3 Hour Side Switch Timer

[nrshida]

AH3 Did not create any declining numbers. AH Numbers started shrinking in Feb of 2009. The dueling  arena used to be populated but ah3 had no effect on it. When the changes were made to match play, the dueling arena was completely empty. So why would I believe a return to a setup that was always empty not always be empty now?

HiTech

There is of course a considered potential response if indeed this was a question and not a statement. You will naturally understand why one would become wary of taking the time to make valid analytical points to people who have a tendency to integrate any form of critical feedback as personal criticism. Allowances for my Liverpudlian dry, sarcastic sense of humour notwithstanding (which you must be aware of by now).

You can just leave it HiTech. Ride the descending numbers into retirement as the sun sets on the baby-boomer generation. That is the path the game is now undisputedly locked in on. I don't gain that much by pouring in what amounts to professional consultation.

Comfort zones. Bad for your health.

I wish you all the best.

[Arlo]

'Professional consultation?' 

[hitech]

There is of course a considered potential response if indeed this was a question and not a statement. You will naturally understand why one would become wary of taking the time to make valid analytical points to people who have a tendency to integrate any form of critical feedback as personal criticism. Allowances for my Liverpudlian dry, sarcastic sense of humour notwithstanding (which you must be aware of by now).

You can just leave it HiTech. Ride the descending numbers into retirement as the sun sets on the baby-boomer generation. That is the path the game is now undisputedly locked in on. I don't gain that much by pouring in what amounts to professional consultation.

Comfort zones. Bad for your health.

I wish you all the best.

Do you have answer to my question.  Or you again just wish to defame me?

And this

professional consultation.

Since when was your profession game development?

Your arguing against your self. Your stating AH should change at the same time asking me to go back to what was.
I'm asking a real question, why should I expect a different result doing something that was not being used. You have fond memories of the DA, but your memories were long ago when AH was attracting more customers. I really wish I could crack the nut on rapidly increasing AH sales. I know a hell of a lot of things that won't and don't work. Finding one that does is not quite as easy.

And my current thoughts are simply to have AI not launch once X number of people are in the free for all. As always I listen to what people wan't not what they ask for.

HiTech

[CptTrips]

I really wish I could crack the nut on rapidly increasing AH sales. I know a hell of a lot of things that won't and don't work. Finding one that does is not quite as easy.

First of all: 3 hour Side Switch Timer!  (Not that I care, but pro forma for Perdue  )

Sadly, you have to consider the possibility that no nut exists any longer to be cracked.  I'm sure the worlds premier manufacturer of state of the art buggy whips spent the last years of their lives beating their heads on the factory walls thinking "How can we advertise so we can get people interested in horses and carriages again?!??"  Breed more Amish.

This may be it.  You may be doing as well as this particular market will still support, and there is no significant room for further growth, for this particular style experience.  I don't see any competitor of this particular genre doing better or as well.  That is a cudo's, but may also be a clue.

You may have already gotten all the juice out of this narrow genre that you are ever going to get.  By narrow genre, I mean the 3-sided, online PvP, open sandbox, 90% flight-sim, hi-fidelity WWII combat game.  I consider IL-2 and DCS, even WW2Online as different genre; and Warbirds is no longer a near-peer competitor.

You always get mad when people say the following, but in honesty, I believe there is a large amount of truth to it: this game is essentially Air Warrior.  It's the finest example of that genre that has ever been produced, or probably ever will be produced.  You have added additional twists, and capabilities, and your technical achievement is light years ahead of anything they achieved, but I think most reasonable people could look at it and say, yeah, this is the final evolution of a particular genre started in 1988. 

There may be no advertising or marketing trick left that will make much difference.  The strategy now may be servicing and managing the declining tail of an impressive product life-cycle curve.  That doesn't mean you stop advertising or adding improvements, but it might mean re-framing your expectations so that the whole experience is more satisfying for you.

Every product has a natural life-cycle curve.  That is not a failure; it's just life. 

$0.02.

