Follow up on "Were did everyone go"?

[Tripp]

With large game producers hitting the market often with the latest and greatest, it no wonders that games like AH are losing participation. That said, I believe there is a good share of the gaming population the if made aware of AH would give it a try.
With the first two weeks free as good incentive money should not be a barrier. Perhaps Blakes7 and his boss could offer some strategies for building a campaign to generate some interest across the gaming population. I would be willing to generate content, images or create some web ads if there was some enthusiasm toward the project.
This could be done with the approval of AH management and costs would be nominal. Funding would be by donations from the current participants.
Those that think the status quo is sufficient because they're having enough fun with things "as is" are kidding themselves. This game is here to earn someone a profit if that ends so does the game. See it happening elsewhere.
Without an influx of new blood, we are tenuous at best. An effort could be made by everyone in AH to at the very least encourage friends and others to at least have a look. If anyone is sitting on unused flight gear you could donate it to a newbie for signing on, it could go a long way.
I'm sure there's AH pilots out there that could make an effort to encourage others. Posting it on your social media would help get attention! Facebook, Instagram, etc.

[Arlo]

At the very least, we can link our FB pages to:

https://www.facebook.com/flyaceshigh/

[Brooke]

According to HiTech, a lot of new players try Aces High every month.  But they don't stick around more than 15-30 minutes.

We need to make Aces High more sticky to new players.

[Arlo]

According to HiTech, a lot of new players try Aces High every month.  But they don't stick around more than 15-30 minutes.

We need to make Aces High more sticky to new players.

Ah! Virtual brothels!

[Tripp]

"According to HiTech, a lot of new players try Aces High every month.  But they don't stick around more than 15-30 minutes."

That will be the main issue to overcome. I believe it is the steep learning curve presented them.

It will take a new participate with a deep-rooted reason to take on the challenge. Someone who has a history such as relatives. Could be a Father or a mother that is a current or past military pilot or grandparent that was a WW2 pilot.

Tells me contact should be directed through WW2 combat associations such as USAF, AAF, USNAF associations and forums. Flying clubs, Glider clubs and perhaps R/C clubs as well. Perhaps an ad in foreign countries that were involved directly with WW2? Does anyone have further suggestions?

In real time flying there are demo rides made available to folks interested in learning to fly. Perhaps with AH participation a demo flight event could be developed?

[Shuffler]

Ah! Virtual brothels!

 

[fd ski]

1. Young people don't give a damn about WWII and related aircraft. It as foreign to them as franco-prusian war of 19th century is to us.
2. They don't have joystick setup and play using a mouse.
3. They don't have an underlying passion for aircraft and air combat.
So they look around and see nothing that will hold their interest. And off they go.

And frankly i doubt anything can change that - other then Tom Hanks producing 8th AF series....

[Overlag]

1. Young people don't give a damn about WWII and related aircraft. It as foreign to them as franco-prusian war of 19th century is to us.

I dont know why people keep saying this. the MANY FPS WWII games are proof this isnt true.

[Arlo]

Young people don't give a damn about WWII and related aircraft. It as foreign to them as franco-prusian war of 19th century is to us.

Well, now, the Franco- Prussian war was indeed a foreign war to us yanks. WWII, however, wasn't all that foreign to most of the world. At least they're into the more obscure war history games like Half Life Two.

(Face it, few of the younger generation have patience for actual history. Its the majors that I'm happy to see.)

[Arlo]

I dont know why people keep saying this. the MANY FPS WWII games are proof this isnt true.

Or its proof that there are more old geezer gamers around than some would choose to conceive in order to make that genre viable. 

[Spikes]

I dont know why people keep saying this. the MANY FPS WWII games are proof this isnt true.

I don't know. FPS in and of itself will attract players. Everyone buys the new CoD or Battlefield just because it is new. I think it is less of an interest in WWII and more of an interest in having the latest game.

[Arlo]

What gets me is how they play all FPS games, historically set or not, like their characters are hopped up on PCP and have springs in their shoes. And huge ammo caches that can reload whatever muddy weapon they find on the ground, along with first aid power ups are just freakin' everywhere. If those games had settings that were closer to real life they would be universally hated. But it never really was about having a realistic historical experience.

You're dead or maimed or you've lost a limb. Start from scratch with a new character.

And, yes, outside of a historical education setting even I would hate ultra realism.

But .... we're talking about Aces High which has no FPS setting and focuses on mainly dog fighting, some tank fighting and some ship fighting. Even then, HT tries to model everything as accurately as they can. 'World of (fill in the blank) as much as admits they wing it and just want to release planes, tanks and ships to make their buck and accuracy be damned (which apparently doesn't phase their customers one bit).

If I could influence those type of gamers to embrace something that took more skill and research than the games that are conning them out of all their daddy's (or mommy's) finances and that it would be a more rewarding experience (if they weren't lazy/instant gratification schmucks) I'd bottle it and become a gazillionaire.

[fd ski]

I dont know why people keep saying this. the MANY FPS WWII games are proof this isnt true.

i doubt that. I bet if you asked most young players which games are historical, and which are not, they would have hard time picking right ones...

As someone said, newest flashest game gets it.
it has to be action packed, all else is secondary. Did you play Battlefield 1 ? Everyone running around with a submachine gun

[CptTrips]

I dont know why people keep saying this. the MANY FPS WWII games are proof this isnt true.

It's like they never sat and considered how many copies of the various Il2 (1946, CloD, Stalingrad, Moscow, Pacific etc ) franchise are sold.  Millions and millions.

Battlefield V has sold 8 million at least in the first few months.  That game has it's own problems, but it isn't due to lack of interest in a WWII theme.  There was intense interest and anticipation of a good WWII game.

It's like they think each of the million and millions that bought Rome:Total War were all PHD candidates in Ancient History. 

It's not that anything needs to be improved, it's just that kids nowadays are lazy!  And they should GET OF MY LAWN!


[Addendum]

Hitech has stated a while back:

In the last 100 days aprox 40,000 people have installed Aces High

I'm quite certain these people knew they were downloading a WWII game.  It would be ridiculous to think they thought they were downloading a Space shooter.

There seem to be plenty of people willing to give a WWII game a chance.  It must be other things about the game that is not convincing them to stay.

[Overlag]

If just 1% of that 40000 stayed I’d be happy.  Forgive me for asking but was this a gradual drop off that wasn’t checked, or a sudden drop due to AH3 or something else? I quit in 2010/11 so I was part of the problem I guess lol just shocked how empty it is now.