Free to play 35-40 ENY planes good or bad idea?

[molybdenum]

Fugitive--"2 weeks is not enough, and the way they say it "Free to Play!" does nothing but piss off the new players because while technically you can play for free,"

HT--"Are simply way off the mark, if a someone is angry that all parts are not free forever , then they would never be a subscriber no matter  what we did. They would also be upset that all planes were not free.
It also ignores how the word free attached to the game entice people to download and try and take a look. If we did not use the free hook then the person you are describe who get pissed off, would never even download the game."

I agree with Fugitive. The "free" part would seem like a bait and switch to me if I were a new subscriber and I were ushered off to the free arenas (which no one populates) after the two week trial ended in order to continue to play for free. I don't do business with people who phone to tell me I "have an important problem with my car warranty!" or open letters that tell me I "may have won the lottery in New Zealand!" This would feel similar. And the main arena is simply a killing zone for those new players unless they gets lots of advice and help, which, despite the best efforts of some regular players, only occasionally happens.

To keep new players? Somehow incentivize them to hook up with squads or tutors. Probably the latter: newbs can be annoying even when they mean well when a squad is trying to work together to achieve an objective.

PS--or let them fly perk planes for free for those two weeks? I suppose that could be abused but might give newbs the taste of success that many need in order to pay for the game in the future.

[ULPink]

Regarding free ENY 40 the question becomes:
1. How many subscribing vets convert to a free account who would normally keep paying?
 2. How many vets were gonna quit altogether but would stay and play occasionally in ENY 40?
3. How many newbies who were gonna subscribe decide to keep playing the free version?

And the real question

4. How does an influx of free 40 ENY accounts affect the previous categories? Are more people gonna subscribe or stay if the arenas are full of action of low ENY planes. Will it offset the numbers of people who would otherwise pay but decide to be cheapskates?

1.  Maybe 3, of any but I see vets picking in 262s lately (2cmex. Lazer) and having a lot of fun doing it.  Plus, vets seem to like many parts of the game and have top 50 rankings, not just the flying.  They would not give up their flexibility.
2.  None, when you get addicted you are addicted. 
3.  None as they will eventually have time to learn to survive and then kill.  At that point, they will get tired of chasing "vets" to ack or friends and will want faster planes.  In other games, no one stays with the free stuff and is truly a competitor
4.  I often log off because there are not enough players on to fight with.  The new auto-switch helps a bit, but I heard of days when you had 2 servers full of players, like 1600 or so altogether,  The point is to allow them all the time they need to actually learn to have fun in the game.  For people who never flew a real plane, or were not already flight simulator savvy, they will need more than two weeks. 

I think COVID increased the number of players on now appear to average from 120-190 a night.  If we are happy with that, then why is this topic still open?

I would def give free planes permanently if this were my game.  Despite what many seem to believe. the human spirit is very competitive.  They will have to subscribe to compete at a higher level.  It would really suck to pay $15.95/month just to crash each flight, or get one-shot killed by Tyfoo 1000 yards out from some unseen location when you spawn in a tank into the game.  Later, when they can survive a mob of planes bnzing them they will pay to be able to have the equipment to catch and kill these guys. Who would like to pay for grief?

My uncle said he would be on board to help with professional training vids as well!

[hazmatt]

What about: Free trial unlimited perk planes.

After 2 week trial they get whatever is decided the free planes will be.

I think the loss of the perk planes after 2 weeks might motivate them to subscribe to be able to use perk rides.

What do you think?

[lunaticfringe]

Two weeks is to try the game out, not to get successful. There are already areas free to play. Yes no one is in there...... there is your answer.

Of course I may not be around much longer. They killed the only thing that attempted to even sides. Next, purchase code to make you better. Who knows.


Have not played in the last 2 or 3 weeks. Signed on last night for about 10-15 minutes. At least no shark cards..... yet.

i too do not play much anymore-i no longer feel the urge to play every day all day or not-i guess the game is getting boring-or something-i don't know-so far this tour i've only played 4hrs 43 mins--dec 2020 89 hrs-51 mins nov 2020-32 hrs 51 mins
i used to average 150 hrs a month.

[BHawk51]

This question goes out to HT:

You stated that there are lots of people downloading the game but do not become paying subscribers. Are those those people who decide to not become paying subscribers sent a short feedback evaluation?  Those are the people you need to hear from to make improvements so they become paying members.

We can throw out ideas left and right, but those are the people who hold the key to improving the bottom line.