Free Play Area (MW or EW)

[SlipKnt]

I was discussing with Biggamer last night and thought this would be worthy for posting for HTC to consider.

For the most part, you get players looking for action.  They come in, deal with the major learning curve and IMHO, decide to not commit to the game after 2 to 6 weeks. 

The other things to select in free play areas are cool but I am not convinced it is drawing in a baseline of new players. 

I heard Military Channel was advertising another game (FTP I think, BG can verify this for me).

Okay, so here is my idea.  FWIW:

Set up an early war or mid war arena (I recommend early war) that would be a FTP area.  Lock out the planes that do not apply.  If they want to play with the bigger planes, subscribe to play in the MA (Late War arena).

Cause and effect:

Cause the desire to want to fly the later planes.
Effect = Will learn the game in EW in FTP and allow them to gradually work into the MAs, unless they are ready to join right away. 

Just thinking about how to draw more people in and become loyal players. 

That's Biggamer's idea.  I simply typed it out for all to see.  I completely agree this is a pretty cool thing. 

I am not, nor will I ever, tell anyone how to run his/her company or how to develop a business model.  I am not in business nor to I pretend to understand it.  This is simply a conversation I was having last night and thought it worthy of a post.  With all due respect of course.

 

[AAIK]

I think further unification of the game is the only way to counteract the down trend. More divisions just make the offering less attractive.

- Remove all other arenas but the MA (auto-connect to the MA, no listing).
- Relegate training to rearmost fields on each map.
- Relegate/replace scenarios to/as missions in the MA.
- Add a free-to-play element.
- Add a micro-transaction layer.
- Mobile game frontend.

These are just some ideas and do not guarantee success, but they are steps toward making the game more accessible in theory. I am not sure if "the moment" has passed for AH but there is plenty of time for HTC to make changes.

[AKKuya]

Adding some small map specialized arenas for free play might help.

GV arena
CV arena
Fighter only arena
Bomber only arena

[Vraciu]

As Hitech has already said, most people leave within twenty minutes and never return.   All the arenas in the world won’t solve that problem, and that’s the one that needs solving...

[The Fugitive]

I was discussing with Biggamer last night and thought this would be worthy for posting for HTC to consider.

For the most part, you get players looking for action.  They come in, deal with the major learning curve and IMHO, decide to not commit to the game after 2 to 6 weeks. 

The other things to select in free play areas are cool but I am not convinced it is drawing in a baseline of new players. 

I heard Military Channel was advertising another game (FTP I think, BG can verify this for me).

Okay, so here is my idea.  FWIW:

Set up an early war or mid war arena (I recommend early war) that would be a FTP area.  Lock out the planes that do not apply.  If they want to play with the bigger planes, subscribe to play in the MA (Late War arena).

Cause and effect:

Cause the desire to want to fly the later planes.
Effect = Will learn the game in EW in FTP and allow them to gradually work into the MAs, unless they are ready to join right away. 

Just thinking about how to draw more people in and become loyal players. 

That's Biggamer's idea.  I simply typed it out for all to see.  I completely agree this is a pretty cool thing. 

I am not, nor will I ever, tell anyone how to run his/her company or how to develop a business model.  I am not in business nor to I pretend to understand it.  This is simply a conversation I was having last night and thought it worthy of a post.  With all due respect of course.

 

Adding some small map specialized arenas for free play might help.

GV arena
CV arena
Fighter only arena
Bomber only arena

All of this is easily setup with custom arenas. The issue is holding the hands of new players WHEN they come in.

Hitech said that most players leave and are never seen again after the first 20 minutes or so. This is because the game is pretty involved with lots of options and commands available. While this makes the game great for a lot ore people, it makes it almost impossible to get going right away. How many of you have loaded up a game only to throw it in the bottom of a draw after an hour or sort of trying to get it going to the point of you having FUN with it? I know I have a draw that is pretty full.

This game needs a baby sitter to help new players ( todays players need more help than the old days) to figure out what is what and get over the tough spots as they get up to speed. 1 on 1 help as soon as they walk through the door.

Setting up an EW arena and leaving it on its own is going to do nothing more than split an already low number population and give a space for players to run unopposed to "win the war" which isnt going to help build a larger community.

[Lazerr]

Making it mouse friendly would be great.. the same mouse config could be used for every new player that logs in.. its pretty straight forward..

Id think most guys trying put the game for the first time dont have a joystick setup laying around...

More.along the lines of your post.  Early war free?  I bet it would help, but not in a seperate arena.

Those free planes in the main arena juat because dividing the masses and dropping the MA population even more sound like a bad idea.

[TequilaChaser]

The issue is holding the hands of new players WHEN they come in.

Hitech said that most players leave and are never seen again after the first 20 minutes or so. This is because the game is pretty involved with lots of options and commands available. While this makes the game great for a lot ore people, it makes it almost impossible to get going right away.

This game needs a baby sitter to help new players ( todays players need more help than the old days) to figure out what is what and get over the tough spots as they get up to speed. 1 on 1 help as soon as they walk through the door.

