Attracting more players in the main arena or what ever it's called today.

[Traveler]

Once again you are incorrect. We saw a good return on TV and were running adds continually for many years. I have posted previously about advertising that didn't work, only to point out that find something that does works is not a simple task. We tried many forms of advertising before we found something that worked.

HiTech

That's excellent to hear.  But the question here is, would HTC be willing to allow the free to play Aces High accounts access to the main arena in a limited plane/vehicle set.  When I was working the two week free trial is really only access on weekends, and that time is very limited to most working adults with family.  Allowing this would expose the new player to subscribers who might take the opportunity to get them to join squads and fly as part of a squad and do much of the very needed training that a game with a steep learning curve needs.  The new player would benefit from being exposed to many more players that could help instead of being in a room with a bunch of other noobs.  The entire game would benefit from the increased numbers.   What do you think?

[hitech]

What do you think?

That you have been trying to inject your same idea in to many different threads.

HiTech

[Shuffler]

That you have been trying to inject your same idea in to many different threads.

HiTech

Bazinga!

[ccvi]

A forum is a stupid way to communicate. Maybe we need a bugzilla or something.
Then dupes can be formally marked as such, and rejected ones marked as WONTFIX, to avoid they come up again?

Most repetitions are probably simply caused by lack of any feedback.

But then, we wouldn't even need to complain about low numbers in the arena, but also message board.

[Traveler]

That you have been trying to inject your same idea in to many different threads.

HiTech

This is the only place in the Aces High III BBS that I suggested this idea.  But I guess you just don't think it is a good idea or worth the cost to increase the numbers in the MA.

[molybdenum]

The key is getting the people who start their two week trial to stick around once they begin to play. If they get past their first 20 minutes (or whatever it was HT said most of them normally last) they're still noobs and are going to die over and over and over again, given the steep learning curve and the number of experienced players they'll have to face. That's discouraging, and a lot of the 20min+ people likely leave the game when they decide they simply can't compete.

It seems to me two things can be done.

1) The players need to be more willing to help noobs. The community is better than it used to be in that regard but still falls far short of what's needed. HT has very little control over that. But he can...

2)...have new subscribers have a way to ask for help even before they start playing.  It would be best if they could click on a button or something when they began their subscription that indicated an interest in having someone walk them through the simpler aspects of the game (and then having someone actually do it!). Lacking that, maybe simply giving them the option to have their names appear highlit on the roster lists if they are new might encourage veterans to lend a helping hand.

In a small-yet-worldwide game like this, a sense of community and camaraderie  helps keep people playing (and paying). Accentuating this by making noobs feel welcome is important.

[Mano]

Instead of asking for free AH Traveler, I suggest you start encouraging your friends to play AH. Paying customers is what keeps AH going.
Free everything will make the game go away. Economics 101. I am not flaming you, just pointing out that all of us can ask our friends to give the game a try. This is the best WWII sim period. Nothing else comes even close IMHO. I will do my best to help new players by answering their questions.....even though there is always that temptation to simply say  Alt F-4        I have helped many new players recently and will continue to do so.


 

 

[Wiley]

2)...have new subscribers have a way to ask for help even before they start playing.  It would be best if they could click on a button or something when they began their subscription that indicated an interest in having someone walk them through the simpler aspects of the game (and then having someone actually do it!). Lacking that, maybe simply giving them the option to have their names appear highlit on the roster lists if they are new might encourage veterans to lend a helping hand.

Or alternately, improve the in-game automated help to the point they have the help they need immediately and don't have to rely on another humanoid to be available to give them the help they need.

Wiley.

[CptTrips]

Instead of asking for free AH Traveler, I suggest you start encouraging your friends to play AH. Paying customers is what keeps AH going.
Free everything will make the game go away. Economics 101.

Hey look, I don't blame HT a bit for not wanting to comment on something like that.  It is a complete a no-win situation for him, no matter what he says.

But please don't mischaracterize people's positions.  Not even Traveler, who I have had to roll my eyes at repeatedly over the last few weeks, suggested free everything. 

What has been discussed is free access to the main play area with a limited planeset to increase traffic, with a paid upgrade path to get additional planes and generate revenue. 


BTW, exactly what they are doing in WarOP.

[Max]

CptTrips, do you have an active player account that allows access to the MA? I don't recall seeing your forum handle in there.

[CptTrips]

CptTrips, do you have an active player account that allows access to the MA? I don't recall seeing your forum handle in there.

I reactivated my account several months ago. 

