Promoting

[hazmatt]

Yeah having the steam portion of the game really skews the active player base and makes it look more dead than what it actually is

Yes, this seems to be  a problem across the board for most games. The game I'm currently playing shows 100k player peaks on steam and the numbers are usually 3 to 5 times that number.

It seems it would be possible to send the data of the current number of players playing the game to the steam number reporting system to get accurate numbers. I'm not sure why this isn't done as it seems to be a wide spread problem.

[Animl-AW]

This has probably been posted before, but I asked google for a list of multiplayer online flight simulators and AH did not show up.  I asked why.  This is the response.  Nothing we did not already know.

why doesn't Aces high show up in the list of flight simulators
8 minutes ago

Aces High was not on the previous list primarily due to its age, niche status, and very low player count compared to more modern and popular flight simulators. It is a long-running World War II combat flight simulator, first released in 2000.
While respected for its massive multiplayer battles and realistic flight models for its time, several factors contribute to its lower modern visibility:
Dated Graphics and Engine Even with updates, its graphics are not comparable to modern titles like DCS World or War Thunder.
Subscription Model Aces High III operates on a monthly subscription model, which is a point of criticism when compared to free-to-play or one-time purchase competitors.
Low Player Population Recent data from late 2025 shows an average of only 2-3 concurrent players on Steam, with peaks rarely exceeding a dozen. While the game's servers may host more players directly, these numbers are significantly lower than its competitors.
Steep Learning Curve The game is known for being a challenging simulator, which can be a barrier for new players.

Sounds accurate to me. All fixable.

I don’t get the higher learning curve compared to DCS and maybe IL-2. I always viewed WT as more a kids game and arcade-ish.

IMO the sub and engine is the key. Subs is an easy fix. The engine swap takes time but totally doable. Basically we keep paying the most for less involvement. The game is ok, the principle is not. This is not ok. When ya hide you have something to hide from.

I’m glad its still running. But taking advantage of the word entertainment is wearing thin. The past work is already paid for. You either want to earn it in the future, or ya don’t, we are in don’t stage.

The only recourse is crap small server games that can’t go above 30-80. Once you experience multiplayer the rest is crap. Small servers are the cheesy crap way out. I did that centuries ago in Counter Strike, it BLOWS CHUNKS. I don’t care how great the graphics are, when you do small servers you are crap. Multiplayer is what keeps us here despite lack of service, graphics and sub.

The customer decides what is ok and what is not. Doing zero is not ok to customers no natter how you twist it. If one no longer wants income do exactly that.

Its great its still running, I pay for it to do so. But I am disappointed in attitude.
We are on our own.

Remember this? “…I hope to get back into dev soon…” its now less.

There, I said it out loud.

[hazmatt]

Subscription Model Aces High III operates on a monthly subscription model, which is a point of criticism when compared to free-to-play or one-time purchase competitors.

This has come up all over the place including steam reviews. Most people today expect games to be free or one time pay. Many of the younger people in other games don't have access to credit cards so it's a deal breaker for them. I know I wouldn't agree to pay $576 a year for my 3 kids to play this game, however they are close to talking me into buying them each a 1 time $10 game card for Christmas for Robux in Roblox, which of course is free to play.

I think people can overlook graphics and other such things if the game play is good. I think the sub is the real deal breaker for most and it's be said that the sub part will never change.  Most younger players are gong to look at the sub price and compare that to what that amount of money could buy them if spent in other games, buying planes in DCS, buying different theators in IL2, buying golden eagles or premium planes in Warthunder and most are going to consider those to be better options. Spending close to $200 a year can buy you a decent amount of stuff in those games.

Based on my experiences other players in these other games I think the best bet is to trying to recruit previous players that are willing to pay a monthly sub as I don't think you're going to have much success recruiting new players who are younger because of the paradigm shift.

[CptTrips]

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[Animl-AW]

HTC should seek partnership with Entropy.Aero (Combat Pilot) and marry his stable mature server tech with their modern UE5 front end.

That would accelerate their timeline by years and give HTC a new lease of life and income for the coming couple for decades.

IMHO, 98.0625% of HTC value is it's server tech, not it's client or gameplay design.  The server tech is being held hostage by a client that just isn't going to cut it in the current competition for players.  And not going to no matter how many player videos you make.

And Entropy.Aero are Americans, not russians.  So there is that.

I doubt they would even require he shut down AH.  I doubt they would really see it as a competitor to their space.  IL2 claims they will someday do Pacific as soon as they are done wasting time with Korea.  IF true, that would be their higher threat.

$0.02.


