Player numbers down?

[Lusche]

If we doubled numbers that would be epic.. but do we need more than that?

Don't know about the 'we', but 'I' definitely do.

When AH actually had twice the current numbers I already struggled to find battles and gameplay to my liking. I never was here for dueling.
Doubling current numbers only would mean 20-50 players at the time I can play when my lil one will be in the kindergarten, and like 100-170 during my prime time.
For comparison, we had about three times the current population back when I started in  2005, and more than four times during the heydays (with the dreaded dual LW setup, but still hardly below 100 players even during downtime).

(Disclaimer: Yes, I'm fully aware that I would never get exactly the same experience again no matter how many players because of "Been there done that")

If I were an US palyer, I would be quite happy with 'only' twice the current numbers - But I ain't and I can not play at 3 AM  any longer like I often did in the past 

[NatCigg]

im looking for about ten times the numbers we have now.  currently mission population is around zero, give or take me.  in the old days with 100-150 per side we could get a ten man mission going.  so i figure it is about 10 to 1 ratio of iso dweebs to cool dweebs.

  remember runways so loud you cant hear vox?  two guys up front and fifteen behind, roaring through the skies. oh yeah. 

oh the glory days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvUOgIgLqOQ

[Lusche]

in the old days with 100-150 per side we could get a ten man mission going.

10% turnout for a mission was pretty good at that time, 20% was gigantic and only the most renowned MA leaders could muster such forces.

Remember things like this?:


(MOM#2, picture by Guppy35 - http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,252907.0.html )

[NatCigg]

one we had a set of bombers for every large airfield hanger.  bombers for town.  fighter cover and jabo clean up and aerial troops.  i remember 4 full dar bars as they were unable to manipulate the mass perfectly through the map.  it was a big MA mission.

 

[Shuffler]

When you have 38s you have everything.

[AceHavok]

The price point curve would be interesting to see.  From 15$ to free vs.  3000 to 3 million.  It could resemble buggs bunnys trip through Albuquerque.

Honestly,  I wouldn't doubt player numbers could jump to tens of thousands within a matter of a year if this game became free to play. With proper advertising of course.  Though, this raises a very touchy subject on how HTC would create revenue through micro-transactions.  First thing that comes to mind is being able to buy perk points or a 'premium' feature to be able to earn perk points faster.


Like I've said before, I'm no expert in this field and am just making an observation and sharing thoughts.

[SirNuke]

my wish is that htc was more reactive to change MA gameplay. Getting flawed maps out of rotation should not take years, and arena settings should be changed more often in an attempt to improve gameplay and keep the game fresh.

I also wish that attack planes would be useful again and that probably means a gv nerf as well as a reduction of town size. Bigger is not better.

[oboe]

If you think some maps are flawed, go here https://www.opavote.com/vote/5339594669162496 and vote in the MA terrain poll. 

I know what I like in a map, but I'm not sure everybody else likes the same thing.  I'm curious to see how people rank the terrains, but I can't close the poll to see the results until we get more votes in.  Currently at 61; would like to reach 100....

 

[nooby52]

Can I vote more than once? 

[Lazerr]

The mechanics of the game are set up to with too many options to avoid what the majority consider "fun" combat.

More hide and seek going on now.

One simple fix I think would be eliminating supplying of towns.  I used to be able to kick up a good fight on my own terms by flying to a base.. deacking the town and start hammering buildings.  Typically a few guys would roll, come kill me or die trying, and 9 times out of 10 a furball would follow.

Now the go to defense of a base is pile m3's into town, while folks play solitare in their manned guns or ground vehicles.

I honestly dont bother logging in more than a handful of nights a month now.  Its dissapointing, unless i have guys I know online to talk roadkill with.  Most of the time we complain on vox about what I just typed above.

[Wiley]

Honestly,  I wouldn't doubt player numbers could jump to tens of thousands within a matter of a year if this game became free to play. With proper advertising of course.  Though, this raises a very touchy subject on how HTC would create revenue through micro-transactions.  First thing that comes to mind is being able to buy perk points or a 'premium' feature to be able to earn perk points faster.


Like I've said before, I'm no expert in this field and am just making an observation and sharing thoughts.

As far as I'm concerned, the closest analogue to AH vs stuff like War Thunder is Planetside 2 vs something like Counterstrike.  PS2 started out with almost 30k people in it.  Nowadays, just a shade under 4k.  Counterstrike's still in the 700k players range.

The gameplay comparison is fairly close, with PS2 quite a bit more ground focused than AH, less learning curve for the most part.

We're not going to get numbers like WT without completely changing the gameplay, IMO.  People used to tolerate the style of gameplay here because there was no reasonably close option with more of a "game" to it.  Now there is, and it's shown in the player numbers.

Although for people like me, if it became too much like other games, I'd stop playing.  The gameplay is why I'm here.  If I wanted rounds based stuff, I'd play something else.

Wiley.

[madrid311]

 when  playing ah3 this year every morning for the last 3 months at 5:30 am pac time there were 45 to 48 peeps on at that time. now its 30 to 38. this is a niche game. since i started 2 years ago i have mentioned to anyone who would listen and shown several people the game and to be honest they are just not interested. at all. in fact its so uncared about when i try and tell about a sortie or even explain it i get a blank look. I don't share anymore. i'm sure if it was advertised you might get some looks but seriously this game is to intricate for an average joe to just show up. you gotta want it and ww2 is so long ago, its lost a lot of interest in the younger crowd. I love all that it brings me. lets keep at it. peace

[Dobs]

I think adding a nice stereo system to the m3 would help attract and keep new players.  It would add more excitement to running that box of supplies into town with a basically invisable vehicle.

Since we have inflight Fighter Data Link in aircraft, do you think it would be stretch to have "DVD player" in the M3 as well? So you can watch a movie while you sit with engine off....wait...probably have to be an old timey movie with no sound so you can still listen.

[JimmyC]

Maybe a chiller.for your iBeer too
In fact..pay a premium and get to pimp your ride..
Lower  M3..paint job..spinners..
Look cool while dropping  those super bro
And HTC makes coin..





Not

[Shuffler]

The mechanics of the game are set up to with too many options to avoid what the majority consider "fun" combat.

More hide and seek going on now.

One simple fix I think would be eliminating supplying of towns.  I used to be able to kick up a good fight on my own terms by flying to a base.. deacking the town and start hammering buildings.  Typically a few guys would roll, come kill me or die trying, and 9 times out of 10 a furball would follow.

Now the go to defense of a base is pile m3's into town, while folks play solitare in their manned guns or ground vehicles.

I honestly dont bother logging in more than a handful of nights a month now.  Its dissapointing, unless i have guys I know online to talk roadkill with.  Most of the time we complain on vox about what I just typed above.

I just complain about Lazer. He's gone to wearing kilts now and he favors the short ones. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh