top 10

[The Fugitive]

Me too.  I will be available after Friday to assist if needed.  I'll download and be ready.  I don't know what to look for or how to help, but I'll try! 

Do they really need more testers?   

(From my experience too many testers just creates a big coordination problem.) 

But if more testers are needed say the word, I'll download the Alpha. 

Go here....

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,374362.msg4986475.html#new

its the patch download page/thread. Near the top it has a section called "Goals" and it lists what HTC would like you to look into. All you need is time and to check everything you can think of and report any and abnormalities.

[Slade]

What are the top 10 improvements that can be made to Aces high?

Marketing. 

We need more players.  This game is too good not to have exponentially more players.  People cannot participate in something they dont know exists.


EDIT:  I could elaborate in such detail but less is usually more.

One question though to open some eyes maybe: I wonder what the potential of South Korean and Chinese players would be if a long term and committed marketing campaign was to include them.  Maybe it already does I dont know.

[Lusche]

I wonder what the potential of South Korean and Chinese players would be if a long term and committed marketing campaign was to include them. [/color]

My guess would be: Almost none.

[HL117]

I went Alpha the other day;

  I stole a sheep.

[Slade]

My guess would be: Almost none.

What I have found overwhelmingly are posts such as:  "In South Korea, video games are considered to be a major social activity, with most of the games being cooperative or competitive." -Wikipedia.

Just googling the topic brings a deluge of responses that are difficult to interpret any other way.  Unless your post was to "troll" and\or be sarcastic.

Maybe if we put it in these terms:
1. Use facts and real world trends (see Google Trends for example)  to determine the current state of the gaming demographic.
2. Advertise where the demographic that would buy the product are.
3. Repeat as necessary.

My entire post is meant to be helpful not take shots at anyone.  Many times, even with the most ideal wording, that can get skewed.

All

[Lusche]

What I have found overwhelmingly are posts such as:  "In South Korea, video games are considered to be a major social activity, with most of the games being cooperative or competitive." -Wikipedia.

Just googling the topic brings a deluge of responses that are difficult to interpret any other way.  Unless your post was to "troll" and\or be sarcastic.

Sarcastic? Not at all.

Yes, video games play a great role in South Korea. But they are different ones. The topic of WW2 air war is much less popular (& known) in both countries, there are vast cultural and historical differences to 'western' countries. Introducing and 'marketing' AH to China would be even more difficult due to current politics.

[Slade]

The topic of WW2 air war is much less popular...

Countless documentaries and history books show WW2 is very well know in China and South Korea.  Inescapable.

Introducing and 'marketing' AH to China would be even more difficult due to current politics.

What if I could show you it isnt.  Have you ever tried to market a product in China?  If you have please share your findings.  Thanks.

One can go back and forth with opinions.  Perhaps lets use facts.

Using Google Trends: "World War 2" games

Interestingly one of the highest returns on this was the Philippines.  India too.  Ireland actual is higher than the United States.  This is of course high level and just a start.  We can use this thread to post our findings or create another. 

There a MANY search tools for trending if you have ever explored this.  I am aware of about two dozen related tools and searches that I use regularly. I thought I'd start with the most common.  Hey worst thing that can happen is I\we learn something. 


EDIT1: "World War 2 Online" interestingly shows a great market in Finland and Sweden for this.

EDIT2: Related searches show good markets in Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh.

Yes this is all high level and just a start.  Already a little very interesting I'd say. Lets not bash the initial results.  Instead lets just drive it deeper and see what the facts say.  We need to ultimate connect the demographics with the product.  Deep dive.  I'll do more when I get more time.

[lefty2]

Slade
You got the job !
congratulations

[Krusty]

There is a term in the industry, "Asian MMO" and it's a massive grind fest. It's a micro-transaction style that prioritizes instant gratification and constant monetization. Some Western MMOs have tried to go down that route for the monetization part of it -- and they gained new players from the Asian markets. However, they also alienated all their current playerbase and totally changed the entire feel and play of their game to do this. It's usually a sign of a dev company that only wants the cash grab and doesn't care if they lose every current player in the process.

That doesn't fit Aces High's style.



EDIT: Slade: Just googling stuff doesn't make you fact-filled. Sorry, but you don't seem to know much about certain cultural complexities when it comes to gaming markets. There is a reason that Japan is stocked full of games that wouldn't get 1 red cent in the US market, and vice versa. There are 3 decades of game sales trends and market data to pore over. This isn't stuff we've just made up.

[morfiend]

Slade
You got the job !
congratulations

  Hey lefty,was good talking with you the other night,it had been too long!

    I wear my AH Tshirt when ever I go out around a crowd,it seems to draw some attention,word of mouth goes a long way IMHO.


     

[Ack-Ack]

What if I could show you it isnt.  Have you ever tried to market a product in China?  If you have please share your findings.  Thanks.

It wouldn't be all that simple, the Chinese government would probably request some changes to made to the game before it's allowed into China.  The Chinese are sensitive about the Japanese, so they might request the removal of the Japanese planeset or like Germany, request the Japanese markings (the "meatballs") be removed.  In addition, AH would probably have to use an internal Chinese gaming company to license and operate the game in China, like Blizzard does with WoW and surrender direct control over the game in China.

[kappa]

#1 Stop stupid "look at me posts" on the boards

strangely enough, this made me look at you.. 

[WWhiskey]

Just do what you do in regular AH and report any problems you run in to!   

[Slade]

Just googling stuff doesn't make you fact-filled.

True!  That is why I use so many sites and resources.  I guess you missed the "this is all high level initial results" verbiage.

Krusty you have some good points.   

You are right there is a lot about games I dont know.  Then again, I am not unfamiliar with the Chinese culture and its technologies. My point was - we may learn something from the facts as we deep dive into them.

Krusty, I'm gonna take a step back.  Could you please share how you see that AH could better market the game given your background?  Maybe it cant, i.e. its already fully optimized in that capacity.  Looking forward to your response.

[Changeup]

Implement a permanent Strategic Dominance Gaming Theory expert in the TA 24-7.  I'm sorry but there isn't one currently and the game is moving at the speed of business in that direction.  We've all seen this coming for at least 4 days.

SDGT ALL DAY, ALL THE WAY!!