Still curious why folks don't stick around long after creating an account. I'm convinced it has something to do with default settings/control mapping...specifically mouse controls. I wouldn't run any type of promotion until that is figured out. Look what happened with the steam release.
I've tried getting 2 newbies into the fray along with 2 guys who played AW/WB and AH into this sim. Currently, a friend from AW/WB days is the only one who has stuck around longer than a month or two and he's having a decent time trying to re-learn everything and I think he might stick it out as he's even looking into buying a PC and new HOTAS. The one aspect that has proven to be too much for the others is the overwhelming skill level differential. The average guy in here has multiple years of experience-decades even. Newbies are absolute fodder in this environment and it's quite discouraging. Many in here wouldn't realize there is such a difference in skill level as they can only see the various strata of skill levels contained in this sim. The minimum skill level in here is leaps and bounds over newbies and seals outside this isolated, niche community.
Back in the olden days, AW had arenas dedicated to newbies. They'd learn a minimal amount of skills in the newbie arena while earning points. Once they earned 5000 points, they could no longer fly in the newbie arena and had to move to the regular or real-time arenas. Those arenas were huge and there were plenty of players at an equal skill level to their own that they could rise above with practice before starting to knock down the vets.
The early days of AH was the same. The arenas were well populated and a considerable number were newbs or players with minimal skillsets that one could work their way through with practice. Since then, the population has dwindled leaving the diehards and dedicated to populate the arena. Thus, a tough place for returning or new players to get a foothold. I know there's opportunities for training and whatnot but most people don't want such 1-to-1 interaction, they just want to fight it out amongst folks with similar skillsets and try to rise above before tackling the next strata.
Tough to do when all 110 other pilots in the arena are aces (in comparison) when you first log in and get your feet wet.
Perhaps the tiered plan might work as the lower tiers might attract and keep newbies engaged as maybe there'd be more guys at their own skill level to play against.
I know some will say newbs just need to "nut it up" and deal with it. For most, buying all the stuff then paying $15 for the honor of getting slaughtered for a few months before attaining even a modicum of skill and standing isn't worth the time. There's plenty of other games where you fight folks near your own skill level as you rise and challenge yourself against the next level.
