Support Aces High

[Motherland]

Now, for the most part, only Aces High remains as the last game standing and the combined population is still in decline. 

That's BS
DCS World, IL-2 still has a devoted following while BoS is still in pre-release, and WT has a playerbase of thousands. The RoF forum is just as active as ours if not more, and isn't filled with posts about RoF dying.
Warbirds iirc was dead by the time that I started in '06 and FA was in decline/practically dead long before it closed in 2010.
The MMOs like WB, FA, and perhaps AH died because they were dinosaurs, weren't responding to rising expectations in fidelity, graphics, gameplay and immersion. Or because they weren't catering far enough the other way. AH stands in a middle ground between arcade and fidelity that no other game does, probably not to its benefit (i.e., I don't think it's serving a good niche, but rather no one wants a game like that). Games that are high fidelity or complete arcade seem to be doing fine. Even WT's full realism mode has more superficial fidelity and immersion, even if the flight model 'sucks' (which, realistically, how many of us can say one way or another?).

The idea that no one likes to play games that are hard anymore reflects the real generation gap problem with AH: it's full of senile old men who are too busy yelling 'get off my lawn!' to see the world around them.

[Lusche]

The idea that no one likes to play games that are hard anymore reflects the real generation gap problem with AH: it's full of senile old men who are too busy yelling 'get off my lawn!' to see the world around them.

 

[Rob52240]

I've looked without much success but if we could start building a list of websites/forums for MMO games and start writing on them about Aces High and how great it is...

[Traveler]

I've looked without much success but if we could start building a list of websites/forums for MMO games and start writing on them about Aces High and how great it is...

They will laugh you right off the boards.  For what ever reason they don't like it. 

[Motherland]

I've looked without much success but if we could start building a list of websites/forums for MMO games and start writing on them about Aces High and how great it is...

...it wouldn't be any help.
The problem with AH isn't advertising, it's the actual game. Part of the problem is that the only people left have been playing forever and don't recognize the issues.
This is what happens when you show someone with interest in flight sims and MMO's (but dissatisfaction with the arcadeyness of WT) Aces High, based on experience:

Reactions, in order:
"Wow this game has really bad graphics"
"Why do all of the planes have the same sounds"
"I want to fly plane * (let's say Bf 110), it's my favorite -- why does it look like this, what is this model 15 years old? (Joke's on them, it is)"
"How do I control the radiator flaps, mixture etc.?"
"Oh."
"No, it's just that you said the game was pretty realistic."
"Is there just some sort of tutorial I can bang out for a while?"

'Do you want to try flying AH again?'

"Nah"

[Slate]

  We don't have the numbers HTC has to determine how many sign up for the 2 week free trial and then don't stay. However would it be bad to allow the Free players to live in early war for awhile since the population is so low? When they see the numbers in late war they may be intrigued enough to try a subscription. Give the fish a taste of the bait and they may end up in the boat. 

[Lucifer]

"the twelve hour rule"

Without it, tons of players, -me included-, wouldnt play. Please, ur post is kinda right,
just dont try to fool ppl with flase facts.

S.

[hitech]

Not to increase customer base.

Wrong again. There was a suggestion about advertising on a Canadian dogfight type show. We did with in about 1week of the suggestion.

[Canspec]

Wrong again. There was a suggestion about advertising on a Canadian dogfight type show. We did with in about 1week of the suggestion.

Yes, this is true...it was what actually got me to try the game out...... 

[Chalenge]

As of this very moment there are 1,504 people flying FSX: Steam Edition, 9,921 in Euro Truck Simulator 2, 3,073 playing Farming Simulator '15, 1,273 playing Train Simulator 2015, and even theHunter has 968 players.

So, I must refute the premise that simulations are on the decline. I mean 10,000 people driving trucks? 1,000 people sitting in tree stands?

There are 12,165 people playing War Thunder. Maybe what you want is F3 mode for the arcade players? I don't think that would make the core of AH subscribers very happy.

[Rob52240]

maybe have an F3 arena for dogfighting?  Well we already have the dueoling arena but there is no sight available that works in external

[RotBaron]

The game takes patience, concentration, dedication, understanding, practice, practice, practice...and so many other things. Those who pick this game up right away and go nuclear are few and far between. It takes a mentor(s) and a lot of ppl generous enough to show you around and introduce you to so many different minute aspects for one to start to grasp everything; throw in the fact that your opponents are always ~10-1000x better than you, you will have to die A LOT.

Don't know if you all remember being a noob, but I'd hazard that's where the majority quit/come and go quietly. ACM is not easy, getting HO'd by guys that don't need to, being vulch/pick/bait to death before you even know what all that means...do you remember what it was like?

The students in my nursing cohort represent the spectrum of the younger target mass; they'd rather play some free game on their phone and write about garbage on twitter than learn anything difficult (with the exception of nursing ($))...my nephews represent the gaming age pop and they like killing fantasy/tastical mystical crap.

Maybe make a noobs arena with mods to help and represent some sorta even playing field?

[Coalcat1]

My generation is full of stupid dipshits.

No one wants to learn ANYTHING.

This is true, same here, hate the idea of "instant gratification" and "pay to win". (Hate my generation....)

[Lusche]

My generation is full of stupid dipshits.

No one wants to learn ANYTHING.

Same has been said about my generation. And any before that. Usually BS.

[morfiend]

Wrong again. There was a suggestion about advertising on a Canadian dogfight type show. We did with in about 1week of the suggestion.

  I agree,as it was my suggestion and I saw the commercials!


  What I dont understand is how players can complain,where else can you get this much entertainment for 15 bucks a month!