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

[CptTrips]

Just thinking about all the different suggestions others have posted in this thread....and the following questions and suggestion came to me....

If HTC allowed the Training Arena to be "Free to Play" so new players could go in there and ask for help, how many of you would willingly log in to the Training arena just to see if that one player showing to be in the Training Arena might be a new player? And would you help them?

It's a nice idea, and I'm sure you have no shortage of players who would be willing help a new person, even if they had to leave the main arena.

I doubt though that many noobs would go in there first.  Unless you forced them I guess.  I reckon most would just want to go straight into the main arena and give it a try. Thus starting their two week trial ticking.

[CptTrips]

Their two nearest rivals, both persistent world, WWII sims, have permanent F2P account levels, not just trials.  (I won't provide the link here but I assume you know how to use the interweb.)

"Play Online Forever (Limited Plane Set)"

"Rifleman:  Free"

Never say never.

BTW, just so there is no confusion, I am not suggesting AHIII should do away with the subscription model.

HTC's closest model rival, the old game Hitech used to own, has a two-week trial that gives you access to the full planeset.  Then you can either subscribe, or continue on forever with a F2P account with a very limited planeset.  You can upgrade to subscription at any time.

That is the model that I think, IMHO,  would best suit AHIII.

[TEShaw]

Here's something that might solve several problems at once; and, while it's offered humorously, there aren't many criticisms that aren't easily answered:

HiTech announces a new game! 

It's called 'Greatest Generational Bomber Command'.

It is completely free to play including C-47's and perk bombers players can earn.

The players are divided into three sides named after random chess pieces.

The goal is to conquer territory by bombing enemy bases and strategic targets.  ("But watch out for enemy fighters!")

One only needs a mouse to play and fly.  The bomber heroes are given remote airstarts, solving issues of learning curve and dead-time climbouts.

HOST messages are lavish in praise, promotions and medals.
[Friendly fire does not register hits, nor kill shooter.]

The free game bomber-players only slowly realize (through rumor or deduction) that the enemy fighters are not really AI, but actual paying customers in some other game called 'Aces High'.  Of course, there is no voice or text cross-over between games.

There's an allure to a secret 'other-world'.  ...and a game within an even bigger game!

'Aces High' remains the same except there are a lot more bomber formations in a war that is even more strategically authentic.



regards,

Airman T. E. Shaw

PS  We all remember when 'Confirmed Kill' was free, right?

[Perrine]

Attract "otaku" to the ranks

"Otaku" are the weaponized form of the geek/nerd-dom


Also there is a an anime featuring ww2 planes airing right now... and oh boy they came out of the closet with all that knowledge and experience (probably in other sim games just not aces high)


https://desuarchive.org/a/thread/183286686/

https://desuarchive.org/a/thread/183268242/

https://desuarchive.org/a/thread/183304938/

[caldera]

BTW, just so there is no confusion, I am not suggesting AHIII should do away with the subscription model.

HTC's closest model rival, the old game Hitech used to own, has a two-week trial that gives you access to the full planeset.  Then you can either subscribe, or continue on forever with a F2P account with a very limited planeset.  You can upgrade to subscription at any time.

That is the model that I think, IMHO,  would best suite AHIII.

I like that plan, but what does the F2P plane set consist of?  It has to be subpar rides that they won't freeload, but not so subpar that they have no chance.

P47D-25 and SpitV   
Lanc and Il2 
T-34/76 and M-16

[Shuffler]

Numbers do seem to be climbing again.

I only flew in MNM last night but we had a ball. If we had 10,000 in there it would not have changed a thing.

Some like to fight 100 players at a time I figure.

[Lusche]

Numbers do seem to be climbing again.

I only flew in MNM last night but we had a ball. If we had 10,000 in there it would not have changed a thing.

Some like to fight 100 players at a time I figure.

Don't get fixated on the primetime only. Other times only feature a fracture of prime numbers (as they only have). When I checked in during noon yesterday (that's when I usually did start my 'AH day' in the past), there were 9 Bishops, 9 Knights and 1 (!) Rook online. Euro 'prime' had 40-60 online, all sides combined.

And yes, more players do have a positive effect. More variety in combat opportunities (no, not everybody is here for dueling-style dogfights.) Big raids. Bomber missions, with escorts and a lot of interceptors. There are lots of things that just aren't happening anymore, just because there is not the population to sustain them.
When I was new, we had big Sunday (Euro) afteroon bombing raids organised by Kazaa. Nowadays, AH lacks the players for this. Even the country channel is often silent for long periods.

[CptTrips]

I like that plan, but what does the F2P plane set consist of?  It has to be subpar rides that they won't freeload, but not so subpar that they have no chance.

P47D-25 and SpitV   
Lanc and Il2 
T-34/76 and M-16

I don't know what the F2P planeset in that "other" sim is.  Maybe it would be worth reconnoitering that.