[hitech]

First of all: 3 hour Side Switch Timer!  (Not that I care, but pro forma for Perdue  )

Sadly, you have to consider the possibility that no nut exists any longer to be cracked.  I'm sure the worlds premier manufacturer of state of the art buggy whips spent the last years of their lives beating their heads on the factory walls thinking "How can we advertise so we can get people interested in horses and carriages again?!??"  Breed more Amish.

This may be it.  You may be doing as well as this particular market will still support, and there is no significant room for further growth, for this particular style experience.  I don't see any competitor of this particular genre doing better or as well.  That is a cudo's, but may also be a clue.

You may have already gotten all the juice out of this narrow genre that you are ever going to get.  By narrow genre, I mean the 3-sided, online PvP, open sandbox, 90% flight-sim, hi-fidelity WWII combat game.  I consider IL-2 and DCS, even WW2Online as different genre; and Warbirds is no longer a near-peer competitor.

You always get mad when people say the following, but in honesty, I believe there is a large amount of truth to it: this game is essentially Air Warrior.  It's the finest example of that genre that has ever been produced, or probably ever will be produced.  You have added additional twists, and capabilities, and your technical achievement is light years ahead of anything they achieved, but I think most reasonable people could look at it and say, yeah, this is the final evolution of a particular genre started in 1988. 

There may be no advertising or marketing trick left that will make much difference.  The strategy now may be servicing and managing the declining tail of an impressive product life-cycle curve.  That doesn't mean you stop advertising or adding improvements, but it might mean re-framing your expectations so that the whole experience is more satisfying for you.

Every product has a natural life-cycle curve.  That is not a failure; it's just life. 

$0.02.

Your stating all the obvious to me. It my clients who don't seem to consider that may be the case.

And i don't believe I have ever disagreed that AH melee is a flight sim sand box exactly like AW was. But you only looking at one aspect of AH in that statement. Other aspects have gone a completely different way like the coop mission stuff.

HiTech

[DmonSlyr]

Marketing special events on the front page with pics and videos of prior events. The front page just has no excitement.
 
Commercials on Fox would probably get a big boost. (Expensive, I know)

Commercials on YouTube.

Commercials on talk radio.

Other payment types of payment methods if possible.
$2 per hour up to 10 hours per month. Something like that.

[CptTrips]

But you only looking at one aspect of AH in that statement. Other aspects have gone a completely different way like the coop mission stuff.

No, I include that in the "Added twists and capabilities.." , etc.  Also, Custom Arena, AI Offline Missions, the content editors.  A very impressive body of work.

But as you described, those are "aspects", not core game model differences.  Those improvements enhance the the core game model experience, which is essentially Air Warrior, IMHO.

Admittedly, like evolution, how many new aspects accumulate before a variety becomes an new species?  It's hard to draw a sharp line.  IMHO, Aces High is the pinnacle (terminal?) variety in the evolution of that species, but not a different species.

Combat Tour (or Tour of Duty?) was an intriguing, unique concept, but benefited from the glow of never actually seen the full implementation.  So it's easy to imagine it might have been cooler than it might have actually turned out.

I think WWIIOnline had massive potential, but they failed to execute.  Though, in fairness, maybe that was so ambitious, no one ever could have.

On the other hand, you have all the knowledge and infrastructure you've built.  Buggy whip manufactures eventually got rich making wheel wraps for high end sports cars, upholstery for luxury sedans, and wallets and ladies handbags. 

Manufacturing facilities can be retooled for other more profitable products. 

[CptTrips]

Marketing special events on the front page with pics and videos of prior events. The front page just has no excitement.
 
Commercials on Fox would probably get a big boost. (Expensive, I know)

Commercials on YouTube.

Commercials on talk radio.

Other payment types of payment methods if possible.
$2 per hour up to 10 hours per month. Something like that.

I'm not saying any of those are a bad idea  (well, maybe the advertising on Fox  ), I just question if they will make a material difference any more.

