And not many liked this answer from a few years back by the constant returning to the theme of FtP to solve all of his marketing and numbers problems. So why return to FtP over and over again unless the benefit is to that OP to play AH in a limited manner to get around $14.95 per month. Altruistic intentions aside that are used to present FtP each time, the real world runs on money. And we see two weekers all the time who fly like 10 year vets.
What do you suggest HTC does then to fix the problem of ever decreasing numbers? An add campaign on TV? A new version which catches the game up to about 2010 graphic standards by the looks of it so far? Tic Tac Toe and Catch the Sheep - maybe new potential players will see that and thing "wow", I better try this out.
NO.
None of this will work, in fact it's been established already that it won't. Ask HTC about the returns they got advertising on a pretty decent TV program about WW2 Aces a couple years back. Airshow stands and demos, same deal. No potential players are going to look at the new version and try the game based on the improvements over what exist now IMO - it isn't that staggering of a difference so far from what I've seen to persuade anyone that it's somehow incredibly superior to what exists now. Sure, the Battleship looks great, plane models/cockpits are slightly improved, as is the terrain - slightly. Overall it's still inferior to games that are 2 or 3 years old now in terms of looks. So, if looks aren't going to attract new players, what will, at 14.95 after 2 weeks free?
I disagree completely with HT regarding the isolation of new players with a FTP set of weak gv/planes - sure some may leave because they have somehow been sequestered from the rest of the paying group, but it's just as possible that as many will subscribe to join in that part of the game - in fact, if the price isn't going to change for subs, what I ask is there to lose on that point? The player will either find value and sub, or won't - but at least with a hybrid FTP model like I suggested you'll be getting WAY WAY more eyes on the paying part of the game, and the law of averages means at least SOME of those will join, which is more than are joining now based on word of mouth, thanks to the non existent social media footprint or add campaign (which I understand is pointless now with a new version otw, but it's been this way for years, if not decades). Also, IMO ego will get just as many players to sub from FTP accounts - being sick of being an easier target, not in on the stuff that makes the game fun, wanting to prove themselves in more capable equipment, etc, directly targets human nature.
So, if not something along those lines, then what? Again, the infamous "hook" I've heard from HTC - wth is it going to be? TicTacToe with Sheep will fail, I'll bet anyone, any amount on that right now. A TV/Print Mag/Online mag add campaign will fail. See above regarding bets. This being the case, IMO, but again, the betting thing, what else can HTC do other than radically change both how and the amount of new players get a look at the game - and again, if anyone thinks the new version is going to somehow massively increase potential new player interest, they are kidding themselves. If Steam indeed turns out to not be an answer for the current problem of low numbers, this leaves little option other than the above to fix it IMO. Longer trial, cheaper price, none of that will work either.
Bookmark this thread/post. If nothing is changed with the pricing/intake model, and it's just the new version of the game, with some goofy arena ideas, we'll see just how many new subs come and stick a few months after it goes online. For numbers to return to the peaks they were at, and surpass them, IMO having a FTP hybrid is the only thing that is going to work at this point, based on the trends in gaming, the competition, as well on how little the new version has truly changed from the current at its root level.
Bustr - what do you think HTC should do to increase numbers? Just release the new version when it's in beta/done, and go from there? Maybe a couple new cheesy arena ideas, like WW1 only worse? Tv adds? Even a radical new Combat Tour like facet of the game? Think any of that is going to work in terms of growing the most important feature of a PVP online MM WW2 game, which is the MA game?
