Not Worth Logging on in the Morning

[RufusLeaking]

if your a knight or a Rook it not worth logging on in the mornings.

Bish have at 10:18 central time 37 players on  Knights 12 rooks 18.

why would I even want to try to play with those numbers its crazy.
to me something is not right here, but I don't know what it is.
right now bish have 29% eny, but so what they make up with it with those numbers.
really am tired of this(profanity here)

Working stiffs have to work during the day. I try to schedule my doctor appointments and such to give me some day flying, but it is not enough to sway the numbers.

10:18 US Central Daylight Savings Time is 15:18 GMT.  Even in the land of Lusche, folks are probably still earning their discretionary spending money.

On the imbalance, that is human behavior. I got nothing on that one. 

On the fit of map size to population, that is ongoing problem. Maps can last for days. Which will cross the highs and lows of player count. Again, I got no answer that will satisfy everyone. 

Try to stay positive. It is still a great game. 

- make 1 plane free so there will be higher player retention

- make 2 sides so its easier to find battles as the players will not be as scattered

- perk the planes so there will be higher plane diversity making the game more appealing for new players

1) Absolutley yes.

2) Yes, esp. if numbers stay relatively low.

3) Not sold on this one.    An alternative is allowing a limited ETO EW planeset one month, PTO the next, for non-paying customers (or for a reduced rate).  Then you'll get diversity of equipment and a boost in numbers.

Artificial restrictions are generally bad. We are restricted by field distances, fuel limits, ammo limits, time to climb, etc. These are inherent limits in what is being simulated. It adds a good rock-paper-scissors aspect to the game.

The single "free" airplane is a restriction. It will increase the percentage of that "scissors" airplane, and increase the use of the "rock" planes.

With ENY, and perk planes, there are artificial restrictions on airplane choice. One can rationalize that the sky was not ever filled with Me-262s, but the MA is not a historical simulation. The artificial restrictions have evolved over time. I recall at least one ENY adjustment. Perk costs are adjusted on the fly in the arena. The current system does a fair job, is understood, and stable.


Bottom line:

More restrictions to players' choice of actions is BAD. 

[nugetx]

More restrictions to players' choice of actions is BAD. 

Perks on planes is not a restriction, it is a gameplay mechanic.

Restriction would be if only 5 people on arena could fly the pony for example, but anyone can fly a pony with perks, he just needs to earn it.


The point of earning points to fly a higher tier plane is so you have to go through the earlier planes, if everyone will be doing this, all planes will be used on the arena, making for a more fun and diverse game.

It's not a question of opinion, it's a fact.  Fighting vs a few planes gets boring pretty fast because everything feels stale.

[Arlo]

Nugget(x) making sense may give me another stroke.

[nrshida]

Fighting vs a few planes gets boring pretty fast because everything feels stale.

Ohhhhhh, that's why AH hasn't lasted very long then! 

[haggerty]

When Bish eny is at 29 I just up a Tempest and pick on them, we were taking bases from them today.  Unfortunately I ran into quite a few bomb and bailers even though they had such higher numbers than us.

[Arlo]

Steamers know nothing else but B&B .... until they are:

1: Given a different example.

2: Taught how to gun for themselves and how to enjoy it.

[Vraciu]

The single "free" airplane is a restriction. It will increase the percentage of that "scissors" airplane, and increase the use of the "rock" planes.

With ENY, and perk planes, there are artificial restrictions on airplane choice. One can rationalize that the sky was not ever filled with Me-262s, but the MA is not a historical simulation. The artificial restrictions have evolved over time. I recall at least one ENY adjustment. Perk costs are adjusted on the fly in the arena. The current system does a fair job, is understood, and stable.


Bottom line:

More restrictions to players' choice of actions is BAD. 

No, paying $14.95 a month is a restriction and the two-weeker-squeakers are not going for it.

We need targets.   If giving away the Spit V for free (or something like that) drives numbers and retention then it will increase subscriptions over time.    It would certainly stop/reduce the bleeding.  Bored people leave.