I'm currently working on the offline Staged Mission Editor and Terrain Editor waiting for WarOP to get up and running to fly more and get my wings back under me.

I used to fly as AKWabbit and have flown here off and on for 17 years. 

[captain1ma]

ive been playing since 2008 and pay for my main account and my shade account. I also occasionally buy subscription time for people less fortunate then me. YAY! ok carry on!

[bustr]

Or alternately, improve the in-game automated help to the point they have the help they need immediately and don't have to rely on another humanoid to be available to give them the help they need.

Wiley.

This time when I did a full install with this most recent patch, there was only a single help film on auto-play or for selection. It's an intro youtube film to the game. At the main web site selecting any film in Windows media format does not link anything to play. In the past when someone would raise heck over something like that, Hitech had something in the works about to be released to replace it. We usually jump the gun badly on these things.

A better question might be to ask if an updated Help film library linked through the new Chrome browser is in production? The Help links in the browser right now are limited like the site is not fully enabled. I seem to remember more help films were available with the last browser engine in the clip board pop out Help page. Hitech changed from awesonium to chrome with update 3.04 patch1 along with Visual Studio 2017 for compilations. And he has been busy coading and testing the new offering WO:P to meet a release date 1\15 or 1\19. He's one guy coading it all by himself.

Wiley,

Sometimes I think some people take advantage of Hitech's generosity to be lazy and publicly bust his chops as the quick and dirty way to try and force him to spill company info to defend his image. Or win\win by getting away with publicly busting his chops while he has to worry about his public image in how he responds. Guess it's the lazy way to get around having to look in the change.txt for patterns in the activity and a little sleuthing like noticing the help film change. Remember how the mob howled at him just before those youtube help films showed up in the pop out window in the awesonium browser with the release of AH3 over these kinds of things? There is a site tree for the Help but most of it is inactive at this point. Maybe the switch to chrome is to address making the Help site run better in AH3. Meh...but once the mob gets ginned up after Hitech, not much can be done but let them do their damage and burn out. Even if he defends himslef with facts, they seem to have their own they like better that make him look like an old meanie. It's often amazing how these forums mirror real life with the absurdities you see in the broader popular culture.

I remember some years back when pulling an occupy wall street kind of stunt was tried in these forums. That is out of fashion in the popular culture these days. Think anyone is going to don strange pink hats while accusing Hitech of being an old meenie?    

[The Fugitive]

Instead of asking for free AH Traveler, I suggest you start encouraging your friends to play AH. Paying customers is what keeps AH going.
Free everything will make the game go away. Economics 101. I am not flaming you, just pointing out that all of us can ask our friends to give the game a try. This is the best WWII sim period. Nothing else comes even close IMHO. I will do my best to help new players by answering their questions.....even though there is always that temptation to simply say  Alt F-4        I have helped many new players recently and will continue to do so.


 

Nobody suggested  "everything free". A few mid planes and vehicles free IN THE MA. If they want to fly "ponies"+" spits" then they sign up for a $15 a month subscription. Flying with others in the MA will bring them help more easily, build more community and get numbers up. As these "free" players start getting the hang of the game they are either going to become VERY good in a few midlevel planes or they will pony up and subscribe.

Hey look, I don't blame HT a bit for not wanting to comment on something like that.  It is a complete a no-win situation for him, no matter what he says.

But please don't mischaracterize people's positions.  Not even Traveler, who I have had to roll my eyes at repeatedly over the last few weeks, suggested free everything. 

What has been discussed is free access to the main play area with a limited planeset to increase traffic, with a paid upgrade path to get additional planes and generate revenue. 


BTW, exactly what they are doing in WarOP.

I think he copped out.

Of course there are people that aren't going to be happy with his answer, but at least everyone would HAVE an answer. I have a link folder called "Hitech says". In it I have 15 links to answers Hitech has posted to 15 questions. Should someone post that question again I just post the link. No need to "get into it" again. You can read it from the man himself.

[CptTrips]

ive been playing since 2008

Noob. 

and pay for my main account and my shade account. I also occasionally buy subscription time for people less fortunate then me. YAY! ok carry on!

Heck, I've carried an account for a year sometimes without even playing it. Just to support a home-town company.  I guess we've both earned the right to post here. 
And I've had many shades over the years.  We are legion. 

Look on the bright side.  You can soon tell your less fortunate friends to go play WarOp for free. I guess you could tell them to fly in the free WWI arena, but that might be kinda lonely.