So I'm watching the military channel and guess what?

[Gman]

Do you think going from 4000 accounts that are checkable in the scores page (which was already a number that had been fallen to), to under 2000, in just a couple/few years, is going to end well?

Something needs to be done, obviously just a new version (Ah3) hasn't done much, if anything at all, to boost numbers.  Every night I look during primetime, it's usually around 200, to 250 max, just as it has been for a few years now.

Continued inaction regarding new players - THAT isn't going to end well. 

[Wiley]

Continued inaction regarding new players - THAT isn't going to end well.

Agreed.  I just don't think that particular idea would be fun for many people.

Wiley.

[bustr]

Do people in the US have the disposable income yet?

I froze a 104K account in 2007 by accident and not knowing it. I got a look at it this year because the company needs my share holder vote. Today by not doing anything since 2007, it has 30% more worth in it than many others who didn't have my accident. So I suspect the prime player group late 20's to 50's has not had money to spend on games these past 8 years. And for many millennials and younger game players today, they are used to freeplay or some variation as a norm. 

I understand trying to build a fire under someone with dystopian imagery in a large spitball consensus group. Being an open to the public forum, I wonder how many potential new players this spitball group scares away because they translate your dystopian imagery into: this game is about to close shop and disappear, it must be a really sucky game.

I have always wondered why Hitech allows you guys to do this when it makes the game look worse than it is to the unsuspecting passer by.

[Ack-Ack]

One of the things I would do was introduce a buddy pass.  An active subscriber could request a buddy pass for a friend that would grant the "buddy" a 30 day unrestricted free trial instead of the standard 2 week free trial.  Buddy Passes for MMO games are a proven way to introduce new players and retain them after the free period.

ack-ack

[49ZERO]

Scantly clad women with aces high 3 tattoos on their buttocks during the super bowl would help a lot.

[Gman]

I like the buddy pass idea, especially if it's had success in other games.

[DmonSlyr]

One of the things I would do was introduce a buddy pass.  An active subscriber could request a buddy pass for a friend that would grant the "buddy" a 30 day unrestricted free trial instead of the standard 2 week free trial.  Buddy Passes for MMO games are a proven way to introduce new players and retain them after the free period.

ack-ack

That wouldn't hurt! Plus it would teach them the game a little easier! You might be able to get them to subscribe if they become really interested and know the basics already.

[Ack-Ack]

I like the buddy pass idea, especially if it's had success in other games.

As a further incentive, a reward of a certain amount of perk points is given to the player that has had a buddy subscribe to the game after their 30 day trial is over.

[SirNuke]

I'm less concerned by the numbers than the unchanging gameplay that makes this game so boring with so few pilots in the air.

[caldera]

One of the things I would do was introduce a buddy pass.  An active subscriber could request a buddy pass for a friend that would grant the "buddy" a 30 day unrestricted free trial instead of the standard 2 week free trial.  Buddy Passes for MMO games are a proven way to introduce new players and retain them after the free period.

ack-ack

That is a good idea.  A new player that has a friend to show him the ropes seems more likely to stick around than someone who is starting solo from scratch.

[DmonSlyr]

I'm less concerned by the numbers than the unchanging gameplay that makes this game so boring with so few pilots in the air.

I think it's rational to consider both. There really needs to be a map making team to create different maps. There could be votes on maps to see which ones create the most excitement. Maybe even change the map from 2am-10AM eastern to a smaller map that condenses the players. In my opinion the maps and base distance make all the difference in the world in terms of making the action a little quicker and easier to find.

[Gman]

I wonder how many potential new players this spitball group scares away because they translate your dystopian imagery into: this game is about to close shop and disappear, it must be a really sucky game.

That's hilarious.  So it's no longer the politics, the swear words, the religion, or the laws - forum topics that have "scared away" customers, it's now players' conjecture about what to do about the numbers being 1/3 of what they were a few years ago.  Yep, this discussion must be to blame.  Ridiculous.  2/3s of the players being gone now has NOTHING to do with players discussing why, and possible solutions to that. In fact, it's just as likely that random passers by would think that the remaining players in the game are very dedicated, and are willing to discuss and try any option in order to increase the numbers, which have been at their current sub 300 levels now, for years, despite a great new version having been recently released. 

[Vinkman]

If you make it free unlimited play for a Panzer....are you ready for 1000 Tank players? Isn't the Arena limit 500 players?

If you want to get the numbers up, How about everyone go out and recruit one new player? Back in the AW days, a co-worker introduced me to the game and I've been hooked for 20 years.

I personally feel that it's the hardware cost side of the game that limits it's access, not the monthly fee. You need a descent computer, and at least some dedicated peripherals, which many coming to investigate won't have. The game doesn't play well if you are new and trying to use a keyboard. So you have to buy enough equipment to make it playable...BEFORE you play it. Very few are going to go out buy a twisty stick with hat switches just so they can try AH3.

You can't take a guy to the top of a ski lift and tell him to slide his way down the mountain on the soles of his tennis shoes and think he's going to get hooked on Skiing.

We...as a community....need to reach out and recruit people, sit them in your chair get the headset and your TrackIR on them let them play around and see how cool it is. Then fly and let them watch a quality dog fight, or other in game action. Get 'em hooked and sign 'em up.

Recruit people that have a descent PC, and a love of WWII, or planes...or even a love of gaming.

Good luck!!   

[Lusche]

If you make it free unlimited play for a Panzer....are you ready for 1000 Tank players? Isn't the Arena limit 500 players?

We had far more players than that in a single arena back in the day 

If you want to get the numbers up, How about everyone go out and recruit one new player?

If it were that easy, AH would be a crowded place.

Recruit people that have a descent PC, and a love of WWII, or planes...or even a love of gaming.

Been there, tried that. Never worked.


In the end, it's all in the hands of the creators/publishers if a game appeals to the people, or not.

[Vinkman]

We had far more players than that in a single arena back in the day 

If it were that easy, AH would be a crowded place.


Been there, tried that. Never worked.


In the end, it's all in the hands of the creators/publishers if a game appeals to the people, or not.

This is the country club of games, not the McDonalds. Country clubs don't advertise, they recruit people from their social interactions and make them members.

You tried signing people up and you couldn't do it, so that model won't work? You have a high opinion of your salesmanship and social networking to declare failure for all.