Imagine their front end with a mature server that can handle 650 players.

It'd be a new beginning for the Genre.  One dominated by Americans again.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/combat-pilot-dd-142427159?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

We clash often

But I do give credit for a good idea. That is a good idea. Work your magic, make it happen. Get him over here to try MMP. He claims he never heard of AH

I expect a report in two weeks

[The Fugitive]

Yes, this seems to be  a problem across the board for most games. The game I'm currently playing shows 100k player peaks on steam and the numbers are usually 3 to 5 times that number.

It seems it would be possible to send the data of the current number of players playing the game to the steam number reporting system to get accurate numbers. I'm not sure why this isn't done as it seems to be a wide spread problem.

And these numbers, like the steam numbers are BS too. 300K-500K on how many servers? I think the last time we went around on this the average was 20 players per server for the "game you are currently playing".

If your not going to use ALL the data, why bother using any of the data.

[Animl-AW]

And these numbers, like the steam numbers are BS too. 300K-500K on how many servers? I think the last time we went around on this the average was 20 players per server for the "game you are currently playing".

If your not going to use ALL the data, why bother using any of the data.

Agreed, totally.

Trips has a good idea. Is it possible? <shrug> if he can make that happen he would create a good name for himself.

It would require very organized wording. One voice one message.

I want to put russian IL-2 out of biz.

[LCADolby]

I want to put russian IL-2 out of biz.

If anyone can do it, you can, I believe in you.

Switch over to flying there and start using their BBS, they'll be dead in no time..

I expect you only to return to AH and this BBS once your mission is a success.

[Animl-AW]

If anyone can do it, you can, I believe in you.

Switch over to flying there and start using their BBS, they'll be dead in no time..

I expect you only to return to AH and this BBS once your mission is a success.

Quite obviously you missed my point.

Ironically you don’t pollute IL like you do here with lil girl drama. Do there what you do here.

Nice projection crowd chaser

Excuse me ehile I praise you for a 11 yr old vid that brought one player.

[hazmatt]

And these numbers, like the steam numbers are BS too. 300K-500K on how many servers? I think the last time we went around on this the average was 20 players per server for the "game you are currently playing".

If your not going to use ALL the data, why bother using any of the data.

I'm talking about the total number of players in a the game for recruiting purposes and I only mentioned the reported numbers of players on steam is far from accurate for all the games reported there, not just this one.

I think you're talking about "match size" (when you're talking about "players per server") which is currently set to a max of 64 with most being 32. Obviously this could be changed.

The game operates across 7 main server locations worldwide.
In October 2025 alone, the game had over 508,000 daily active players.(but I have people saying I'm here to recruit new players)

[Animl-AW]

.

[hazmatt]

If anyone can do it, you can, I believe in you.

Switch over to flying there and start using their BBS, they'll be dead in no time..

I expect you only to return to AH and this BBS once your mission is a success.

I don't understand the hate for IL2. It's pretty small compared to the elephant in the room.

The IL2 BBS is pretty kind hearted. They might tolerate a bit.

Warthunder on the other hand might be a little more hostile.

[Animl-AW]

I don’t hate IL-2. I want a game good enough to do so as a goal.

I’m not paying Russians, period

[hazmatt]

HTC should seek partnership with Entropy.Aero (Combat Pilot) and marry his stable mature server tech with their modern UE5 front end.

That would accelerate their timeline by years and give HTC a new lease of life and income for the coming couple for decades.

IMHO, 98.0625% of HTC value is it's server tech, not it's client or gameplay design.  The server tech is being held hostage by a client that just isn't going to cut it in the current competition for players.  And not going to no matter how many player videos you make.

And Entropy.Aero are Americans, not russians.  So there is that.

I doubt they would even require he shut down AH.  I doubt they would really see it as a competitor to their space.  IL2 claims they will someday do Pacific as soon as they are done wasting time with Korea.  IF true, that would be their higher threat.

$0.02.


Imagine their front end with a mature server that can handle 650 players.

It'd be a new beginning for the Genre.  One dominated by Americans again.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/combat-pilot-dd-142427159?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share

Personally I don't care who makes the sim if it's good. I think the place to go with the server tech would be the games with the highest numbers currently. Image the madness of going from 64 players max per match to 500 players match per max with a base of  500k players starting one match after the other. Maybe they could even use the AH3 maps! For sure they would need larger maps.

[Spikes]

I don’t hate IL-2.

You don't hate IL2, you just want them to go out of business? The math isn't mathing.

Its perfectly okay for people to play different games and talk about them. I play IL2 and don't like War Thunder much at all, which is perfectly fine.