How are the numbers now?

[wil3ur]

I thought the Typhoon and Tempest were updated a couple years ago...

I still dig the KI61 revamp.  It's a blast.

[oboe]

Typhoon was, but not the Tempest.   

[Vraciu]

As a long term player I am interested in a large player base. As a business person I abhor the thought of giving away product for free that I know has value.  Tough call but definitely believe Hitech will keep the ship headed the right direction.

Many businesses give things away to spur demand.  It's not like he's giving away the entire game. 

If HTC gave a small set of planes (two or three even) away and it drove even a tiny fraction of players to subscribe it would be a win.   Full arenas create interest.  Providing targets for paying customers is a good thing if it keeps them paying. 

It's his decision.   But I'd rather have some of those Steam noobs in here for free with a limited planeset than virtually zero paying for a full one. 

[Simon]

I've always thought 2 weeks was way too short to get anyone hooked on such a challenging game. Maybe a 3 (6?) months free Steam promo?

Not sure of the economics of that, but I think having more targets, especially "killable" ones, might also reduce overall attrition.

[Lusche]

I've always thought 2 weeks was way too short to get anyone hooked on such a challenging game. Maybe a 3 (6?) months free Steam promo?
Not sure of the economics of that

In that case, HTC might as well make the game totally free, I'm afraid

[Arlo]

In that case, HTC might as well make the game totally free, I'm afraid

Stop .... trying .... to .... kill .... my .... favorite .... game. 

[Lusche]

Stop .... trying .... to .... kill .... my .... favorite .... game. 

Am I?

[Arlo]

Stop. Stop it. Stop. 

[Lusche]

Stop. Stop it. Stop. 

I can't follow you 

[Arlo]

I can't follow you 

Then lead.

[Lusche]

Then lead.

(Image removed from quote.)

You have been reported. 

[nrshida]

You have been reported. 

 

[Vraciu]

In that case, HTC might as well make the game totally free, I'm afraid

There's no need for that.

The issue is getting the two-weekers to stay long enough to become paying customers.    A highly limited set of free airplanes is chum for the sharks.   Eventually they'll want to upgrade.   I did.

[Arlo]

From another thread.

Here's a thought. A rotating 'free plane of the week.' No, wait .... think about it. It doesn't open everything to the wind (so to speak). Post-2-weekers then still have a taste of this or that and we know some of them will get addicted to one model or another (we also know that they probably won't like some models). So ... for a week they can up P-51Ds without an active account. Next week they get P-40Bs. That P-51D won't likely make the free rotation very often.

Having said that, I have no idea (as usual) how easy that would be to implement on HT's part. I know how I'd market the poop out of it on STEAM, though.



(And I'd still recommend C-47s and Jeeps as always free.)

[Lazerr]

1 month seems right... i sometimes get one chance a week to play games.. im sure millions of others are in the same boat.