Active Players

[The Fugitive]

I always thought a free subset of planes and vehicles would be a way to have a "Free" game but still keeping the subscriptions. 2 or 3 mid level fighters, a buff, an attack bomber and a couple of vehicles free all the time in the Melee arena so new players can play when ever. You want all the hot rods and bells and whistles, pay the subscription.

As for Steam, I dont think HTC was ready for that. I dont think they thought they were going to get the numbers that they did. The VR stuff was just starting out in the game and wasnt fully ready and what many believed was a "bait and switch" thing with the "Free" only being two weeks.

To spice up the game it would only take Hitech a bit of time to twist and tweak things. How hard would it be to rotate all the bases on a map 90 degree and then recompile it? Imagine the horror of players expecting a base being lined up one way only to be in a totally wrong angle.  Could the AH2 towns be added back in? Same tile size right? Swap a few of them out and recompile the map. Even easier, just change how much tonnage it takes to drop VH, or FH, or both. 

A lot of things can be tweaked and changed, and changed back week or month after month just to keep things a bit more fresh. Heck I'd be ok with him just saying "guess what I did" and run the map and see how long it takes to figure out what he changed.

[Lazerr]

I agree with the limited free planeset after the two week trial.  Just enough to set the hook and learn the game, while not enticing enough for us old players to cancel and fly for free.

[DonWayne]

I always thought a free subset of planes and vehicles would be a way to have a "Free" game but still keeping the subscriptions. 2 or 3 mid level fighters, a buff, an attack bomber and a couple of vehicles free all the time in the Melee arena so new players can play when ever. You want all the hot rods and bells and whistles, pay the subscription.

As for Steam, I dont think HTC was ready for that. I dont think they thought they were going to get the numbers that they did. The VR stuff was just starting out in the game and wasnt fully ready and what many believed was a "bait and switch" thing with the "Free" only being two weeks.

To spice up the game it would only take Hitech a bit of time to twist and tweak things. How hard would it be to rotate all the bases on a map 90 degree and then recompile it? Imagine the horror of players expecting a base being lined up one way only to be in a totally wrong angle.  Could the AH2 towns be added back in? Same tile size right? Swap a few of them out and recompile the map. Even easier, just change how much tonnage it takes to drop VH, or FH, or both. 

A lot of things can be tweaked and changed, and changed back week or month after month just to keep things a bit more fresh. Heck I'd be ok with him just saying "guess what I did" and run the map and see how long it takes to figure out what he changed.

These are all killer ideas, hopefully the right people see this

[Eagler]

I agree with the limited free planeset after the two week trial.  Just enough to set the hook and learn the game, while not enticing enough for us old players to cancel and fly for free.

He has already said no to free planes

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,406093.15.html

Eagler

[DmonSlyr]

He has already said no to free planes

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,406093.15.html

Eagler

Free early war planes would be great for the game imo, but bring in more dweebs and trolls probably, ain't no one gonna tear it down in early war plane, but gives people a chance to learn the game and stick around, probably subscribing one day.

[CptTrips]

Free early war planes would be great for the game imo, but bring in more dweebs and trolls probably, ain't no one gonna tear it down in early war plane, but gives people a chance to learn the game and stick around, probably subscribing one day.

But he said no.

So here is the rub; the kinds of things that might actually make a difference are not acceptable for various reasons.

The things that are acceptable, are not going to make any difference.

No skin batch release or Scenario or FSO is going to put 600 players back in the arena. 
Adding some obscure French fighter is not going to put 600 players back in the arena. 
A new player made map is not going to put 600 players back in the arena. 
A player made video is not going to put 600 players back in the arena. 
Etc.  Etc.

[Lazerr]

He argues fun in that post.  Fun requires players.  New players don't want to pay for this.

New players don't like what they see, a lack of people.  Lack of action..

Do you see how they relate

[save]

What kept many Euro-TZ players like me - even though numbers in the arenas were low - it was the scenarios playable at Europe-friendly TZ.

To get to a scenario starting after midnight was not working for most of us.

Now we are gone, and many have found new homes in other sims.

I think a free subset of planes would increase population in arenas ( let's say ENY15-20 and up), and increase interest in subscribing if you get hooked on the game.

One more thing, development of the game ceased many years ago, and players took notice of it, and play with friends much because of the community it has built and maybe not only because of the game itself.

[LCADolby]

People here making suggestions that would increase player numbers with the same ideas for the last 15 years.


 Times have changed, players have changed, AcesHigh does not update with the times and probably never will to entice the new young sim pilot who; wide eyed and as dumb as rocks, flys with a mouse, has only "really ever played War Thunder", and considers that shower of toejame the "Pinnacle of Simulating Air War".

 The old guard clutching tightly at their Win7 1Gig graphics cards are keeping the lights on with their sub moneys but they are aging, moving on with life and times, inevitably dying away from the game and the young are not interested in bringing their friends into the arenas to fly around in empty sky. There's no more walking talking living museum like vets who lived through WW2 for the young-uns to look up to, learn from and soak in wisdom, there's no more realistic looking raids people like ET37 ran outside FSO for the main arena rat to intercept or partake. FSO, huh, which the young do not know exists or understand what FSO even means in 2 weeks  So..
 
