Gents I didn't log on to denigrate anyone or the game. The tools for great game play are in the game now. One can do anything they want. There are more toys in this game then any other WWII genre combat game. What I wished to point out is what has transpired since the games inception in my view to what, again in my view, the COMMUNITY has become. There is no right or wrong. Each individual plays as he/she wishes and should. What attracted me to this game were a number of things. Remember, this is almost twenty years ago. Graphics were great at that time. Those who participated in air warrior previously will admit that. Flight modeling was the best in the business and imho it still is. Many of you were not here when the game started. And that is sad. In those days fights were fun and there was less animosity then there is today. Let me drop some names from the beginning of Aces High. I'd say darn near 95% of you or more won't recognize these names. We became friends and oft times switched countries to wing with one another. Apar, Hangtime, Wilbuz, hblair, Lephturn and the early version of the 56th squadron was here including YUCCA and Ammo., and Nomde. Saw, Ram and I would go to a different arenas and wing together in LW aircraft and Apar when on, would come along also. Ripsnort and his crew. Vati, EDO, MrWulf, 1colo/CryzyHrs including Shamus, old squad mates of mine. <LT, <Lugs, Wheels, friends from AW were here. Citabria, Moss, M00T and the list goes on. The Arabian Nights the early version. We flew with them a lot, Curly and Nim.
The game itself has not changed. The tools are still here. What has passed me by is the gameplay. I'm not saying what is wrong or right. That depends on the participants. Brooke came along and brought scenarios with him. Yayyyyyyyyyy. We needed Scenarios. I'm just describing what I preferred. Again no wrong or right. Gameplay has changed because the community has turned over at least twice since I've been here. A lot of my old friends have left for various reasons. Scenarios were attended by many more participants then now. IMHO the history of WWII air combat was the driving force then. We were assigned tasks and we executed them. Scouting, escorting etc. It may have been boring for a frame but we followed our orders. We wished to win of course. But we did what we were assigned and often times assignments changed in the air. That was ok with us. A larger community at that time gave us good numbers in Scenario events. At that time I guess we were more patient then now. We all got shot down a lot when new, and learning the new flight model from AW to here was somewhat of a challenge but we all accepted it. We didn't leave the game, we persevered until we had some reasonable level of skill. Instant success and gratification weren't necessary then, at least to us. To those of you who are still participating you also persevered and learned, while many new just quit because it wasn't easy for them. There's one major difference between then and now. The proof is in the number of participants in the game now as to then. And why the game is going into an instant mode for quicker gratification. Some new participants will stay and learn and some won't. It won't be necessary for a new player to learn how to take off an aircraft.
These are the reasons, among a few more, why this old 69 year old kid decided to hang up the controllers and give them to his Grandson so he could use them in racing sims. Cars have been a hobby of mine for 54 years. I am in a group of guys my age, (that are left) that used to drag race at the track and up and down Market Street in the 60s. We meet often and during car shows we bring our cars and sit in a circle of "old onze" that cruised the streets in the mid 60s, and went to Quaker City Dragway to run our cars and watch guys like Grumpy Jenkins, The Ramchargers, Ronnie Sox, Dick Landy and many more race the quarter mile. We attend the Detroit Autorama together as a group. Two bus loads of us and have a great time sharing our memories together. And in the summer we hangout together again, just as we did over 50 years ago. So that is what I do now. You can maybe understand why some of old guys left the game. It just passed us by. There is no right and wrong. How you use the tools HTC has given us is up to the individual. Things change, in life and the longer you live you will understand. We've lost a couple of our friends from those days in the 60s and we miss them. Life happens at any age, and we realize we are getting older. Life changes and society changes. That at least is my reason for no longer playing. I do hope you will understand. I wish the best for all. Remember there is no right or wrong. I lost an entire summer due to some serious surgery that I had to go through. Fortunately I made it. So now maybe you'll have an inkling why I no longer participate. Life is short. Do what is fun for you at all times. Remember this "with age comes wisdom"..........unfortunately in my case that certainly is debatable. Since I'm no longer in game this is my last post on these boards. I will check in to see if any old friends post. What i think about the game is not important. It's what YOU think.
Have fun...........cya up.
