-1 with the new garphics coming out..

And you know this for a fact?  Not trying to be a sphincter, but we don't know what the new graphics engine will hold.  There is a chance it could work better on older systems... <shrug>