 Players numbers are slowly hemorrhaging, the arena numbers boosting when the still alive yet curious AH-vets, away for 5+ years, you know; the old names, the old top 10 or so get nostalgic and pop back in from time to time, re-living their past glories tail whipping and beating down on the new generation like nothing has changed for a tour or 3 then going back to life and triple A titles.. but still our game will fade away, though gracefully, when there is not enough energy left in it's remaining subscribers shouting into the void for ways of gaining AH the more players it's skies deserve and not enough sub moneys to pay for it's maintenance.

 AcesHigh is dying from lack of care from it's brain. The brain sees the problems, we know it can read the problems, can even taste the solutions (do not lick your Screens), and yet it will not move to save itself.

A slow death AcesHigh does not deserve... And a bar fight I'd definitely get into over.

  

[Spikes]

what many believed was a "bait and switch" thing with the "Free" only being two weeks.

I believe there was nothing HT could do about it - he could not mark the game as subscription based because you can technically play the game for free, you just can't access all of it.

[CptTrips]

I believe there was nothing HT could do about it - he could not mark the game as subscription based because you can technically play the game for free, you just can't access all of it.

He could have used the opportunity of the Steam launch to add in a FTP subset of planes in the Melee.
He chose not to because he doesn't want to.
That is his choice, but it is an intentional choice he made, so no, it was not all completely out of his hands.

He made a conscious design decision.  Would it have made the difference? No way to know now.  But it was, by a vast majority, the single most common complaint on the Steam page.

Note in the current market, probably the only "Subscription" game they've been exposed to is War Thunder.  And the only way it gets away with a subscription is by providing a FTP subset of planes to keep players engaged long enough to convince them to subscribe.  No, the Steal the Sheep arena is not going to cut it.  The Melee is what they see the game as, and no portion of it was FTP. 

The other two sim they'd know are not subscription, but pay-per-module\installment and you own it.  AH doesn't match that model either.

[edge12674]

People here making suggestions that would increase player numbers with the same ideas for the last 15 years.


 Times have changed, players have changed, AcesHigh does not update with the times and probably never will to entice the new young sim pilot who; wide eyed and as dumb as rocks, flys with a mouse, has only "really ever played War Thunder", and considers that shower of toejame the "Pinnacle of Simulating Air War".

 The old guard clutching tightly at their Win7 1Gig graphics cards are keeping the lights on with their sub moneys but they are aging, moving on with life and times, inevitably dying away from the game and the young are not interested in bringing their friends into the arenas to fly around in empty sky. There's no more walking talking living museum like vets who lived through WW2 for the young-uns to look up to, learn from and soak in wisdom, there's no more realistic looking raids people like ET37 ran outside FSO for the main arena rat to intercept or partake. FSO, huh, which the young do not know exists or understand what FSO even means in 2 weeks  So..
 
 Players numbers are slowly hemorrhaging, the arena numbers boosting when the still alive yet curious AH-vets, away for 5+ years, you know; the old names, the old top 10 or so get nostalgic and pop back in from time to time, re-living their past glories tail whipping and beating down on the new generation like nothing has changed for a tour or 3 then going back to life and triple A titles.. but still our game will fade away, though gracefully, when there is not enough energy left in it's remaining subscribers shouting into the void for ways of gaining AH the more players it's skies deserve and not enough sub moneys to pay for it's maintenance.

 AcesHigh is dying from lack of care from it's brain. The brain sees the problems, we know it can read the problems, can even taste the solutions (do not lick your Screens), and yet it will not move to save itself.

A slow death AcesHigh does not deserve... And a bar fight I'd definitely get into over.

  

Well said.  Currently we are experiencing a "golden age" resurgence of flight sims outside of AH.  Enjoy AH for what it currently is and expect the decay to continue.  If AH leaves you unsatisfied, there are other sims out there that are vibrant with updates and players.  The important thing is DO NOT let AH sour you on the flight sim hobby.   

[JOACH1M]

Oh is that his game? Maybe try reading comprehension.

You should know it is far from free. The makers of the game sell in game cheats. If you don't buy, you have little chance.

You we’re heavily implying that nobody would build a game and make it free. In which fortnite is literally a free game that can be played on any operating system. There is no cheats you purchase in the game. You can choose to pay for different characters and gun skins (that bring 0 in game advantage) in game if you would like.

[CptTrips]

You we’re heavily implying that nobody would build a game and make it free. In which fortnite is literally a free game that can be played on any operating system. There is no cheats you purchase in the game. You can choose to pay for different characters and gun skins (that bring 0 in game advantage) in game if you would like.

The most important aspect of any FTP model is to ensure there is always a sufficient critical mass of players in the arena to make the game worth it to those who pay to upgrade.

Why would I pay to play in empty arenas?  A Massively-Multiplayer-Online-Game with no population is a car with no gas, steering wheel, or tires. 

Think of bars that charge no cover for girls.  Yes, they lose a little money on the girls, but that is what draws the guys and they make the difference on them.  If the bars are empty of girls, the guys go elsewhere too. 


The second most important aspect of any FTP is that is gives the potential customer an excuse not to uninstall the game.  Why give up some free stuff? They may jump in from time to time to dabble and eventually start liking the game enough to be willing to pay for the rest.  Maintaining contact with a potential customer as long as possible is key to get as many bites at the apple as possible over time to eventually convert them. 

When you tell them two weeks or f-off, they uninstall, f-off and go to a competitor.

[Shuffler]

Drop the subscription, make it free to play, add a PayPal link

You would have to start with one or two planes with nurfed guns. Then buy your way to being good like in war thunder.