Low numbers

[JOACH1M]

I miss when there was 2 MA's, both with 250+, and during that the DA had 50 players, TA had ~10.

[ACE]

I miss when there was 2 MA's, both with 250+, and during that the DA had 50 players, TA had ~10.

I miss when titantic Tuesday had 800 plus lol.

[hgtonyvi]

I miss when titantic Tuesday had 800 plus lol.

yea I remember thos days.

[JunkyII]

I miss when titantic Tuesday had 800 plus lol.

Those were the reason why POTW has sqaud night on Tuesday till this day....they were epic

[ACE]

Those were the reason why POTW has sqaud night on Tuesday till this day....they were epic

Ahhhh nothing like seeing 100 oinks! In the chat.

[JunkyII]

Ahhhh nothing like seeing 100 oinks! In the chat.

lol we used to catch so much crap about it lol...I remember a thread "Squad Squelch" in wishlist because of it lol.

[SirNuke]

HTC brought that to themselves by making gameplay choice errors, blaming the economics is an easy way out.

[caldera]

HTC brought that to themselves by making gameplay choice errors, blaming the economics is an easy way out.

More like resting on their laurels.  AH3 should have been set in motion years before.

[The Fugitive]

HTC brought that to themselves by making gameplay choice errors, blaming the economics is an easy way out.

I agree, admitting your wrong and making changes, is something HTC doesn't seem like something they like to do.

More like resting on their laurels.  AH3 should have been set in motion years before.

I dont know all the dates (calling Lusche!), nor the internal workings at HTC, but this is how I see it.

AH2 is released, and you figure 6-12 months of tweaking, fixing bugs, adding those last few things they wanted in but weren't finished for the release. Take a break (very short one), and start looking into a new graphics engine/update. Whether they used their own software, or bought/negotiated a graphics engine the work starts on the update. To get the basic background code down could take a year or so before they even get something they can "fly" in. Then they start fleshing out what they have, cleaning up bugs as they go along. Integrating the new software with the old (server side, scoring, flight mechanics, virtual world and so on).

Now they have something they can go on line with and ask for volunteers to help out with the alpha. Another 6 mouths to a year goes by and the beta is opened for the masses. Another almost year goes by and then AH3 is released.

Resting on their laurels, I don't think so.

[caldera]

I agree, admitting your wrong and making changes, is something HTC doesn't seem like something they like to do.


I dont know all the dates (calling Lusche!), nor the internal workings at HTC, but this is how I see it.

AH2 is released, and you figure 6-12 months of tweaking, fixing bugs, adding those last few things they wanted in but weren't finished for the release. Take a break (very short one), and start looking into a new graphics engine/update. Whether they used their own software, or bought/negotiated a graphics engine the work starts on the update. To get the basic background code down could take a year or so before they even get something they can "fly" in. Then they start fleshing out what they have, cleaning up bugs as they go along. Integrating the new software with the old (server side, scoring, flight mechanics, virtual world and so on).

Now they have something they can go on line with and ask for volunteers to help out with the alpha. Another 6 mouths to a year goes by and the beta is opened for the masses. Another almost year goes by and then AH3 is released.

Resting on their laurels, I don't think so.

They didn't break ground on AH3 until late August, 2013.  The numbers were rapidly declining well before then.  They waited too long.  Now we are lucky if 200 people show up in prime time.

[The Fugitive]

They didn't break ground on AH3 until late August, 2013.  The numbers were rapidly declining well before then.  They waited too long.  Now we are lucky if 200 people show up in prime time.

3 years ago is when we heard about the start of work on AH3, Im sure they did a lot of work on it before then. Im not sure the date on when the decline in numbers "started", Lusche could probably make a better guess than most, but I agree, the numbers have dropped, and at this point they are a far cry from what we had "back in the day".

I think there was number of things that combined to cause that drop. Economics, game play changes, player game style changes, other games hitting the market and so on. Advertising and getting the "game out there" has never really been an HTC strong suit. I understand they are a small company with limited funds but as creative as this team is, they should be able to find ways to promote the game to KEEP it in the eyes of the consumers.

But all of this is neither here nor there. Whats done is done, and its time to move on. HTC needs to get this game out front to draw more people in. They also need to tweak the game play to make the game fun and engaging to the wider audience to KEEP those new players. NOW is the time to get moving. Time will tell.

[Lusche]

Im not sure the date on when the decline in numbers "started"

AH peak was late 07/ early 08. 2010 was the first year with a substantial drop.

[caldera]

3 years ago is when we heard about the start of work on AH3, Im sure they did a lot of work on it before then. Im not sure the date on when the decline in numbers "started", Lusche could probably make a better guess than most, but I agree, the numbers have dropped, and at this point they are a far cry from what we had "back in the day".

I think there was number of things that combined to cause that drop. Economics, game play changes, player game style changes, other games hitting the market and so on. Advertising and getting the "game out there" has never really been an HTC strong suit. I understand they are a small company with limited funds but as creative as this team is, they should be able to find ways to promote the game to KEEP it in the eyes of the consumers.

But all of this is neither here nor there. Whats done is done, and its time to move on. HTC needs to get this game out front to draw more people in. They also need to tweak the game play to make the game fun and engaging to the wider audience to KEEP those new players. NOW is the time to get moving. Time will tell.

AH peak was late 07/ early 08. 2010 was the first year with a substantial drop.

IMO, they started AH3 three years after it was obvious that something needed to be done.  Hopefully they figure out a way to spread the word.  The only "fix" really needed is more players.

[Delirium]

I still say when the 8th Eighth based on the Band of Brothers HBO series is aired, you will see a resurgence in the interest of the WWII genre.

The real question is will they come here instead of the other online WWII sims? It is going to take a focused advertising strategy to reach the masses without breaking the budget.

[mthrockmor]

I still say when the 8th Eighth based on the Band of Brothers HBO series is aired, you will see a resurgence in the interest of the WWII genre.

The real question is will they come here instead of the other online WWII sims? It is going to take a focused advertising strategy to reach the masses without breaking the budget.

Agreed, though when is that coming out? If I remember correctly its schedule for 2018. I know some of us geeks will be lingering by then but...

Update: This article says early 2017, which is just around the corner. Could it be...?

http://710keel.com/new-spielberg-hanks-wwii-series-coming-to-hbo-video/

boo