Free To Play with Subscription Combination

[Triton28]

I think a lot of people are of the misconception that going to a F2P business model is what will "save AH from the ashes".  Changes and improvement to the game play will bring in more potential customers than switching the game to F2P.  Without changes and improvements to the game play, making the game F2P isn't going to make people stick around for very long and then the game withers on the vine and dies, like the majority of F2P games.

ack-ack

Good point, and just for clarity, I doubt seriously any FTP option will cause an immediate and massive boom in numbers of players.  AckAck is right in that it's ultimately gameplay that hooks the player... I'm just of the notion that sometimes you need to make sure they stick around long enough to figure it all out.

[chris3]

hi

to my pont of view a free to play option will help alot to rise numbers. because after your 2 week free trial you are still in the game, with less option but you still have the posibiliti to get more into the game.

i notice it at my frinds, i told alot of people about the game in th last 14 yeas, and a lot strtet the game, but most were not able to play it much in ther 14 free time because of work and alot of other reasons. so these 14 days are not realy much for AH.

if i remember me, i was able to shoot down an enemy aircraft in an aircraft in about two month.
i stayed here becuase i did knew the potential of the game because i have dreemed a long time frome a game like that.

but the most don t do it and thay do not have a chnce to learn the game in 2 weeks.
So gave them the chnce to stay in game and thay come back as full player in 2-3 month.

with only the 2weeks free 98% of all new commers are lost i beet.

i was not able to get new people into the game since 2001 and i think that is not the foult of the game or the game play, or may foult.  ist just the lake of time to get into it.

i realy realy think it will help much to get more people in.

we have nothing to lost so please HTC try it to keep this game running.
all of us here will keep paying the 14 bugs i m sure but more will come.  not in 2 weeks but in 2-3 month :-).

cu christian

[Zoney]

I know you chris3 from playing this game with you.  If there is something that will get more people to play that are like you, then I am for it.  I'm really glad you are here.  We need more just like you sir.

[chris3]

hey zoney

thank you very much, i wish i could stay online more to fly with you guys, but work keeps mee away much time :-(.

how i say, if new comers will be able to stay into the game after the 2 weeks free. the numbers will rise.

and to days everyone want a free to play game , and than AH will be able to get called as a free to play game.  just like WoT  were people easyly waste more than 100 bugs a month for a free to play game lol

cu christian

[Ack-Ack]

A 30 day free trial, with a new media campaign and with the new game play improvements would probably be just as effective, if not more so, then AH going F2P.

ack-ack

[morfiend]

A 30 day free trial, with a new media campaign and with the new game play improvements would probably be just as effective, if not more so, then AH going F2P.

ack-ack

  This I agree with but I have 1 addition to add,a less toxic environment.  If more players stopped gloating over killing a new player they may stick around.

   I hear it almost every day,new players upset over being killed then told how bad they are and go to the TA,like thats some place only new players need.

 Instead if players helped those new guys in anyway I think we'd see more players staying.


  30 days wont be long enough to get even close to competitive but it might be long enough to keep them coming back.

  YMMV.


   

[Lab Rat 3947]

This I agree with but I have 1 addition to add,a less toxic environment.  If more players stopped gloating over killing a new player they may stick around.

   I hear it almost every day,new players upset over being killed then told how bad they are and go to the TA,like thats some place only new players need.

 Instead if players helped those new guys in anyway I think we'd see more players staying.

I'm in total agreement with that.
In the 4 1/2 years I've been online, I've had 3 friends try AH. And all three didn't stay because of the juvenile antics of some players when they asked a question about AH.

[chris3]

hi

30 days are nothing for this game.

why not after 14 days you only have 1-2 fighter , 1 bomber and 1-2 tanks in the hangar.
the people need to stay here, to learn the game.
and later maybe the option to buy a fighter or a tank for a month. thats how online game works today.

if we want new guys we need the new way.
we are old in ouer days it was normal to buy a cd and than pay every month.
but today if i tell a frind that i pay every month he told me stupid  but it is the thame guy wich wast 100 euro for gold and tanks in world of tanks in a month.

so that is the way we should go. how i say htc has nothing to lose he only can win with that lidel changing.

cu christian

[Randy1]

What might help as well is a click and play staged missions with a simple click or slider to change the AI's ability.  Each mission would be setup to train the newbie in a segment of the game.

We have missions now in AH but are not user friendly.

The game should be old people friendly as well.

[Lab Rat 3947]

The game should be old people friendly as well.

I'm 68  not sure what you mean by "old people friendly"   

I saw an ad on the Military Channel. Liked what I saw, bought a Logitech 3D Pro and started practicing offline. Finances prevented me going online for a couple of years.
I was 61.
This is the only game I play.

[Tinkles]

Like the idea of planes but I like the idea of having the DA/TA, EW, and MW free for use. Special events and Main arena would be subscription only.

I personally believe only the TA should be free. So if you want to learn you can. Some subscribers only play in MW/DA so making those free would make HTC lose money.  Why pay for something when you can get it for free?
I think TA should be free, unlimited flight time there (gets them interested, enough there to allow them to learn, and enough traffic so they can hook up with something to learn the ropes). Plus, if they want to go further but lack the $ to play in the MA but still want to play. Perhaps some of the offline missions could be suggested for newbies.

I also think that 20 hours or so free time in the MA's would be acceptable. Instead of 2 weeks. That way if you can only play a few minutes or an hour or so a day (or week) you can take full advantage of the free time. Rather than making the account, starting the 2 week countdown. And only getting to play maybe 2-10 hours out of that time frame.

 

[chris3]

hi

at my beginning we had sores about 6000  now we only have scores about 2000  so the most is lost, its time to rebuild.

thats what i was triing to explain.
the oldtimeres will keep paing there 14 bugs as thay have did it all the time.
but the new will pay much more for a free game, sounds crazy but thats how the onlime gaming world works today.
so i realy think htc will not lose any money at changing this.

yes a play time counter would be useful.  everthing would enlage the learning time will help.

cu christian

[SlipKnt]

I personally believe only the TA should be free. So if you want to learn you can. Some subscribers only play in MW/DA so making those free would make HTC lose money.  Why pay for something when you can get it for free?
I think TA should be free, unlimited flight time there (gets them interested, enough there to allow them to learn, and enough traffic so they can hook up with something to learn the ropes). Plus, if they want to go further but lack the $ to play in the MA but still want to play. Perhaps some of the offline missions could be suggested for newbies.

I also think that 20 hours or so free time in the MA's would be acceptable. Instead of 2 weeks. That way if you can only play a few minutes or an hour or so a day (or week) you can take full advantage of the free time. Rather than making the account, starting the 2 week countdown. And only getting to play maybe 2-10 hours out of that time frame.

 

This and what Ack-Ack is saying is pretty sound.

You do the 2 week free trial like it is now.  Then offer the TA only up as a FTP area so they can learn more after getting a taste.  They will begin to miss the MAs and likely subscribe after being in the TA for a while. 

[chris3]

hi

i m not sure if the TA will have the potential to keep someone staing in game. there is no gameplay and its relativly boring. so it will not halp much, maybe a lidel.

cu christian

[bustr]

Or offer the first two months after the 2 week free trial at $7.95 a month.