Author Topic: Solution for the low numbers???  (Read 10378 times)

Offline 1stpar3

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #45 on: July 23, 2018, 03:19:18 PM »
Lots of interesting suggestions from the established player base but I wonder what (prospective) new players think? How about a survey of recently joined players, with an incentive of a free months subscription to complete the survey?

Some market research to find out what is required for those key first 10mins would surely be helpful? :headscratch:
Cant argue with that! Sounds like a pretty good idea :salute
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Offline nrshida

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #46 on: July 23, 2018, 03:26:21 PM »
P-51D is a very popular ride for new players & from a certain perspective a very good idea for a free plane: 1 - new players love it (I see a lot of them in MPA and the Breakfast Club (usually HOing from 2k out)), 2 - it gives them a chance to escape until they have more skill, 3 - it conversely takes a lot of skill to get the best out of it. Running into an experienced P-51D stick will show what it can do and I suspect those who seek difficult but achievable challenges outnumber the instant satisfaction brigade by a long chalk, 4 - it doesn't demand fine control at slow speed to get some results out of it like, say, a 109 does (think mouse controllers only). 5 - it's already an optional purchase in another popular flight sim I hear. Oh and 6 - everyone will think Vraciu is a noob and he'll get more fights

I'd run an advertised promotion, experiment & evaluate if it was my game. Sometimes a negative result is also useful.

"If man were meant to fly, he'd have been given an MS Sidewinder"

Offline bustr

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #47 on: July 23, 2018, 03:47:09 PM »
I think the idea is not to give away something that can create a permanent class of free play part timers. Who know when they create a free trial account every few months, it lasts up to a month. Or a new one every tour. They will have a highly competitive late war ride waiting for them next time they get the itch and come into town. In the old days you sold cut rate drinks down stairs with girls walking around keeping company but, the girls up stairs were full price for more than a chat. Here in the USA and in Europe and the Common Wealth. Probably why Hitech keeps it to two weeks in the MA. Even FPS games follow that down stairs, up stairs rule with lots of smoke and mirrors, and why they are really freemium.

I wonder how many would admit if Hitech did a 30 day trial account where the P51D was the bird, they would cancel their accounts and play when they really got the itch knowing a late war ride would be available for 30 days? Any speculation on how the numbers would drop off as a result? Or is that Hitech's headache to work out. It's so easy to spend other peoples money until it runs out.
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Offline nrshida

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #48 on: July 23, 2018, 04:25:50 PM »
I think the idea is not to give away something that can create a permanent class of free play part timers.

Although for a temporary period bumping the numbers up off the tipping point has its own merits because as I learned witnessing the decline of the AH2 DA & also the MA in my Timezone. Low numbers in itself is enough to cause low numbers.

"If man were meant to fly, he'd have been given an MS Sidewinder"

Offline Vraciu

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #49 on: July 23, 2018, 04:29:52 PM »
Lots of interesting suggestions from the established player base but I wonder what (prospective) new players think? How about a survey of recently joined players, with an incentive of a free months subscription to complete the survey?

Some market research to find out what is required for those key first 10mins would surely be helpful? :headscratch:

People who won't spend ten mins to figure out WTH they're doing in the game are not going to fill out a survey.

Maybe Hitech needs to build a Chinese language version so all those billions of wannabe fighter pilot heroes will join.

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Offline Max

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #50 on: July 23, 2018, 04:50:24 PM »
I am NOT buying a Chinese FUSS-O-METER!!!!!!!!! :old:

Offline Guppy35

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #51 on: July 23, 2018, 06:12:28 PM »
With smaller numbers, I'd suggest smaller maps.  Concentrate the action and the interaction instead of making it easy to go to some far corner of the map to take real estate and avoid interaction.

Numbers go up, map sizes go up.

As a newbie, why would anyone want to have to fly for an hour before finding a fight?

Add fighter town and tank town where the bases are not able to be captured and not able to be damaged.  No points for kills, no additions to anyone's stats. No hangers downed so planes keep flying.   Let the newbies be a part of the larger arena with a spot to learn without paying a price for the stat hounds vulching them so they can land 30 kills or bombing the hangers just to kill the fight.   You kill someone there, no one knows the difference.  Once the newbies get an idea on how it works they can venture out into the land of stats and conquest and start to establish themselves after getting a chance to learn the ropes without the usual distractions and discouragement

Might make those recruiting for squads take the time to fly with folks too and help them integrate into the larger arena.
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Offline AAIK

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #52 on: July 23, 2018, 06:35:51 PM »
How do you make an old man look young again? That is the crux of the issue here.

Is re-inventing him enough? Do you get him to learn the lingo and go around to the trendy places? Do you give him a smartphone? Does he get an electric car? Does he youtube/twitch/stream and wear a VR helmet? Is he up to the latest on netflix or amazon?

There is also the problem of being seen as cringy. Pulling off stuff not of your generation is not an easy task. Is VR like 3D and just a failing trend at the moment?



Offline TheBug

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #53 on: July 23, 2018, 06:37:13 PM »
With smaller numbers, I'd suggest smaller maps. 

Oh man, now you've gone and released the krakenstr.  :uhoh
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Offline Oldman731

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #54 on: July 23, 2018, 08:53:20 PM »
With smaller numbers, I'd suggest smaller maps. 


I vote to adopt the old AW map.  (With terrain updates, certainly.)  Only a few neutral bases to capture, all in the middle.  No more win-the-map.  Possibly a separate island where GV people can engage in frenzied mutual destruction.  Perk points based on kills.  Keep it simple.

- oldman (but hey, I'm old and simple myself)

Offline Guppy35

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #55 on: July 23, 2018, 09:12:07 PM »
seconded
Dan/CorkyJr
8th FS "Headhunters

Offline Mister Fork

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #56 on: July 23, 2018, 11:11:36 PM »
All in favor of using th old Air Warrior map say “Aye”
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Offline Mongoose

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #57 on: July 23, 2018, 11:33:10 PM »
Advertising at airshows sure hits the target market.

  As others have said, this seems like a no-brainer.  But Hitech once said that he had spent a lot of money advertising at airshows, with very little return.  It seems counter-intuitive, but you can't argue with experience.
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Offline Mongoose

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #58 on: July 23, 2018, 11:35:14 PM »
Designate a squad that all “New” players get automatically assigned to. Have several “Vets” lead said squad.

  I'll be part of that training squad. I'm not good enough to teach ACM, but I can help new players get up the learning curve.
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Offline Vulcan

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Re: Solution for the low numbers???
« Reply #59 on: July 23, 2018, 11:58:04 PM »
How about sprucing the in game O-Club up with a stage and a pole?