Online flight sims and end users:

[Ripsnort]

Out of curiosity, how many of you were in the 'first year' of WB's? (CK)Most that were in CK (WB's) in its first  year that currently fly AH understand that this product will only get better, as WB's did, and most of us flying AH are of the 'Optimistic' mentality.

When we came from AW to CK (WB's), CK was FAR from perfect, but alot of us saw an opportunity to 'add' our opinion to how the flight sim could be developed, Killer, HT, Pyro, Cali, and more "listened" and developed the fine product that is out there today called Warbirds.

Now, we have the same opportunity to do that today with AH, so saying "Until this or that is fixed, I won't take this sim seriously" or "I quit until this is fixed" is very tasteless, after all, if you're going to help them develope the game, you have to substantiate your claims by flying the sim on a regular basis rather than trying it for a day or two...then waiting for another update..get what I mean? The Warbirds that is available today is due to 'user-feedback' in a positive manner.
(Rip gets off of soapbox)

[AKDejaVu]

The thing I like about AH is the use of the forums.  Back in the old days, we used to have to rely on the newsgroups to get our points across... ICI then would have to sift through all of the flight sim posts in hope of finding anything worth reading.

This format improves communication immensly.

One thing is for sure... those that were around when CK (WB) was out realize just how far on-line flight sims have come.  HT and gang have been virtual pioneers in this arena and I thank them for it.

AKDejaVu

[Wardog]

Greets Rip..

Yup, Started CK/WB right outa AW DOS end of 1994/95. Started AW DOS end of 1989/90.

I still hold 2 WB accounts, 1 for Squad other for my Dad to play on.

Wonder who else is still around that flew AW DOS with the CGA Front End? Yes sims have come a long way.

What burns me most is the guys with the IQ of an Ice Cube (MG) sim bashing. I fly both and have never bashed either sim.

AH and WBs will never be complete, any changes to either sim, i just adjust to it. People have to remember that these guys ( Pyro & HT ) spend time flying there own product. So they know what needs adjusting.

I will also open an account on WWIIonline, but not for the planes, ill be Subs only..

Relax, adjust and most of all have fun,thats why we are here.

Dog out..........

[DR00]

Now look here Rip, I pay my $30.00, so if I want to use the game buffer and this BBS as my own wet blanket, it's MY business.
I HAVE been around through the early Warbirds days and seen plenty. Hell that damn Hitech gave me this STUPID doctor double zero handle (The one I REALLY wanted was taken). Hitech and Pyro have always been our personal fire hydrant and why should anyone stop now. It's their own fault for listening to the squeakin and trying to make changes that try to walk the line between realism and gaming enjoyment with such diversly opinionated bastards.
So I say to all of you "a pox on all your houses" (As the Dr. walk quitely away from the storm, the faint sounds of that "Loving Spoonful" classic are heard. "I'm a goin fishin, baby's goiin fishin...")

[Firefox]

Well well well, looky who shows up    .  Hiya rip, carefull the AH crowd will think your sucking up to the WB'ers again    .

I have been with WB since the .91 days and didnt get to do the CK stuff.  HT and Company  have produced a nice market sim and its providing a needed market.  Its not WBs but it was never  meant to be.  WBs from the 91 days really really grew into what it is today. And listen to rip, as he is right.  They took player input and built it from the ground up.  

So even though Im not a AH regular I did do the Alpha/Beta test and played afterwords.  What you see is I would guess only 1/4 of what it will be.  Be patient and let it go through the pains of growing and you might get to see somthing unlike you have seen before.

Anyway, Ive been reading a lot about 1.04 and  havnt downloaded it yet.  To tell you the truth Im leary of Padlock and Easy mode.  I dont agree with them. BUT, Ive also heard that HT is doing it different so I still might give the 2 week trial a try.  Although Cost right now is the big factor, so I canna go beyond that.  NO, before anyone jumps on me Im not advocating a price change.  In fact during alpha HT asked for suggestions and I said around 30 - 40 a month would be fair.  But some RL things changed that needed me to not continue with AH.  I wish I could have stayed with the sim. It filled a void that WB doesnt quite fill.  But, as a trainer over there I have lots of fun.


Anyway, Im gonna pick a time, download and try AH with the New FM So I can make my own judgements.


Besides,  HT, DOG and Co. havnt had me to Blast them to smitherineenes for a while.


See you up


------------------
Rick "Firefox" Scott
AH ID: FirefxAT
WB ID: =frfx=

[This message has been edited by Firefox (edited 09-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Firefox (edited 09-14-2000).]

[Ripsnort]

Heya Fox, you can join a HTH session (I do  this quite a bit myself) without having to go into 'pay' mode, there always seems to be 2 or 3 games going in HTH mode, enjoy!

DR00: LOL !

Deja, yes, Newsgroups and online text they received feedback from us, nice to have folks that  actually listen to feedback, they sift alright, but occasionally the community pops up a gem and HTC implements it, just as in 'the old days'..

It's always nice to be in at ground level of a new product and observe its growing pains, and triumphs.

[Westy]

"Be patient and let it go through the pains of growing and you might get to see something unlike you have seen before."

 That is why I signed up on day one and why I am still here. Plus I'm having a blast.