Two weeks is barely enough time to figure out what is going on in this game for the non-initiated.

[Arlo]

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.)

[RufusLeaking]

I gave up being a forum warrior years ago, but ...

It's not a question of opinion, it's a fact.  Fighting vs a few planes gets boring pretty fast because everything feels stale.

The concept of boring is not a fact.

Is there an index of boring? Is there a nugetx boring scale that can be accurately and repeatedly measured? Is there a national boring center that can forecast major boring events, so folks can evacuate? (I went through Harvey in Houston, forgive that last one.)

Looking past the sarcasm, one person's boring is another person's preference.

The game in it's current incarnation is just fine. The target market seems to be fading. As a crusty old pilot, I would not want to see the grind or pay to upgrade or ten minute matches with air launch or whatever. That is my opinion.

No, paying $14.95 a month is a restriction and the two-weeker-squeakers are not going for it.

We need targets.   If giving away the Spit V for free (or something like that) drives numbers and retention then it will increase subscriptions over time.    It would certainly stop/reduce the bleeding.  Bored people leave.

Two weeks is barely enough time to figure out what is going on in this game for the non-initiated.

$14.95 per month is a business model. If folks are do not value the game experience at that price point, then the game will fade.

I am not a proponent of the "clubbing baby seals" school. But, that was the forum warrior of old. To each his own.

I do agree (one for three points) that there is a steep learning curve. I have recently talked a colleague of mine into signing up. He is a Metallurgical and Materials Engineer and a long time gamer. He is a smart, motivated guy, and he is happy to be at a 0.30 K/D after a month. We who have been flying for years take for granted stuff like head position, convergence, dot commands, stall limiters (or not,) dice bombing, calibration, steering a set of buffs in external mode with rudders, the list goes on.

Sorry if this post got too boring. 

[Vraciu]

$14.95 per month is a business model. If folks are do not value the game experience at that price point, then the game will fade.

Then you change the business model.   People like me will still pay the $14.95......    Then you will add noobs who stick around with the limited plane set....some of whom will upgrade to the $14.95 like I did....and as more and more minnows swim around we will see old sharks return to feast.

The other option is for the game to fade (your words not mine).

Times change.  Things change.    It's worth a try to see what happens.   If it doesn't work then you just go back to where you were before.

[Vraciu]

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.

(Image removed from quote.)

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

Good idea.  Or PLANE OF THE MONTH or something like that.

[nugetx]

I gave up being a forum warrior years ago, but ...
The concept of boring is not a fact.

If something is stale, it gets boring eventualy, and if you constantly fight vs same few planes you get bored because there is no diversity.

No diversity = boring

Diversity = fun

There are about 50 planes in Aces High, people use 5-10 mainly.   That is 40 planes underused.

Is there an index of boring?  Is there a nugetx boring scale that can be accurately and repeatedly measured?

Actualy there is, take planes in tier as a rough estimate, i didn't take much time deciding which should go where.

Is there a national boring center that can forecast major boring events, so folks can evacuate? (I went through Harvey in Houston, forgive that last one.)

None to my knowledge, although there is the boring company

The game in it's current incarnation is just fine. The target market seems to be fading.

Because people today want more realism in the ww2 flight sim and not 'fantasy'

I would not want to see the grind or pay to upgrade

In Aces High it would not be a grind, you can take on any plane in any plane, everything is viable, and others would be flying the same lower planes while gaining points for a better ride.

I don't see a problem with pay to upgrade.

[FLS]

It's not a question of opinion, it's a fact.  Fighting vs a few planes gets boring pretty fast because everything feels stale.

The solution is for you to fly a different aircraft, not for everyone else to change. Forcing diversity as an end in itself is just silliness.

[Arlo]

The F4U series is a laugh riot in that particular pyramid.

[nugetx]

The F4U series is a laugh riot in that particular pyramid.

I said to take planes as a rough estimate of where they should be because i didn't spend much time on this.