NOTE: I am typing this reply in response to something I know(or knew) that Dale wanted for Aces High back in the beginning
and i can see where it has relevance and in my opinion should be moved to the front burner..... and just because I am replying about Training does not mean I am refering to Air Combat only........ I'm including all planes, GV's, Boats that a player can use to fight in the game...... the Trainers actually had 2 official Trainers that were there specifically for GV Training at 2 different times... the 1st one was Damned Whels, the 2nd one was WWhiskey............. sadly the Aces High Community has lost them both when they both unexpectedly passed away through the years...

This reply is not a knock against any of the AH Training Corps Members!

I think it might be worth while that HTC and HiTech revisit the "Training Academy" that HiTech once wanted ..............

It needs to be designed and setup to where people can go through the Training academy before diving straight in head first without knowing how to even tread water, let alone swim......

It also needs to be massively advertised that "Aces High" offers Training and offers a Training Academy.......or "TOP GUN Fighter Weapons School" that people will be trained on how to learn to start from being a beginner to being a TOPGUN Ace!

Advertise it all over, in Videos, on the AH Front Home Page, on FaceBook, on YouTube........... the worlds most realistic World War II Combat MMOG that offers real live Training ........ everything from daily or weekly Scheduled Informal Training Classes that people an know exactly when to show up and how long they will last, to 1 on 1 Individual Training, to the Air Combat Training Academy: to where people would have to register for and complete the program(s) example: Level 1 / Level 2 / Level3 / Level 4 etc.... ( the Training academy will be more involved but their can or will be special little extras Registered players will receive )

Then advertise the hell out of it, if possible even get some TV time ADs

I don't have Steam, don't know what the boards or whatever look like , etc.....but Advertising Live Human Training Instructors and a Flight Training Program 2nd to none, just might go a good bit at keeping new players to sticking around a little longer....

TC

[Biggamer]

The MA is our sand box not a custom arena the custom arena being free does nothing for anyone.

we need a free plane set in the MA where everyone is playing. EW/MW plane set free LW you must pay. that alone wont get enough people to pay so if you play a free account your perk bonus would only be 0.50 if you are a paying costumer you would get a 1.5

most other free to play games have the big sand box free to play but if you want higher rewards and bigger toys its gonna cost.

as for people only being online for a short time well that could be a number of things but the few that come to mind is the controls and not enough how to videos on youtube.

also i always see world of tanks and world of warships be advertised on TV all the time and recently i saw warbirds. maybe we should try the same.

just a few of my opinions flame away

[Old Sport]

The issue is holding the hands of new players WHEN they come in.

Hitech said that most players leave and are never seen again after the first 20 minutes or so. This is because the game is pretty involved with lots of options and commands available. While this makes the game great for a lot ore people, it makes it almost impossible to get going right away.

I don't know how feasible this idea is, but it might be worth considering adding a new game configuration interface layer above the existing one, without changing the existing one. The new configuration interface would be MUCH abbreviated, would be like one page or two at most, would be the first thing the visitor sees and would give the visitor only what they need to easily get their control equipment trimed, to get views set, to a choose plane, to set convergence distance with one click [200, 300, 400], to select easier flight or more realistic flight, to gas up and to take off. I probably missed a few things, but you get the idea. Everyone trying AH would get this much simplified screen. Thankfully, at a bottom corner would be a check box: Always go to advanced settings [X], so that all veteran players can click once and always login to the existing interface.
 
IMHO, there's a different approach to things "PC" between younger generations and babyboomers. Younger generations hardly know the difference between a Spit and an ME 109, but babyboomers are a lot more interested, invested and willing to work a little through a fairly complex set of commands and setup requirements.

my 2 cents

[Bruv119]

make match play free,  gets people in and fighting.

If its empty put an AI plane in there.   

[Lusche]

Match play has been free for quite some time now.
The only arenas you have to pay for are Open Melee, AvA ans Special Events. All others are free, including WW1 and Match Play.

[mikeWe9a]

The MA is our sand box not a custom arena the custom arena being free does nothing for anyone.

we need a free plane set in the MA where everyone is playing. EW/MW plane set free LW you must pay. that alone wont get enough people to pay so if you play a free account your perk bonus would only be 0.50 if you are a paying costumer you would get a 1.5

most other free to play games have the big sand box free to play but if you want higher rewards and bigger toys its gonna cost.

just a few of my opinions flame away

The major difference between this game and the free-to-play games (War Thunder, World-of-whatever) is that there is no matchmaking in Aces High.  Without matchmaking, limiting new, free-to-play people to early planesets will leave your inexperienced, relatively low skill players saddled with planes that are outperformed by those flown by the more experienced and more skilled players.  This will almost certainly ensure that a new player has an unfavorable, frustrating experience when starting out.  This is especially true when you consider the complexity of control options available and the time needed to become proficient.  A free-to-play version would almost certainly have to be "walled off" from the main arena in order to allow new players to become proficient in the game without the frustration of being killed by more experienced players flying more advanced aircraft, likely using a non-persistent, matchmaking system similar to the existing free-to-play alternatives.