But you are right.  The trick to a F2P model is find the right mix that is just enough to keep them playing and not quitting, but missing enough that there is always an incentive pressure to consider upgrading. 

But once the infrastructure is in place it doesn't have to be written in stone.  The F2P planeset could be dynamic and HTC could adjust it each tour until they reach what they consider the optimal balance point based on gathered metrics.

[TheBug]

BTW, just so there is no confusion, I am not suggesting AHIII should do away with the subscription model.

HTC's closest model rival, the old game Hitech used to own, has a two-week trial that gives you access to the full planeset.  Then you can either subscribe, or continue on forever with a F2P account with a very limited planeset.  You can upgrade to subscription at any time.

That is the model that I think, IMHO,  would best suite AHIII.

Are their numbers increasing?

[Lusche]

Are their numbers increasing?

Right now, they show 3 players in "Legacy Gameplay" Arena. 

AH has 48.

[CptTrips]

Are their numbers increasing?

I don't know.  They are still alive.  That alone shocked me.  Maybe F2P helped stem the bleeding?

 
I'd say limited planeset F2P should be considered a possibility worth thinking about.  I'd wait until WarOP has been live for 6 months to a year and see how that goes.  If it goes well, it might be worth trying a limited planeset F2P level in AHIII.  It shouldn't negatively effect the current subscribers.  It could be turned off later if it isn't useful.  Or it could be turned back on for special F2P Weeks coinciding with holidays when people would have time off work.  Like how HBO occasionally has a free weekend when anyone can watch.

It seems like a reasonable thing that could be tried.

But let me ask you.  What do you see as a better alternative to increase numbers?

The leading alternatives I've seen so far:

1.  Blindly throw wads of cash at national media market advertising with questionable ROI and hope you get some return before you go bankrupt?

2.  Take your computer to the local mall and setup a folding table and show random shoppers the game and tell them how great it is?

3.  Convince yourself that everything is awesome and it wouldn't matter to you if numbers dwindled down to 60 players a night on prime time?

4.  Be more nice to noobs.  (Always a good idea.  I'm not sure if that would put 600 players in to the Main again.)

Did I miss one?

[edit] Oh yeah.  5.  Add another Italian fighter.  Sounds like fun, but I am skeptical on it adding numbers to the player base.

Anything else?

[TheBug]

Honestly I don't believe there is much that can be done to increase numbers.  Look at the Air Warrior thread and see what they are fondly reminiscing about, you can't bring that back by programming or marketing.  This game was made for people with a different mindset then what is now becoming the majority of WWII "gamers".   This game lost its feel of role-playing as a WWII pilot to becoming just a game.  And when it is judged as "just a game" there appears to be better opportunities out there for people.
 
I watched a microcosm of this devolution in the Combat Theater years ago.  The gamers driving out the enthusiasts and it never recovered.  But I do enjoy the irony that one of the buddies of the so called "gamers" is one of the people working hardest at repopulating that arena.   

But of course these are just all my opinions.  I have no background at all in game development and couldn't even venture a guess as to what would generate increased numbers.  I only know what would have a chance at getting me to come back, other than making the FSO start two hours earlier  , and that would be game content.  Not just more planes and tanks, but solid content.  More maps( and no Bustr I'm not gonna make them), a revamped strategic play that works to unite the different styles of play and add immersion.  But I'm not sure if that even would do it as I find my interest in any computer game waning more and more the older I get. 

[CptTrips]

But of course these are just all my opinions.  I have no background at all in game development and couldn't even venture a guess as to what would generate increased numbers.  I only know what would have a chance at getting me to come back, other than making the FSO start two hours earlier  , and that would be game content.  Not just more planes and tanks, but solid content.  More maps( and no Bustr I'm not gonna make them), a revamped strategic play that works to unite the different styles of play and add immersion.  But I'm not sure if that even would do it as I find my interest in any computer game waning more and more the older I get.

Fair points.  You always have to stroke your current base too. Because of inevitable player attrition, the game can't survive forever without bringing in new players, but you have to still remember to dance with the one that brung ya.    An Italian fighter may not bring in new players, but it is a bone to the existing base.   New maps keep the game feeling fresh. 

I don't see anything wrong with a game being fun.  I think AH should support a range of experiences.  I wouldn't want to fly 15 minutes to action every flight in the Main Arena, but I'd be happy to fly a 45 min scouting flight off a carrier in a scenario.  I don't think it needs to be all casual or all hardcore.  It's nice to have variety. 

[TheBug]

Just to clarify, the role-playing I am referring to is just in the mind of the individual player not something the game forces.  I feel the planes just became more the Mortal Kombat character a player decided to pick rather than having an interest in the history of it.  It was that love of the history of WWII air combat that drove the player base years ago.  As they become the minority the numbers dropped.  Again, just my opinion. 

[caldera]

I think HTC remodeling the P-51D will generate interest and bring back some old timers.  It seems to be kind of popular.

On a side note, I really like the way the radar works now.  That was a change for the better.