I just don't think there is still a vast untapped population of 90% flight-sim oriented players out there who are looking for Online PvP Hi-Fidelity FM combat.  I think we have, or have had most of those already.  You might find 20 more if you spend to advertise on Fox.

I think our natural market lies somewhere between WT and IL2. 
WT guys have completely different expectations on graphics, revenue models, game-play pacing and casual modeling. 
IL2 guys have different expectations on graphics and 80% of them just want something to play offline and don't have much interest in competitive online PvP even if it was available.

I think those two combined are 90% of our potential market, but I don't see them as very accessible.  DCS guys are from Mars.  I don't think there are vast hidden pools of other flight-sim enthusiasts that aren't already in the WT/IL2 definitions. 

Randomly advertising in national media markets to try and find the last untapped dregs is probably not cost effective.


Oh, and 3 hour side switch timer!
(Like Cicero appending "And Carthage must be destroyed!" to every speech.  )

[LCADolby]

Like Cicero appending "And Carthage must be destroyed!" to every speech.  )

[DmonSlyr]

I'm not saying any of those are a bad idea  (well, maybe the advertising on Fox  ), I just question if they will make a material difference any more.

I just don't think there is still a vast untapped population of 90% flight-sim oriented players out there who are looking for Online PvP Hi-Fidelity FM combat.  I think we have, or have had most of those already.  You might find 20 more if you spend to advertise on Fox.

I think our natural market lies somewhere between WT and IL2. 
WT guys have completely different expectations on graphics, revenue models, game-play pacing and casual modeling. 
IL2 guys have different expectations on graphics and 80% of them just want something to play offline and don't have much interest in competitive online PvP even if it was available.

I think those two combined are 90% of our potential market, but I don't see them as very accessible.  DCS guys are from Mars.  I don't think there are vast hidden pools of other flight-sim enthusiasts that aren't already in the WT/IL2 definitions. 

Randomly advertising in national media markets to try and find the last untapped dregs is probably not cost effective.


Oh, and 3 hour side switch timer!
(Like Cicero appending "And Carthage must be destroyed!" to every speech.  )

Could be true, i also know that a lot of people have never even heard of the game.

However, just a brief look at the plane stats last tour, there were 10,000 less deaths in tour 244 than 243. That shows me April was a huge month (beginning of shut down for most) and that many players did not choose to subscribe or did not come back in May. Unfortunately...

[CptTrips]

Could be true, i also know that a lot of people have never even heard of the game.

So have I.  The question is, were they prime targets for this particular genre?  I.e.  they love WWII flight-sims almost exclusively and have been looking for a online venue to compete PvP for a monthly subscription?

Just some random FPS gamer is not going to be convinced to switch over to something like AH, so it doesn't matter if they've never heard of it.

I've talked to other friends who haven't heard of the game, but they were like:

Them:  "So it's just WWII?  No jets or helicopters?"
Me: "well, the are some WWI planes too, but no one uses those. "

Or

Them:  "So it's just airplanes?  No infantry?"
Me: "well, mostly.  There are some tanks and jeeps, and boats, but yeah, it's mostly focused on airplanes. "

Or

Them:  "So is there an offline campaign?  I don't really want to fight other people online.  I just want something to dink with for an hour after work.  I'm no ace."
Me: "well, there are some offline AI missions for practice, but no real campaign mode. "

Or

Them:  "So you have to keep paying?  Every month?  You can't just buy it?  Nah.  Wife would never go for that and I wouldn't play enough to make it worth it."
Me: "well, there is a two week free trial."

I don't know how Battlefield does it.  I bought BF4 in ...2014?  $60.  I've played tens of thousands of hours on packed servers ever since without spending another dime.  And the servers are still packed 6 years later.  I guess they just make it on sheer volume and new releases and the percentage of whales that buy every map pack content.  But the new maps get rotated to free eventually.  I'm patient.     Never the less, that is what AH is competing against.  Same with IL2. People prefer Free with IAP or flat purchase with occasional content upgrades.  There are games with subscription models, but that is a much harder sell definitely.