 -Westy

[pzvg]

Having (quietly) been around since wb.91,
I'll tell ya what Rip old buddy, I'd love to go pay for play,but as it stands right now, it's not the game that needs improvement, ie;
$30.00 a month for the MA? why? I already have children. I cannot conceive of spending any sum on my hard-won dollars to attend a virtual kindergarten, (and a virtually unsupervised one at that) To be fair, this isn't HTC's fault, rudeness, violence, intolerance and ignorance have been a growing online problem for a while now, and one I believe is going to be responsible for a major change in the internet in the near future, oh, go ahead and slam the idea, I'm not going to be offended that people can't see what's coming, but for me, I cannot be bothered to "just squelch xxx" As the man said, once you get done shutting down all the offensive speech, you end up with a boxed game, with only CTF as a mission.
Do think about it, those of you capable of something beyond the kneejerk reaction common in the forums now, Do you like hearing childish talk? rudeness? incoherence?
If the answer is yes, then perhaps the problem does not lie with the sim at all.

[AKSeaWulfe]

Hey Rip! Hmmm yeah I've been around since CK v.91. It wasn't WB at that point, it still used the graphics engine that modelled some of the most amazing terrain for the time and ran REALLLLLLLLYYYYY well on a 486DX4/100. That engine was built by Domark, it was the same engine used to run WWII which DoMark released in 1993 I believe it was. Having come from AOE and AOTP and RB I was amazed by the game. I was also 13 years old at the time. I thought it was the coolest thing and had no room to argue. I had flown a real airplane by that point so I could "feel" it was close to simulating flight. I remember those BoB fights down on the old terrain.. I forget what two fields were down in the south east. One was on the mainland, was that 1? Then there was another field on an island that had a volcano on it. Since then I've followed HiTech and gang around except I left WB when 2.0 came out but I always kept tabs on what HT was doing. Then AH came out and well... I feel like I'm 13 years old again. The game is very very young and seeing what they did to WB in a year then seeing what they did with AH in year, I can only say "HOT DAMN!!" :-)

Thanks HT, Pyro you guys never let me down. Thanks to Superfly and Natedog for those amazing 3D models and suberb plane graphics. I still can't help but get a woody when I take a plane offline and zoom in on the cockpit to be able to READ the instruments from OUTSIDE the plane and watch 'em move. It's the little things.. it's the little things! :-)
-SW

[Sharky]

Rip,

 

Now, we have the same opportunity to do that today with AH, so saying "Until this or that is fixed, I won't take this sim seriously" or "I quit until this is fixed" is very tasteless, after all, if you're going to help them develope the game, you have to substantiate your claims by flying the sim on a regular basis rather than trying it for a day or two...then waiting for another update..get what I mean? The Warbirds that is available today is due to 'user-feedback' in a positive manner.

Bravo well said.  This is the one thing that seems to alude everyone.  Everyone seems to think that this sim should be as evolved as others that have been around for 5 years or more.  I have to believe that all the niegh sayers didn't participate in the growth of Warbirds or have chosen to forget what it was like.  What we are looking at here is the foundation of what will be a great sim.  It is by no means a finished product.  Even with this latest version, don't think for a minute we have seen the last of changes to flight model, gunnery, graphics, sounds or anything else.  These sims are a constantly evolving animal that although may mature are never finished.

Sharky

[Lephturn]

Right on Rip.

I've been kickin' around since WB 1.0.

Oink!

------------------
Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs  http://www.flyingpigs.com


"My P-47 is a pretty good ship, she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip.
Just thinking 'bout my baby and lettin' her rip, always got me through so far."
 - Steve Earl

[Gadfly]

I wasn't around in those days, although I did have some idea that it existed through magazines and news.  The reason I didn't play then was the same reason I won't pay for AH(yet):  It isn't worth it to me.  If it is worth it to you, then there is nothing anyone can say.

The difference between then and now is that AH isn't the only game in town, as CK(WB) was at that point.

To me, WB's is worth it, not so much for the FM or whatever, but because the things that I care about are in full swing, i.e.  Events.
Those are they only time I fly(other than the occasional PLANNED squad fly).  AH is moving in this direction and looks to be putting very nice tools in place, so at the point where I think it IS worth it, I will gladly fork over the loot.

As far as subsidizing them to create that which I may enjoy in the future, well I did for the crucial first months, even though I seldom if ever flew.

Lizking

[Mark Luper]

My very first online flight sim experience was WB 1.11. I loved it. Spent tons of money ( to me anyway ) trying to learn it. I have flown flight sims for some time before that but it was the interaction with other people that sold me on online flight sims.

I had the opportunity to be one of the alpha testers on this one  and I can see where input results in game changes. I think it is way too cool.

I went to the WB con in 98 and will be at the AH con this year. Getting to meet people you fly against face to face is awsome in my opinion.

The ability to interact with people from all over the world and a large cross section of the walks of life has me hooked.

Good post Rip

------------------
MarkAT

"It is not the critic who counts,
it is the man in the arena..."
Teddy Roosevelt

[By-Tor]

 Salute HTC! Found my first virtual love when I by chance stumbled across WB.This was back in WB 1.11,I was callsign Gedy then.Together with my brother EADG we logged hundreds of hours because we were simply addicted. I have since tried all the competitors brands of WW2 air-combat,and none have taken me away from a Hitech and Co.product.AH did DID drag me kicking and screamin' from WB,but look at the progress of each since HT and crew left.This is indeed a great sim and a great community.
 Thanx to HTC and ourselves!
     By-Tor

[Ice]

The same as Wardog...matter of fact we were squadmates back in awdos

Hitech and crew will get it done and it will be fun...been second seat with them thru it all and they have yet to let me down.

Enjoy and count your blessings

I'm Out!