Why not go Free to play?

[CptTrips]

[The Fugitive]

Maybe they stay until they figure out it's a monthly fee and the "free" is 2 weeks. You should read the steam comments. There is a quiet common complaint about the monthly sub.

I think a lot of them login and start to figure out how to fly and say.."OMG! there is so much to learn!" and they leave. Todays market is more about "FREE" this and that. Free apps, free games, there are a million of them. In most cases they all have some pay version that have the "extra stuff" or the ability to save a game, or any of a hundred other things they want to charge you for. That is what todays gamers are playing. That is what they are doing, its the way of the industry.

HTC took a chance and went subscription based in a time when that wasnt the norm. Well its time to move on from that now. People will keep plugging away at a free game until they either get the hang of it and realize that they want more and so buy in, or finally give up. 

[AKIron]

You speak for yourself.

I got 9-10 yrs in here, I’m not new. Plus my own contributions in those years. Been into MMP fir 35 yrs. I’m not new to anything. Trips operates like drug dealer con. Literally mention that game 1500 times. Heard this frog fart in the water 300 times. Not a damn thing hionest about him. Its slow manipulation, make mentions non stop. Seen 200+ marketing conferences by the big boys.. I know every slithering trick.

I've known Trips for 25 years. I know he does not want to see Aces High fail. Give it a rest.

[AKIron]

Something you probably didn't know Animl. Trips made the first user made map for Aces High. With a little help from his friends. He probably won't appreciate me mentioning that though. He'll get over it.

[CptTrips]

Something you probably didn't know Animl. Trips made the first user made map for Aces High. With a little help from his friends. He probably won't appreciate me mentioning that though. He'll get over it.

Yeah.  That worked out well.

[Vraciu]

The first two statements are fact.  The third is an assertion.  Not the same as a fact.

His assertion.

[CptTrips]

Bottom line, to answer the OP, IMHO, a portion of F2P is worth a try unless the decision has been made as SuperDud said to just let it fade.

I see few other viable strategies.

Vulkan?  The only thing I can really see that buying is cross platform.  It doesn't seem to me that performance is a problem for AH.

So, to Mac?  LoL.  Linux?  I don't know that world.  Is there a gamer culture on Linux?  With numbers?

Console?  Big money there but the current graphics would be insufficient I would think.  Console players really expect AAA graphics.

If there is another more likely successful strategy, I can't guess what it is.


Maybe HT should just ... advertise!  Yeah that's it.  All you have to do is advertise.  Why didn't anyone think of that?  Maybe set up a table at air shows and hand out t-shirts and bumper stickers?  Has anyone suggested that?   


So what is the best strategy?  If not limited F2P, what is the next best option?

For those against limited F2P, I'm all ears and interested.  Honestly interested. School me.

[Vraciu]

Maybe they stay until they figure out it's a monthly fee and the "free" is 2 weeks. You should read the steam comments. There is a quiet common complaint about the monthly sub.

They stay less than five minutes after their first login....


Five MINUTES.

[CptTrips]

They stay less than five minutes after their first login....


Five MINUTES.

Which is after they have been shown the trial only dialog, right?

Don't you think it is possible they have already made the decision to bail and uninstall at the point of seeing that?

If you had already made the decision that a subscription is unacceptable, would you bother going through and configuring all your controls or just pop in to look at the graphics on the runway out of curiosity and then bail and uninstall?

As opposed to a dialog like,

"Your two week trial will allow you to experience all the vehicle and planes that Aces High has to offer.  If at the end of your trial you have still not decided, you are invited to continue to enjoy the reduced set of Free-To-Play planes and vehicles for as long as you like.  Have fun and enjoy yourself."

[CptTrips]

The only other viable strategy I could see is admitting that new players are beyond your reach focus on some way of contact former players with some special deal to bring them back for one last hurrah!  Like a 1 month Welcome Back Trial Period to rekindle the old magic.

That would take a willingness to go out and market to those guys.  They're not going to come to you.  I would hope HTC still has emails of former players in the DB archives.  A lot of those are probably dead letters but some may work and word of mouth can get around on the old friends network.  If they were one time customers that is not spam.  They are not strangers, you have had a previous business relationship.

I get emails all the time form services I have had at one time offering me deals to come back.

"You don't get what you don't ask for in this life."

[Oldman731]

Which is after they have been shown the trial only dialog, right?

Don't you think it is possible they have already made the decision to bail and uninstall at the point of seeing that?

If you had already made the decision that a subscription is unacceptable, would you bother going through and configuring all your controls or just pop in to look at the graphics on the runway out of curiosity and then bail and uninstall?

As opposed to a dialog like,

"Your two week trial will allow you to experience all the vehicle and planes that Aces High has to offer.  If at the end of your trial you have still not decided, you are invited to continue to enjoy the reduced set of Free-To-Play planes and vehicles for as long as you like.  Have fun and enjoy yourself."

There is merit in this.

- oldman

[Meatwad]

Or the fact that he could be teetering on the edge of his comfort zone on the number of paying subs from "this is good enough" to "oh crap can i pay my house payment this month"

Its a true fact that things have changed compared to 25 years ago and you must adapt to stay alive in the gaming world. When you refuse to adapt, you die out. When the other developers "retired" (laid off due to lack of subs) and there is nobody left to create new content because he cant afford to pay them for the time and effort, you are on a slow downhill spiral until the last of the loyal playerbase leave and its lights out.

[AKIron]

You guys still playing oughta make some how to videos. Maybe there already is an Aces High youtube channel with videos on mapping controls, flying the aircraft, tips on engaging, etc...? Instructional for the brand new to flight sims and Aces High in particular.

[AKIron]

Not just look at me, see how great I am videos. A walk through on getting started, step by step. Then the basics of flying. The basics of communication. Start a squad for noobs and offer regular training sessions. You want your community to grow make it attractive.

[AKIron]

I got over 10,000 views in less than a month for just a silly little video that has tags DCS and F-14. Be shameless, add tags, DCS killer, better than the F-14.