Hey guys, been a long time. I cancelled my sub quite a while ago simply because I didn't play anymore. I had been hanging around for scenarios for a while before that but (no offense to Brook) when ROC quite running the scenarios and the set-ups became a forum free-for-all I gave up on those too.
I agree that there has to be a free to play aspect to this game to get people into it. I've argued in the past that the old H2H arenas should make a return. I realize someone hacked the game but why didn't HT just ban the offenders instead of closing the whole H2H arenas down and losing more people? I also know HT has said the H2H players weren't converting to subscribers but did he ever offer them a limited time discount to try the MA's? Maybe $5-10/mo for 3-6 mo. or something? Baby steps are better than nothing. Maybe a limited plane set in the MA could work but it might frustrate new players even more.
I also look back at all the things in the game that have been lost. As much as many didn't like it some people loved the stealth game... NOE, undetectable ground missions, bomber radar avoidance, etc. Gone, and so are the players. Easy targets... you used to be able to take out a V-base in a single bomber pass, proliferation of auto-ack, ability to destroy radar easily, etc, etc. And where are those players? Gone. Squads, missions, hordes... no longer enough people to sustain. How about sitting INSIDE of a GV? Or having a separate driver and gunner? Can you even gun for a bomber pilot anymore (I'm really not sure)? In many ways I think HT should take some of these settings back 20 years and add the fun back into the game for the less skilled. Many on the BBS denigrate arcade but there should be arcade type elements incorporated into the game to attract those players. On the other hand the settings should be as close to realistic as possible (radar, number of ack, city/town design, etc.) without artificial restraints imposed.
And then there's the community. I have a lot of old acquaintances here but when a trainer used my dueling ladder stats to tell me I wasn't qualified to help a new player that was the beginning of the end. And finally the straw that ultimately broke the camels back was when the new graphics were launched. I tried to drag my old settings (controls, head positions, etc.) into the new game but none of them worked and I didn't want to have to start over.
Look, there's four major phases every business goes through; start-up, growth, maturity and decline. Phase three typically requires new investment if phase four is to be avoided. HT attempted this with the new graphics/version but it was already too late. At this point he's likely better off to reduce expenses and milk what's left for as long as possible so I don't expect there will be a lot of new toys or marketing but, a return to some of the old game elements would be an inexpensive way to try to lure back some of those lost over the years.
Later
BE