Additionally, in order to attract new, somewhat casual players, you'd need to have a viable mouse and keyboard only control system that can be used successfully by new, inexperienced players.  People who are just trying out the game aren't likely to invest in a joystick just to see if they like the game.

Mike

[Ramesis]

NOTE: I am typing this reply in response to something I know(or knew) that Dale wanted for Aces High back in the beginning
and i can see where it has relevance and in my opinion should be moved to the front burner..... and just because I am replying about Training does not mean I am refering to Air Combat only........ I'm including all planes, GV's, Boats that a player can use to fight in the game...... the Trainers actually had 2 official Trainers that were there specifically for GV Training at 2 different times... the 1st one was Damned Whels, the 2nd one was WWhiskey............. sadly the Aces High Community has lost them both when they both unexpectedly passed away through the years...

This reply is not a knock against any of the AH Training Corps Members!

I think it might be worth while that HTC and HiTech revisit the "Training Academy" that HiTech once wanted ..............

It needs to be designed and setup to where people can go through the Training academy before diving straight in head first without knowing how to even tread water, let alone swim......

It also needs to be massively advertised that "Aces High" offers Training and offers a Training Academy.......or "TOP GUN Fighter Weapons School" that people will be trained on how to learn to start from being a beginner to being a TOPGUN Ace!

Advertise it all over, in Videos, on the AH Front Home Page, on FaceBook, on YouTube........... the worlds most realistic World War II Combat MMOG that offers real live Training ........ everything from daily or weekly Scheduled Informal Training Classes that people an know exactly when to show up and how long they will last, to 1 on 1 Individual Training, to the Air Combat Training Academy: to where people would have to register for and complete the program(s) example: Level 1 / Level 2 / Level3 / Level 4 etc.... ( the Training academy will be more involved but their can or will be special little extras Registered players will receive )

Then advertise the hell out of it, if possible even get some TV time ADs

I don't have Steam, don't know what the boards or whatever look like , etc.....but Advertising Live Human Training Instructors and a Flight Training Program 2nd to none, just might go a good bit at keeping new players to sticking around a little longer....

TC

+1

[Ack-Ack]

The major difference between this game and the free-to-play games (War Thunder, World-of-whatever) is that there is no matchmaking in Aces High. 

There is matchmaking, it's called the Match Play arena.

Additionally, in order to attract new, somewhat casual players, you'd need to have a viable mouse and keyboard only control system that can be used successfully by new, inexperienced players.  People who are just trying out the game aren't likely to invest in a joystick just to see if they like the game.

Mike

Mouse+KB controls was one of the major barriers mentioned by Steam players in their reviews and forum comments.  I agree, it needs to be over hauled but not at the expense of what WT and WoWP does, which both games have aiming and flight aids for mouse+KB users.

[SlipKnt]

NOTE: I am typing this reply in response to something I know(or knew) that Dale wanted for Aces High back in the beginning
and i can see where it has relevance and in my opinion should be moved to the front burner..... and just because I am replying about Training does not mean I am refering to Air Combat only........ I'm including all planes, GV's, Boats that a player can use to fight in the game...... the Trainers actually had 2 official Trainers that were there specifically for GV Training at 2 different times... the 1st one was Damned Whels, the 2nd one was WWhiskey............. sadly the Aces High Community has lost them both when they both unexpectedly passed away through the years...

This reply is not a knock against any of the AH Training Corps Members!

I think it might be worth while that HTC and HiTech revisit the "Training Academy" that HiTech once wanted ..............

It needs to be designed and setup to where people can go through the Training academy before diving straight in head first without knowing how to even tread water, let alone swim......

It also needs to be massively advertised that "Aces High" offers Training and offers a Training Academy.......or "TOP GUN Fighter Weapons School" that people will be trained on how to learn to start from being a beginner to being a TOPGUN Ace!

Advertise it all over, in Videos, on the AH Front Home Page, on FaceBook, on YouTube........... the worlds most realistic World War II Combat MMOG that offers real live Training ........ everything from daily or weekly Scheduled Informal Training Classes that people an know exactly when to show up and how long they will last, to 1 on 1 Individual Training, to the Air Combat Training Academy: to where people would have to register for and complete the program(s) example: Level 1 / Level 2 / Level3 / Level 4 etc.... ( the Training academy will be more involved but their can or will be special little extras Registered players will receive )

Then advertise the hell out of it, if possible even get some TV time ADs

I don't have Steam, don't know what the boards or whatever look like , etc.....but Advertising Live Human Training Instructors and a Flight Training Program 2nd to none, just might go a good bit at keeping new players to sticking around a little longer....

TC

I love this.  +1

While I am not the best choice for A2A training i am okay at all other aspects of the game.  I would be willing to assist as a trainer now that I am retired.  I would simply need to set aside some sort of schedule.  I would be happy to participate in some way.