What would get AH growing again

[fudgums]

Believe we are lucky the game is still around and hitech is still doing this. He's been doing it a long time, and has had a rough time as of late. Think we can give a little grace on that topic.

[SuperDud]

No one? Many players have done so for many, many years because the flight modelling is the best and you're free to pitch whatever aircraft and tactics you wish - arena disposition permitting - against potentially massive amounts of or at least hugely-varied human players. That's unique.

If this was true then it would still be a packed game with 100s if not 1000s on at a time like the early 2000s. Yes for years people played games with monthly subscriptions. But its 2024 and the gaming industry doesnt work like that anymore. People aren't paying monthly subscriptions anymore. Even the king of monthly subscriptions, WOW, let's you play for free for a bit. And they've also seen a drastic drop in their numbers. All the big games that people are playing are free to play. You don't have to like it, you can argue it, but that's where the gaming culture is now.

[Shuffler]

I am suspicious of fuzzy headed penguins....                

[Yarbles]

Re Graphics:

AH is fine by me. The reality as the fugitive has pointed out: You may want high end graphics and then you find you need a new PC to run them.

DCS NEEDS:

500 G SSD

Ram minimum realistically 32 

High end graphics card.   I would suggest off the shelf about $1000 at least,

AH considerably less BUT !!

DCS and Il2 people post allot of their videos on U Tube where old gits like me do searches like Spitfire, P51, Battle of Midway, Britain, Tobruk, Normandy etc

Can we do that ?

Volunteers ??

No costs and High Tech is not needed to be bothered (he has done his bit) . Maybe you people who have the skills can make some U tube Vids together and low there is free advertising. Ok Graphics won't be good but play to combined opps. Integrated action. Planes, the fleet, battleship, GV'S.  A scenario film. I think choose a battle with all of the affore mentioned. Preferably one that Hollywood have just make a film about but failing that propbably something in the Pacific. If we have it like Okinowa.     

I am trying to think where we could show off the ships. Normandy but not Carriers in that Campaign but Battleship for sure. Any suggestions ?

I like Midway and Normandy. People want to fight in those battles who watch U tube videos and may not even already be gamers.

I don't think in the first instance its improve AH it is get the numbers back again.

Numbers make it better 
 

[Yarbles]

If this was true then it would still be a packed game with 100s if not 1000s on at a time like the early 2000s. Yes for years people played games with monthly subscriptions. But its 2024 and the gaming industry doesnt work like that anymore. People aren't paying monthly subscriptions anymore. Even the king of monthly subscriptions, WOW, let's you play for free for a bit. And they've also seen a drastic drop in their numbers. All the big games that people are playing are free to play. You don't have to like it, you can argue it, but that's where the gaming culture is now.

You might be absolutely right but its not going to happen. If I have 1000 people paying $15 a month I would not in a million years suddenly offer the same thing for free. BTW we have all heard the expression there is no such thing as a free lunch. There are costs and in the absence of another revenue stream it is a non starter.

Furthermore AH takes a huge amount of commitment to master and is already available free off line. I see a new "free" flash in the pan game every week being advertised on U Tube. That is I would suggest not the same playing field or target market but of course you are right it is the future of most gaming.

[nrshida]

All the big games that people are playing are free to play. You don't have to like it, you can argue it, but that's where the gaming culture is now.

Free to play after you've bought multiple expensive modules also isn't acceptable to some demographics of potential players. $15 a month isn't an obstacle to those who might be at a stage of life where that relatively small expense isn't a big deal, nor might they consider themselves as gamers, nor have a gamer's PC. Likely a lot of us came here from the WW2 aviation interest direction, not because we were looking for the next game that happened to be based on that theme.

If this was true then it would still be a packed game with 100s if not 1000s on at a time like the early 2000s.

You haven't established the subscription is what drove people away nor I think could you. There are apparently so many other factors in play.

[nrshida]

Here is one of Lusche's graphs showing the population in game based of at least one kill.....

(Image removed from quote.)

I wonder at what point on the graph the squeekers stopped coming and what that cause was? I remember feeling that was an abrupt change. There had always been a tunover of players but the young ones suddenly vanished. Spooky.