3 Hour Side Switch Timer!

[Wiley]

Trips.  Nail.  Head.

Why did my coffee just turn into blood?  

Wiley.

[Shuffler]

We can all go to town meetings and such and ask the question.. Do you fly in Aces High?


GET THE WORD OUT.... start a BUZZ.     


.... they stuck a camera in my face and a microphone, they asked if I had saw what happened at the store. Why yes I did... they came running around the corner and ran right into that car....... brought to you by Aces High! then they took off in that direction... brought to you by Aces High! The police asked me if I could give them good description of the runners, I told them sure... as soon as FSO is over on Aces High!!!!

[DmonSlyr]

Trips I hear ya.

I think the real thing is that players today don't really understand air combat, nor have the enthusiasm to learn. Aces High takes a LOT of patience flying to bases. Only having the MA with activity means new players see a gigantic map, and don't have a single clue of where to go. They take off and realize how far the bases are. They die quickly once they get there. Its a tough game. Paying for it every month makes it real tough. Thats what makes it a niche game. Bf4 and all of those quick fight easy setup games put them right in the action instantly for very little cost to time and money.

In my opinion tanking in this game is as real as it gets. You have NO idea where they are on a huge map. Its like being a deer wondering thru the forest only to get intantly splattered. I have no idea how people have fun in tanks. If they want to think they are good at tanking in other games. Let them try AH, LOL. Buttt, these other games have million dollar marketing campaigns with million dollar graphics designers. They put players right into the fight for cheap and for free. Dying over and over again is fine because it puts you quickly back into the fight. Tanking in AH is much more realistic because you have to learn the strategy of how to beat other tankers on a big map defensively and offensively.
 
Like I said, this game takes a lot of patience and a lot of enthusiasm to learn for the time and money. Most people don't have it.

Part of my reasoning for wanting a quick fight arena where players can fight quickly and learn the game from a small scale.

[bustr]

You cannot do an air spawn feature in the MA because we know even with a random spawn area factor, players will determine the circumference and circle the area. This would become worse as a base fight carried on demoralizing customers from using it.

Time to the fight, then towered in seconds, is a real problem to keep today's air combat gamers from other games interested in staying in AH. As Violator pointed out, some of the competition simplified it with time based equal numbers matches in small arenas. Instant action match round start air spawns work at that point.

The MA game style gives three countries the ability to carry out territory domination flag capturing along with individual initiatives of fighter to fighter only air combat. Territory domination has time delay injected into it with distance and capture requirements to make it somewhat fair since this is a game. Air to air combat takes advantage of the territory domination along with the freedom to indulge in personal interests. That becomes a problem due to the design of the MA that injects time into the territory domination aspect of the arena. The air combat players spend more time in transit than enjoying combating each other.

How in the MA do you reduce the time injection for territory domination to speed up air to air combat turn around? The only arena with numbers is the MA and where new people will look first.

About half the time NDisles comes up we get a good turnout in the center island. Thirteen miles between each field while most combat is reached about 6-7 miles away below 10k. If those three fields are not occupied for the evening, the territory domination players capture them and limit the instant action fighter players to the time delay of distance to get at random fights. Old story that has been complained about constantly since the player numbers average in the MA was under 170-200.

One scenario for the MA would be reducing all airfield distances to 10-13miles with a preponderance having the map room on the field. Vbases at the shorter distances between airfields would become more hectic combat wise. At this point 20 fields of all kinds to each country is realistic with the current player numbers. Bombers hitting strats would not be effected since the real combat area would be shrunk inside of about a 5 sector diameter. So upping bombers from a rear base would become attractive due to the smaller area populated by bases.

This would speed up contact times of fighters at least during the more populated times in the MA. Add the vehicle spawn design from FjordMA and tank furballers will have faster turn around like they do when FjordMA is up. I made the spawns closer on FjordMA with the short one out from each base after watching films from all the other tank combat games. Everything was spawn close with fast combat.