[MDStampf93]

I wonder at what point on the graph the squeekers stopped coming and what that cause was? I remember feeling that was an abrupt change. There had always been a tunover of players but the young ones suddenly vanished. Spooky.

Some of us are still here, we just grew up over the last 20-25 years 

[LilMak]

Perhaps a hybrid might work?

Stage one: Rework the game so it’s free with highly limited planes/GVs and pay for perks.  Any planes beyond the limited set would cost perks (micro transactions if you will). Something like a dollar or two gets you 5 hangar selections beyond the limited set while any of the game’s currently perked selections being totally unavailable without a subscription.
Then re-release on steam.

Stage two: Subscription mode we have now.

All playing in the same sandbox.

[Bruv119]

I'd suggest the following made free for MA access;

A6M2,   Hurricane mk I,  i16, F4F,  109 e-mil,

Early war tank
M16

NO M3 access unless resupply is removed for towns.   

Remove downtime commands,  this for me eliminated the need for someone to take off and recon the town to see if a base capture was imminent. 
Review radar and gv dar implementation, again with less fog of war people are less inclined to plot more daring raids as the defence has always been easier. 

if the existing players can't kill any of the above by now in an MA setting then they need to look in the mirror.   

the idea is to play enough to get the hook well and truly lodged that the individual would then ask mother to pay for their account to get at the better aircraft. 

After chatting to my wife's nephew he was going on about how awesome warthunder is and I'm there rolling my eyes, 60gb!!! download, the graphics looked ok but it was still the (IMO) noob arcade feel to it. 

More youtube,  More live streams showcasing squadron/teamwork play,   More events and prizes.
Country chess piece win the war statistic,  current war situation displayed on the website along with kill message stream, base capture stream (delayed by 60minutes just so ykw types don't get aroused when they see their favourites online)   

Anything to market that action is happening behind said paywall.   
 

[Eagler]

You guys have seen HT's previous post showing his response to adding a free to play tier right?

He is not for a free planeset..at all

On another note.. Is there a secret for using the search box in this bbs? Seems it doesn't work to well for me..like searching for free planeset hitech..ok..found this:

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,402218.msg5331095.html#msg5331095 from this thread https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,406736.msg5386825.html#msg5386825

Eagler

[LilMak]

You guys have seen HT's previous post showing his response to adding a free to play tier right?

He is not for a free planeset..at all

On another note.. Is there a secret for using the search box in this bbs? Seems it doesn't work to well for me..like searching for free planeset hitech..ok..found this:

https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,402218.msg5331095.html#msg5331095 from this thread https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,406736.msg5386825.html#msg5386825

Eagler

I think a lot of us understand his stance. His goal is to generate income as it should be. The model is already in place to emulate. Look at games like Call of Duty. You don’t have to buy the battle pass but people sure do throw down for it.

Perks are already in play here so it seems logical (to me) to establish that as a means of generating extra income wile letting the addiction set in. In my above example you could also have only default skins available and additional skins available for .50 or something. Some players will take advantage of the free stuff but many might actually pony up some money. Maybe serious money. All while keeping the established player base as it is.

[Yarbles]

Free to play after you've bought multiple expensive modules also isn't acceptable to some demographics of potential players. $15 a month isn't an obstacle to those who might be at a stage of life where that relatively small expense isn't a big deal, nor might they consider themselves as gamers, nor have a gamer's PC. Likely a lot of us came here from the WW2 aviation interest direction, not because we were looking for the next game that happened to be based on that theme.

I think that is a good demographic to go for and can be reached through U Tube.

Post those videos.

[Dadtallica]

I think that is a good demographic to go for and can be reached through U Tube.

Post those videos.

AH videos are all over YouTube.

When I was trying to recruit for the masters scenario the sub was the top three reasons people gave for their no thanks.

[Yarbles]

AH videos are all over YouTube.

When I was trying to recruit for the masters scenario the sub was the top three reasons people gave for their no thanks.

My experience is only Il2 videos and some DCS.

I guess it depends on your search history. Based on mine, if I did not already know AH existed I would be none the wiser from U Tube.